Exmouth (pronounced as in eyes, nose and mouth), is on the eastern side of a peninsula which forms the Gulf of Exmouth to the east and the Ningaloo Reef to the west. It's a major centre for watching whale-sharks, humpback whales and turtles, as well as for exploring the coral reef itself.
The first wildlife we saw were emus, at the side of the road outside the town. Later we saw one walking up the main street. We finally saw kangaroos near the visitor centre at the reef. We haven't been driving at night so that probably explains why we've only seen dead ones at the side of the road. Kangaroo dung is similar to that of rabbits - just bigger.
It would be wrong not to mention flies. It's not that there are lots; there aren't. It's just that they have very specific behaviour and that is, they fly straight onto your face. They don't fly around, they go straight for your nostrils, eyes or ears. That's why we are perfecting the Ozzie wave. They are much easier to deal with than midges. So far, anyway.
Exmouth is very quiet and there's lots of space at the campgrounds. The temperature steadily increases now as the summer develops further south, peak season is finished and most holiday makers have gone south. In Exmouth it is in the mid thirties now and will increase so that it can be forty degrees frequently.
There are plenty of young Europeans here, all seem to be on extended trips around the country. Also there are "Grey Nomads". These are Ozzies who are on major touring trips around the continent. They all seem to have a house somewhere but are away for many months. Almost all are driving Toyota Landcruisers and pulling caravans or trailers. Landcruisers are the vehicle of choice here, old and new, there are hundreds. We have spotted just a few Land Rovers (and none of these are Series).
At the north of the Cape is a lighthouse lookout. From there we got first glimpses of the Humpback whales making their way very slowly south. They are distinctive as they exhale and blow through the water creating a distinctive plume.
These are huge creatures and it was a privilege to watch them playing and tending their calves. They move gracefully through the water but spend a lot of time almost stationary as they sleep in the afternoon. We went on a late afternoon whale-watching boat trip. Only ten minutes out of Exmouth we saw the first whale and over the next couple of hours we saw many more mothers and calves. A few put on a show of "pec (pectoral fin) slapping" which is quite a sight to see from a beast that is several metres long and weighing many tonnes.
Later, using binoculars from the shore, we saw a whale jumping almost clear of the water.
At Ningaloo Reef on the Indian Ocean side of the Cape Peninsular, we went into the National Park and to Turquoise Bay specifically. It's a magnificent place, easily the most beautiful beach we've ever been on.
Turquiose Bay was recommended for our first snorkelling (having first practised at the beach nearer Exmouth). We were careful to go into the easy bit of the bay with no drifting in the current. All went well for the first twenty minutes and we were getting used to the technique and started to watch the beautiful coloured fish. We were 20-30 metres from the shore when there was a cry and I realised that someone was in trouble.
A guy on shore was looking out to sea and that helped me to locate a person not too far away. By the time I reached him he was below the water and as I tried to remember my Altrincham Baths STA lifesaver badge technique he grabbed my mask and ripped it from my face. I pulled him towards the beach but with fins on it was hard and I was trying to get his snorkel out of his mouth but his jaws were tightly closed. The other guy came into the water and as soon as we got within our depth I gave him mouth to mouth, not much but enough, as he appeared to have stopped breathing and was a horrible colour. He made a few gurgling sounds and we put him into the recovery position and he slowly came round on the beach.
It all ended well, as he was taken to hospital got checked over for 24 hours and then given the OK. We met the next day and exchanged details. He's a young guy from Tiawan, on a slow tour around Oz who has assumed I saved his life and promised me that he will never to go snorkelling alone again!
The reef stretches for mile and miles along this coast. There are some campsites but it is a little extreme for tents as there is no shade and no facilities. During these days the temperature reached 37-39 C and we were happy to be at a site in Exmouth with camp kitchen facilities ( more on these in a later post).
