Day 75: Sat 01 Jun 24 - Lizzie's Gravel Pit (Denham Hamelin Road) to Denham

Sat 01 Jun 24 - Lizzie's Gravel Pit (Denham Hamelin Road) to Denham (88km)

Early in the morning, we heard a couple of loud thumps that sounded like something hitting the car. I stepped outside into the dark to check, and it appeared to be a Wallaby hopping away. I can only assume he (or she) didn't have their night vision goggles on. After that early disruption to our sleep, we went back to sleep then woke to a beautiful sunrise. 

When I got up, I checked the battery levels and they appeared fine; 12.5v which is about 80% of capacity. But when I powered the Inverter to stow the Starlink (which I didn't do when I turned it and the inverter off last night), the battery level dropped immediately to 10v. I unplugged the Starlink and turned off the inverter, waited, then tried again, but it did the same, so I just left it to check out later in the day. After powering down the inverter, the battery levels returned to normal. When parked at Denham, I tested the batteries using a multi meter, and both batteries read 13.6v charge (100%), the Inverter when powered showed 13.5 (100%) (nothing running) and the Battery Management System read 13.5v too. The sudden drop to 10v (virtually dead) can't be explained, so I will have to do more testing before we leave, as will be relying on our batteries for a lot more off-grid camping in the coming weeks, starting Tue. For the next three nights though, we will be fine connected to 240v power. 

After breakfast and a brew, we drove away at 08:30am, with our first stop at nearby Shell Beach just off the Shark Bay Road about 43km away. As the name implies the beach is made completely of tiny shells with deposits up to 10m deep in places and stretching for about 70km. The shells are mainly from the cockle species Fragum Erugatum that lives in this area. Thanks to the high salinity level it has made it hard for predators to adapt, making it easier for the cockle species to flourish and create this unique beach. The unique composition of the beach makes it one of only two of its type in the world. In the early 1900s, the shells were quarried and hard packed, cut into blocks and used to build a number of historic buildings in the nearby town of Denham.

Next stop was at a lookout overlooking Denham Bay on the Francois Peron NP, before continuing on our way to the Blue Dolphin caravan park in Denham, where we were checked by 11:00am. After setting up we went for a walk along the foreshore about 150m away, then returned for lunch and a nap. Mid afternoon we went for a drive out to Little Lagoon Creek inlet and Little Lagoon where kite surfers and sailboarders were making the most of the strong winds. Back at the van after a couple of refreshing ales and dinner, the rain started falling, and is expected to continue into the morning. We may leave our planned visit to Monkey Mia to see the dolphins until Monday when the weather is forecast to be much nicer, but we will decide in the morning. 

Sunrise at Lizzies Gravel Pit

Shell Beach

Shell Beach

Shell Beach

Shell Beach

Shell Beach

Shell Beach - Lots of the little suckers

Shell Beach Tourists 

Shell Beach

Shell Beach

Shell Beach - Drone Photo (You can see the ocean on the other side)

Shell Beach - Drone Photo

Shell Beach - Drone Photo

Shell Beach - Drone Photo


Shell Beach - Drone Photo - surrounded by water


Shell Beach

Denham Bay on the Francois Peron NP

Denham Bay on the Francois Peron NP

Denham - The HMAS Sydney Memorial (The wreck lies 112 Nautical Miles off the coast)

Denham - The HMAS Sydney Memorial. Names of Ship's Company


Denham Foreshore


Denham Foreshore

Denham Foreshore

Denham Foreshore

Little Lagoon Creek Inlet

Little Lagoon Creek and Little Lagoon - Drone Photo

Coastal View - Drone

Little Lagoon Creek Inlet - Drone

Little Lagoon - Drone (Contrasting Colours)

Little Lagoon Creek Inlet - Drone

Little Lagoon - Drone (Contrasting Colours)

Little Lagoon

Little Lagoon 





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