Day 14 of our tour.
Free day in Broome.
Quiet ish morning as we are going on a pearl farm tour at 11.47am! Did some washing and went for a wander around town.
A bit of a 'where's wally' challenge.
We were picked up at 11.46, 1 minute early for a 4wd bus ride out to the Willie Creek Pearl Farm.
The oysters were being brought in to be stored into the tanks. Next, in a very delicate operation a nucleus is implanted. Then they are taken back out to be hung in long lines 4m below the water line for 2 years until the pearl has grown.
The pieces of shell get tumbled around until round then implanted in the oyster. The oyster sees it as a irritation and produces a nacre layer around it to protect itself.
A bit more technical.
The inside of a pearl.
Golden pearl shell.
Flat Rock was used like a jetty for trading and restocking boats.
Our guide opened a few shells and actually found a 13mm pearl valued at $3,500.(not the one pictured above, it's valued at $275)
The pearl above is now valued at $300,000.
Heading back in the bus.
The colours of the sand is due to the oxidation of the iron (rust) content.
Today the cruiser only moved to get some diesel. It was $2.302/L and we needed over 200L.
The temperature range was 13-28°
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