28th Sept - Ningaloo Coast

Today is the day, our friendly neighbours from Fitzroy Crossing and west, are here too. Ricky and Jen offered us a lift around yesterday - but we have a car. They sympathise with dog owners - notwithstanding that Honey hates their Labrador, Ralph. They will look after or in on Honey today whilst we head into the National Park. The road warrior comraderie is wonderful.

Hesitation. Honey has the trots this morning... roused me early 'cos she needed to go! And it was windy as all get out last night and it continues. I am still nervous about awnings and wind after Cooktown last year... In fact went to the local camping store yesterday and bought better, sprung corner stays. Well it is too windy to wind it in anyway! Although I notice some of the roll-out awnings have been 'rolled in'.

Hey we are here to explore, and the wind is supposed to abate for the middle of the day... so 1130 we hand the keys to Ricky and Jen and head off directly to Turquoise Bay - 67KM. No detours.

We have passed a bunch of access roads, and about half indicate camping areas (but no vacancy). Press on - Turquoise Bay parking areas are busy... the options are the Drift Loop where you swim out to the reef edge and drift with the current northwards, or the Bay Loop.



As we have no swim fins we are not going out in the current. And there is a visible rip - next stop Africa... The Bay is sheltered and snorkels are spread around. Maz is not so confident with the snorkel so we played around a bit just off the beach and were immediately surrounded by silver bream-like fish ( I will figure out what they are).

We adjourned after a while to warm up on the sand. I can't handle to much solar radiation so shortly headed back to the water... on the way down the beach I saw some long skinny fish 10 m out and went back for the camera - it was gone then, of course.

a mermaid - not a dugong

Swam out to the edge of the rocky, corally, weedy bits and spotted some small reef fish and a blue coloured Wrasse - yes, you can bet your wrasse that it was a wrasse of some sort! I tried photos but could not tell underwater and in bright sun whether the camera was on - it was apparently, off.

After an hour and a half we headed back, stopping at some other beaches and camps - and the info centre... then feeling guilty headed back to Honey. Dodging kangaroos and emus on the way.

forgot to wipe the water off the lens.

not all the beaches are white sand...

dont know what this is in the corner of a photo
... maybe it is a dugong

Whilst we did not get out on the reef itself - we are seriously motivated to come back, and for me with my Open Water Dive qualification and medical up to date!!! The place is beautiful, just from the shore and the shallows.