Gem Grimshaw
GemandJimla
Gem Grimshaw
Set off on our travels on 23rd April 2011 arriving in Perth Western Oz after a brief stop in Singapore Changi Airport at just gone midnight on 25th April. Spent two nights in North Lodge backpackers before hiring a Camper Van 'Dirty Sanchez' from Travelers Autobarn for 3 weeks setting off on our trip along the West Coast!
After spending a night in Scarborough in a carpark over looking the beach, we took the Indian Ocean Drive (which gave us some awesome views of the huge west ozzi coastline) towards Exmouth.
First stop was Dongara arrived there pretty late on after a 5 hour drive, dawned on us that Oz is massive and gonna take a while to get anywhere! Stayed the night camped just outside of the Town were caught & given a bit of a telling off by the ranger but thankfully no $150 fine. Left Dongara in a bit of a rush so didn't really get much chance to see it in the daylight.
Next stop Kalbarri (you'll love it! - the sign says and we did) stayed for 2 days went to the National Park to see natures window but Dirty Sanchez couldn't make it up dirt road so we had to do the other side of the park instead. Was pretty gutted but soon got over it!
After Kalbarri we headed to Money Mia stopping off at shell beach on the way which was amazing and still one of my best places so far. No sand on this beach instead millions of little white shells that have been washed up from the surrounding area and apparently 10ft deep. The Ocean was crystal clear and the sun was beaming on us, it was like the stuff of dreams and can't really give it justice in words.
Monkey Mia was pretty good, more of a resort type place, but every morning they have Dolphin interactions where wild dolphins swim to within a foot of you as you stand in the ocean. Was pretty amazing to see and after a few attempts to get picked James lucked out and was picked to feed Nicky one of the Dolphins - he was proper chuffed!
Denham, Eagles Bluff, Little Lagoon, countless look outs and photograph stops & the odd encounter with an Emu, Kangaroo, Cows, Sheep & Eagles we reached Carnarvon where w stayed for the night before heading up to Coral Bay where we did a turtle tour on this glass bottom boat, saw turtles and got to snorkel in two different sites along the fringing coral reef - which was far out!!!
The boat crew threw in some fish pellets and hundreds of fish all different sizes, colour & type came rushing to the back of the boat and you dived in amongst them. Instantly this underwater world open up to you and the fishes were as eager to explore you and came right up to you, sometimes swimming along with you.
You got totally lost and before you knew it you were miles away from the boat with reef sharks, huge sting Rays & Manta Rays and thousands of fish keeping you company. MINT!!!
Coral bay was beautiful you could walk in to the ocean and see huge snapper fish and baby rays and after a small swim were able to snorkel the coral reef!
From Coral Bay we headed to Exmouth (our last stop, before heading back)! Got there about 8 and managed to get spot at the Lighthouse Caravan Park which was where bush met the reef. Was a pretty cool place and after a good nights sleep headed in to Exmouth to check it out.
Found out you could camp in Cape Range National Park for pretty cheap so decided after charging the stuff over night at a camp site we'd head there first thing and was lucky enough to get a spot at Osprey Bay.
The camp site host reminded me of Wally out of Crocodile Dundee but was Muray and was a sound guy. Got a secluded & huge spot at the front of the park totally surrounded by bush, but only a 5 minute walk to the beach.
Went to explore out new back garden and was joined by turtles as we walked along the beach they swam almost alongside us coming up for air every now and again!
Went back for our first bush tucker butty and was visited by a Kangaroo & her joey who kept their distance for a bit (almost looking like they were playing hide & seek or something in the bush but after a while they got brave and came right in to the camp. Gotta admit was a bit freaked out and went to get Muray to see what we should do. He said the guy before us must have been feeding them and we needed to scare it off because they become aggressive and like pest and can get shot by the ranger! After Murray got to the camp spot all his hid was scrape his feet along the floor and they bolted!! Had snags & rice for our first bush tucker meal and few stubbies before off to bed.
Decided to do the Yardie Creek gorge in the morning had a bit of a mix up with Murray we thought he said it was an hours walk to Yardie Creek but he meant the the gorge walk was an hour and after walking for ages and still nothing in sight we were rescued by Stuart & Bev who took pity on the two crazy English dressed in beach gear walking in 30 degree heat miles away from anywhere and gave us a lift to the creek and after we had walked the gorge they even gave us a lift back SWEET!
A reminder of how massive Oz is - walking somewhere unless in a city is well out of the question.
Yardie gorge was pretty cool, would have been nice to do the boat trip (tried blagging on it by blending with some tour - but no luck). Everything is well expensive here and we are seriously watching the pennys already!!
Gorge walk wasn't that far about 4kand after the 5k we'd walked to get here in the full on sun was nice to be in the shade of the gorge!
Got a spot at Lakeside Camp Site in the park the next morning which is nearer to the snorkeling sites and so moved down there and set up camp.
The new site was spot on, right on the lake with a full on view of the beach & ocean NICE!!!checked out our new spot went for a swim and chatted with some fellow campers. Took a walk down to the Visitors Centre (could see it from the campsite, so we knew we'd be ok to walk it - although did get offered a lift).
Finished off the snags and rice and some vino whilst chatting to our camping neighbours.
Stars are awesome out in the bush, look like you could just pick them out of the sky & there's millions of them. Guess coz there's no light pollution you get to see more and the moon when it makes an appearance is huge and really bright. Could spend all night looking up at the stars and most nights we did.
Spent 3 nights at Lakeside went on another gorge walk (Mandu Mandu), turquoise bay & Oyster Stacks snorkeling which were excellent allowing you to explore the Ningaloo Reef. Oyster Stacks can only be done at high tide so you are really close to the coral - its amazing. Both places had a pretty strong current that just carried you along as you admired the coral floating on the drift.
Loved Cape Range could have stayed there longer but we have to get the van back and only got 5 days and a load of things we wanna do on the way back.
Blowholes, Flat Rocks, Pinnacles, White Sand Dunes not to mention over 2000k to get back to Perth!