Cape Range National Park to Hamelin station

Day 167

We had only planned on staying a couple of nights but a week later it is time to pack up and bid a fond farewell to Ned’s campground. Head into Exmouth for a brief stop to do some shopping and hit the road south. A long 200KM later and we arrive in the picturesque town of Coral bay with its 2 campsites, a pub, a shop and a beautiful beach.

Coral bay lies on the southern end of the Ningaloo marine park and so shares the same reef as we have been snorkelling on for the past week. After setting up it’s time to put some washing on and try as we might (We didn’t try too hard) the washing machine will not take our money but proceeded to wash our clothes anyway (Bonus!).

With our new found wealth ($3) we decide to blow it all on a beer at the pub and as we all know the best tasting beer is the free stuff!

Straight into ‘Coral bay Eco tours’ and book our places on a boat for tomorrow to go swimming with the manta rays. Coral bay is one of the few lucky places in the world where the manta rays come to breed so you are almost guaranteed to see them and we are both excited at the prospect.

High with anticipation we decide to fulfil another dream and head next door for a Fish and chip supper, only to have those dreams shattered with a tiny piece of fish and overcooked chips (it was still pretty nice).

Day 168

Up and out early for our ship sails at 8.30am, well it was supposed to but by the time we have all been kitted out with our gear and the bus has arrived and taken us all to the jetty it must be gone 10 o’clock by the time we hoist anchor and set sail (it wasn’t a sailing boat BTW).

First stop is an introductory snorkel on the outer reef and the first thing that strikes us as we dive off the boat is the huge range of different coral, lots more types than we have seen before, truly a coral garden.

As we paddle around amazed by the diversity of the living coral beneath us Carmen spots a turtle swimming around and so we do our best to follow him for a while before he gets bored of us and motors off into the deep blue.

Back aboard and after a warming cup of tea it’s time to find the manta rays. You would think we would just sail about for a while in the hope of seeing one but oh no this is more like a military operation. The spotter plane soars overhead and we get the coordinates of at least one ray and so (with the aid of GPS) set off. It’s not long and we have found him and then it’s all hands on deck and we are all getting back into our gear as quickly as possible and are in the water before you know it.

We swim along beside him (her actually) and you get pretty close to them and can duck dive down even closer. It’s a size as well, probably 3 or 4 metres across and it is amazing to see it gently flapping its wings.

As with the turtles they don’t mind or else they would be off and we all take it in turns to swim about with her and after a while another one comes along which is apparently a male (longer tail) and is probably hoping for some mating action! She is having none of it though and the male swims off.

After a spot of lunch it’s off tour third snorkelling site back over the reef and another chance to be amazed by the range of different corals and fish.

It all seems to be over far too quickly and we are motoring back to the shore before we know it, cold, tired and hungry but amazed at what we have seen today and money well spent.

Day 169

After a bit of a sleep in (tiring all this snorkelling) time for some more washing and this time not only is it free but the last person to use it has left their 3 dollars in the machine so we are actually getting paid for doing our washing now!

Head down and set up for a day on the beach and some more snorkelling. The coral is just as impressive and even though the wind gets up in the afternoon to near cyclone proportions (maybe) we have a lovely, relaxing day and even bump into some of our neighbours from Ned’s.

Day 170

Time to pack up and move on and a couple of hours drive south we leave the highway and head back to the coast to see the blowholes. This is where the sea forces itself up through holes in the rock and shoots up into the air. The wind certainly hasn’t died down and if anything is stronger than before and the coastline here is rugged and a bit scary and there is even a sign telling you that ‘king waves kill’ (certainly not getting the surfboard out here then).

Just around the corner however is the sheltered ‘blowholes beach’ and a (basic) campsite which resembles a deserted fishing village with lots of little rundown shacks (apparently privately owned as holiday homes). We pay our camping fees ($5.50) and park up right on the edge of the dunes before taking a stroll along the beach to Point Quobba and an area known as ‘the aquarium’.

I don the snorkel and mask and as soon as you are in you can see where it gets its name from. Hundreds of fish swim around in the rocks and the shore is littered with more clam shells than we have ever seen in one place.

Back at the van and whilst Carmen has a snooze I decide to take a stroll up the hill to have a look at the lighthouse. I say ‘stroll’ but by the time I am up there it has turned into more of a route march through the wind and soft sand. 

