Monkey Mia, Denham & Shark Bay 3.

Next  to Ocean Park Natural Marine Exhibition and Eagle Bluff a board walk perched high up on the cliff.

                                                             A Logger head Turtle.

                                                                   Shark Feeding.

                                                                     A Lion Fish.

                                         A Shark in it's natural environment at Eagles Bluff.

                                                 Eagle Island at Eagles Bluff board walk.

                                              Steve on the front at Denham (Shark Bay).

We both loved this area and if it hadn't been for the wind, would have stayed a lot longer. Unfortunately we have not see a Dugong!!! This morning when we left town, we saw 10 baby Emu's crossing the road with Dad & later we saw Emu's walking up the main street. A great place to stay, with lots to see. Tomorrow we leave and will stop at Shell Beach on our way out.

Monkey Mia, Denham & Shark Bay 2.

Our cruise......

                                                          Blue Lagoon Pearl Farm.

                                                           A Dolphin on our cruise.

                                                                 Monkey Mia Beach.

                                                             Steve on Shotover.

                                                    Our sunset cruise at Monkey Mia.

                                       Happy the Sunset cruise is over and I can get warm!!!

Monkey Mia, Denham & Shark Bay 1.

Shark Bay was discovered on the 25th October 1616 by a Dutch Captain, Dirk Hartog. This was the first record of a European setting foot on Australian soil.
This untouched destination has azure waters, Stromatolites (living microbes, that have helped science gain a better understanding of evolution), sea grasses, marine life, 10% of the worlds Dugong population & the visiting Dolphins at Monkey Mia.
Firstly we went to Monkey Mia to check out the feeding of the Dolphins.  Next we went on a catamaran cruise, the name of our boat was Shotover. Because we booked a day cruise we also received a free sunset cruise. Have I told you all how WINDY it is over here and the cruise was no different, very scenic, lots of Dolphins, Loggerhead Turtles and a shovel nose shark. We also had splendid views of the stunning bays and the Blue Lagoon pearl farm. (for those of you that watch the farmer wants a wife).

The Stromatoites in Hamlin Pool. Steve was very disappointed as it was just so windy, you couldn't see them very well.

                                Me on the walkway at the Stromatolites.to windy for hats!!!

                                 Shell Block Quarry. Shell blocks used in 1884 for building.

                                                  Shell block, made of compact shell.

                                                            Dolphins at Monkey Mia.

                                                        Nikki one of the Dolphins.

Carnarvon 3 - Quobba Station.

The blow holes where fantastic, we have been to some other blow holes in WA, but these ones were the best so far!!!
We had a drive out to Quobba Station and all along this dramatic coastline, with massive cliffs, the scenery was stunning.
We saw a group of at least 40 fish, at first we thought they were sharks as they were so big, in the end we decided they were Spanish Mackerel- amazing, massive creatures. We also saw a large spotted Goanna. We headed back to Port Quobba and a snorkel in the calm coral bay with lots of reef fish.
Next we walked on the 1 mile jetty in gale force winds!! The jetty looked and felt very unsafe and we was grateful the little steam train was not running today. The jetty was built in 1897. Carnarvon was the first port in the world which loaded livestock on board ships for transport to markets.

                                                            Carnarvon 1 mile jetty.

                                                                Me on the scary jetty.

                                                       An old fire truck in the Museum.

                                                   An old steam engine in the museum.

This morning there was no wind, which made a change, however the sky has been over cast most of the day and rain is threatening!!! If it rains, I'm going out to dance in it!!! The wind picked up at lunch time and is blowing a gale again. So tomorrow we will head off to Monkey Mia and we are sure it will be even winder there.
                                 

Carnarvon 2.

Dominating the Carnarvon sky line is a huge communication satellite dish, which was opened in 1966. Carnarvon participated in the space race and helped put man on the moon in 1969.So this was one giant leap for a small Australian town. In 1969 when Neil Armstrong stepped out of Apollo 11 his famous words "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", where relayed to the world via the purpose built tracking dish at Carnarvon. No longer in use, was decommissioned 30th April 1987 after helping with the tracking of Halley's comet.

                                                               Steve up the OTC dish.

                                                                       OTC dish.

                                                             Me at the Blow holes.

                                                                 The Blow holes.

Carnarvon 1.

On route from Coral Bay to Carnarvon, the wildlife was fantastic, never a dull moment. Herds & herds of goats (of all varieties), sheep, cattle, kangaroo's, a Bustard,
massive Eagles, we had to stop once for cattle crossing the road and once for Emu's.
We are now South of the Tropic of Capricorn, so not so confident about the weather anymore.
It was still hot travelling in the sun, sandy dunes everywhere, with lots of grass, but no trees until we got to Carnarvon. Massive river beds with no water.

                                           Maybe this is why they don't grow many trees!!!

                                                           Me with a giant Banana.

                                                      Steve at the marina, Carnarvon.

                                                        How's that for a fishing fleet!!!

                                                             Steve at the blow Holes.

Ningaloo Reef & Coral Bay.2.

                                        A Giant Clam.

                                                             A spotted Ray.

                                                            Just another Turtle.

Coral Bay 1 -WA.

Coral Bay 155klm's south of Exmouth, the Name Coral Bay says it all, a big turquoise Bay, However Food seemed really expensive here.

The Bay.

 

One of Many Ray's

                                                               Rose shape Coral's.

                                                            Our favourite - Turtle.

Ningaloo Reef 3.

                                                            Logger Head Turtle.

                                                              They are so lovely!!

                                                   Ok, enough now, they are lovely!!!

Ningaloo Reef 2.

                                                        Can you see the Flat Head?

                                                         One of the Oyster stacks.

                                                         The Corals are stunning!!!

                                                                       Fish!!!

                                                 These blue star fish, eat & kill the corals.

                                                                        More Fish!!!

Ningaloo Reef 1.

20.11.12 up early and snorkel at Lakeside, good corals and lots of reef fish.  Next a 12klm drive to Turquoise bay, now the corals here are something special and the marine life was superb, however this was a very busy site and we wouldn’t want to be here during peak season.   A 3klm drive to the Oyster Stacks, here we had lunch as we had to wait for high tide, and it was amazing, the fish were huge.  A fantastic day, the marine life and corals are in excellent condition.

                                                       Sunset over Ningaloo Reef.

                                                          Two visitors to our camp.

There was plenty of wildlife around Cape Range National Park, kangaroo's, Emu's, Bustard's, many other types of birds and plenty of Lizards.
However it was so windy here all the time, no trees, as they cut them in case of cyclones. WA stands for Windy Always!!! The tropical roof have to come off, as it just flapped all night!!! (Amanda you know what we mean) This time of year is very quiet in the NP. It wouldn't be as nice in the silly season. 

                                                       Steve finding objects of interest.

                                                          An Emu came to visit.

                                                      The beach & Reef at Lake side.