Snorkelling at Ningaloo Reef

For Sale - Architecturally designed nest
with magnificent water views. Seamless
transition between inside and outside.
 Great reception.

After an interesting hour or so at the Information Centre we were threatened with mutiny if snorkelling was not immediately forthcoming, despite Dave relishing the reading aloud of the Dangerous Marine Creatures and Warnings list!

A short drive up to the aptly named Turquoise Bay and we were decked out in snorkels, goggles and flippers very quickly.

The stunning Turquoise Bay

Dave shows his true colours, with his
usual nod to high fashion!

Due to growth spurts, we found ourselves with snorkelling gear to fit Ella, Lachlan and Dave, but Marcus, Jackson and I all had to take turns with one set. The others all went first and came back buzzing. The water was clear, the fish amazingly abundant and varied and the coral was colourful. I couldn't wait to get in since I had missed out on seeing anything at Great Barrier. Lachie and I walked up the beach and out into the bay, where we drifted back over all the coral. WOW! Truly an experience worth waiting for! Lachie was like an excited Labrador puppy, and I was quite dizzy by the time we got back from all the "Mum! Look at this!" shouts. We saw parrot fish, beautifully coloured wrasse, moorfish, reef sharks, stingrays, turtles, crocodillie long toms, boxfish, cowfish, blue "antler" coral, "brain" coral ... and so much more. It was fantastic. It was windy and cold on the beach so we went back to camp, where the kids went straight into the sandhills to play while I made dinner. The boys were thrilled that we were in a showerless camp, and the fact that they were covered in sand bothered them not a jot.

Marcus counted 10 emu chicks

"I slept in the Great Sandy Desert last night" Lachie announced as he stepped out of the caravan the next morning. We all felt his pain! We took a drive into Exmouth to remedy the snorkel gear situation and get some groceries. On the way in we took a detour up to Vlaming Point Lighthouse, where we saw a pod of whales swim past the coast. We also saw an emu with lots of chicks from our vantage point and Marcus spotted them again as we joined the main road in time for a photo.

Talk about monsters from the deep!

We got snorkelled up again and did 2 more drift dives at Turquoise Bay, although this time all six of us could snorkel at the same time, which was great. It was really windy and cold, so we called it quits after the second dive and returned to the sandcastle and hole digging back at Ned's camp.

Marcus, never happier than when digging a hole, outdid himself here

Jackson is pretty pleased with his castle

Jackson and Marcus were up, breakfasted and on the beach before the rest of us were properly awake the next morning, Kings in Sand Castles. We went swimming before lunch at "our" beach while we waited for the high tide to snorkel again. The current was really strong, so after one speedy drift dive we called it a day. There is a gap in the reef and the current does its best to suck foolish snorkellers through it. Although we do have a satellite phone for emergencies, I don't think it is waterproof! The kids occupied themselves on the beach again until dark, which was great after being cooped up in the Blunderbuss for 15 000 kms!

"Mum! I saw a shark!"

On our last day at Cape Range, the kids were again up just after dawn to work on their creations on the beach. After a quiet, peaceful morning we got organised to go for our last snorkel. Jackson burnt his hand on a pot at lunchtime, so decided to stay back in camp with Dave and the packet of frozen peas. I took the others for our last experience of the amazing Ningaloo reef. It was just lovely, floating along, holding Ella's hand and marvelling at all the marine life. We did two dives before returning to camp where the kids disappeared - guess where! - and we tightened up the guy ropes as it was blowing a gale. The wind got worse overnight and no-one got much sleep with the tent threatening to take off - even though it was weighed down by Dave, me and the double bass! Lachie thought someone was punching the caravan and anxiously awaited dawn. Next morning Dave and I were completely covered in sand which had blown in through the fine netting on the tent.

Stay tuned ...