A Kimberley & Pilbara Adventure: April 2012

Saturday 28 April 2012

Coral Bay

Coral Bay Eco Tours Bus

The day had come and everyone was super excited. The weather was awesome and we were on our way. We went out with Coral Bay Eco Tours and it cost $1200, John was free. The staff and crew were awesome. There wasn't enough they could do for you. We snorkeled on the outer reef whilst waiting for the spotter plane to find a Whale Shark and once found, we were off at a cracking pace and it remained that way until we had finished our five swims with the Whale Shark. It was incredibly hard work keeping up with the Whale Shark. Lily left every snorkeler for dead, out snorkeling just about everyone. It was pretty exhausting but incredibly amazing.

Our 5.5m Whale Shark

Snorkeling with the Emperors at the back of the boat

Merv the Queensland Groper

Quobba to Coral Bay

A few people had told us how expensive and busy Coral Bay is, so we travelled the twenty kilometres on the highway back to Carnarvon to stock up. The town of Coral Bay only exists for the tourism industry, so I guess high prices are to be expected. After weeks of nice spacious campsites with very few people around, we were pretty uncomfortable at the Bayview Caravan Park. People everywhere. No privacy, noise and lots of lights. Just like everyone else, we were here to snorkel Nigaloo Reef and swim with the Whale Sharks.

Quobba Blowholes

Lots of little fish

Into it again. Chris went out with some bloke he met yesterday in his slightly bigger and better equipped boat. Just as well, because the swell today was bloody huge. They went diving for crayfish and fished a fair bit too. We had a good feed tonight. Three crayfish and huge feed of fish. The kids and I were back in the lagoon. John really had an awesome time snorkeling today. We had a heap of old bread that we fed to the fish so there really was fish everywhere. The girls and I were lucky enough to snorkel with a green sea turtle for about half an hour.

Fish

John and fish (or should Isay John the fish)

John the fish

Green Sea Turtle

Dinner

Quobba Blowholes

A beach with waves

Same stuff again today. Geeze it's a hard life. Out in the boat fishing, snorkeling in the lagoon and an afternoon boogie boarding the waves at the southern end of the beach.

Quobba Station Coastline

Huge cliffs on Quobba Station coastline

Lily, John and Helene

The Lagoon

Big Waves

Quobba Blowholes

Snorkeling

This morning Chris put the boat in. It's hard work launching and retrieving boats on a very soft sandy, wave crashing beach. We all went for a quick ride before Chris dropped us up at the lagoon for some more snokeling. He went out fishing for a while. Another beautiful day on and under the water.

A fish (just in case you didn't know)

Semi-circular Anglefish

Lots of stripey fish

Blue starfish

Can you see the Flathead?

A type of Damsel Fish? or Gill for all those who have watched Nemo.

Semi-circular Anglefish

Nudibranch?

Friday 27 April 2012

Gladstone to Quobba Blowholes

Quobba Blowholes Lagoon

After a big restock in Carnarvon, we were off to the Quobba Blowholes. We felt a little unsure about the place on arrival with all the beach shacks and huts. The place had a strange feel about it. Turned out to be a pretty awesome spot. We ended up staying four nights and at $5.50 a night it was good value. The wind was up but the girls went snorkeling in the lagoon and came to the surface squealing in delight. There was lots to see underwater only two meters from the shoreline. We managed to get them out of the water with the promise of more snorkeling tomorrow. A quick trip to the blowholes which really go off at low tide and it was back to camp.

The Blowholes Coastline

Snorkeling

Nudibranch ?

Underwater view

Snorkeling

some of the blowholes

Big Blowholes

Blowholes

Quobba Blowholes Lagoon

Gladstone

reef at low tide

Another day of not doing a whole lot. Chris and I walked at to the reef at low tide to do some fishing whilst the kids messed around camp and the beach. Chris put the boat in and fished for a while and then eventually picked us all up and thegirls went snorkeling again.

Reef at low tide

A HUGE Long Tom on soft plastic

Gladstone Jetty

Helene & Lily snorkeling

Another sunset over the ocean

Nothing beats a campfire under a billion stars

Gladstone

John and a Sea Mullet

The kids and Chris pulled in the net they set out last night with the ranger Wayne. There were lots of Sea Mullet to clean up for a feed and plenty more to keep for bait. Chris spent the majority of the day out in the boat fishing. Lots of fish to be caught; all on soft plastics. The fishing in Western Australia has so far been phenomenal. The kids spent the day playing in their cubby house amongst the trees and playing around the jetty. the girls went for a snorkel from the boat in the afternoon and we did lots of cooking in the camp oven.