The price of the Whale Shark trip is very expensive, and the last few days the sharks have been elusive. It's a risk that no one in our group is willing to take. Most people opt to go and see the Manta Rays, and I choose to Kayak to the coral and go for a snorkel there.
I arrive with 4 others from my group, and we're told that due to the wind that the conditions will be tough and they only want to take confident snorkelers out. I've snorkeled several times, but I wouldn't say I was confident. I would say I was more panicky... so I decide not to go out.
Instead I go for a walk along the beach with Zara, Brandon, Martin and Johanna, and up a sand dune which overlooks the turquoise curve of the bays. Beautiful. Time for a dip in the sea before lunch - a great chilled out morning.
That afternoon, we're back in the bus and on our way to Exmouth. We've sadly had to leave Zara and Brandon behind and will pick up 5 new bods at Exmouth. We're starting to pass several Road Trains now, which positively rumble down the road.Bright and Early the next morning we head to Cape Range National Park. We have a short walk down Yardie Creek, a swim at Sandy Bay in the clear turquoise waters, and then on to Turquoise Bay itself.
Here the Ningaloo Reef is accessible only a few hundred metres out from shore, and the drift means that you can start at one end and literally float along the reef. I take it slowly with the old snorkel, and soon feel more confident. Some of our group see Reef Sharks, (I don't), but the highlight for me was swimming behind a sea turtle. His flippers go up and down like wings of a bird, and he literally flies through the water. It was something right out of Finding Nemo, and I half expected the turtle to turn around to me and go "Duuuuude"!
I see so many fish of various sizes and colours, and even a random sting ray. By the time we are reaching the sand bank which is our exit point, the drift has become quite strong and it takes
a lot of effort to get back into shore. Undeterred, however, and determined to see a reef Shark, H, Merryl and I head back in again.Unbeknownst to us the wind has picked up, making the drift even stronger. We arrive at the exit point of the beach a lot quicker than expected and have to swim with all we're worth to get back to shore - and still no Reef Shark to show for it!
We head back to camp passing a Daddy emu with 3 of his chicks on the way, and then we head
for Simon's Crazy Afternoon walk, at Shothole Canyon.The walk takes us right along a ridge, and involves steep drops on other side, and both hands free for scrambling along the rock. Despite being late in the afternoon, it's very hot, and we're soon dripping, and covered in flies. but the walk was well worth it for the views.
Tomorrow we have another early start, and a whole day of driving to take us for our 3 nights camping in Karinjini National Park.
