I was out of bed by 6:45 am, had the washing machine gunned up by 6:50 and on the beach by 7am. Sunrise was a few minutes late because of the sand dunes. However I got a couple of photos.
 |
| Just before Sunrise, Looking West |
 |
| Just After Sunrise, Looking East |
The clothes were on the line by 7:45. The bacon and eggs were on the BBQ by 8:30.
Around 11am Wrighty grabbed his snorkelling gear and I paid $15 to hire same. We spent an hour or so drifting over the reef and admiring the many and varied fish. I had an underwater 35 mm camera, but the photos are not yet developed.
We returned to camp for lunch and a rest, then headed back to the water with the rest of the gang. It was just as good. The rest of the group waded and had fish moving between them virtually within reach.
Most of the fish were half a metre or longer.
Darryl & Wendy took photos of the energetic couple.
It was then time for coffee and soon after happy hour. We all had a BBQ dinner.
Around 11am Wrighty grabbed his snorkelling gear and I paid $15 to hire same. We spent an hour or so drifting over the reef and admiring the many and varied fish. I had an underwater 35 mm camera, but the photos are not yet developed.
We returned to camp for lunch and a rest, then headed back to the water with the rest of the gang. It was just as good. The rest of the group waded and had fish moving between them virtually within reach.
 |
| Spangled Emperor |
Darryl & Wendy took photos of the energetic couple.
 |
| Chris n Wrighty with snorkelling gear |
Day 32 - Saturday 22 June – Coral Bay
The day started warm and overcast. It was 18 degrees at 6 am. Shirley was in the shower by 7:30. It was a slow start for everyone.
After mid-morning coffee we went for a walk to the lookout and took a photo of Coral Bay. The weather was windy and overcast.
After lunch we went for a walk on the beach. However the weather was unsuitable for a beach walk so we headed back to camp for sudoku, chats and some reading.
Around 4:30 we convened for happy hour, where the feature was the presentation, to David W, of his fully accredited scone Diploma. He was a proud man.
Note the appropriate headwear for Wrighty.
By this time Dags and I were preparing for home made pizza for dinner - complete with home made base and stone pizza trays. Our wives agreed that dinner was excellent.
We were all in our own caravans by 8 pm.
After mid-morning coffee we went for a walk to the lookout and took a photo of Coral Bay. The weather was windy and overcast.
 |
| Coral Bay |
Around 4:30 we convened for happy hour, where the feature was the presentation, to David W, of his fully accredited scone Diploma. He was a proud man.
 |
| Accredited Scone Cooker |
By this time Dags and I were preparing for home made pizza for dinner - complete with home made base and stone pizza trays. Our wives agreed that dinner was excellent.
 |
| Pizza - Before & After Cooking |
Day 33 - Sunday 23 June – Coral Bay
The day started with a flurry at 6am as we had no 240 volt power. Investigations over some time established that a neighbour had water in a extension power cord. It had been constantly raining for some hours. All fixed.
It was a slow morning as the rain repeatedly came and went. Most of us went for a drive, but that did not take long.
After lunch my snorkeling mate and I took to the waves again, as the weather started to clear.
After our exercise we joined forces and made plain and date scones. Our friends were more than happy to help us.
After happy hour we all did our own thing for dinner.
It was a slow morning as the rain repeatedly came and went. Most of us went for a drive, but that did not take long.
After lunch my snorkeling mate and I took to the waves again, as the weather started to clear.
After our exercise we joined forces and made plain and date scones. Our friends were more than happy to help us.
After happy hour we all did our own thing for dinner.
Day 34 - Monday 24 June – Coral Bay
Our last full day in Coral Bay started with overnight rain. The skies were partly clouded as I arrived on the beach around 7am. The following gives an idea of what I saw.
It was another slow morning with a long walk on the beach, to a point not yet reached this time around. More beautiful sea was to be seen.
After lunch most of us wandered back to the beach with the two snorkeling buddies attached at the hip. It was another pleasant time over the reef. As we emerged to greet the rest of the party we were greeted by a tourist who started to feed the fish. They came from everywhere and seemed OK to be patted. Although not the right thing to do, it was a great way to see fish up close.
[Photos yet to come]
We headed back to camp and started to pack up our sites for the departure tomorrow. The ladies had booked a table for dinner at Bill's, a cross between a flash pub and a restaurant. We got there at 6pm and enjoyed a very pleasant evening.
