Whalesharks at Exmouth

I can't remember when it was, but I do know it was a long time ago, that Carolyn and I were watching a documentary on TV, all about Whale Sharks, and there were people in the water swimming with them. I remember the look on Carolyn's face as she said, "one day I'm going to do that!" Well friends, that day has been and gone, as yesterday we spent the most unbelievable day, swimming in the Indian Ocean, with these huge and majestic creatures. It was just wonderful!!!!

The amazing Whale Shark.

We chose "Ningaloo Whale Sharks", www.ningaloowhalesharks.com  from the large number of

Coming to pick us up.

operators who do tours. They have their own dedicated

Ready to find Whale Sharks.

spotter plane to find the elusive Whale Sharks.We cannot speak highly enough of the crew at Ningaloo Whale Sharks. From the time I phoned to get information on the tour, up until they dropped us back at the caravan park, everyone had been so friendly and helpful. Given that we are seniors these days, we were apprehensive about our ability to snorkel in the open ocean for any length of time, so we had lots of questions, to which they gave us nothing but assurances, and on the day they delivered!

Sucker fish follow the whale shark

Keep clear of that tail.

Now I know they can't lay claim to the perfect weather on the day, but it certainly helped, as you will see from the amazing photos, most of which were taken by staff photographer Morgan on the day, and purchased by us on disk at the end of the tour. At $50.00 for every photo he took on the day, we thought that was pretty reasonable, and no way we could get memories like these ourselves. I also hired an underwater camera for an extra $50.00, to take our own shots while swimming and snorkeling the reef, which worked out well, as I got all my shots on a Cd at the end of the day. We were picked up at 7.20am from the caravan park, and joined 18 other lucky people, for what would prove to be one of the greatest wildlife days of our lives. Viewing the whale sharks is highly regulated, which is great to see, and even though there were lots of boats running tours, only one boat at a time is allowed on a shark, and only ten snorkelers at a time in the water, to swim with that Whale shark.

Wonderful colors on Ningaloo Reef.

A Green turtle swam by.

When safely on board, we were all fitted with our snorkeling gear. Our group included a French family, German, American and British tourists, and a few Aussies. Ages ranged from 5 to 65, no guessing who was at the top end of that scale!!! We pottered out to a place on Ningaloo Reef, and all went into the water, divided into two groups of 10, to do a little guided snorkeling tour. During this time, we were all assessed as to what, if any, additional assistance we may require in the water, when the real action started. The sea life on the reef was fantastic,

Carolyn with the Whale Shark.

John swimming with the Whale Shark.

with amazing corals, lots of different fish, and even stingrays, turtles and small reef sharks. Back on board, some of the gear was altered as required, and we headed off outside the reef in search of Whale Sharks. Along the way we enjoyed morning tea, whilst Captain "Beam me Up Scotty" Kirk, communicated with the spotter plane circling above us. Didn't take long, and the first Whale Shark was spotted. We quickly headed over, and one of the crew was quickly in the water to locate the shark, and determine whether it would be comfortable around people, and also to determine its swimming direction. Once that is all done, it is go go go, and the first ten snorkelers are in the water, whilst the next ten get ready to go. We were in

Feeding on plankton.

Surrounded by 100's of fish.

the first group, but last into the water, and missed the shark as he dived into the depths. We couldn't believe it, when the crew told us that we could go first, with the other group, when the next shark was located. It was only a matter of minutes, and soon we were face to face with our first Whale Shark. This one was big, at around 6 metres, and it just glided along surrounded by its entourage of sucker fish. We just swam along beside it for quite some time, before we pulled aside to let the next ten snorkelers in for their turn. We

There he goes.

Coming along for the ride.

clambered back on board the boat, and waited to go again. Eventually this Whale Shark did a dive, and we went in search of another, All in all, we found six sharks on the day, and we got to have an extended swim with three of them. We just can't describe how we were feeling, being in the water with such a huge thing. We never felt frightened or concerned, too much adrenalin for that!!

We found out a lot about Whale Sharks. They are a shark, not a whale. They still remain quite a mystery, as even though they are now tagged, they swim below the surface and therefore radio

Spectacular Coral.

Carolyn with Wally the Whale Shark.

trackers don't work. They are tracked by their spots, which are unique to each one, meaning the photos that get taken are sent to a central location for comparison and identification. They can dive to depths of 2000 metres, and can live up to 100 years. They grow up to 9 metres in length! They come to Ningaloo Reef each year from April to July after the coral spawns, to feed in the plankton rich waters. Then they head off to who knows where! In case you are wondering, there is no touching the sharks. By law, you must stay 3 metres away from the sides of the shark, and 4 metres from that enormous tail. The only touching allowed is Wally, the boat mascot, who had been in the care of Rose, our youngest snorkeller. She did let Carolyn have a cuddle!

