Visited Gantheaume Point, named after Joseph Antoine Gantheaume, during the French expedition to map the coast of Australia in 1801, then known as New Holland. The point adjoins Cable Beach, and encompasses a stretch of white beach as well as red rock cliff-face overlooking the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. There are outcrops of sandstone, deposited in shallow water in this area in the Early Cretaceous period, some 130 miliion years ago. At low tide, you can see dinosaur footprints and plant fossils embedded in the sandstone about 30m out to sea.

Went on a morning of discovery to see the largest population of ‘snubbies’ (snubfin dolphins) in Australia and an array of marine life in Roebuck Bay. Snubbies live in small isolated groups along Australia’s northern coastline from Kimberley to Gladstone. Well, turns out most dolphin are a bit reclusive and dive when they notice paparazzi……unlike flat-back turtles, who surface everywhere (and then go for a dive when they have had enough). A few lovely manta-rays floated past too.

Some fun facts about snubbies : grow up to 2.7m; weight ranges between around 115-130kg depending on gender; live about 30 years; like being touched on their snout or forehead; shed their outer layer of skin 12x per day; they squeal with delight to express joy; dolphins are descendants of land-dwelling mammals of the artiodactyl order, having made significant adaptations to be the aquatic marvels we see today.

Broome has 4 tides a day ( two high and two low). “Spring Tides” every fortnight -when the moon, sun and earth are in alignment, higher than usual tides @ about 10 metres; “Neap Tides” – when then sun and moon are at right angles to each other, lower than usual tides @ about 1-2 metres. So you time your walks on the beach when the tide will be low and the sand is damp and hard packed. Fishing, during the last hour of the incoming tide. Photos….well, depends if you want water surrounding/abutting landscape features or mudflats….

I liked this image I took of the boat heading into the distance where the horizon is endless…and Wendy’s (from Tassie) dress was a colour contrast point.

Some brave fellow travellers decided to jump into the bay and be dragged along holding onto the boom net behind the boat at 6 knots or so..