It’s a pretty good lighthouse though and from this vantage point you can see miles along the coast and back down to the point we were at earlier.

Thankfully the return journey is much easier and we settle in for a windy night in the van (so windy that we end up sleeping with the pop top down!).

Day 171

A short drive away is the home of the ‘lunchbox banana’, Carnarvon. Something like (and don’t quote me here) 70% of the winter fresh fruit and vegetables in Western Australia come from this region and so we both thought that this might be the place to do a bit of casual work and earn ourselves a bit of pocket money. We have a good look around town only to find it’s not quite harvest time and there isn’t really any work available and in fact all of the notices we saw were people advertising that they were available for work. Cutting our losses (it was actually a relief as we are not quite ready for work yet) we do some shopping and head off towards the Shark bay world heritage and monkey Mia.

Not wanting to drive too far we decide to stop short of our next town and pull in for our fist station stay at Hamelin station for the night. For the European readers out there (I know there are one or two) a station is basically a big farm and this one is in fact half a million acres and is home to 60,000 head (plus the bodies) of sheep! Now I thought this was pretty big but apparently this is a small one and the neighbouring station is three times the size!

As if to prove it is a working station not long after we set up we hear the sound of pounding hooves and a herd of cows run past being mustered by rugged looking men on motorbikes.

The set up here is great though with a brand new amenities block and a full kitchen complete with pots, pans and cutlery (and an oven) at your disposal and we can’ t believe we haven’t stayed at one before (there have been plenty of opportunities). We make full use of the kitchen and cook a beautiful lamb curry for dinner and vow to stop by here again on our way back past.

Cape Range National Park

Day 160

The alarm goes off at 5.45AM this morning and we are up and straight in to the shower so that we can get to the park and (hopefully) get a spot in a campsite.

As we are finishing the packing up we see another campervan drive past our site and think that they must be heading for the same place (Bugger). We quickly finish the packing up and head off and then as we leave the campsite we see that the other van is still parked outside the showers and they haven’t beaten us at all (Yes)! A short drive to the entry gate and find that at 6.30 we are first in line and as the rangers don’t arrive till 8.30 we have time for coffee and breakfast in the Pollly. Shortly after the other campervan we saw in the campsite pulls up behind us and the look of disappointment on their faces is priceless (I wish we had a picture). Clearly annoyed that they aren’t first in line they must think ‘bugger it’ and they pull away and head into the park. 5 minutes later they are back, realising that the ranger needs to allocate them a campsite but whilst they were away another car has arrives so now they are third! We were both in stitches.

The rangers arrive and there are two spots available this morning at our campsite of choice so we head into the park to Neds’ campground.

Set up in an excellent bush camp spot, on the edge of the sand dunes with no one around us and think that it was probably worth getting up early for.

The snorkelling gear is out and we are off for our fist swim at a place called ‘Lakeside’ (Don’t be fooled though it was on the ocean), amazing it is too.

The coral is just offshore and there must be thousands of fish swimming about (I’d forgotten just how much I liked snorkelling). Floating over a garden of colourful coral and watching the even more colourful fish go about their business is truly amazing and the day is over before you know it (the flippers are really good, thanks Davey).

Back to the campsite and we’ve strung up the solar shower in a tree next to our camp (there is no running water) and take turns under it. Surprisingly hot as well (thanks again Davey).

It’s time for Happy hour at the campsite where everyone gets together around the tables and has a chat about the day’s events. I hate this type of thing but begrudgingly go along and the campsite hosts, Graham and Lynne make us feel more than welcome and introduce us to the rest of the campers. We drink a cold one as the sun goes down and regale everyone with stories of the fish we saw.

Day 161

A morning stroll along the beach today up to a rocky outcrop (which looks like a good fishing spot) where we both have a dip and see more turtles frolicking about in the water.

Return to Polly and head off for ‘Turquiose bay’ where we have a choice of two snorkelling areas, we opt for the drift snorkel. Basically you walk down the beach, get in and let the current slowly drift you along over the coral then get out and walk back up the beach to start again.

See loads more fish and more of the amazing colourful coral and before we know it the day is gone and it’s time to pack up and head back to the campsite.

Stop at the only water tap in the park to fill up the solar shower again and see Emu’s hiding in the scrub, waiting for us to go so they can have a drink. Big buggers they are too and as they start coming towards us we are straight in the van and have the engine started for a quick getaway!