Giant clam.

More coral and fish.

With it becoming increasingly difficult to find more Whale Sharks, we headed back inside the reef to find a quiet spot for lunch, and some more amazing snorkeling. Lunch was great,with sandwiches and salads, and then it was back in the water. The sea life was incredible. It is very different to the Great Barrier Reef, but is nonetheless beautiful. The range and colours of the fish and coral was simply amazing. There are so many different and
beautiful fish, and the water is so clear. You just don't want to leave the water. But sadly, there is

Even more coral and fish.

Beautiful Parrot Fish.

a time when the anchor has to come up, and we must head for home. We all move out on the bow of the boat or up onto the fly bridge, to see if we can spot more sea life. We find a pod of dolphins, but they are not in a playful mood. We also find a Leatherback Turtle, but he took one look and headed for the bottom. All around, the sea is alive with surface fish, thought to be small tuna, shear waters are having a great time feasting, and there a flying fish skimming across the surface. It is all just simply amazing.

Last one in......

We arrived back at shore exhausted from a day in the sun, swimming with the Whale Sharks. Celeste, our tour leader played question and answer with us on the way home, with lollies as prizes. It was a lot of fun. Without the games there would have been a lot of snoring!!! We got back to the caravan park and had a wonderful shower, then cracked a coldie and sat in our recliner chairs, pinching ourselves and saying "did we really see all that today???" I can tell you, we were in bed early that night, and dreaming of Whale Sharks. What a wonderful lot of memories we have!!

Steep Point

Last chance to bail out.

Steep Point is the most westerly point in Australia. It is remote, and it is desolate. When we came down the coast last year, access was closed. Our conversation with our neighbour Steve, who had just returned from a day trip out there, convinced us that it was a once in a lifetime chance we just couldn't miss. Steve, who also drives a Landcruiser, same model as ours, assured us we would have no problems negotiating the tough track. So, armed with our recovery gear, picnic lunch and plenty of water, we were ready to go.

Down with the tyre pressure.

The good gravel road.

The road was a good gravel, not so good gravel, and soft sand. Tyre pressure is critical, as a puncture is what will wreck your day. We lowered our tyre pressure down to around the recommended 22 psi, which makes the tyre more pliable for the sharp stones, and stops them digging into the soft sand, and off we went. We headed out along the Useless Loop Road. Shark Bay Resources has a salt making operation out along the road, so for the first 100 kms, the road is pretty good.

The road becomes a sandy track.

Constructed salt lakes.

 We could get along at 90 to 100 kph, a speed we find keeps the old girl above the corrugations. Too slow on the corrugated roads shakes the crap out of the car and the occupants! After their turnoff, the road deteriorates into soft sand, and narrows considerably. The salt mining process is quite interesting. They construct huge pens in which the higher than normal saline water gathers, and then scoop or harvest the salt as it forms. Some of the rock work is quite extensive. The scenery is depressing at first. Just salt pans and desert with thorny shrubs. Not an animal in sight. There isn't much sign of rain here! We are soon among the sand hills, and it is here that the road becomes a track of just two wheel tracks in deep, thick sand. You just don't want to meet someone coming 

The Track winds along the water.

Miles and miles of sand.

the other way! At the top of some of the dunes, it is so steep that all you can see is the bull bar and blue sky, then over the top you go, and plunge down the other side. This is where meeting someone would be a huge problem! We come across two guys with boat trailers, who have a flat tyre, but are OK. Talk about keen fishermen! We reach a plateau on top of the sand dunes and are surprised how extensive they are . Miles and miles of sand. From here, we work our way down to the waters edge, and then the track follows the water for quite some distance. We stop by the water and have our morning cuppa. We could be the only two people on earth. The water is that

The camp sites along Shelter Bay.

Sea eagles.

 wonderful turquoise blue, and so clear. The guys with the boat trailers rattle by, and shout and wave  a greeting. We reach the Ranger Station. Yes there is a Ranger who lives out here. It is a couple who must love their solitude, and each other's company! We talk to the Ranger lady, who tells us what is and isn't open. We don't have to pay a fee as we have our annual WA National Parks pass. We spy an eagles nest up on one of the masts at the ranger station, and to our surprise an eagle is sitting atop the nest. Just as I'm ready to snap away, his mate arrives. Wow, what a sight!! Just past the Ranger Station are the camp sites you need to book in advance. It is a long

We made it!!

More soft sand.

 way to come and find the House Full sign is lit! The camp sites are well patronised by fishermen, as the fishing is supposedly great. Why wouldn't it be. Pristine conditions and no people! The track doesn't get any better, as we traverse the last 9 kms to our destination. We round a sand dune and spot the Steep Point Lighthouse, which is really just a beacon, and here we are at Australia's most westerly point. We can now boast that we have made it to all 4 extremities of the Australian continent! The scenery is rugged and dramatic. To

our surprise, there is a motor cruiser just off the coast, having come out of Shark Bay and

Like a shag on a rock.

