AUSTRALIA. Around Perth and Travelling North along the West Coast. 14th - 29th Oct

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We spent a few days in Perth aclimatising and getting our bearings, after which we hired ourselves a camper van and headed off for a 3 week adventure along the West Australian coast.

Our route first took us South down to Margaret River, the wine region, where we enjoyed the beautiful coastal towns and quiet sandy beaches around Prevelly.

Next we headed up to Fremantle ( Freo) where we took a day trip to Rottnest "Rotto" Island and did some amazing snorkelling in Little Salmon Bay, cycled round the car-less roads and met the local Quokkas.

From Rotto we headed to Kalbarri where we took a tour to the regions well known Gorges (Loop and Z bend) followed by a hike through the bush to another gorge feeding off the Murchison River for kayaking and a cooling swim!

From Kalbarri we continued heading north towards Coral Bay stopping off overnight at the remote beach by the Blowholes near Canarvon .

On arriving in Coral Bay we decided to sign up for Advanced PADI diver training and spent 3 fantastic days diving in the surrounding reefs, which have some the best marine life diversity in Australia.

A bonus part of the training was the opportunity to snorkel with the huge graceful manta rays which were feeding at the time and barrel rolling exposing their white underbelly and remora fish which have a symbiotic relationship with them. Coral Bay has one of the largest resident populations due to the plankton rich waters.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the Ningaloo Reef Dive crew especially Nick our instructor, originally from the UK, who was a great teacher and excellent company. While diving we also met and got to know the lovely Nat and Lisa from Freo who kindly invited us to stay on our return to Perth, more on that later.

After leaving Coral Bay we headed to Exmouth and the Cape Range national park . Here we relaxed at the remote beachside campsites and snorkelled parts of the Ningaloo Reef, just a stones throw from the beach. Highlights were swimming with Turtles and seeing large Greenback Turtles emerging to lay eggs.

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Comments

[Timmy B]

Looks like you're having a great time. Its very cold here, and I'm on The Sick hence actually getting to check personal email. Man, the blue sea/white sand combo looks inviting. Would love to have seen the turtles emerging. Swam with some greenbacks last year in Barbados, and loved the way they get about...don't follow behind them or they shoot off like rockets! Dunc, it looks like you've got a c-cup in that wetsuit - you been working out, or just eating 2 pizzas every night?! Best get back to sorting Moomins Stag out (Leeds, karting and clays in Jan). Thanks for the emails and the pics.

[sima and duncan]

cheers
thanks for the comments T, I assure you its all pizza. try the hovercrafting near leeds and human table football its wicked for a stag do. ensure moomin doesn't know which way is south by the time he's finished. gutted i'm missing it - man hugs to all the boys.