Shirley and I had seafood linguine - arguable the best seafood linguine I have EVER had. The apple pie was also impressive.
We stayed for the boisterous $3000 raffle and won nothing. We were home at 8:30 after a 250 metre walk.
The country side was boring in comparison to earlier days of the trip, but it was another part of Australia.
In no time the sky changed from blue sky to cotton-wool-style clouds, although they did not hang around for long.
We passed RAAF base Learmonth and soon stopped at a memorial site for Project Potshot. This was a period in WW2 when the Americans wanted a base closer to the "action" for refuelling and maintenance. It was a very interesting memorial and gave details on the successful "Jaywick" operation and a follow up failed operation.
The Americans push in to this part of our great country lead to further exploration and land used after the war.
We duly arrived in Exmouth and visited the Information Centre where they have an excellent aquarium that displays many fish from Ningaloo waters - some of which David and I saw while snorkelling at Coral Bay.
Lunch and coffee beckoned so we found a bakery and our four other friends. We checked in to the "Lighthouse" caravan park about 1pm. We were 17 km north of Exmouth.
A walk on the beach soon beckoned.
The caravan park has a sign that states that this region is one of the driest areas on earth. As such, like Coral Bay, Exmouth survives on bore water that is OK for washing of body, dishes and clothes - but not suitable for drinking or using in the caravan. This caravan park also had limited supply of "better" water for drinking purposes - probably shipped in from some other region.
After happy hour we made spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.
We drove 172 km for the day, and average of 183 per day.
Day 36 - Wednesday 26 June – Exmouth
It has been nearly four years since I have been this far north in Australia and able to take a sunrise photo over ocean water. So I was on the beach by 6:40 am. I chatted to a guy from Margaret River and traded shells (well donated really) with his two daughters, six and three. They were filling in time before their Mum woke to a birthday breakfast. They had run out of pockets and had hands full of shells.
The early start was worth the wait.
Around 10:15 Wendy and David went one way sightseeing and Shirley, Bev, David and I went the other - to Cape Range NP, beaches, local animals and a few laughs.
We checked out a couple of beaches then spotted a scrawny Dingo ambling around the countryside - not in a rush.
We called in to the Milyering Discovery Centre where they had audio/visual displays on the local geographical history, the local eco systems, flora and fauna. Immediately after we stopped to admire the beach at Lakeside Sanctuary. It was time for a coffee while we had the view in the photo below.
Next stop was the magnificent waters of Turquoise Bay, where David and I snorkelled among the coral and the many fish. Although there was a lot of sand churning around, the water was crystal clear and a beautiful colour.
Onward we pressed and stopped for lunch under a shady tree near the mouth of Yardie Creek Gorge.
It was time to head for home as we were at the end of the road (unless we wanted to take a 4WD track to Coral Bay). Soon after Shirley had us doing a U turn to take photos of an Australian Bustard - which is quite a big bird. The male can be 120 cm tall, and the female 85 cm tall.
We got back to camp in time for afternoon coffee.
Around 5:30 Shirley, Wrighty and I drove up to the nearby lighthouse, to admire the view and watch the sun set.
Although not shown in the photo above it is important to realise that the lighthouse is at the very TOP of the north west cape. From that point you can see the ocean to the east of the cape as well as the north and west of the cape. From our position we could see ocean for about 270 degrees around us. An amazing sight.
We stayed for the sunset, as did maybe 100 other people.
We cooked our lamb chops, ate on our own, then joined the others for a chat. Today we had a top temperature around 26 degrees and drove about 150 km.
Day 37 - Thursday 27 June – Onslow
We broke camp and headed back to Exmouth around 8:15 am. We re-visited the bakery with the great bread and moved south - after getting more fuel. We also took a photo of the canal-based home that have become a feature of Exmouth.
I gradually realised that the road was traversing many sand-dunes. In times of long ago this country must have been a sandy desert with lots of sand-dunes crossing the Exmouth peninsula. As times passed, desert-tolerant shrubs, spinifex, weeds and small trees held the sand in place. So the sand-dunes remained in place. It was a fascinating sight.
We soon passed a sign that advised us that we were back in to the Pilbara.
This is also a region of termite mounds and the mounds were common place in this area. Most of the mounds in this area were 2+ metres high.
