Ningaloo Reef Exposed 1

  Cape Range National Park

Well let’s start off with some good mechanical news – just for a change, right?  Firstly, we had that overdue van service at Exmouth Caravan Services AND passed with flying colours.  Considering the amount of times we’ve taken the girl WAY outside her comfort zone, to only need one bearing to be replaced is truly amazing (and a relief).  But as Shaun pointed out, this model was top of the range in its day and they built them to last.  Perhaps not like today, where Covid had manufacturers and carpetbaggers turning them out like sausages but skint on the quality – and that’s not just me talking.

The other problem child we managed to find a work around for was the car fridge.  Not a problem if you’re driving, but how to keep it going when you’re not.  It had been bugging us for months, especially when the 3-way van fridge struggled in the heat. We could be set up in the one place for several days and the milk definitely not lasting to the expiry date.  Anyway, long story short, I got the local auto electrician to make up heavy duty portable 10 metre lead than runs from the car fridge, outside the rear passenger window and down to an external cigarette lighter jack towards the back of the van.  Now we can access the solar batteries, who, let’s be honest, were a pack of lazy, indolent, under achievers mooching off a couple of laptops and some phone chargers.  So now, we have a second working fridge which of course means not overcrowding the van fridge, which in turn means it struggles less to keep things cool.

So, just for a change, we headed to Cape Range National Park relaxed and confident we’d do the 70klm without incident (lol).  Ningaloo Reef starts at the very tip of Exmouth Peninsula and hugs the WA coast for about 300 klms.  There’s a lot of opportunity to experience it, so we’re going to divide it up into bite-size chunks over the next few weeks.

Cape Range National Park is less than 50klm’s from Exmouth which explains why it’s so popular and difficult to get a booking at. In a thirty kilometre stretch, there are over twenty locations each one offering something slightly different.  We were lucky to get a spot on the website at Kurrajong campground till Monday. 

It’s not an adjective I use lightly, but seeing the Ningaloo Reef for the first time was awesome, in the original sense. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef which is out there “somewhere”, Ningaloo Reef is only about 400 metres from the beach, a white thread of breakers stretching away to the horizon, wrapped around and endless lagoon of blues and greys.  It’s so difficult for a photo to capture the majesty of it, it’s just too big.   

We set up late in the afternoon and next morning drove the short distance down to Osprey Bay.  Osprey Bay is one of the highly recommended locations in the Park.  The reef is only about 30 metres off shore. 

There was a little coral at that distance but there was plenty of fish, with the drop-offs and overhangs the best spots. 

Tamika had steeled herself to try serious snorkelling and handled herself like a professional. 

But there are tides, even in reef fringed lagoons, so when it started dragging us away from shore, we called time-out, had an early lunch and came back on the turn a few hours later.  Tamika spotted a turtle in the sea grass, and luckily we got a proof of life video clip.

The next day was spent pretty much indoors.  The prevailing winds are a bit of a lottery and it was clear a front was passing through.  We did get a tip that Turquoise Bay was somewhat protected, so we figured we get in early the next morning before “thar’ she’d be blowin’.” 

Tamika was still under the covers when I left to do some sussin’ out at 6:30am.  It was cool and cloudy at Turquoise Bay and I was doubting the wisdom of leaving a warm bed behind.  But as if on cue, the clouds parted just long enough to tempt me into the water for a snorkel. 

The water wasn’t as clear this time but still plenty of fishies, another turtle and a couple of rays. While I couldn’t tempt Tamika to brave the conditions for a snorkel, I could certainly get her out of bed for internet access. A Telstra emergency phone at Turquoise Beach fortunately came with wi-fi.  I drove the ten minutes back to give her the news. In no time Tamika was happily catching up on the world with a coffee and I was back on the reef.

We checked out the next morning with a vague plan of maybe trying to get back on pushing on to Coral Bay.  We’d had rave reviews about a place called Oyster Stacks just up the road, but tide restrictions created only a small two hour window once a day, and not every day.  Luckily when we got back to Exmouth we scored another three nights back at Kurrajong via the website, so we topped up supplies and by 5pm were back, set up and a crack at the ‘Stacks’ the next morning.

We had tide information from inside the toilet door (as well as everything from toilet maintenance to dingo precautions), but still arrived early.  Tamika had time for a coffee and we sat patiently on the rock shelf as the keen started to arrive ahead of the starter’s gun at 9:15am.  By 9:00 we had started to kit up.  There was only one easy entry point to the water, and people were happy to take their turn.  Again, the clouds parted at the right time and guys, it was the best!!  The water was crystal clear, all kinds of colourful coral formations and the fish, OMG !    The colours, patterns and variety, from tiny neon fish to plate size parrot fish, all swimming oblivious to our presence.

So, I guess you’re wondering where all the fabulous pics are?  Back in 2007, I bought a top of the range underwater camera, used it once on the Great Barrier Reef and put it back in the box, thinking I’d use it again for sure…one day.  Fast forward 15 years and Ningaloo Reef was that occasion.  Now, the battery STILL worked….at first.  But two days later, the battery charger was no more than a defibrillator on an expiring heart.  And of course, no-one stocks exotic batteries in a small coastal town, do they?

But if you’re desperate, Youtube will fill you in till we get a replacement battery, probably in Carnarvon. Have checked out this clip and it’s as we found it. Pretty cool eh?

Still, we both had a blast and spent the rest of the day chillaxing.