Our final video clip of Western Australia.  See the link below & have a peep!

A little sad to be saying goodbye to this huge, wondrous state.  It has been an adventure that’s for sure!  But non the less, very excited to be moving into Australia’s Northern Territory.

Once the clam was fixed we were finally back on the road, heading far away from the coast – East bound.  Yaaaay!! 🙂  I say finally, though in reality one week is rather a reasonable time frame to have a caravan towed, fixed & serviced (especially in Broome, where there is an endless stream of busted & banged up caravans & trailers rolling in from The Gibb, & where parts take ages to arrive).  We counted ourselves lucky.  I guess it’s just when you had planned to be else where, exploring new places & moving forward – being stuck in a stalemate did drive us a little crazy.  We loved Broome, but I can’t say that we weren’t smiling ear to ear, stoked to be leading the gypsy life once more.

After being strongly advised by the welders / trailer repairers at the shop; “Do not do the Gibb River Road, it just won’t make it”.  We ummed and ahhed for a day or two, stewing on the thought… Eventually we swallowed our pride & made most likely the smarter decision to not take the dusty corrugated 600 kilometer long Gibb, & instead take the beautifully smooth bitumen Great Northern Highway.  (Through the remainder of The Kimberely on route to the NT border).  Anyway, there is still heaps to do & see along this road, & like I said in our last post if there’s any off-roading to be done, The Clam will stay behind.

So we hit the road again, making way for Tunnel Creek.  Boab trees infest the landscape here.  They are so big & full of mystery.  The really old ones seriously look like they’ve come straight out of a creepy cartoon.  Brumbies & roaming cattle also seem to be permanent fixtures of this landscape.

 

One of our stops was at the man made gorge below.  Perfect spot for some fun & a cool off!

 

If you’re ever near by, don’t miss Tunnel Creek!  The aboriginal peoples linked history with it was really interesting to read, as it is everywhere around here.  There is so much history.  It was a brutal & unfair time when the European settlers made it to The Kimberely.  Tunnel Creek was a place the local indigenous used in the late 1800’s to hide from the war between their people & the European settlers.  The aboriginals here were not giving their land up without a fight, & when they were injured or needing a place to lay low, this is where they came.  The creek is inside a cave.  The entrance is very small & hidden from view.  Only they knew how to get into the cave, making it as safe a place as any when you’re not wanting to get shot or taken away as a slave in chains!!

A breathtaking place, the cave surrounding the creek is HUGE.  Inhabited by bucket loads of bats, fish & fresh water crocodiles there is plenty to keep on the look out for.  A torch is a must.  The majority of the cave is pitch black.  I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit scared, having to wade through the creek (the crocodile infested creek!) in total darkness.  It was mentally challenging at best!  But the rewards of actually seeing some small fresh water crocs up close in the flesh – literally took our breaths away.  They are so sneaky. So statue like. And REALLY cool.

Dog Owners Tip: Tunnel Creek is it’s own National Park. Buuut it is only an hour or so drive from the main drag & before you enter the park it is very easy to toilet your pooch & have him stretch his legs. We left Barney in the car (you’re not meant to, signs say not to, but what can I say, we are rebels!). We parked in the shade, made sure he had bulk water & a treat & he was fine. He loves it in the car anyway. And his spot in the canopy is completely out of sight & with airflow so it doesn’t get too hot. We took just over an hour to explore the cave. (This is what we do with Barney a lot of the time when exploring small national parks for under 2 hrs).

 

Fitzroy Crossing was a lovely place to pass through.  The Fitzroy River itself proving very photogenic & a nice spot to stretch our legs from all the driving!  A great place to stop & just take it all in.  We spotted so many fresh water crocs on the riverbed.

 

Our next big stop was at The Bungle Bungles, inside of Purnululu National Park.  We stayed at the station just outside the N/P & did a day trip in, walking around marvelling at the unique beauty of the rock formations.  See below how the formations share a striking resemblance to beehives!

The caravan park workers were so kind, letting us leave Barney boy all set up at the caravan in the shade for the day.  They even came along & walked him while we were gone.  Stoked!!  If you don’t have a dog we would highly recommend staying inside the N/P, at the heart of the Bungle Bungles.  There are too many walks to do in one day, & the road there is 53 k’s of shittness that you definitely only want to do once in & once out.

At El Questro Station we were treated with a campsite right on the Pentecost River.  Perfect location for a lazy afternoon float around with a beer, a must do in this heat – 37 degrees every day will get ya!

