Emus, sharks and a coral reef

    

                                                                     

Travelling from Perth there is only so far you can go due north, before turning North East towards Broome. That pointis Exmouth; the homeof what was once the US tracking station North West Cape. The Americans handed the base back to the RAN in the 80s and it was renamed Harold E. Holt Station. Today the base is run for Defence by a private company, but still carries the sign on the gate NAVCOMMSTA – Navy Communication Station.

 Wandering emus, palm trees and military secretsgive Exmouth a special vibe. Founded in the 60s as the support town for the communications base which in its day hosted over 200 US personal and over 400 Australian Navy staff. The RAAF also have a bare airbase here which doubles as the domestic airport. Although the town is near the coast, it is not on the coast. These days most visitors come to explore the nearby Ningaloo Reef. We are glad to have visited this outpost, but also pleased that we had planned to spend a couple of nights further south at Coral Bay.

 

                                                                                            

Coral Bay we have been warned is also very remote, without any proper town structure. We also noted the need to be self-sufficient with water as that too is in short supply. Three well equipped, grassy an

d fully booked caravan parks seem to dispel the myth about water, but it’s a bit like the Rime of the Ancient Mariner- Water water everywhere but not a drop to drink. That is, there is plenty of bore water – you just can’t drink it or connect it to your van as it is too salty. We are delighted to find a decent bakery and a small but well-stocked supermarket which along with the caravan parks complete the town. Sunset here, like so often in the west, is magical.

Earlier in the day we notice what looks like a small shark just metres from the shore at a nearby bay. In spite of this we had packed snorkelling gear and as the temperature climbed to 25 degrees we decided to put it to the test.  To our huge surprise the reef begins literally metres from the shore. Fish in their hundreds, and dozens of different species live in this highly accessible section of the reef. No doubt the day cruises which allow you to swim with whale sharks (@$400pp) give you a much more complete reef experience, but we are amazed at the diversity and plethora of marine life we can enjoy with a cheap set of snorkelling gear and a good decision to brave the water on the day after the winter solstice.