What an INCREDIBLE 7 days.

Best first week on the job of all time, without a shadow of a doubt. Absolutely no comparison.

Four-wheel driving, mud crabbing, pearl farming, spear fishing, safari tenting, pearl meat eating, whale watching, dragon boat racing, dragon boat sinking, we did it all. From beautiful Broome, up the Cape Leveque road to Kooljiman, around the crest of the Dampier Peninsula to Cygnet Bay and back again.

The food, the colours, the heat, the sunsets, the contrasts, the lifestyle, the people, it’s great to finally get my teeth into my new job and start exploring the state.

So many highlights to choose from, but the Giant Tides Last Light Tour at Cygnet Bay was spectacular. To witness the full force of nature as the huge tidal movement emptied the King Sound and created a waterfall hundreds of metres long across the reef was astonishing. It was also a great conversation starter for the 7 course pearl meat degustation feast that we had that evening.

So, 7 days down and only 168 left, I’m going to enjoy and make the most of each and every single second!

And we’re off! Ladies and Gentlemen my Taste Mastering adventure begins in Broome where we pick up our 4WD.

Make sure you know how to work the windscreen wipers otherwise you’ll spend the whole journey with them going like the clappers every time you try and indicate. We’re on our way to Kooljaman, a wilderness camp on the Dampier Peninsula 200km north of Broome in the Kimberley region, and we’re meeting up with my new hero, Brian Lee.

Brian is an Aboriginal elder and mud crab fisherman. He’s softly spoken, extremely wise and a great teacher and story teller. He’s also got a wicked sense of humour! Me being all respectful and first day on the job and everything, fell for the majority of his gags.

Today we’re catching our own dinner and on the menu is mud crab. Armed with just a metal pole and hessian sack we’re at Hunters Creek. Waiting for the tide to go out to reveal the crab holes, Brian suddenly whips his shirt off and dives straight in. He emerges a few minutes later whooping and hollering and holding aloft the biggest, meanest looking crab you’ve ever seen, looks to me and says… “Your turn.” Really??! First day on the job and I’m going to get my fingers ripped off by a massive crustacean?… I’ll never play guitar again.

Thankfully he breaks into a huge smile.

“Oh Brian, you big kidder you” I laugh nervously as sweat pours down my face.

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Ahhhhh, and what a view it is Taste Master fans.

I was privileged enough to see Broome for the first time by air on a short helicopter flight, but it was only when I landed that I fully appreciated the beauty of world-famous Cable Beach and felt a real sense of community in the town.

That evening I was invited to A Taste of Broome, a unique multi-arts performance and culinary event which celebrates the regions’ Indigenous culture and multicultural community. I was tagging along with my host Robyn, who’d been travelling with us up the red earth-stained road to Cape Leveque and back. I have to say, Robyn is a constant source of entertainment and enthusiasm and an excellent travelling companion. A resident of Broome for 21 years, she has some great stories (Fatso the Crocodile) and knows pretty much everyone (and their dog…”That big one’s called Beverley”).

With a rich pearling history, Broome attracted divers from countries such as China, Malaysia, Japan and the Philippines in the 1900’s, and that diversity is still present today. A Taste of Broome celebrates this through music storytelling, dance and food.

After an excellent evening’s entertainment it was time for an early(ish) night. I couldn’t stay out too late as I was competing in the annual Broome Dragon Boat Regatta at Roebuck Bay the next morning, and didn’t want to let my team down! I was originally lined up to be rowing with reigning champs the Surf and Rescue Life Saving crew, but got the feeling they weren’t too keen on an inexperienced Pom scuppering their chances of another title. Continue reading →