El Questro is known for it’s numerous amazing gorges.  There are so many to explore, you could easily spend a whole week here.  Us being a bit more pushed for time did the old pick & choose which ones to discover.  El Questro Gorge proved a challenging walk, but was absolutely worth it with the astonishing Mickey’s Pool greeting us at the end.

Emma’s Gorge was probably our favouite (I know you shouldn’t have favourites, everywhere is amazing & special in it’s own right).  But the swimming pool at the top of this hike was (as my mother would say) AB FAB!  Vivid red cliffs reaching for the sky tower over a large dark blue swimming hole, with a skinny stream of water falling from the top down past the contrasting green ferns.  We loved it.  If you are ever at El Questro, don’t miss this gorge!!

 

One of the biggest lakes in Australia, the man made, Lake Argyle was our next big stop.  Fred was itching to get the tinny in & explore the close by Ord River.  He had Barra on the brain! (See our pictures from the Ord River below).

Unfortunately we couldn’t hook any of the elusive Barra, only the slimy Catfish.  The scenery here & just being out on the water more than made up for that though.  Lake Argyle itself is enormous!  It has been yet another piece of Australian landscape to leave us feeling humbled, & so grateful to have such an amazing country at our fingertips.

 

Altogether The Kimberley is amazing.  I say amazing & beautiful a lot I know, but it is.  I’m not sure what I was expecting.  Prior to actually arriving here & seeing it, in my head I would think “northern Australia; it’s hot & it’s a desert”.  That picture couldn’t be much further from the truth (well yes it is bloody hot!!!!).  But The Kimberley offers a horizon filled with spectacular high hills & ridges, endless scattered trees & spinifex, wildlife everywhere you look, & so many beautiful gorges with complementing water holes.  A place where the majority of the region can’t even be reached by car, & a lot of the bits that can are along long, dusty, damaged roads.  Where sunsets will blow you away with the painted orange through purple sky.  Where aboriginal culture has not been lost, & where history is abundant.  It is a unique & colourful place, & basically, we loved it.

And so, after 6 months of being in Western Australia & 9 months after leaving our little island state, we are finally heading into the Northern Territory.  New territory for both Fred & I & we couldn’t be more excited.

Thanks for reading.

Until next time.  Xo

Having finished up our last blog entry on very much a downer, it is time to let you know where we’re at.  Unfortunately it is not all what the doctor ordered… 😦

We were advised by the trailer/caravan repair workers that the underneath of The Clam (our caravan) is a shambles.  The metal work has had it.  At first they were reluctant to want to even fix it, as in their opinion it was time to let the old girl RIP.  But I’m guessing the look of despair on our faces & desperation in our voices changed their minds.  They could see how badly we wanted the van fixed, we had come so far, still with so far to go & the wet season creeping upon us.  So amid the to-ing & fro-ing between the repair shop & the insurance company (which by the way is not a fun game!!), they started welding her back together as best they could.

Basically they could only patch up & not reinforce the damage due to the whole chassis being weakened by age & use.  They also said the Gibb River Road would be out of the question.  A VERY hard & bitter pill to swallow.

Well, why not buy a new camper trailer / van?  Number 1) that would be very expensive.  Number 2) we are in Broome & resources are very limited (we have already searched GumTree & local dealers).  And Number 3) we are now racing the seasons, with the build up to the wet season upon us we need to get on the road ASAP, especially if we still want to make it to & explore all the beautiful places we had intended.

The good news ~ The Clam was considered fixable & has been repaired.  Another win for us ~ our insurance company gave us the go ahead, meaning they have covered all costs for the initial tow, the repair, & our accommodation for the past week.  Some advice to fellow nomads making the big journey around Australia; ensure you have insurance!!!

FILLING IN TIME…

Since our last post we have basically stayed in the same region of WA, while we have waited for the caravan to be repaired.  From here in Broome we ventured up to explore Derby, about 200 k’s north.  Also participating in a day tour, flying out to the Horizontal Falls of The Buccaneer Archipelago, on the Kimberley’s coastline.

 On the whole Derby is a bit of a sleepy town.  With quite a bit of history, there are a few galleries & tourist sites to visit.  On the main street into Derby, the Noval Art Gallery is a MUST visit.  Showcasing a wide range of traditional indigenous artwork, as well as some not so traditional.  Everything is by WA locals & with proceeds going directly to the artists, by purchasing a beautiful piece you are directly helping that artist, as well as the community as a whole.  Some of the artists are even painting out the back of the gallery, so if you’re lucky you might get to meet the person behind the stunning work!  See below the piece we purchased of a classic Kimberley Boab tree.

