21 April – 17 May 2023

On returning from SA, we had a very quick turnaround which was jammed pack with no time to rest. Daily doctors appointments for myself became my main task of the week. Another staph infection (3 in total now) in my leg and more antibiotics were becoming a regular part of my life and one I’d rather have done without. We spent the time we had cleaning, restocking and making minor modifications/repairs to the van and car. We caught up with the family and readied the house for the winter rains (if they ever come). We were exhausted after our few days at home and were glad to finally head off again.

We took advantage of a hotel stay in the city to catch up with family and go and see the mighty Freo Dockers beat the Western Bulldogs (I tipped right this time). We ate out and explored the city a little, something we don’t usually do. A couple of nights was enough though and we were ready to head north towards the warmer winter weather.

After a night catching up with friends, we headed back to a favourite spot of ours, Lucky Bay south of Kalbarri. Pete was very excited to be able to get back in the water and snorkel. One day he came back with a cuttlefish which made its way onto our dinner plate. The next day he went out snorkeling again and had an interesting time. He got scratched up diving under rocks, fought with a wobbegong trying to get into his dive bag for some mullet that he had speared and then got stung by jellyfish on his mouth. It really was a hard days dive. To top it off though, a wobbegong shark sat inside a cave protecting a few crayfish, no doubt saving them for his dinner. Usually wobbys don’t bother anyone and will swim away if you give them a sideways glance. This time however, he was not acting in the usual wobby way. While Pete was trying to grab a cray, the over protective wobby bit his hand. It didn’t break through his gloves as their teeth are very small, but it was a shock none the less. The wobby didn’t fare too well after that and got shot with the spear gun. Pete had to lock him under his arm and swim back to shore long with a dive bag full of fish and a cray, a spear gun and a loop. Later that day, we decided to try the smoker and smoke the fish (mullet) to have with the cray for dinner. Pete put the metho in the burner, loaded the sawdust in the smoker and lit it up. The only issue was the metho container was very large and had many air holes (too many in fact) in it. The flames became too big and needed to be extinguished. Pete lifted the smoker off the metho container and tried to blow the flames out. Now in hindsight it probably wasn’t the best idea to blow oxygen into an open flame. Blowing on the fire made the flames blow back in his face singeing his hair and eyebrows. He managed to get the metho container on the sand safely and we assessed his burnt hair situation. No major harm done, but a new, smaller metho container will be on the cards. The fish looked and tasted delicious and we will definitely do it again (after some modifications of course). It was a hard day, topped off with a bad footy tip. Thank god that day was over! The weather continued to stay warm and dry and not windy at all for the duration of our stay. We visited the beach every day to swim, read and relax. We drove up into the dunes most days which has the best views over the bay and campgrounds. Phone and internet reception were limited so the dunes were the easiest place to get communications. We had a nice little fire most nights and could pop the tv outside to watch as we sat around the fire. After 10 years of visiting this spot, we never tire of it. We really do enjoy coming here and will definitely be back on another trip.

Off we drove further north, not really knowing where our next stop will be. We decided to collect some firewood along the way and made a decision to stay a couple of nights at Gladstone Bay 150km south of Carnarvon. This picturesque campground sits on the crystal clear waters of Gladstone Bay in the Shark Bay area. A short 6km drive down a corrugated gravel track from the highway and we arrived. An historical dilapidated jetty juts from the shore, with mud flats and pelicans all around. The water looked so inviting, but the levels were not very high so swimming was very difficult. The billion flies that also live there made it not so pleasant to be outside. On a positive note, the station owners have installed rustic outdoor showers utilising underground water heated during the day and flushing loos. A mini putt putt course and basketball court certainly make the campsite attractive to stay, but at $13 per night each, it is quite expensive. After our 2 nights, we were back on the road heading towards Coral Bay.

Finally, after almost 2 months, many doctors/hospital appointments, countless wound cleaning sessions and dressing changes, 5 courses of antibiotics, and 3 staph infections, the dressing has finally come off my leg! It is, and continues to heal nicely with only discoloration, a dent and no hole to speak of. Where once I could put my thumb into my leg, the skin has grown over and I now can only see and feel where the hole was. Thankfully this little chapter appears to be over and I can swim and get on with the things I’d rather be doing.

So off we continue towards more winter warmth, not that the cold and rain of winter has arrived at home just yet.