We all met up about 80 km south of Onslow, ready to spend the night at a free camp. However the quality of the free-camp encouraged us to move on to Onslow - so we did.
We checked in to our caravan park, had happy hour, dinner and bed. It was one of our longest days of 418 km.
 |
| Sunrise at Coral Bay |
It was another slow morning with a long walk on the beach, to a point not yet reached this time around. More beautiful sea was to be seen.
After lunch most of us wandered back to the beach with the two snorkeling buddies attached at the hip. It was another pleasant time over the reef. As we emerged to greet the rest of the party we were greeted by a tourist who started to feed the fish. They came from everywhere and seemed OK to be patted. Although not the right thing to do, it was a great way to see fish up close.
[Photos yet to come]
We headed back to camp and started to pack up our sites for the departure tomorrow. The ladies had booked a table for dinner at Bill's, a cross between a flash pub and a restaurant. We got there at 6pm and enjoyed a very pleasant evening.
 |
| The Kelly Gang at "Bill's" |
 |
| Wrighty and his (New) Best Mate - Dags |
 |
| Seafood linguine & Apple Pie |
Day 35 - Tuesday 25 June – Exmouth
We bade a temporary goodbye to Kay and Darryl as six of us headed north. Kay and Darryl chose to stay in Coral Bay for more relaxation and to be able to do a fishing charter - out in deep waters.The country side was boring in comparison to earlier days of the trip, but it was another part of Australia.
In no time the sky changed from blue sky to cotton-wool-style clouds, although they did not hang around for long.
The Americans push in to this part of our great country lead to further exploration and land used after the war.
We duly arrived in Exmouth and visited the Information Centre where they have an excellent aquarium that displays many fish from Ningaloo waters - some of which David and I saw while snorkelling at Coral Bay.
 |
| A Small Sample of the Fish on Display |
A walk on the beach soon beckoned.
 |
| A Poorly Doctored Photo |
After happy hour we made spaghetti bolognaise for dinner.
We drove 172 km for the day, and average of 183 per day.
Day 36 - Wednesday 26 June – Exmouth
It has been nearly four years since I have been this far north in Australia and able to take a sunrise photo over ocean water. So I was on the beach by 6:40 am. I chatted to a guy from Margaret River and traded shells (well donated really) with his two daughters, six and three. They were filling in time before their Mum woke to a birthday breakfast. They had run out of pockets and had hands full of shells.
The early start was worth the wait.
 |
| Before Sunrise Looking North West |
 |
| Sunrise (above & below) |
Around 10:15 Wendy and David went one way sightseeing and Shirley, Bev, David and I went the other - to Cape Range NP, beaches, local animals and a few laughs.
We checked out a couple of beaches then spotted a scrawny Dingo ambling around the countryside - not in a rush.
 |
| Cape Range Dingo |
 |
| Lakeside Sanctuary Beach |
 |
| Turquoise Bay |
 |
| Entrance to Yardie Creek Gorge |
 |
| Australian Bustard |
Around 5:30 Shirley, Wrighty and I drove up to the nearby lighthouse, to admire the view and watch the sun set.
 |
| View to the East of the Lighthouse |
We stayed for the sunset, as did maybe 100 other people.
 |
| Sunset over the north west cape |
We cooked our lamb chops, ate on our own, then joined the others for a chat. Today we had a top temperature around 26 degrees and drove about 150 km.
Day 37 - Thursday 27 June – Onslow
We broke camp and headed back to Exmouth around 8:15 am. We re-visited the bakery with the great bread and moved south - after getting more fuel. We also took a photo of the canal-based home that have become a feature of Exmouth.
 |
| Canal-based home of Exmouth |
 |
| The Road Crossing a Sand-dune |
 |
| If only we could find a use for spinifex |
This is also a region of termite mounds and the mounds were common place in this area. Most of the mounds in this area were 2+ metres high.
 |
| Termite Mound |
We checked in to our caravan park, had happy hour, dinner and bed. It was one of our longest days of 418 km.
Click here to move to the previous Chapter
Click here to move to the next Chapter.
This post is now complete.
This post was last updated around 7:45 pm on Friday 28th June 2019
This post is now complete.
This post was last updated around 7:45 pm on Friday 28th June 2019
No comments:
Post a Comment