9 – 13 May 2022. 8338kms.
Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinikurtura country.
Arriving in Exmouth was a landmark moment. The gateway to Ningaloo Reef, a desired destination for eons. First up, all sights on our Whale Sharks snorkelling tour, up early for a tour bus pick up, with Lilly, our host, regaling us with historical info on Exmouth – once a US army base complete with a baseball field and US currency – and of course whale shark facts and stats. Girls sit up front, attentive to Lilly, our girls’ hands in the air for questions, enthused, adrenalin fuelled excitement. To the wharf, on the dingy and then the boat, equipped with stinger suits, snorkels and flippers. Safety demo from our all female crew, full of 20-something charisma, comedy and passion. Anchor goes down, a trial snorkel on the inner reef. Water is warm, schools of tropical fish feeding on coral for miles. Abundant underwater life. We spy a huge stingray hiding under the sand. Back on deck and readying for the main event. Girls go up to the bow to chat with Skipper Max, a hundred and one questions she generously answers, her body a tattooed map of her favourite underwater creatures. She radios through to the whale shark spotter plane, and the girls say hi to the pilot, also a woman. And here we are – the main event! We huddle with our group leader Mel, anti fog, flippers and snorkels on, in we go, the sea awash with glowing red jelly fish. Mel signals and marshals us into line, here comes our whale shark. Heads underwater, look out not down, the whale sharks swim in the top 5m of the ocean. There it is, swimming directly for us, we’re one metre away not meant to be within 3, but the whale shark had other ideas! It opens its enormous mouth, invisible food swims in. We’re in awe. This is an experience of a life time. Gentle giants of the ocean, so calm and peaceful. We can swim alongside and behind, gazing at its giant dorsal fin, its spots, and tail, swishing side to side. It’s a meditation. We are lucky this day. We swim with two different whale sharks on 5 different occasions. They are mature, 7-8m in length. In and out of the water, sometimes only minutes between each dive. We are waterlogged and happy, and well fed with brownies and cookies and hot drinks and buffet lunch. Exhausted back at the caravan park, Talia spends the next hour in the pool. Insatiable.
Having had our fill of the tourist town, next day we head for a beach camp in Cape Range National Park. Most booked out, we elect for the one requiring a tidal creek crossing, the Prado can do it! One K camp is across Yardie Creek, we can only get there with the tide as low as it can go. Looks doable, just. We deflate the tyres, hold our breath and hit the creek… we make it! Phew. The campsite feels isolated, only one other camper, fishing. I feel spooked by being stuck there except for low tides. Its beautiful though, the Western sunset brings relaxation, layered pink clouds pepper a giant sky. Cheese and backgammon. Sleep.
In the morning we decide to leave the camper and take the car across at low tide to immerse in Snorkeling sanctuaries at Oyster Stacks, Turquoise Bay drift snorkel, and Lakeside (listed best first if you are planning a trip here one day). Snorkelling along the reef was a feast for the senses, and incredibly the access is a simple, short swim off the beach. Hard to take it all in, so much colour and life. Fish of all size, mega swarms of littlies and some big pelagics. We were completely awestruck by the green turtle and an enormous loggerhead turtle munching coral! Proud of the girls, big distances swam and tricky rock entries conquered. Duck diving a new skill. It’s mid tide back at Yardie creek when we return, so we reboot the tired legs, leave the car and trek across the creek and a kilometre or so back to camp.
Ospreys (hawks), snake sightings… and never far from an in-house family performance. Alex tries his luck at fishing after kids bed. Wishing we could settle in, and avoid more pack up/setup days, we are thwarted by the weather – big winds coming. Not ideal in light of our isolation, we pack up and head back to Exmouth. A frenetic carwash and a tonne of domestics, we’re on the road again, heading north – a spring in our step – more unchartered country awaits.
Exmouth & Whale Shark Snorkel
One K Campground & Snorkelling
Cape Range National Park & Mandu Mandu Gorge