 

Flying from the Derby airport on a tiny seaplane out to the famous Horizontal Falls has definitely been one of the most spectacular things we have seen.  Definitely worth the $$$, see our photos below.

A phenomenon caused by the ridiculously big tides in the region (sometimes as big as 10m every 6hrs).  At this location due to the cliff formations, the salt water is forced through two very narrow gaps.  Making for a very impressive visual!!

 

While in Broome we met a fellow young nomad, also travelling Australia on ‘The Big Lap’.  In case you’re in the dark about this, it isn’t everyday you connect (in person) with another person (that doesn’t have grey hair) that is on a similar journey & has the same sense of adventure as you do.  A BIG shout out & thank you to you Hayley!!  For sharing your journey & stories, & for misbehaving with us at Missy Higgins!!  It was fantastic & we look forward to bumping into both you & your travel partner on the road sometime again in the future.  (Please take a moment to appreciate how small & silly Fred’s head looks posing in the diver Dan get up!).

 

Sooo, with the repair of The Clam complete, & the new springs due to be set today, we will finally be leaving Broome this afternoon.  But we won’t be heading for the Gibb River Road (big sigh).   From now on whenever there is a place we want to go that requires off road driving we will leave The Clam behind & just swag it – a little more effort but easy enough!

Thanks & hope you have enjoyed our chin wag times.

Until next time  Xo

 

 

After leaving pristine Karijini, Perry the patrol has continued rolling north through the red dust.  Passing through the remainder of the Pilbara to our current location, the Kimberley.  With minimal stops along the way, the drive was long & indeed rather boring!  But we needed to get a wriggle on & start making our way north before the humidity & rains come.  Audio books have been treating us well for the big car days, currently playing is Lord of The Rings!  They also do a good job at making us suuuuper tired though so watch out for that!!

 BROOME

The home of pearl farming, red dirt greeting long white beaches, epic sunsets & the world’s largest tides.  A tourist driven town, we spent almost a week exploring the area.  With no shortage of things to do, we had minimal troubles finding places to explore, as well as delicious food & drink to treat the taste buds.  Fellow travellers: M & J’s Wood fire Pizza is a must try!!

Beautiful beaches surround Broome.  And we found ourselves making the most of the sand & sea while we still can.  One of the bigger towns we’ve visited lately, with a population of around 15’000.  Due to it being a larger town we were able to book The Clam (our caravan) in for some much needed TLC before we head off for the infamous Gibb River Road.  The last thing we ever wanted to discover was cracks in the chassis (the framing the whole caravan is built upon).  And guess what, before we left Exmouth a few weeks ago Fred stuck his head underneath to give it a once over… cracks in the chassis 😦 .  Very disappointing.  But even more so than finding the cracks ~ the very, VERY last thing we would want is for it to fall to pieces!!  So welding the cracks back together seemed a good idea!!

The Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Farm & Rescue center gave a really good insight into the Australian salt & fresh water crocs, and their plight.  Particularly the fresh water crocodile; of which is in grave danger of extinction (currently listed as endangered) due to Australia’s increasing infestation of cane toads.  Cane toads are lethal to nearly all animals that ingest them, & unfortunately it is believed that fresh water croc populations have fallen by greater than 70 % because of them (according to our guide).

The park also hosts dingos, American alligators & a range of different Australian bird life.  We really weren’t too sure about supporting the farming of the crocodiles.  They are farmed for their skin (used to make belts, wallets & other souvenirs), & also for their meat (it is available to eat in many places throughout northern Australia).  We support the rescue & rehabilitation of wildlife, not necessarily the farming of such great animals for human profit & pleasure.  Crocodiles are protected in the wild throughout Australia, to sustain healthy populations.  So at least the farming of salt water crocodiles is not endangering the species – though I think we will be inclined to skip any future wildlife parks (where animals are kept purely for human convenience) & instead put our money toward eco tourism, seeing the animals in their natural environment & better supporting their education & conservation.

The weekend courthouse market was a great way to fill in our Sunday morning.  It’s not the biggest of markets, but non-the less worth a gander.  Fred was stoked to stock up on some more home made chutney, while I was happy to find some beautiful home made scented candles to keep the calm vibes brewing in our van.   Definitely give the market crepes a go, they were pure mouthgasims!  There is also Thursday evening markets at Town Beach, worth a look!

