Along the Coral Coast

Since leaving Perth on Saturday we have been traveling along the Coral Coast region of WA. Most has been long stretches of various types of scrub but every few hours there will be a scenic highlight like the sunset at Cervantes or spectacular pinnacles in a nearby desert landscape or the beautiful blue sea at Geraldton.

Monday it was the stark white shell beach and stromalites of Hamelin Pool and the brilliant green and blue of Shark Bay. More scrub and then the tranquil waters of Monkey Mia. It was then time to don the shorts and Tee shirts for a walk along the beach and a sunset sail across the bay.

It was an early rise on Tuesday to paddle with the famous dolphins and then another cruise in search of sea animals. We sighted the noses of several dugongs and sea turtles as well as an exhibition by pod of dolphins.

Wednesday we were on the road again with more scrub and then a scenic lookout at a low range that turned the vast scrub into a scene of beauty. More long stretches of road before finding the banana plantations and market gardens of Carnarvon where we stayed the night. A volunteer driver for the coffee pot train that runs along Carnarvon’s one-mile jetty bragged that we were less than 1000km from Perth. We walked the half of the jetty that was open and caught the train back.

After Carnarvon it was a few hours drive to Coral Bay. On the way we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn and later the scrub was interspersed with massive termite mounds. Coral Bay is set on the edge of Ningaloo Reef: just a short swim to the coral and reef fish