The rugged coast at Steep Point.

headed south to God knows where. We headed back along the track in search of one of the quiet bays to have our picnic. We found a spot, and sat on the tail gate, happily gazing out across the water. A large turtle swam by, and the cormorants were having a grand time in the sparkling waters. The two sea eagles soared overhead on the wind currents. What an unbelievable experience. We packed up the picnic and headed for home, but not before a stop in at False Entrance and the Blowholes. There is actually a track that runs along the coastline from Steep

The Blowholes at False Bay.

The T intersection.

Point to False Bay, but the Ranger had warned us against using it. The recent rains had washed most of the sand off the track, exposing thousands of sharp rocks, and a puncture or two was a certainty. We took the safe and sandy way back to the T Intersection, and out to False Bay. Here the country is even more rugged and the cliffs are much higher. As we parked the Landcruiser beside the cliff edge, and walked across to the edge, the scene was just breathtaking. As you looked down, the sea was a cauldron. Whilst there wasn't a big swell

Water rushes back down
the Blowholes.

Water cascades off the rock shelf.

 running it was enough to give us a show, as the ocean ran in through the tunnels and whooshed up through a number of openings, then just as quickly rushed back down the holes like a huge drain. We are again the only two people on earth, witnessing nature at her incredible best. We dragged ourselves away from the scene and started to wend our way back to Hamelin Station. Steve had been right. It was an opportunity not to be missed, and we had enjoyed a day like few others on our journey so far. We have joined a lucky few who have been to Australia's most

The dramatic cliffs at the Blowholes.

western extremity. We made it back home around 4.00pm. We had seen about 6 other cars all day. Steve met us with a smile and his compressor, and while we pumped up our tyres with his portable compressor, we shared a drink and compared Steep Point stories. What a day!! Carolyn reckons you won't be getting the smile off my face for quite some time, and I think she'll be smiling just as long. We enjoyed our last Happy Hour at Hamelin Station, and two tired little explorers were early to bed that night!

Hamelin Pool & Geraldton Again

Fleur Tea Rooms.

We headed off from Dongara, all the way to Geraldton, a total of 65kms. We were there in 45 minutes!! We went back to the Bel Air Caravan Park, got the same big grassy site we had last year, and settled right back in. There is something nice about coming back to a place. You have familiarity, and you get a feeling of being back at home.

Didn't take us long to find our old favourite coffee spots in town, The Jaffle Shack and Fleur Tea Rooms. We get that look that says "do I know you?" and quickly find the coffee and tea is still just as good. We are only in town for four days, time to do a couple of repairs and regroup. At Dongara, I had backed over a low bollard at Dongara, and broken a bit of plumbing, so I was off to buy the bits so I could do my own repair. Getting quite handy these days!

The Anglican Church.

Restored farmer's cottage.

A little way out of Geraldton is the historic settlement of Greenough (pronounced Gren uff). The old buildings have been restored, and the village closed off to traffic. You enter the grounds via the shop/cafe (fancy that!), pay the reasonable admission price of $5.00 for seniors, get your self guided map, and off you go. The grounds are full of Llama and Alpaca, that are just so docile. We wandered our way from schoolhouse to police station to Church and more. There was a DVD running in the community hall. we watched it for around 30 minutes, before realising we

Not all the roads have reopened.

Laid back Llama.

had watched just 2 of the 26 segments! The dulcet tones of a 4th generation ancestor recounting detailed memories of when Harry met Sally, had me nodding off in no time! A sharp elbow in the ribs, and I was on my way out the door, heading for the church. It was all a pleasant walk on a beautiful day. We passed on the cafe, having hit the tea room before venturing from Geraldton. We took a drive through the local countryside, and found evidence of the floods. Rivers are still flowing and some low level crossings are still closed. We cracked up

Greenough's famous Leaning Tree.

We didn't see one!

as we read a sign heralding a Python Crossing!! Didn't know they were that predictable!! Half expected to see a lizard in a fluro vest holding a stop sign!! We drove on slowly and soon came to the other thing that Greenough is famous for, its leaning trees! Quite bizarre really. Apparently it is to do not just with the wind, but the fact that the wind keeps blowing the bark off one side of the tree, meaning it grows faster on one side! 

A cuppa along the way.

Welcome to Hamelin Station.

Repairs complete, and restocked, we were back on the road again north, this time headed for Hamelin Pool, home of the oldest living things on earth, Stromatolites. Driving north, it is such a contrast to the dry of last year. The countryside is lush and green. Sticks are once again bushes, and grass grows where before there was just red earth. Amazing what Mother Nature can do. North of Geraldton we are soon back in the outback. No towns, just Roadhouses for fuel and food. We have learnt that they vary enormously when it comes to food, so we have packed our

Reception and meeting area.