Broome is home to Cable Beach, apparently the #3 best in the world.  We don’t really understand how you can rate a beach like that; every beach is unique & has its own special qualities, either way it did not disappoint. It did prove hard to find a patch of sand away from the crowds, having the most amount of cars on a beach that either of us have ever seen!! Buuuut when the seas are warm, calm & blue as ever, & the sand is white & the sun is shining, well you can’t complain can you!?!

A few companies run camel tours along the beach every afternoon during sunset.  It is a pretty spectacular thing to see, & makes for some stunning photos.  It has to be “The thing” to do here.  We thought about participating in one of the tours, though reconsidered… You can park your car on the beach, set up an afternoon throw rug on the sand with your beer & nibbles & simply watch & enjoy the camels & sunset while skipping the expensive cost.  As well as keeping our pockets fuller, this also meant Barney boy could sit with us & enjoy the sunset too.  Though I think he was more interested in the unusual smell of the big strange creatures with humps on their backs than the sunset….

Out off Gantheaume Point at low tide we went in search of the 130 million year old dinosaur footprints embedded in the foreshore.  They proved very tricky to find, hiding amongst the slippery weedy rocks.  With the help of some other friendly tourists we were pointed in the right direction.  Definitely the oldest piece of history either of us have laid eyes on!!

 

CAPE LEVEQUE

Once The Clam had finished getting its work done we were off headed directly north.  Wiki-camps & fellow campers had warned us about the state of the dirt road to Cape Leveque, but we are always weary of trusting wiki-camps as some people are just sooks.  This time tough, the reports of “horrible road”, “VERY corrugated” & “worse than The Gibb” were seemingly true.  It was shithouse.  And the cracks in the chassis were back (waaa).  But we made it!!  And the Clam hasn’t fallen to pieces so there is still hope.  Good vibes & positive energy WILL push us through!!  Well I’ll keep on telling myself this for now anyway.

Cape Leveque is an exquisite place.  Fluro-orange red dirt meets bright green mangroves, white sand & turquoise waters.  We spent our time visiting a number of different Aboriginal communities, exploring their beaches & land.  The way it works around here is that you drive into the community for a day trip, pay at the communities visitor centre & then you’re given a map & allowed to respectfully explore the area.  At One Arm Point they run a Trochus shell hatchery & have educational tours, which we found great.  The scenery, especially the views we captured with our drone, blew us away.  Watching the tide rip through the channel at Round Rock lookout was pretty epic.  See below!

Dog Owners: We found both Broome & Cape Leveque to be very ‘dog friendly’ places.  (The PCYC camp ground is the only place that allow dogs during ‘peak season’, it’s ok – very basic).  We were able to walk Barney on a few beaches in Broome, & most at Cape Leveque no worries.  There is always somewhere you can find or make shade, & most days a bit of a breeze to help your pooch stay cool too.  In saying that it has been 30 – 35 degrees most days up here & if your dog has long hair like ours daily grooming & swims are a must!

We also visited Australia’s oldest Pearl Farm in at Cygnet Bay.  The tour was very well presented, showing us around the farm, giving the history of pearl farming in Australia.  Even letting us shuck one of their oysters & finding a pearl inside!!  Unfortunately they didn’t let us keep it, darn it!  Still well worth a looksee.

A few paragraphs ago I stated how positive energy & good vibes would get The Clam through & keep the chassis from cracking further…. Mm yeah, not the case (big sigh & sad face).  On our way out from Cape Leveque the cracks grew bigger, to the point where we didn’t feel it safe or wise to continue.  Fred’s face after climbing out from checking it’s underneath said it all.  If the cracks were to go right through the chassis it would mean the whole framing of the caravan would snap (basically The Clam would likely break in half!!!).

We pulled over off the dusty red road & for a few minutes we just sat there.  Thinking.  WTF do we do now…?!  Though I can’t say it came as a total surprise that something like this has happened.  The Clam is over 30 years old & not officially built for the off-road conditions we have been putting her through.  Then we waited…  For 4 hours.  In the dusty heat for the tow truck to come & collect the caravan & take it back into Broome to the local caravan repair place.

So I’m currently sitting in a very dust free hotel room that our insurance company has kindly granted us, writing this post contemplating with Fred all of the possible scenarios for the rest of our adventure around this great country…  Will the caravan be fixable..?  Will we be able to take it on The Gibb River Road..?  Should we look at buying something new..?  What about our swag, leave the van behind on the rough tracks from now on..?  The options are endless.  Exploring options & staying positive is what we are trying to do.

