THE BIG DASH: Do we have to go?

We’ve reached the Indian Ocean and it’s just a straight-out joy to be here.

We sort of arrived when we pulled up to Derby on the King Sound for a couple of days. It’s a nice place and surely the global capital for rotund Boab trees.

But the real deal was making it to Broome and Cable Beach. An hour or two after our arrival we were immersed in the ocean and loving it.

A couple of hours after that we were sitting up at the Broome Surf Club enjoying a drink and watching a spectacular sunset.

Awesome. And really, in the time since, that sense of awesomeness hasn’t left us.

Do we really have to go?

It's been a quiet week for Tas. After a tow from Derby to Cable Beach it’s slotted very much into the commuter role, and its car-like driving and riding behaviour makes it very comfortable around town.

We’re just far enough away from the beach to drive each day. The space in the box ensures we can fit our beach trolley without having to fold it down and reassemble it each time.

For the first time there seems little curiosity about Tasman amongst our fellow travellers. Maybe it’s because 99 per cent of them drive Toyotas and that’s all they want to talk about.

Seriously, it's Toyota town up here.

There’s a tiny bit of wear and tear emerging. A small stone chip in the windscreen, the 12V ‘cigarette lighter’ power outlet fuse had to be replaced and most disappointingly, the plastic surround for the right-hand rear number plate light has come loose.

Nothing fundamental though. And no fuel numbers this week. Haven’t done enough driving!

Walking over the hill and seeing Cable Beach for the first time or the 20th is a thrill. A long, wide (very wide if the tide’s out) stretch of white sand fronting a vast blue. Wow.

At this time of year the temperature is consistently hot, the sky clear, the winds calm, the sea warm and usually clear. We go every day for hours at a time, trolleying our stuff from the carpark to the dog-friendly zone about 400m south of the surf club.

Sometimes Eddie rides onboard as his old legs give out. Lulu bounds along, alerting all and sundry to our presence with her woofing. When we’re in the sea they venture in to belly-level (about six inches) and watch us intently. They’re always happy when we emerge.

At this time of year the verdict is that crocs and jellyfish aren’t much of a threat. Sharks? Yeah well… Sometimes it’s easy to forget this place is so remote, there are usually hundreds of people of all types on the beach, lifesavers and vendors renting out umbrellas and chairs.

Overhead the jetliners regularly depart, usually turning south. There’d be some sad people on those planes, looking over Cable Beach one last time.

While Cable Beach has a Byron or Noosa vibe, you don’t have to drive far to feel really remote. Coconut Wells is the epitome of that.

It’s at the end of a dirt track that turns off a minor bitumen road that turns off a no-through bitumen road that turns off a highway. Tides are massive here and when it recedes a savage, chaotic reef emerges that looks like it could tear the bottom out of a battleship.

On its edge perfectly round rock pools are formed and the hunt is on to find turtles and fish that are temporarily landlocked. On the other side of the reef the waves continue into the rocks backlit by a setting sun. Just wonderful.

Just like cars, caravans get updated and replaced with new models. Well, just a few months into our ownership of our MDC it’s been replaced!

The Forte SR has become the Series 2 Forte SR and I’ve got to say, the changes they’ve made address a lot of our criticisms.

It’s a lot more than the new badge, grilles and wheels some car updates get. The MDC SR19 S2 – the equivalent of our old dunger – now gets a proper awning to replace the piddling power awning that is one of the primary limitations to outdoor living.

The two 9kg gas bottles are now enclosed rather than left exposed to the elements.

The door has been moved to the rear, which we would have preferred. As it is we have a mid-door that requires an insert each night so I don’t crash and burn on the way to the toilet.

Inside, there’s a better layout of the kitchen area including a bigger fridge and a proper pantry. One of Jane’s biggest frustrations is the scattergun grocery stowage required by our van’s layout.

There’s also more solar and battery capacity backed up by better claimed charging capacity. A dedicated external input for solar blankets is a nice touch.

Perhaps most important is the incorporation of standard Tuson electronic stability control. Safety first!

A couple of things aren’t so convincing. The washing machine moves from the floor to the wall. Back when we were shopping for our 'van the MDC bloke made a big deal of the superior structural integrity of floor-mounting.

And despite all the extra battery and solar, there's been no increase in inverter capacity. Still can’t run an air-conditioner without being plugged in.

All up, there’s a lot that makes sense here, but we’ll stick with our 'van for now.

Traversing places less populated and popular we’d become pretty relaxed about tethering the dogs every time we let them out.

For instance, the park we stayed at in Derby is huge and we had few near neighbours. The dogs wandered a few metres here and there but mostly just collapsed in the sun and dozed on our site.

But that all changed when we got to Cable Beach and checked in at Tarangau Caravan Park. We had to sign a waiver declaring we would strictly control the dogs, leash them at all times, clean up after them and so on.

Well, we leashed them most of the time. Trouble is that’s not the rule and when Lulu was spotted strolling about our site untethered, a long-term resident of the park quickly called for us to get her on a lead.

That was quickly followed by a visit from a staff member admonishing us for not following the rules. Yep, we got dobbed in. No excuses, no exceptions, just follow the rules.

Fair enough, that’s what we did.

This was the first park we’d stayed at since Adelaide at Easter that was full to overflowing. It’s a small park and a very well run one. In fact, there’s almost a military tone to its efficiency.

It took a little bit of enjoyment out of the whole experience. It muted the vibe. People seemed to keep to themselves more than what we have become used to.

But I guess that’s the trade-off for being in a safe, secure, clean and comfortable space.

Anyway, it’s a small deal and easily compensated for by a beach visit!