25th May 2010 - Broome

No distance travelled Standing on Broome Jetty

Alan, Colin and Morag

We were spending a full day in Broome to give us time to get the tyres changed and do a bit of work on the bikes prior to hitting the Gibb River Road. Also Colin was spending some time with Morag not having seen her for 10 days and then being parted for another 26 days ( start the violins!)

First stop was Small Engine and Motorcycle World. Colin had arranged for a new set of Scorpion Sync tyres to be sent up and Alan had posted his knobbies to Broome. However the GRR was looking decidedly dodgy especially for Colin on his VFR. After it was closed the previous Monday due to very heavy rain ( therebye completely stuffing up Morag's trip from Darwin) the rivers in the northern end of the road were running high. The Durack River was reputed to be 700mm deep. The road was open again but other river crossings were dicey and there were washaways to contend with. These are where the road has washed away leaving a deep ravine in the surface that can flip an unwary motorcycle! We decided that we weren't going to risk going the whole way and would just do the easier section to Mt Barnett Stn and come back to Derby or short cut through the Fairfield Leopold Downs rd to Fitzroy Crossing. So Alan decided not to change his tyres but to do an oil change.

The tyres were changed on Colin's bike even though the mechanic had put his back out. He wanted to use the brand new tyre fitting machine! He also provide new valve caps and topped up the front brake master cylinder. Alan got out his extensive tool kit but couldn't find the right bit to remove the sump plug or to attach to the oil filter socket. They eventually were found and he did the job like a pro. As we were leaving the workshop a breakdown truck arrived with a GS800 BMW on the back. The owner told us that it had just died on the GRR. Going through the Durack River with waist deep water might have had something to do with it!

We went into town to post Colins half worn tyres back to Melbourne. At one point Colin did a tight U turn in the main street of Broome and found that the new tyres were still very slippery and the front went away. He couldn't get his foot off the footrest because the Pivot Pegs serrations caught his shoe. By some miracle the bike rebalanced and Colin was spared the indignity of dropping the VFR in front of the shoppers. We took the bikes back to Nathan's house and met up with Morag who had been out running. Michelle kindly lent us her car for the day as she was feeling very lethargic after getting a sedative at the hospital the night before. So we set off to town to post Alans tyres back in the same packaging. Then met up with Kerry, a Dr from NZ who went with Morag to Cape Leveque after the original trip was abandoned. We visited an art gallery to have a look at a screen printed photograph of the rising moon reflected in the local mudflats called Stairway to the Moon. We wanted to get it for the Sutherlands for all their help. Then we had lunch and Colin had his first proper latte since leaving Perth.

We had booked a tour of the Pearl Lugger exhibit which had a couple of boats and a display room. The story of pearling in Broome was one of unmitigated greed and exploitation. Firstly of the aboriginal divers who were kidnapped and forced to dive for the shells and afterwards of the Japanese divers who used diving suits to go much deeper and ran the gamut of "the bends" when they resurfaced. It was the Mother of Pearl they were after in the shells not the pearls, but they were a bonus if they found one. We tried on one of the diving helmets after the presentation and they were so heavy and claustrophobic. After the Pearl show we went to Matso's Brewery to try the local beer including a mango beer.

Then it was back to the Sutherland's for Morag to pack her bag to fly back to Melbourne that evening. Nathan entertained Alan with some of his huge collection of games and puzzles. Nathan is a teacher and uses them in school and also with the kids he tutors. I'm afraid Alan was no match. He should stick to beating Colin at cards.

The weather doesn't look promising even for our curtailed ride down the GRR. More rain is predicted and there is a low pressure trough right across Australia from the Kimberley to Melbourne dumping rain on all and sundry. The locals assure us that the wet weather is most unseasonal, but as they had a very dry March, which is usually the wettest month of "The Wet" its not surprising.