Day 116 18th August 2014 Monday. It rained over night which will be good for the crops and the wildflowers. This is the first day that we have travelled in rain since leaving home. We packed up and left by 8.30 headed to the coast. We set off for Three Springs but missed the turn so ended up going further onto Carnamah and then having to back track to Three Springs. Stopped at Visitor Centre but closed. Mum wanted to get some talc from the local talc production near town. From here to Eneabba which is a mineral sands mining town and through Leeman and onto Jurien Bay which is on the sea. Had rung at morning tea for sites at caravan park and so checked in and set up on drive through sites. It has drizzled on and off all morning. After lunch we decided to head further south through Cervantes to Pinnacles Desert at the Namburg National Park. We pulled into the car park and headed to the Discovery Centre for the history lesson and then to the lookout for our first glimpse. Well it was breath taking. The sand was of various colours and there are thousands of limestone pinnacles, which range in size up to 4 metres tall and 2 metres thick at the base. Some are jagged sharp edged columns rising to a point while others resemble tombstones. The pinnacles were formed thousands of years ago when ancient plant roots formed a weak cementation of calcite within the dunes and have been exposed by wind and shifting sands. The landscape is in eerie contrast to the surrounding heath. From the lookout mum and I and Kevin headed off on the loop walk and we got to the Desert View Lookout when we saw storm clouds coming our way. Mum and I kept on with the loop walk while Kevin was on the phone to SACA. They want him to do the cricket pitches at Southern Districts. We had nearly got back when the skies opened up. We sheltered behind a bush but it was not a very good bush as we were drenched within minutes. There was no sight of Kevin. Once the rain abated a little we continued on and found the car loop and took this back to the car park. Dad was waiting in the car and mum and I were drenched rats. We grabbed a towel and our jumpers and headed to the toilets to get out of our clothes. I even took my shorts off and wrapped the towel around me. My hat was soaking wet and now floppy. Kevin had turned up and obviously he found a better tree as he was not nearly as wet. His jumper was dry. We then did the Pinnacles Drive a 4km one way loop. We stopped at some of the parking areas to take more photos. We then headed back to Jurien Bay to get out of our wet clothes. Hit the showers to warm up. Have decided that we will head to Perth tomorrow and looked at the route we will take. Made a booking at Woodman Point Caravan Park in Munster. Booked Kevins flight home.
