On the Cape

We got started slowly this morning, and headed up to five mile beach, where we snorkeled and played in the sand.  

The kids enjoyed the snorkeling, although I think there might be better beaches around here to try.  They found some spiky grass balls that roll along in the wind and had races down the track leading out to the road.  They've named them, but already the balls have started to fall apart, so I hope they are not too disappointed when their new pets decompose.

On the way back to our van we passed kangaroos, some emus, and a very emaciated horse.  Hope he's alright.

We had lunch, did some school work, then swam in the pool.

After dinner we went in search of Internet and phone connection so we could call Katie.  We ended up on top of the tip of the range, where the old disused lighthouse is, in the dark.  We looked out over the lights of Exmouth in the distance, and the big construction of antennas that we'd passed on our way in yesterday.  At night each antenna is  lit up with rows of red lights running up into the sky.  Some of the antenna are almost 400 metres high and there are about 13 altogether.  At first we couldn't work out what it was and put forward theories of space ship landing pad, or rocket launch site.  but according to the internet, it is a naval installation of a hexagonal configuration of antennas designed to communicate with submarines.  Called the Harold E Holt communication station, it was first set up by the Americans to exclusively communicate with their subs, but after protests by the Australian public in the 1970s involving flying the Eureka flag, among other things, it is now a jointly managed site.  (It transmits 1 megawatt of vlf radio which i think is incredible - Grant)I think that's right.  It looks very mysterious anyway.  For those who don't know, Harold Holt was a prime minister of Australia who disappeared into the ocean one day and was never seen again. A very appropriate name for the naval station.

It was a late night, after chatting and surfing the web, and on the way home Cooper and Oskar fell asleep.  The camp ground was dark and quiet when we arrived so we quietly got ourselves to bed.
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Vicki