Set up at Hamelin Station.

morning tea, and make a nice stop along the way, to stretch the legs. We have decided to stay at a working station, called Hamelin Station. It is free camping in that there is no electricity or water to the sites, but they have shower toilet and cooking facilities. There will be no phone or internet coverage either. Mid afternoon we check in, and what a pleasant surprise. It is beautifully kept and mostly new! The managers, Rhonda and Ian, are just lovely and so helpful. It is $12.00 per person per night, and we get to choose our site. All the sites have a shell grit

Boardwalk over the Stromatolites.

History of Stromatolites.

base, are large and well spaced apart. The amenities and other buildings are wonderful. On our first night, there are about eight caravans staying, and Happy Hour at the communal lounge is compulsory! We meet some lovely people, all sharing their experiences and caravan stories. In no time, two hours has flashed by! You step outside into the dark, and are met by the cry of the night hawks, and look up into one of those clear outback skies full of a zillion stars. It is one of those recurring sights that we never tire of. Just

The original Old Telegraph Station.

Stromatolites at play.

magnificent! The next morning we head down to Hamelin Pool, home to the Stromatolites. These little microbiolocal little creatures survive in the ultra saline waters that exist at the end of the bay, and are the oldest living things on earth. The viewing is really well done with a boardwalk out over the Stromatolites. It is actually quite underwhelming staring down at the little clusters on the sea bed. They don't do anything, but I guess when your 3.75 billion years old, walking is a chore!. Anyway, we strolled back to the caravan park and store,

Life was tough for our pioneers.

Shell block quarry.

where the action was a bit like the Stromatolites. The tired old caravan park has obviously been impacted by the Hamelin Station Stay. But then again it is home to some history, as the old Telegraph Station, is the last standing building from the days when telegrams went overseas by cable. The place is also home to a Shell Block quarry. The enterprising original settlers used blocks cut out of the quarry to build homes. It is no longer in use, other than to restore or repair existing old buildings. On the walk up to the quarry, we passed a small iron

Playing in the shells at Shell Beach.

One of the pretty hawks.

fenced grave site. It was the grave of a 7 month old baby of one of the original families working for the Telegraph company, and is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices that these pioneering families made. Above the grave on a power pole, was a beautiful hawk, standing like a sentry over the grave. From Hamelin Pool, we headed over to Shell Beach, which is absolutely amazing. It is a huge beach, but instead of sand, it is all shells. It goes for miles. The water here is also incredibly salty, so much so that if you swim here, then you come

A close up of Shell Beach.

Shell Beach.

out with a white salty crust all over your skin. We had a paddle instead. There is a type of cockle that thrives here as well, which is evident in some of the larger shells. It is absolutely amazing just how deep, wide and long this layer of shells is. There were a lot of Jelly fish in the water, and some small fish that must have aclimatised to the salt. Whilst you can't walk on water here, you can float very comfortably!

Goats along the roadside.

Nanga Bay Resort.

We wandered back to the Homestead, and along the way found quite a few goats which we thought were feral, but later found out were one of the things being farmed at Hamelin Homestead. We also went out to Nanga Bay, another remote location where a "Resort" had been built. It has become quite rundown, but is still open, with the caravan park modestly attended by keen fishermen. You can launch your boat from the beach, or drive up or down the beach to fish.

Back on the goats, we were fascinated to find out that they live export goats by plane to

Steve lands the drone.

Steve's drone takes flight.

Malaysia! The Station owner called by at Happy Hour, and we were fascinated to learn that this was happening. Apparently they get 1,000 goats on a plane. So does that mean that cattle class is now goat class??? Back at camp, I got talking to our neighbours, Steve and Jenny. They had just come back from a day at Steep Point, Australia's most westerly point. They are on an 18 month sabbatical, and he is using a drone to take aerial photos, and is paying his way selling photos to caravan parks and councils and anyone else who wants to see what their place looks like from above. He got the drone out and was running it through its paces taking photos of the sunset. It has a Go Pro camera mounted, and has a

The new amenities block at
Hamelin Station.

range of about one kilometre. He was showing me some of his photos on his lap top. Just unbelievable! We headed over for our last Happy Hour. Manager Rhonda had come over, and told us that she'd done a fresh batch of scones, and whipped up some cream and jam. This night, the station owner and wife came over to join the gathering. Guess the smell of those scones wafted over. We are off in the morning, but have had a marvellous time. It is our first lengthy stay using our own power and water, and the caravan has comfortably lasted three nights. We used just under one tank of our water, and the solar panels kept our batteries topped up. We haven't missed the phone or internet at all. Too bloody busy!!!