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Published: July 10th 2013
So another pack up and set up later and we are nestled in the campground of Boat Harbor. This is our last coastal destination which lies along the amazing World Heritage Area of Ningaloo Reef. As we set up camp the clouds creep across the sky and the rain begins to fall. We spend a quiet day in the van as the rain continues to fall and the wind starts to blow. What a wild night we were in for, sheets of rain fall all night as the wind howls. We feel like we are lying on a roller coaster as our beds are shaking up and down all night long. The girls bunk in on the table bed in the centre of the van as Matt and I ride out the storm. We arise to a campground with collapsed tents and lots of wet gear. That was one very wild and sleepless night in our little Jayco Eagle.
After the storm our days are spent swimming, fishing, surfing and walking along the coral strewn shore. We are amazed at the prolific turtle population that cruise along the shore break just a short walk from camp, they are also joined
by a multitude of sting rays and reef sharks whom roam in the shallows.
We enjoyed ambling along the Yardie Creek Gorge walk and taking in the fantastic scenery as the deep blue river flows from the gorge and contrasts with the turquoise sea below.
A highlight of Cape Range National Park is drift snorkeling at Turquoise Bay and being able to swim amongst such an amazing array of fish and sea life, what vibrant colours these reef fish are adorned with! Matt and I also had a very close encounter with a beautiful turtle that just allowed us to swim along with it, what amazing and wise looking creatures they are.
Matt and James were stoked to experience some of the best surf of the trip at the Yardie Creek surf break. Not only were there fantastic barrels up for grabs, but also the best part, only a few guys to have to share them with.
The fishing at Boat Harbor, whether from a boat or off of the shore is a unique experience. It is not so difficult to hook up a fish but it is quite another thing entirely to get it to
the boat or to shore as the numerous reef sharks lurk below waiting to pounce, regularly stealing not only your catch but your lure and line as well!
Our time at Boat Harbor also sees us facing the most difficult incident of our trip and that is the loss of our tinnie to the overnight high tide. A 2am wake up and realization was a couple of hours after high tide and obviously too late. A 3am chat (yeah I had to wake up the grumpy bugger) and I’m told “it’s gone mate, nothing we can do now”. After 4 hours, no sleep and much soul searching I’m on the hill with the bino’s at sunrise… but a 6 hour headstart and a 10 knot easterly winds mean it could be as much as 15-20 km west of Boat Harbor! The camp host heads outside the reef for some deep water fishing but doesn’t see any sign of the missing item. Then comes the police reports over two way via the ranger station and so on…by day’s end I’m pretty sick of telling the story…time for a beer maybe…not sure whether to laugh or cry!
We all went
through a period of shock and sadness (should only last a few years!!) but then had to take stock of the situation and reflect on what is really important in our lives. With that in mind we were glad that it was just a boat and that our family was all safe and well. It is during these trying times that your realize you have a couple of options, one being to hold on to blame, anger and hurt, the other is to put the incident behind you, learn from it, then to move on this is what we have done!
Our time at Boat Harbor certainly gave us plenty of highs and lows but what a beautiful and amazing place it is. So peaceful, yet also the home of an amazing array of sea life as well, surrounded by calm turquoise waters and in close proximity to an amazing surf break, what more could you ask for!
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