Stay tuned for what happens next & how this little disaster pans out!!

 

Hello again dear readers!

Apologies for the great delay between posts ~ I got a bit busy during Fred’s last swing at work.  He went back to sea at the end of July through mid August & I stayed on in Exmouth.  Shout out to my dear sea goddess friend Nadia, who magically swindled me a volunteer position aboard one of the whale shark tour boats for the month.  I am beyond grateful to the Captain, Owner & crew for having me on board & showing me the ropes.  It was an unreal experience, helping out 3-4 days a week, learning about the magnificent creatures that are whale sharks, the Ningaloo & about the eco tourism industry surrounding them.

I was swimming with the biggest fish in the sea on a daily basis, helping out the crew & organizing punters.  They were big, tiring days, but boy oh boy did I ever count my lucky stars… Between the whale sharks, migrating humpback whales, dugongs, turtles, dolphins, sea snakes, jellies, reef fish & sharks… the stoke didn’t leave me.  I have always loved & respected the ocean, always.  But having these past few months out on the Ningaloo, in the ocean for all ours of the day, with the shear amount of sea life & learning new facts everyday from the knowledgeable crew, my respect & connection has grown.  And I must say it is such a special feeling.  (Photos above & below were taken by the boat’s professional photographer Jess Hadden, thanking you Jess!!).

Fred returned to Exmouth mid August.  We squeezed in a tour day with the whale sharks before skipping town, (I couldn’t live with myself if he didn’t get to experience what I had been experiencing all month!).  Check out our previous post of our latest video edit for a better insight into the awesome size & unparalleled beauty of whale sharks & the Ningaloo Reef. (Photos below taken by the marine biologist on board ~ sea queen Jess Smith).

 

From Exmouth we hit the road due east: on route to the middle of the Pilbara, a dusty red mining town by the name of Tom Price.  Along the drive it happened – our first flat tire, & on most likely the best-conditioned dirt road we have travelled to date!!!  This meant stopping over in Tom Price until the working week recommenced & we could get the tire repaired.

For a small town we hadn’t planned on staying more than half a day, we were given quite the surprise after we set up at the caravan park & bumped right into our old friends from Shark Bay Sharna & Byron!!  Turns out we had come to town at a good time.  The apparently prestigious (according to Sharna) Tom Price Fair was on, complete with show rides, delicious food, music & fireworks!!

Mount Nameless is the backdrop for the town.  A beautiful big, red mountain, that does actually have a name though it seems not many refer to it, it’s original Aboriginal title – Jarndunmunha.  A 2hr return hike, giving stunning views over the town, the mine & further Pilbara Ranges.  We all (including Barney boy) enjoyed getting our heart rates up to take in the views one morning.

After getting the tire repaired, hugging & kissing Barney boy goodbye at the kennel, we were off on the short one-hour drive to Karijini National Park.

Karijini blew us away.  We had heard of how wonderful it was & had seen pictures, but it still didn’t prepare us.  It’s a national park full of very deep, winding gorges.  Contrast to the scenery above of very dry, dusty rolling hills: inside the gorges are full with countless streams, waterfalls, swimming pools & greenery.  It is a significant & sacred place to the Aboriginal Australians, with it’s unique, towering beauty it isn’t hard to see why.

There are 2 main gorges at either end of the park, Weano Gorge & Dales Gorge, with all others crisscrossing between & campsites near by.  The hiking tracks at each site lead you along the top of the gorges to some jaw dropping lookouts.   They then lead down steep rocky tracks to the bottom of the gorge & along the riverbeds.  With a range of deeper swimming pools scattered along the way, or greeting you at the end of the hike ready for the much needed cool off!  We made a point of swimming in every pool, not wanting to miss out.  Fred even perfecting his Pocahontas dive at Knox Gorge, see below!

We took 2 days to walk every gorge entirely & swim in every pool.  In classic Bear & Fred style, go go go.  A big effort, considering we were walking for around 6 hrs each day, but with plenty of rest stops for catching our breath, taking photos & soaking in the special atmosphere, it was fantastic.

