Coral Bay 30.06.2012 to 01.07.2012

Coral Bay was our next destination but we didn't set off from Point Quobba until late and ended up free camping in a little designated area about 50km south of Coral Bay. Mike and Alana were with us too and we set up a nice little possie for the night with quite a gorgeous sunset to complete the day.

Crowey entertains on his uke at the free camp site as the sun sets

A firey sunset in panoramic

Crowey doing dishes duty the next morning

a new friend called Whiskey

Off again the next morning bright and early, we thought we would head to Ningaloo Homestead (south of Coral Bay) where the snokeling was meant to be great on the Ningaloo Reef. We ventured about 1km down the dirt road but thought better of it due to the condition of the road with all of the corragations, we wanted our caravan all in one piece . So we took off for Coral Bay instead even though we had heard that the caravan parks were full but thought we would try our luck. We were lucky enough to get a site for the night and quickly set up camp and took off for a snorkel at the local beach. Coral Bay is a small town, where clearly lots of families enjoy holidaying in the area and also is on the south side of Ningaloo Reef, so popular for snorkeling as well. The weather was fairly good, the water warm and the snorkling at the main beach was pretty good, especially as we saw our first turtle of the trip. Wow, what a magnificient creature, we loved just slowly following the turtle as he gracefully swam along the bottom, keeping his eyes on us all the time but happy for us to follow for a short time.  

main swimming/snokeling beach at Coral Bay

entry at main swimming/snorkeling beach Coral Bay

Venturing out to the boat ramp I discovered a little beach where the tide was out but there were little rock pools where some wonderful creatures could be photographed in their natural habitat.

Pic of boat ramp

small jetty off boat ramp

a crab captured by surprise (he soon scurried in his hole)

The edge of the rock pool

Giant Clam

a starfish hangs on to his home

sea urchins

Coral

The next day Crowey and I decided to leave the caravan park (they had this bizarre formality that if we wanted to stay for another night we had to pack up, go and park outside the caravan park and re-check in for another night, bugger that!) and park the caravan at the boat ramp for the day (yes we are getting as cheeky as the grey nomads) and go four wheel driving to a spot called "five fingers", aptly named as the rocks reach into the ocean from the beach and there are five of them. This time Crowey let down the tyre pressure and off we went over sand tracks and onto the beach to find our next snorkeling spot. Once again the fish were there to swim amongst, with some beautiful varieties to view and we were the only two there.

coming around the corner on the beach

tyre track upon tyre track, a popular spot with the locals

our snokeling spot for the day

Crowey pumps the tyers back up after our 4WD adventure

After our snokeling adventure we thought we would head off to Exmouth, another great place for snorkeling and where the majority of Ningaloo Reef is situated and a place we have heard of right from the word go. Can't wait!!