Staircase to the moon

It only happens between March and October each year, when conditions are just right, when the full moon rises over the exposed mudflats of Roebuck Bay at extremely low tide creating the optical illusion of a staircase reaching for the moon.The staircase occurs three nights each month and we were lucky enough, actually we timed our visit around this phenomena.

We reserved a table at Mangrove Hotel and caught the bus, as well as with everyone else, to see it. It seemed like we were back in London peak hour as the bus was so full it couldn't stop for people. Olive thought it very funny as we drove past people waiting for the bus.

Michael has passed the itchy beard phase.

And Olive is going through the long haired hippie stage. " don't you dare take our table!"

Even though we reserved a table a few weeks before and got a primo table. We were soon swamped with people around our table and you can imagine people jostling for their positions. Luckily we had 2 little people eating pizza at our table to know that we had our table booked.

Each night the staircase to the moon started later and it was appearing at 5:30pm today.

As the sun set over Cable Beach, the moon started to rise over Roebuck Bay. It was like an orange slowly appearing behind a desk and hundreds, if not thousands  of people in several locations around Broome were eagerly snapping away.

 

 

Just as the moon really started to show off, and the didgeridoo played in background, thousands and thousands of bats flew right across the view. It was much bigger than the nightly migration from Kareela or Royal Botanic Gardens. It simply added to the absolute phenomenon. 

It was a fantastic atmosphere, everyone mingling and socialising and just as the music and night starts to get cranking, we have to take 2 tired little girls home to bed. At least we can relax and have a Port back at camp. It's only 7:30pm.