Exmouth

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We saw a baby whale with its mom yesterday. It’s been a joke of ours since Melbourne when we crossed Phillips Bay on the ferry thinking we’d see one. We’ve been looking for baby whales with a laugh all through the outback these last two months . . . But not only did we get within 30 metres of a great humpback whale and her calf while they quietly gorged on the krill around us, we actually swam (norkeled) with a group of huge Manta Rays. The latter experience was as terrifying as the whale encounter was thrilling; despite being told Manta Rays were not carnivorous and were actually very docile. (We saw a regular sting ray and were told the details of Steve Irwin’s death just before this, however.) The 200 km detour to Exmouth was done on the spur of the moment following the suggestion of a fellow traveler at the Namutarra Rodehouse. The coral and fish life on Ningaloo Reef just west of this town is certainly equal to if not better than any place we’ve snorkeled along the east coast.

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