We set out on the morning on our 4th travel day with the intentions of staying at the free camp on the side of De Grey River. Our plans are never written in concrete, and with Mr Tilly clearly not speaking to us, we thought we’d better give him a bit of consideration, so mid trip a change of destination was decided. An adolescent dog needs to have a good, off lead, romp at least every other day, and De Grey River would definitely not have been the place for that. Cape Keraudren would give him the space he needed to burn off some of his energy.
Our breakfast stop a few hours into the trip was at Two Camel Creek. I don’t think there’s a creek there, so I don’t know know how it received that name, perhaps there’s a creek there during the wet season. It’s an ok place to stop, with the usual picnic tables and long drop toilets. It was blowing a gale so we sat in the van to eat, feeling sorry for the people who had also stopped there and who were heading in the opposite direction to us. They would have been driving into a head wind, and I dread to think what their fuel consumption would have been. Fortunately the wind was behind us.
Next stop was for fuel in Port Hedland, then on to Cape Keraudren. There’s four camping spots at the Cape. Our favourite is Sandy Bay, where we can camped overlooking the water on the east side.
As I’m always awake early I get to enjoy seeing the sky start to brighten as the sun creeps up towards the horizon. It’s always exciting to see that huge ball of fire creeping it’s way into sight, first a sliver, then a half circle, and then the full glowing ball. If we’re lucky it lights up and reflects in the mud flats if it coincides with a low tide, and if there’s a splattering of clouds in the sky too – well that’s about as glorious as nature can get!
The tides are huge, so when it’s low tide there’s miles of beach to romp on. Tills exhausted himself both that night, and the next morning before we set off again for Broome. The beach stop hadn’t earned us any brownie points with him it seems. He still plonked himself on the back seat, back turned away from us and staring sulkily at the back of the seat. We talk to him and he gives us a quick look before remembering he’s supposed to be sulking. We laugh, and he sulks all the more. I’m surprised he doesn’t get whip lash with the speed he turns his head away again after realising he’s broken his stance to completely ignore us and has succumbed to a quick look in our direction.
Although he clearly doesn’t enjoy the long days of travel, he’s still a good traveller. Apart from getting excited when we stop and showing he’s eager to to be out of the car, he doesn’t make a murmur. It would be easy to forget he’s with us. If he could speak and we gave him a choice of coming with us, or staying behind, I know which he’d choose. So – he just has to suck it up! Poor Tills, if only he could make the choice himself to come with us I’m sure he’d change his attitude in the car.
Next stop – Broome
Life of Riley - on whatever 
That view and the sunset are spectacular. Worth the journey in itself. Sounds like you’re making good time and having a fabulous trip so far. I think Mr Tilly is really enjoying it but just trying to make a point.
LikeLike
I think you’re probably right about Mr Tilly. He seems to have settle into it now though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love good camper trip and it certainly wouldn’t be the same without our two dogs 🙂 I love your sunset photo Chris. Mr Tills does so well!
LikeLike
They are long travel days for an energetic adolescent puppy, and often he can’t run off lease at the end of the day because of the danger of snakes. He does ok.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not a camper ..but looks like a wonderful trip…love my dog …she even loves flying with me.
LikeLike
I’ve often wondered how dogs go on planes. Do you need to get her tranquillisers?
LikeLike
No ..she small enough to fit under my seat. Only a couple of times she was in cargo…there is a compartment section for animals…she was fine. A savvy traveller.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Isn’t it funny how places get their names? Creek or no creek 😉
LikeLike
We camped at De Grey River. It was so beautiful, especially in the late afternoon as all the birds came in to roost in the trees along the river. Your ocean views look pretty good too.
LikeLike
It’s a bit different now than it used to be. It was completely closed for a while,due to some ecological issues. It’s only partially re-opened now, with no access to the river itself.
LikeLike
Oh, that’s a shame. We camped right by the river. It was beautiful.
LikeLike
It’s still nice, just fenced well back from the river now I believe.
LikeLike
Hi, just started following your blog after you commented on one of my posts. Travelling with a dog adds a whole new dimension to your travels doesn’t it! Molly was with us for our 4 year journey before we settled in Margaret River, and she just loved the whole expereince. We loved Cape Keraurdren too, beautiful place for a few days break.
LikeLike
Hi and welcome. Yes, travelling with a dog is a little different for sure. Mr Tilly pays us back tenfold for anything we miss out on because he’s with us. He’s two now, but we were 25 years between dogs. We only had one night at Keraudren this time as we’re on a tight schedule, but will probably have two nights there on our way home. It’s one of our favourite places, but probably a week is about all we would enjoy there.
LikeLike
What a great dog, Mr Tilly is. And such a personality. The Schnauzer who owns our place has been known to do this also. She will now refuse, ( half heartedly) to go for a walk unless we both come along! This is a new level of domination! I feel co-erced but then it is good for me to get more exercise! Hard when I am busy.
That sun shot is glorious. I have to admit the country does have appeal!
LikeLike
As do the shots you post of Scandinavia Amanda, and I’m sure if I had two lifetimes and unlimited funds I’d be visiting there. But I don’t have either of those two things so I now choose to spend my time and money visiting areas I know I love. I’m usually getting homesick for Australia after about a week away, but I can travel anywhere in this great big country and feel at home. Which is funny considering I didn’t arrive here from NZ until I was twenty.
LikeLike
Yes. Interesting you feel at home throughout Australia even though it is not where you grew up. Some parts of Oz are very alien to me but of course I feel at home here. But not in the same way as I do feel at home in Scandinavia.
LikeLike