Sunday morning we had a slow start. It was still overcast and cool. We cooked a damper for brunch and enjoyed it sitting by the fire overlooking the bay. Not long after the rain set in. We made it to the big shelter near by which has free WiFi and with a cuppa sat and watched the rain. When our neighbours returned from crab hunting they had 4 good sized ones. They said we could have one & they'd cook it for us. YUM. We thoroughly enjoyed it as the rained continued to fall. When it got much heavier we retreated inside and played Yahtzee. It stopped raining for a bit so I made a batch of Banana pikelets and took some to our neighbours then had a cuppa sitting overlooking the water. It's was cold and blowing but hey there is many other worse things in life. Late afternoon the rain cleared and we ventured out with umbrella in hand for a walk. We walked the cliff edges all around camp. At one point I noticed a small blow hole, I ventured over and stopped suddenly with a fright, the rock was breathing. Lol. I laughed and laughed as the waves underneath came in the air was rushing up and through small holes it sounded like the rock was breathing, there were little bubbling pools of water all around me. I found the blowhole and looked down it it was only about 10cm in diameter. Just as I stepped back a spurt came shooting up. Phew that was close.
Monday it looked like the rain had mostly cleared but we didn't want to pack up and leave unless the road into 80 mile beach was open. We couldn't find that out till after 10am. So after chatting to a neighbour we decided not to go crab hunting but octopus and oyster hunting instead. They loaned us their octopus hook with was a length of stick with a big fishing hook attached to the end. After using the hook can I just say I dearly wish it had been at least twice the length it was. So off we set in use direction of the tidal rock pools. We had a bucket & the hook for Octopus and a screw driver, hammer and plastic container for the oysters. It wasn't long till James said oh I've found one. James was pointing at the water where a very pretty octopus was squirting water at him. At this stage and kind of lucky for us another person octopus hunting was walking past. He said have you ever caught one and we replied no. He then proceeded to grab it by the head and cut it's head off with scissors as it wrapped over his had. We were a little dumb founded and certainly wasn't going to do that!!! After much coercion the octopus tentacles were in the bucket. First lesson of the day, the tentacles don't stop moving even after chopped off from the head, YUK! So off we set again looking and it wasn't long till I found one. Ok so this is the part where if you'd been watching you would have fallen over laughing. I hook it as I'd been demonstrated back at camp. I wait till it's squirted all it's ink and lift it up. It's bloody tentacles are going every direction but of course not in the bucket. Try as I might it didn't want to live in our bucket. James is of very little help and in fact feeling queasy, he hands me the screw driver and says stab it. So I put it on the rock and attempt to stab it. Well it at this point it climbs the stick I'm holding so I drop it with a little girly squeal then as it attempts to leave still with the hook in it I pick it up and lay it down and begin stabbing it. I stab it like I've got a physico streak and still the thing moves and wriggles, at one stage it took my screw driver and after giving it a shake it drops it. Ok so attempt 2 to get it in the bucket. Now don't ask me how but after much stabbing and pulling and tentacles falling off here there and everywhere, wah la the slimy sticky octopus was in the bucket, well at least most of it was. Hmmm now do we really want to continue??? Of course I do. James is a little pale but happy to be bucket boy. The next one I found went in relatively smoothly. Similar process, hook it, stab the living day lights out of it, then dump it in the bucket and fight with it to regain my hook and usually the screw driver at some stage. The last one was a little more of a battle but with 4 good sized octopus in the bucket we call it a day and leave the others for someone else. We then walk along to the bottom of the cliff edges where we pull off fresh oysters. Once we have about a dozen we make our way back to camp. Back at camp we googled how to clean octopus and with this knowledge I chop off the heads and portion up the tentacles. We found out that the road was open so we packed camp and after returning the hook, luckily for me they were out fishing so I didn't have to explain the stabbing etc, we left this lovely spot. We fuelled up at the road house and before we knew it we were making camp again this time on lovely grass. We ventured over to see the beach and had a quiet afternoon. After tenderising the octopus and marinating it we enjoyed warm octopus salad for dinner. Yum!!!
Tuesday we woke to an overcast day. We were up early so we went out for a long walk along the beach. It was Devonshire and scone day at the restaurant which is attached to the reception so we didn't worry about breakfast and headed up there to enjoy that for brunch. It was yummy. We chatted with our neighbours went shell collecting and generally had a very quiet day. We finished it off with a beautiful roast lamb cooked on the BBQ. It was so nice to have the BBQ back up and working.
Wednesday the sun had us up early it was streaming in any gap it could find. We set off for a morning walk to collect more shells. I found loads of beautiful ones to treasure. As we turned to walk back to camp the wind picked up and it blew, it blew so hard the sand was hurting our legs. Back at camp after breakfast we packed and headed out. We only had to drive 260km but it seemed to take a very long time. Luckily for us the wind dropped so it wasn't so hard but the roads were just bare. We pulled into camp and found a spot with a lovely ocean breeze. We set up next to another penguin. It's a little Penguin 11 on road so it seems tiny compare to ours. After lunch we went down the beach for a swim. Neither of us got in but we sat with our legs in some of the lovely rock pools enjoying the sights. After some exploring we pottered back to camp and enjoyed an afternoon of reading and chilling out.
Thursday and Friday went a bit like this. Walking, exploring, photo taking, lawn bowls watching, nudie swimming, rock pool dipping, chatting, sun set watching, reading and relaxing. Barn hill really is a little piece of paradise.
Saturday we pack and farewell Barn Hill and head for Broome. We choose the Gateway caravan park as it's the cheapest and has a fantastic vibe. It very much feels more like a station stay verses a caravan park. After set up we head into Broome. We stop at the info centre and gather what information we need, then shop at Bunnings, the camping store enjoy a cafe lunch and then coles. After a drive through town back out to camp we go. Each night at camp the camp hosts light a fire and we sit around chatting with neighbours. Oh & I make a yummy damper
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