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Published: June 24th 2009
Quobba Point
This is the coast just north of Carnarvon. We sat for some time watching the ocean swells crash against the cliffs. Every now and then a big turtle would surface in the turbulence.Carnarvon, Coral Bay, Exmouth & Cape Range National Park
We were reading our Caravan Park book to choose the Caravan Park at Carnarvon.
I saw one Park described as “for the more discerning mature retiree”, Jacquie said that’s for us. What we later found was we were the youngest there and after 5 Pm everyone disappeared and you could hear a pin drop. I never thought we would miss the sounds of kids playing.
Carnarvon is the fruit and vegetable bowl of the West. There are many huge plantations along the Gascoyne River so we stocked up on fresh fruit and veggies.
We spend fours days in Carnarvon doing the shopping, washing and just looking around.
One day we drove 60 Km out to the Blow Holes and Quobba Station. The blow hole was quite spectacular, the incoming waves rush into a small cave and blast up through a hole in the top.
We also saw lots of big Turtles swimming around the rocky coast and followed several hump back wales swimming close to the shore line. They were coming right out of the water and putting on a great show for us.
The sandy tracks
Blow Hole
The waves wash into this cave and explode out the top with a rush of air and water spout.
Quobba Point Carnarvon along the coast were a bit of a challenge, we were bogged deep in the sand at one stage.
I had to let the tyers down to 10 psi and dig the sand out from the wheels so we could back out.
Jacquie was very helpful in this process, she got the thermos out and made a cup of tea.
I am still investigating the claim that she is allergic to shoveling.
The next stop was Coral Bay. We had heard mixed reports about this place but we are really glad we ignored them, it’s a little bit out of the way and the only water available for the caravan is bore water and not drinkable but the location is great.
We spend a lot of time snorkeling around the coral reefs, the range of all sizes of colourful fish is like looking into an ever changing giant fish bowl.
At 3.30 Pm every day snapper come right into the shallows to be fed. Its strange to have these 40 to 50cm fish swimming between your legs in water that barely reaches your calf.
You need to keep your toes buried under the sand or the fish
Coffee Pot
This little train ran up the one mile pier at Carnarvon. will nibble them as well.
Jacquie did some sun baking on the beach and I sat with her to do some bikini research in case I was asked to help in the choice of new swimwear.
Our next stop is up to Exmouth and Cape Range National Park.
We spend two days at Exmouth looking around and getting ready to spend time at Cape Range NP.
There is no food, water or power available in the National Park so we needed to be self sufficient.
National Parks will not reserving a site, you just have to turn up at the Ranger Station to see if there is
anything available.
We arrived at 7.30am to be number 8 in the queue the first guy was there at 3.30am.
The park if full constantly and you must wait until someone leaves.
Luckily we got a very good site at an area called “Lakeside”
Life in the Cape Range National Park is hard, here is our typical day.
We get up around 8am, I chase Jacquie around the van for a bit, can’t catch her so I have to make the breakfast.
We go
Rainbow
The tide is right out at Coral Bay beach and this is the result on a light rain shower. out side to judge how hot it’s going to be, look out over the reef to see the size of the surf on the edge of the lagoon.
Chat with the neighbors and then its morning tea time.
We get changed into our bathers, grab the snorkeling gear and head off down the beach.
We walk about 500 meters up the beach swim out a short way and the tide drifts us back toward our camp site. We see hundreds of brightly coloured fish swimming in and around the coral reef.
Now its lunch time, today its apple pancakes. (Last nights beach fishing was not good, I was the only one that did not catch a fish)
Today we drove to the south end of the park to take the Yardie Creek Gorge tour.
The boat tour took us from the mouth of the creek into the high red cliffs of the gorge.
The walls of the gorge are the home of the almost extinct Black Footed Rock Wallaby.
We saw several of these wallabies as well as Osprey nests and many other sea birds.
The National Parks ranger that took the tour was
Fish Feeding
Jacquie is feeding the fish at Coral Bay, toes dug into the sand or they will bite those as well. very knowledgeable and informative about the park.
Sometimes I read a bit more of my book and Jacquie does some knitting but usually it’s back down to the beach for a bit more snorkeling then home to get ready for happy hour.
There are seven families camped here and we all sit in a circle on the beach with glass of wine to watch the sunset and solve the problems of the world.
The fishermen head off up the beach as the sun goes down to the big rocky outcrop to catch the night’s tea. The fish come on the bite just as it starts to get dark.
Back to the van to cook tea and tell fish stories and then off to bed to start the whole process off again tomorrow.
We came here for a couple of days and have extended it to six and we still don’t want to leave.
The other really good part of this camp is there are no jewelery shops, no pearls, no diamond or other bright shiny things to buy.
We are now back in Exmouth restocking and washing for the next move to Tom
Nor west emporer
These are the fish that come right into the shallows at Coral Bay, they swim between your legs. Price and Karijini National Park.
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Cheryl
non-member comment
Stress Free Living
I can understand why you extended your stay at Cape Range - what a wonderful stress free life. The water looks superb and the weather sounds wonderful. Bob you best hone those fishing skills or you might go hungry! Jacquie I love the photo of your new hair style in the last blog - suits you. Being almost June 30 means one thing for us poor workers at home - so please take a moment to think of us and sympathise !! And have a swim for me. Love to you both, Cheryl