Sleeping is easy as the temperature falls always rapidly once the sun goes down (18:30) and so cool nights contrast with hot days. Maybe it's the time of year coupled with the abundance of sandy soils that create the rapid heat loss.
The first wildlife we saw were emus, at the side of the road outside the town. Later we saw one walking up the main street. We finally saw kangaroos near the visitor centre at the reef. We haven't been driving at night so that probably explains why we've only seen dead ones at the side of the road. Kangaroo dung is similar to that of rabbits - just bigger.
It would be wrong not to mention flies. It's not that there are lots; there aren't. It's just that they have very specific behaviour and that is, they fly straight onto your face. They don't fly around, they go straight for your nostrils, eyes or ears. That's why we are perfecting the Ozzie wave. They are much easier to deal with than midges. So far, anyway.
Exmouth is very quiet and there's lots of space at the campgrounds. The temperature steadily increases now as the summer develops further south, peak season is finished and most holiday makers have gone south. In Exmouth it is in the mid thirties now and will increase so that it can be forty degrees frequently.
There are plenty of young Europeans here, all seem to be on extended trips around the country. Also there are "Grey Nomads". These are Ozzies who are on major touring trips around the continent. They all seem to have a house somewhere but are away for many months. Almost all are driving Toyota Landcruisers and pulling caravans or trailers. Landcruisers are the vehicle of choice here, old and new, there are hundreds. We have spotted just a few Land Rovers (and none of these are Series).
At the north of the Cape is a lighthouse lookout. From there we got first glimpses of the Humpback whales making their way very slowly south. They are distinctive as they exhale and blow through the water creating a distinctive plume.
These are huge creatures and it was a privilege to watch them playing and tending their calves. They move gracefully through the water but spend a lot of time almost stationary as they sleep in the afternoon. We went on a late afternoon whale-watching boat trip. Only ten minutes out of Exmouth we saw the first whale and over the next couple of hours we saw many more mothers and calves. A few put on a show of "pec (pectoral fin) slapping" which is quite a sight to see from a beast that is several metres long and weighing many tonnes.
Later, using binoculars from the shore, we saw a whale jumping almost clear of the water.
At Ningaloo Reef on the Indian Ocean side of the Cape Peninsular, we went into the National Park and to Turquoise Bay specifically. It's a magnificent place, easily the most beautiful beach we've ever been on.
Turquiose Bay was recommended for our first snorkelling (having first practised at the beach nearer Exmouth). We were careful to go into the easy bit of the bay with no drifting in the current. All went well for the first twenty minutes and we were getting used to the technique and started to watch the beautiful coloured fish. We were 20-30 metres from the shore when there was a cry and I realised that someone was in trouble.
A guy on shore was looking out to sea and that helped me to locate a person not too far away. By the time I reached him he was below the water and as I tried to remember my Altrincham Baths STA lifesaver badge technique he grabbed my mask and ripped it from my face. I pulled him towards the beach but with fins on it was hard and I was trying to get his snorkel out of his mouth but his jaws were tightly closed. The other guy came into the water and as soon as we got within our depth I gave him mouth to mouth, not much but enough, as he appeared to have stopped breathing and was a horrible colour. He made a few gurgling sounds and we put him into the recovery position and he slowly came round on the beach.
It all ended well, as he was taken to hospital got checked over for 24 hours and then given the OK. We met the next day and exchanged details. He's a young guy from Tiawan, on a slow tour around Oz who has assumed I saved his life and promised me that he will never to go snorkelling alone again!
The reef stretches for mile and miles along this coast. There are some campsites but it is a little extreme for tents as there is no shade and no facilities. During these days the temperature reached 37-39 C and we were happy to be at a site in Exmouth with camp kitchen facilities ( more on these in a later post).
Sleeping is easy as the temperature falls always rapidly once the sun goes down (18:30) and so cool nights contrast with hot days. Maybe it's the time of year coupled with the abundance of sandy soils that create the rapid heat loss.
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