Most of the walks were class 4-5 (5 is as high as you go, so basically that means hard).  Though they aren’t that bad.  A little challenge is always good right?!!  The signage is very generous on average times for each walk; usually allowing for double the amount of time it actually took us (including stopping for swims, rests & photos).  It is a very popular spot too.  Each morning we made a point of getting up & at ‘em early so we could score some gorge time to ourselves (we would highly recommend doing this, most people don’t start rolling out of their little cocoons until 8.30-9am).  It is hard to say if we had a favourite gorge, they are all so spectacularly beautiful in their own way.  Our advice would be to make the time to walk, see & experience them all!

Our last day at Karijini was spent climbing Punarunnha, aka Mount Bruce ~ Western Australia’s second highest mountain at 1235m above sea level.  A 10 kilometer return hike!  I had to push this one on Fred, he wasn’t so keen.  But once we started & he realised how good the view was going to be, he soon became as excited as me to get to the summit & experience the amazing panoramic views of Karijini & the broader Pilbara.

 

And so now we are leaving Karijini & the Pilbara with slightly sore legs & wobbly knees, & most definitely with some of the most epic hiking memories so far on the trip.  As well as with about 3 hundred million photos of red cliff faces, rocks & water to sort through!!!

Stay tuned, next stop ~ Broome & The Kimberly !

Thanks again for reading, hope you have enjoyed our story time. Xo

Our latest video edit of our travels up the coast of WA.  Lots of ocean time in this one, with bulk marine life 🙂

Enjoy Xo

So the next installment of our travels along/ on / mostly in or under the Ningaloo Coast is here, Coral Bay to Exmouth.  And what a time it was.  I’m gonna go out on a limb & state right now that this stretch of coast (the whole of the Ningaloo Coast) has been our favourite of all the Australian Coastline that we have explored so far.  Though it is hard to beat the southern coast of WA (Esperance area), the reef up here just takes everything up a few notches of epicness.  The marine life, the fishing, the snorkel time, the surf, the warm water & absolutely blissful cloudless days – it has been glorious!  Especially as the reef is reachable from land with only a short ride in our dingy, sometimes no boat even needed, flipper out right from the shore!

It is probably becoming extremely evident that Fred & myself are ocean goers.  We love getting salty. So when it came to deciding whether or not to bring a boat with us on this trip, well it was a no brainer.  And we wouldn’t have it any other way. There is no way we could have explored the reef, enjoyed the fishing & all marine aspects of this coast without it.  It is a 3.75m Savage, with a 15-horse power outboard.  Big enough to fit a man, woman & German Shepherd with all our fishing / diving gear, though still small enough for said man & woman to lift the boat on & off the roof of Perry (our Nissan Patrol).

Coral Bay’s name says it all.  It’s a bay & it is jam packed full or coral!  I’m talking there is 1 designated channel that you follow in & out of the whole bay (it’s a big bay) otherwise you’d be hitting reef left right & center.  Protected by the outer reef from the swell, it makes for some really fun snorkeling.

We were so lucky to have caught up with our long time friends & fellow nomads Ronnie & Nadia while we were here.  Shout out to you legends!!  They had come down from Exmouth & brought a bigger boat with them so we could all head out on the water together for a few days.  And that we did.  Though it was pretty windy for the trip we still managed a few snorkels.  Nadia & Ronnie were lucky enough to even score a swim with a manta ray! (Fred & I were soaking up the sun on the beach, whoops!).  We dived at a known “shark cleaning station” but unfortunately didn’t see any sharks 😦 .  A few turtles & an anemone fish (like a Nemo but not quite the same colours) were the highlights amongst the pretty reef.

The small township of Coral Bay was ridiculously busy, school holiday crowds at its finest.  We would advise visiting at almost any other time of year, for a more peaceful experience.  Though the Sunday sesh at Bill’s Bistro was pretty cool, drinking fruit filled Pimms & listening to the local take off of Elton John.

Ningaloo Station was our next stop.  Located only 50 k’s up the road from Coral Bay & just 20 k south of Yardie Creek.  We spent 5 days camped in the dunes at Billie’s Point, exploring Lefroy Bay & it’s surrounds.  Unfortunately the wind was relentless almost the whole time.  Howling offshore, with a bit of swell rolling too makes for not so fun tinny time :-(.  Though we still attempted everyday, (Fred thought it was a waste not attempting fishing at least once each day).

After 3 days of howling winds we decided to try our luck with a dawny trip out past the reef before the winds picked right up.  FINALLY, our trawling efforts paid off.  I reeled in my first Spanish Mackerel :-).  The next few mornings, dawn patrol for Mackerel before the wind got too strong was the go.

