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Our next destination was Ningaloo Reef. “Australia’s largest most accessible reef.” We were very keen to check out the sea life and Matt the waves at Yardie Creek. We headed to Cape Range National Park where many small camp grounds butt up to the beach and thus the coral reef. We spent the first night at Ned’s Camp and then moved on to Yardie Creek.
Our original 2 night stay turned into 5 and we spent our days:
• Trying to fish in the tinnie - between the girls sleeping, being sea sick etc.
• Swimming in the calm bay
• Hiking into Yardie George
• Playing on the sand hills
• Surfing Ningaloo Reef
A major highlight was drift snorkelling at Turquoise Bay, about a 15 min drive from our camp. You walk a couple of 100 metres up the beach, swim out to the reef, then drift back along the reef to your original position. The sea life was amazing, siting hundreds of species of fish, coral, turtles and reef sharks. The little girls could even swim along the shore and view lots of fish with their goggles. Ella and Ki could be seen bobbing up for
breath before diving under again and again.
It is with some sadness that we leave Yardie Creek. It is a great campground with only 8 sites, very peaceful but also nice getting to know the other campers. It was like farewelling old friends when we left. Matt is planning out next trip back here - how many years will it be!! We think it might be 15 years before just the two of us can come back for a truly peaceful trip!!!
Matt’s Eye View
An early pack up and we were free of the Coral Bay crowds and headed toward Exmouth and the famous Ningaloo Reef and Cape Range National Park. Our short stop in Exmouth to replace a tyre, fuel up and restock the van cost around $1000, and it only took two hours. After that credit card busting event we were rewarded with a peaceful camp site at Ned’s, my first look at the beach involved a pommy guy hauling a 1.5m long Spanish Mackerel up the beach with a serious “great white hunter” look on his face, he cut the beast into about 50 cutlets! From Ned’s camp we moved to Yardie Creek,
were there are some rumours of good waves. A quick check of the reef pass revealed, yep the rumours were well founded. The left that wraps into the pass is truly fantastic, one of those rare lefts that bends in and seems to grow as you run down the 200 odd meters of reef. Every wave left me with jelly legs and that...”did anybody see that” grin on my face. A 2 night stay at Yardie turned into 5 nights, then the girls pulled the pin, there’s only so much surfing, fishing and snorkelling you can do before you need a shower...or so I’m told, I think 5 weeks may have been more like my preferred limit. I will be back!
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Aunty Ames
non-member comment
Hi Girls, I'm very impressed with all your fishing, swimming and snorkelling photos! Hey Tahlia, how's the surfboard been going? Looks like you're all having a great time and the scenery looks amazing. xx