Swim on the wild side

I have knocked a few items off my bucket list now.  I have managed to visit my sister in England a few times (that's for another day), I've experienced the most amazing luxury African safari (again for another day) and I have been swimming with the Whale Sharks!

The latter was an  experience of a lifetime. My gorgeous other half arranged the most amazing birthday gift - a trip to Exmouth in Western Australia. Exmouth is about 1300km north of Perth, on the tip of the North West Cape. A long drive and not a cheap venture but worth it.
 

Western Australia

Cape Range

We travelled to the Ningaloo Marine Park area that extends 260 kilometres along the west coast of the Cape. The crew on board our boat provided us with masks and snorkels (I was incredibly lucky to be given prescription goggles) and took us to the deeper water within the lagoon for our first snorkelling experience. The water was incredibly warm, somewhere between 26–31 ̊C. We were treated to some beautiful corals and amazing marine life, including a gorgeous turtle. Everything seemed incredibly tame, but probably get quite miffed with all these people ogling them.

Turtle

One of many fish

Next we travelled out to the deeper open sea area where we hoped to see the big fish.  We were told that the water was quite a bit cooler so were provided with wet suits and given a comprehensive explanation of what we should and shouldn't do near the Whale Sharks.

Crew giving us instructions

The crew were incredible.  They divided us into two groups. One in the water and one out so as not to overwhelm the marine life. We were the first group to get into the water.

A Whale Shark

I was not anticipating the huge swell; where I was fine in the boat in the water I suddenly become seasick and couldn't keep up with the group. Fortunately they had a small boat on the look out for laggers and I returned to dry "land" aka the boat. One of the other tourists gave me some ginger to suck and I immediately felt a little better.

Success

                                                                When it was our turn to go out again, I didn't hesitate.  The swell was either smaller or I just coped better but it was fantastic. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     I was able to keep up and there was no nausea. We did 4 or 5 swims, and each time were lucky enough to see one of these magnificent creatures.

You are supposed to keep to the side and slightly back from the Whale Shark's head so avoid making it dive into the depths of the ocean. However inadvertently

Looming out of the murky sea

I got an incredible fright when I found myself directly in  front of a huge gaping mouth. It's very, very difficult to
                                                                      back peddle with flippers on!                                                                                                                             

The Whale Shark is the one in the background!

                                                                 By the time the last couple of swims came around I needed a toilet break. I know people say just use your wetsuit but I couldn't bring myself to that, so off with the suit.   

Of course I couldn't get it back on in time, so braved the water without it.  It most certainly was not cold however I didn't think about stingers and such like.   

Vlamingh Head Lighthouse

                                                                  The excitement of swimming with the Whale Sharks was over way too soon.  I would highly recommend it although it isn't a cheap trip.  The rest of our short stay was taken up with local sightseeing.                                                                         For the hardy adventurers there is the SS Mildura Wreck, ironically only 80m from shore, near the  Vlamingh Head Lighthouse. 

Migration

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The sea here is significantly colder and frequented by many sharks although this  doesn't seem to deter the seasoned divers.

Wetlands

We visited the American Airforce Base - no longer in use but rearing to go then ventured through the Cape Range National Park to Yardie Creek                              

Emu

                                                                                                                                         On the way we crossed paths with local pedestrians.      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                     
         

Yardie Creek

A slow paddle up the creek to view the spectacular multi-coloured gorger with its
permanent water , fed from the ocean was a relaxing was to enjoy a warm afternoon.

 

Yardie Creek Gorge

Yardie Creek is a spectacular,  multi-
coloured gorge with permanent water fed from the ocean. We saw lots of black-footed rock wallabies hiding  in the safety of the sheer gorge walls. 

Oyster Stacks

     Next on the trip was a visit to a couple of beaches. One was Turquoise Bay! As the name suggests the water is an exquisite turquoise colour. It was great to don the snorkel and goggles and allow the current - Turquoise Bay Drift - to pull us over the colourful coral and shoals of fish.  Some hardier people on our tour ventured out to the reef where they encountered reef sharks. They are supposed to be non-threatening sharks, but not long after getting home the news reported a woman being bitten. Not the type of thing I relish.                

Further along was the Oyster Stacks. It was getting a little chilly by then and we passed up the opportunity to swim again.                                                          
                                                                                         

Exmouth Beach

We stayed in a lovely friendly B&B just out of Exmouth so a walk to the beach was essential. The beaches on this side of the peninsular are significantly different - all ironstone red and rocky. The sunrise made it well worth the visit.

'I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!'

My Country. Dorothy MacKellar

                                                                                                     

                                                                            

                                                            

                                                                             

                                                                                                                                      
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