Besides fishing & beaching we also went on a few road trips exploring the rest of Ningaloo Station.  Yardie Creek, north of us & inside Cape Range National Park was beautiful!  We did the hike along the edge of the creek, a few tourists around but still amazing.  The old lighthouse ruins to the south of us were also pretty cool.

Once we reached Exmouth as well as having a general look around, we ventured up to the top of Cape Range to get a look at all the canyons & gorges it has to offer.  Such a humbling place up there.  We also travelled back into Cape Range National Park to visit the famous Turquoise Bay & Oyster Stacks for some pristine beaching & snorkeling time.

On Fred’s last day before heading back to work, mother nature gave up the goods.  A sunny, windLESS day :-).  So as you could guess we launched the tinny & headed out for a fish & dive.  Between dodging the humpback whales we found some very special friends to swim alongside.  We had to take turns, one of us in the water swimming with the Mantas, one in the boat steering.  They were so big & majestic, just slowly cruising along.  Amaze balls really!

And so now the pirate has headed back to his ship, & I am hanging out here in Exmouth for the next month.

Until next time friends.

Xo

 

First stop along the Ningaloo Coast World Heritage Area was Red Bluff & Gnaraloo Stations; known best for their world-renowned left hand reef breaks.  Less known for their highly corrugated bumpy as all hell roads, bound to throw all your neatly stored items allllll over the inside of your caravan.  We have gotten pretty good at tying the cupboards shut but our skills were no match for these roads!  A place where the desert literally meets the sea.  Baron red, dusty plains with the occasional dead shrub & bounding goat covers as far as you can see right up to the cliff tops, which are then met with pristine white beaches & a beautiful turquoise ocean.  It’s pretty breathtaking.

 

Besides the surf & desert Gnaraloo also boasts wonderful coral reefs for snorkeling, loads of tasty fish in the sea to keep your belly full & a wealth of other marvelous marine life.  We surfed twice a day everyday while we stayed here.  The frothing grommets inside us really burst to life when there’s a long, fun left hand reef rolling through.  Especially when it’s in water warm enough not to have to wear 3 inches of rubber & a coral bottom pretty enough that between sets you can peek under your board watching all the colourful fishies swim by.  Not to mention the continuous stream of humpback whales surfacing & breaching out the back, behind the breakers.  More magic moments for the brain bank.

 

We have a rule of whoever returns from the surf first gets to take some snaps of the surrounds & of course the surf.  I’ll let you decide who can never quite get that ‘last wave’ in by the photos below… 😉

 

From here on up we have stayed on “Stations”.  They are privately owned homesteads / turned tourist destinations.  They allow dogs, which has been great for us!  Mostly they provide you with a fee, a map of the area, some highly corrugated roads for accessing the coast & some dirt for you to call camp.  If you luck out you might find one with a toilet or shower block but this seems to be becoming a rarity.  We have had to invest in a chemical toilet (a porta-potty).  It is nothing but gross.  As Fred says, “I’ll just wait ‘til the cover of darkness when I can take my shovel & bog roll into the dunes”!!!  We did break out the solar shower recently, once the salt on our skin had reached maximum crust levels.  A very handy piece of equipment!

 

Warroora Station is just north of Gnaraloo Station & just below Coral Bay.  Our week spent here was pretty great & also pretty chilled out.  Fred anchored the tinny off the beach in front of 14 Mile camp & it didn’t come out of the water all week.  Everyday here we have been out to the reef fishing & snorkeling twice a day.  When we weren’t out on the water we were beach exploring & shell collecting with Barney.  (Mothership you would be jealous of all the cowrie shells!).  We also had a fair bit of down time waiting on the wind & tide some days.  To get us through we played A LOT of board games, as well as stared day dreaming at the map of Australia glued to our ceiling, ATE too many treats & generally went mildly insane tinkering around creating our own entertainment.  There has been zero reception for 99% of the time.  Kind of great, we have had to remember what being bored feels like!!

 

Fishing out on the reef we were mainly catching Spangled Emperor, Golden Trevally & the dreaded cod.  Our trawling efforts out in the deeper waters unfortunately didn’t pay off.  Though we did spot some more dolphins & lots of turtles.  Next time big fish, next time!!  The reef was amazing to dive.  Bursting with life & colour.  Ningaloo is most definitely living up to it’s reputation so far, & I feel like from here on up we are just going to get blown further away.

