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Published: September 11th 2014
Hi travel followers.
A lot has happened and we have yet again ticked a few more important items off our "Bucket Lists".
As usual, we have moved again. This time from Exmouth to Coral Bay as it came highly recommended. We have been here four days now and I can see why it is so highly regarded. I.e. It is a very small coastal holiday town right on the protected pure white beaches of the Ningaloo Reef where one can walk across the road from the van park and snorkel on the reef in the 22C crystal clear azure water. (Did you like that description?) As a bonus, it is a 100% protected marine park and therefore the aquatic life and fish varieties are just spectacular.
On the second day we decided to take a Quad Bike / Snorkel tour out along the northern beaches among huge sand dunes to a spot called the "Oyster Bridge". As you will see from the photos, it was an excellent day with snorkelling with moray Eels, turtles and fish on a protected reef right off the beach and when we got sick of that we went "off road" Quad Biking into
the huge white sand dunes and along the pure white beaches etc. To her credit, Lyn handled riding her quad bike solo very well and managed to keep up even in the roughest terrain.
The following day was the most eventful of all as we took a full day reef Manta Ray Interaction Snorkelling tour. This tour included at least 3.5hrs (four different sessions) of snorkelling on different sections of the Ningaloo Reef. I must say we have snorkelled on the Great Barrier Reef many times in the past and while the coral is not as colourful here, the volume and unspoilt coral varieties has it all over the Great Barrier Reef. Also the marine life is just so spectacular in variety and volume it is hard to describe. I.e. At one point while we were doing a "drift snorkel" along the reef, we found ourselves enveloped in a school of Golden Trevally numbering in the many "thousands" to the point you couldn't see anything else around you in 360deg. other than the school of fish. See photos.
The main attraction of the full day tour included 45 minutes of snorkelling beside/around and with Giant Manta Rays in
the protected bay. It was just one of those magnificent times in your life which leaves you humbled. I.e. Just being able to interact with these gentle giant sea creatures in their own environment. Spectacular!!!!
As a further part of the day, we got to snorkel with Dolphins, Loggerhead Turtles, White Tip Reef Sharks, Octopus, Moray Eels and any number of other reef fish varieties. A day we will never forget.
I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoy sharing them.
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Sue
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Spectacular photos!!
Oh my gosh, I hope, that when I retire, I can afford to do this. It looks so beautiful. What great memories for you both! I love the underwater photos- great photography. I am glad Lyn enjoyed the quad bike and was able to keep up. Terrific. Keep the great pics coming. I am enjoying reading your blogs. X