Where the range meets the reef

Now we've been to some pretty beautiful places on this trip but our stop at the Cape Range National Park to see the Ningaloo Reef has left me in awe. We arrived after coming over the range and past the giant communications towers built by the US in 1963 to spy on Russia - an impressive site that had is wondering until we read the info signs at the lighthouse.

After an obligatory night in Exmouth to fuel and water up, we went on to the ranger's station where they give you the available camp options. The park is well looked after with camp spots spread along the coast so no one spot is over worked. We choose Kurrajong as no generators are allowed which normally gathers more like minded, solar inspired campers. And what a choice - BEAUTIFUL!

The spread-out campground is managed by volunteer campers who register you in/out and organise the cleanest drop toilets I've seen on the trip. Just over the dune is the beach and reef at your doorstep - a walk off the sand! And the reef is alive and flourishing! I've seen allot of reefs in my time and this one astounded me. Here is where I wish I could channel all my marine biologist friends to rattle off what we saw but it included heaps of colorful fish and loads of different corals - those are the technical terms ;-)

Different areas of the national park have different corals thus fish so we spent our days snorkeling a few. Oyster Stacks literally had piles of oyster rocks that when you dive under you see the really big fish. Then Turquoise Bay is a pristine white sandy beach that opens onto the reef where we found clown fish fluttering around their anemones. Osprey Bay had some great drop offs to peer under in addition to the tusk fish, parrot fish and angel fish that we saw at each location including just off our camp at Kurrajong. There were just so many fish and such a variety of coral - I came out of every snorkel with a giant smile!

We met some lovely campers at this spot that we're likely to see again as we all travel south. One couple came around after dark to rush us down to see the florescent shrimps rolling onto the beach and glowing - so cool. But we bid them farewell after five days to head on to Coral Bay. Matt did have a fish on the reef with a guy we met with a boat so we leave restocked with some beautiful yummy fish.

At Coral Bay, we got a camp spot at the caravan park right on the turquoise waters. Our first snorkel here reminded us how good we had it at Cape Range but now after a few more, we appreciate the differences of this reef (still Ningaloo). The coral is giant cauliflower plants and huge fields of stag. I've seen bottom feeders creeping along in a mass of thousands, a giant black and white spotted eel swimming between rock hides, turtles, shovel nose sharks, blue spotted rays, a lion fish, and schools of parrot fish!

The white sand levels off into the water slowly and then drops down to the reef, so you get this lovely shallow warm water before entering the deeper bit and amazing sunsets! Matt did have a fish on the outside of the snorkeling area and caught a gorgeous Tripletail Maori Wrasse - we decided too beautiful for eating and threw out back only to catch again but it leaves another day.

Slight issue with the truck's engine light coming on but all sorted (thanks Land Rover) and it meant another night's stay in Coral Bay and another snorkel - oh the tragedies we go through.

Big news (& the reason we came back into phone reception) is my sister and her husband welcomed Caleb Luke to the world and I wanted to Skype with the new guy! Such a cutie and my god daughter is an ace already at being a big sis.

Back to the gorge-ous

After making our way down the coast a bit, we went east to get to Karijini National Park. It was a hot ride into the desert but with promises of fresh water flowing in the gorges, we ventured on. What a site it was to see! We pried ourselves off sweaty seats to scale down this stunning gorge where we could see the waterfall below.

Dales Gorge was our campground and the location of our first hike back on the trip. We set out the next morning from the same waterfall and then down the gorge

to see the beautiful paperbarks and waterfalls cut by the wet season.

Circular Falls is the destination walking up tiered platforms to swim in a rounded arena of a pool that trickles water from the walls. From here, the trek goes back up the gorge to hike directly up the side and back along the ridge instead of the base. With the sun heating up and the shelter of the trees in the gorge, we opted to return the way we came - which also promised a lovely swim/shower at the end.

We had two nights at the camp before heading along to the other side of the park and the majority of the gorges. In a day, we packed in a hike through Weano

Gorge where you end at Handrail Pool which literally requires scaling down a handrail to descend into a pool in an amphitheatre room. The water seemed slightly less appealing than some we had passed on the way in so we returned back for swims in the moving water but enjoyed the ambience of this spectacular 'room'.

After lunch back at the trailhead and parking lot, we started for round two of the day and a more difficult level trek at Hancock Gorge. The increased level is due to the hike's requirement of getting wet and acting like a spider. This gorge narrows to a degree that water traverses the angled floors and you either walk with it or don't go. We were more than happy to get wet and even leave the camera behind for the last bit through Spider Walk to Kermit's Pool. Some places the water dipped just overhead but it was beautifully refreshing.

Trying to make headway before sunset, we hit the road to see which of the free camps we could get to by sunset. And what a beautiful time to be driving as the ranges

were perfectly lit and desert colours at their best. We quickly made it past Tom Price, a mining town, but not before stopping at a vista point that I thought could be our camp for the night. 'RIP Lookout' was just that - a stunning outlook that had become a memorial site where people had left stacks of rocks each signed off to a loved one lost. Campfires had been lit there but we decided to leave a rock each to our respective losses and move on.

We made it to Beasley River Camp where although the river was well and truly dry for the season, the camp had firepits, wood, a toilet, and even a picnic table. It seemed we had the place to ourselves for the night until a lone push bike strolled in from the opposite direction. Jett is a Dutch girl travelling from Perth to Darwin. Much respect goes to her as I thought I was tired from a long day on a hot road but she brings it to a whole other level. So a good night was had by all around the fire before a well earned sleep.

Next up - Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park, where the range meets the reef (Ningaloo).

Hooked but not caught

I'm not sure I'll ever understand the drive of a fisherman's will when it comes to a particular catch. In this case and at this time, it's barramundi. But strive for the catch we have with stays on the Pentecost River, Barred River, Cape Leveque, Willie Creek, and now the Fitzroy. I cannot say that I have not enjoyed all of it, because I have loved all these beautiful spots, but then I'm not the one with the rod in the water with the burning sun beating down.

I guess I just don't get it, especially because barramundi isn't even the tastiest fish you can catch in these parts. We have had some scrumptious meals on Matt's catches - queenfish, sweet lip, blue bone, trevally, cod and more than I can name but barrumumdi is a prized catch across all of Australia's top end.

Our latest side trip to a recommended locale on the Fitzroy River brought us closest to 'the catch'. Picture this - the sun was registering 40 degrees but felt like 43 Celsius with the hot winds blowing mini sand tornados through the dusty grounds. A man sits on the rocky outlet left from the old river crossing which long grew over except the wooden stumps across the river. Two rods hang in the water, one quivers with another tease of a catch so he winds it in and 'wham' out of the water jumps the unsuspecting barra!

He's caught it! But before he can reel it in, the cunning fish heads straight for the wooden bridge posts and tangles himself around the old bridge. Not only does he lose his chance of telling the story of his barra catch, he loses his last floater. The next day, we watch a floater tease its way around the river banks thinking maybe his barra is actually still connected. Till the next time, the barra lives on to tell his own story of how he caught another fisherman on the Fitzroy.

Fun fact #1 - barramundi all start out as males and switch to females in older age which is why the largest keep catch is 80cm. Hmm...
Fun fact #2 - catfish spines are very painful but soaked in hot water for half hour helps pull the poison out.