Back to the camp for our shower and over for happy hour again

Day 162

I am up at the crack of dawn (before the crack actually) and am off down to those rocks again with the fishing rod (Carmen stirs but simply snorts and rolls over when I suggest she come too). An hour or so later and not one bite I return for a coffee and some breakfast.

Our plan is to have a few days at one campsite and then move on, working our way through the park. So we drive right to the other end to a place called ‘Yardie creek’  and work our way back, stopping at all of the campsites along the way. Some of them are nice but there is not much shade about and we end up thinking we are better off where we are.

As we are leaving one of the sites we notice a cap to someone’s water tank in road but think nothing of it and carry on to our next snorkelling location.

‘Oyster stacks’ this one is called as there are what at first appear to be large rocks in the water but when you get up close they are thousands of oysters all stuck together. It’s a bit rocky getting in and you can only go at high tide because it is very shallow but once you are in it is well worth it.

The shallow water is perfect for swimming about in (almost too shallow in places) and once again the range of fish and coral is amazing (this is my favourite place). Once again time seems to pass very quickly and before you know it we are heading back to the campsite for our solar showers in the early evening.

Strolling along the beach (on our way to happy hour) we stop to watch turtles mating in the water again and this time it looks more like an orgy in there with probably half a dozen of them having a go! We should have made a video, this sort of thing goes for a lot of money on the internet!!

Day 163

Time to head into town to pick up some supplies and fill up our drinking water (the tap in the park is bore water). As we are packing up we notice that the cap for our water tank is missing and immediately I have flashbacks of the cap we saw the other day on the side of the road.

Do our shopping and buy an emergency cap for the water tank, all the while racking our brains as to where we saw that cap in the road. Head back into the park and thinking there is nothing to lose we retrace our steps from the other day. After half a dozen campsites we are about to give up and decide to try one more….

Would you Adam and Eve it, there in the road is the cap, it looks like it’s been run over a few times but apart from that it is fine!

Happy with our stroke of good luck we stop in at Turquoise bay again to spend the rest of the afternoon with the fishes and corals and return, triumphant to the campsite for our now routine solar shower and happy hour.

Day 164

Wake up this morning and the sky is a dark grey with not even enough blue to make a sailor a pair of trousers. Just as we are contemplating breakfast the heavens open and we have our first proper rain in months! Buckets down for half an hour and Just as we are preparing ourselves for a day in the van watching films and reading the rain blows over and the sun comes out like nothing ever happened.

Head off to ‘Lakeside’ again for more snorkelling and a short way out I notice a turtle swimming along! He’s not as big as some of the huge ones we have been seeing but a turtle none the less. I Paddle alongside, not getting too close and follow him along for a bit. He doesn’t mind and seems quite interested in this human shaped lump with webbed feet splashing about next to him.

Whilst he glides effortlessly through the water, just the occasional stroke of his front fins to keep him going I am going kicking and splashing like crazy to keep up! After a while he gets bored and switches to second gear and I see him disappear off into the distance. What a treat!!

Swim about a bit more hoping to see him again but no luck and am quite happy with the coral and fishes (I do love snorkelling).

Back to the campsite in the afternoon and as it is still hot have a quick swim before the usual round of showers and happy hours.

Day 165

Surprise surprise (but not with Cilla Black) it’s a day of snorkelling today!

Head off to Turquoise bay again where we spot a lizard sunning himself on a pole on our way to the beach. He obligingly poses for a photo (much like his cousin in Karajini) and we continue on.

We do both the drift and the bay snorkel today and they are both as impressive as before.

Stop to fill up our shower again and this time the whole Emu family is there waiting for a drink. Mum, dad and 7 little ones!

Day 166

Our final day in the park and so we decide to do one more round of snorkelling and head off to Turquoise bay again. On the way stop at a couple of the other beaches we haven’t yet visited and on route see a mother kangaroo with its little joey by the side of the road. Ahhhhh

Arrive at the bay and its straight in again. The water is beautiful and clear this morning and within minutes I have spotted a blue spotted ray sitting about on the bottom and a huge grouper hiding in the coral (I don’t think he wanted his picture taken). There are lots of colourful fish about again and we happily spend the morning in and out of the water and think this is a fitting end to our Ningaloo experience.

Stop to fill up the shower one more time and spend the afternoon packing up and preparing for our onward journey in search of manta rays further down the coast.