G'day! Wow what a day we had yesterday. Went on a 5 hour cruise on a zodiac type boat with 14 straddle-type seats (like a seadoo) and travelled about 30kms off shore. Top speed was about 90kph, krike, I think I have a permanent grin now because you are not sheltered from the wind and I felt like we were travelling in a wind tunnel! The ride was wild as we crashed over the waves; it felt a bit like bronco riding or a wild skidoo ride I suppose. The bay was relatively calm, but when we got out to the open ocean to Steep Point it was a bit scary for me. Bobbing around in this raft on 5 feet swells that feels like 20 feet to a prairie girl! The captain said it is usually much rougher. Waves crashing against the cliffs creating spectacular blowholes! So after that we travelled back to calmer waters (had morning tea on a secluded beach) and went snorkelling. Wow, way better than past two days. This part of the bay not accessible to general public so the coral was undamaged, hugh, colourful, various shapes, and many many more fish of all sizes. We saw lots of turtles in the sanctuary, saw a dugong - it was a bit shy so it left quickly. Saw two turtles mating (they were so busy, never noticed us!)
Steep Point is most westerly point of Australian mainland. The cruise ended up as 8 hrs because we were on the lookout for humpback whales and we found them! Two moms and babes, they should be migrating south by now but perhaps the babes need more training. It was awesome to watch them breach, frolick, blowholing. We kept hoping they would come closer to our boat but probably because of the babes, they stayed back.
It is beautiful here in Denham/Shark Bay. I would recommend it over Coral Bay. Our "villa" is right on the bay. Owners are formerly from Netherlands. Many western immigrants here in West Aus. Other interesting features on this peninsula include Shell Beach (instead of sand, beach is small little seashells about size of your baby fingernail) Because its a renewable resource, some buildings are made from blocks of this cemented sand and they grind it up for chickens. Also the Stromatolites (living rock billions years old - quite interesting)
The weather is cooler here than in the interior thankfully. Temps in the morn are around 20-25C. Today we head down to Kalbarri. The thing about driving is that there is lots of nothing in between the attractions. Scrubby desert with some areas heavily treed and others not. Where you see a mass of white gum trees is where the rivers are flowing when there is water in them! this time of year, most river beds are still dry. We had a spectacular thunderstorm the other night. Right overtop of us. The ominous clouds just opened up. Lightning followed by claps of thunder less than 5 seconds later. Close, very close.
Okay must be away to Kalbarri. Till next time.
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