10th-16th May 2009

We spent two nights in Exmouth then out to Cape Range National Park for 5 nights free camping at Mesa Camp. It is very beautiful along this stretch of coast.

Our camp site at Mesa camp - we are 2nd from the right

Helen scrapping at Mesa

This is Turquoise Bay- probably the prettiest beach and great for snorkeling.

We went on a boat cruise up Yardie Creek where a very rare black footed wallaby lives. We actually saw 9 of the 40 who live there on our cruise. They live along the cliff face of the gorge and generally only come out when it is cooler. The day we went was a litle cloudy so we were lucky.

Part of Yardie Creek gorge

After the boat cruise we were at the Yardie Creek crossing where Helen was arrested by a Fisheries officer called Alan (see adjoining picture) for eating an undersized cray in Dongara thanks to information passed on by one of our good neighbours who just happens to be some big wig in Fisheries.

On the Yardie Creek boat cruise

Some of the locals at Mangrove Bay

This day was quite cloudy (our first one) so we went to a bird hide at Mangrove Bay. Just as we arrived a white breasted sea eagle swooped down and caught a big fish, then stood on a rock in the middle of the lagoon and ate it. Whilst it was doing that we saw the fins of a reef shark cruise by a few times.

Then the sea eagle's partner who had been sitting in a tree watching came down, then took the fish and flew off. It was really great to watch








We really enjoyed our time at Cape Range, very peaceful, good fishing and great beaches. We had a huge fifth wheeler parked next to us and the people were really nice. Will probably catch up with them again in June.

Heading off to Tom Price and Karijini National Park. More next week.

26 April to 10 May

This is our third blog and we travelled from Shark Bay to Exmouth, stopping at Whalebone rest area, Hamelin Pool, Blowholes free camp, Coral Bay and Exmouth. Coral Bay was as magic as we remembered and we spent a week there.

Whalebone rest area and sunset

Shell quarry at Hamelin Pool

Brian blogging

Brian fishing at sunset at Blowholes

Our camp at Blowholes

Blowholes coastline

Osprey at Blowholes

Snorkeling lagoon at Blowholes


Brian's first decent fish - a tailor!

Coral Bay coastline - beautiful

Coral Bay sunset

We went for a cruise on the Coral Breeze, a 15 m catamaran which took us to the outer reef for snorkeling, then a sausage sizzle lunch, then to the inner reef for more snorkeling. It was a great day and we saw lots of fish.

Boomnetting - haven't done that since our honeymoon!








The Coral Breeze

Dinner at Fin's Coral Bay with some of our new friends

The Lookout at Coral Bay

A yellow throated miner at Exmouth

Today we drove out to Charles Knife Gorge and Potshot Gorge, about 20 km south of Exmouth - quite stunning scenery.

Forgot to mention we bought some fresh prawns at Kailis processing plant on the way into Exmouth - had prawn sandwiches for lunch and prawn fettucine for dinner.

Bruce, we are sure they were all "size" !!!!!

6-25 April 2009

Island Rock, Kalbarri coastal cliffs

This is our second posting to our blog and we will try to improve on the first one. OK, it was factual but a bit boring I thought - what did you think? Please let us know either through comments or email. So this time we will try to let the pictures do most of the talking.

We had two weeks in Kalbarri. Aaron, Tracee and Jade arrived for the second week. It ws great to spend time with them. Brian caught a couple of fish at Red Bluff - nothing to write home about.

Aaron, Tracee and Jade enjoying Kalbarri

Kalbarri sunset

It's a hard life, but someone has to do it!

From Kalbarri we headed to Denham and the Shark Bay area.

In Denham a family of emus lived in town and wandered up and down the main street, totally unconcerned with the traffic.

On Brian's birthday (23 April if you forgot) we went to Big Lagoon in Francois Peron National Park - 10 km of sandy track. We had to let the tyres down, and managed not to get bogged.

Helen's FIRST FISH!

and


Brian's birthday apple pie

To be continued ........