 

During our snorkel times so far on the reef we have met quite a few of the local residents.  It’s always a nice though sometimes startling surprise when you’re swimming along checking under all the coral shelves & you run into a sting ray or a shark!  A few photos below!

 

Here’s to keeping on north, toward Coral Bay & Exmouth.  Stay tuned!!

Xo

Since our visit to Rottnest Island we have made our way up to the Mid West Coast of Western Australia.

I spent 4 weeks in Geraldton during May / June staying with the lovely kindhearted Tahnee, John & Bella while Fred went back to work on the ship.  Shout out & an extra big thank you to you Tahnee & John!!

Now we are free rangers once again & we’re heading north following the sunshine!

Shark Bay was next level. The over flowing abundance of marine life alone made it an absolutely fantastic experience.  After checking out the coastline on the way into the bay, it was time to ditch our caravan & off load Barney boy to the local ‘Dog Lady’.  We had got in contact with her through a friend of a friend.  I think she was caring for around 6 other border collies, all having the absolute time of their lives ruling the house!  She was legitimate enough – she loved & cared for dogs as if they were her children & Barney sure did have a good time staying with her!  It has been great making contacts through friends of friends – best way to get a local feel for things & we love meeting new people.

We left Denham, in just Perry the Patrol with the tinny on the roof, swag & fishing rods, making way for Steep Point ~ the most western point of main land Australia. Four-wheel drive is a necessity to get out to Steep Point. The road in is 100 k’s of corrugated gravel & then a further 40 k’s climbing sandy hills; max trax & low tire pressure are a must.  In saying that, it is definitely one of those places well worth the time & effort.

Literally within the first 5 minutes of launching our tinny off the beach from camp we were out in South Passage surrounded by a school of huge manta rays.  It was breathtaking.  Next minute Fred was in the drink swimming with them!!

Though we were only in our 13ft tinny, we were still straight out to the open ocean trawling for the big fish.  Between our trawling efforts we also explored inside the bay, spotting loads of turtles & pods of dolphins with their newborns.  At one point in the shallows I carefully slipped in next to some young dolphins hoping to say a closer hello.  They were so playful, & SO fast so my frolicking time was short lived.  We also lucked out, finding a prime spot off of Dirk Hartog Island for reeling in plenty of snapper for dinner.

We were very lucky with the weather.  For the 3 days we were there 2 of them were enjoyed with zero wind & constant sunshine.  When the wind did come up it made it a little tricky for trawling, coupled with a bit of a swell, I definitely had a few freak-outs thinking the tinny was going to tip or cop a wave full of ocean.  However Fred assured me we would be ok. Being a professional seafarer I’d be inclined to believe his claims, though the fact we had forgotten the oars didn’t give me much faith!!  Especially when the only time we had a hit on the lines we had a double hook up!  Two people in a small tinny trying to reel in big fish while steering the boat in large swell & wind chop isn’t exactly picturesque!

After one of our days out on the water we were on our way back to camp & spotted a humpback whale that had come up the passage into the bay.  She was playing around, throwing her huge powerful tail all about splashing & breaching.  It was amazing being so close to such an enormous, majestic beauty.  Being the time of year when female humpbacks migrate north for breeding we spotted quite a few of them out off the point, this was the only one we saw in the bay though.

The coastline of Steep Point & neighboring Dirk Hartog Island is an endless view of hundred metre high cliff tops, hence the name Steep Point. With blowholes scattered along the coast there was also some entertainment to be had not on or in the ocean.

After our journey out at Steep Point we spent another night in Denham, staying with friends of friends Sharna & Byron ~ shout out to you legends, so kind having us crash your space & giving us the lowdown on Shark Bay!!

We finished our time in Shark Bay with a trip out to Monkey Mia.  There is a big tourist establishment out there with the main attraction being the local resident dolphins.  They come in close to shore on a daily basis to say hello to everyone.  I love dolphins, so would never pass this experience up!

The trip was topped off with a visit to an old shearing station inside of Peron National Park.  Here we jumped in the 40 degree natural hot springs for a lovely relaxing soak while watching the red kangaroos grazing & chatting to some fellow travellers.

All up the experience of Shark Bay has been a highlight for both Fred & I.  If you’re an ocean lover like us I would recommend putting it on your list!!!

Thanks for reading, hope you have enjoyed!

X o

 

A quick little snippet of our time on the island of pedal power, Rottnest.  Lots of snorkel footage in this one because it was pretty much what we spent all of our 3 day trip doing!!

Click the link below to enjoy.

Xo