Exmouth and the beautiful Ningaloo Reef

We checked into the Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort and headed across the road to the Ningaloo Visitor Centre and Aquarium & Discovery Centre. While going through the Aquarium we ran into Dave and Michelle from Victoria, whom we initially had met at Ellenbrae – way back on the Gibb River Road. We had crossed paths a few times but had yet to connect over drinks or a meal – so we decided to meet up at Froth’s Craft Brewery (within walking distance of the caravan park) for drinks that afternoon. We got on really well, with much to talk about since our children were the same age and their son worked in Software Design, so drinks turned into dinner as well. We had a fun evening.

Day Two in Exmouth we headed back to the Charles Knife Gorge turnoff with the intention of hiking the Badjirra Jirra Loop Walk Trail in the Cape Range National Park. Unfortunately however  we were greeted with a road closed sign 6 km’s before the hike commenced, so we walked about 5km on the road while viewing the canyons and then headed back to the car. Returning to Exmouth we viewed Town Beach and spent the afternoon pottering around the local shops including visiting Mitre 10 for bike tubes and the Caravan Store for a replacement refrigerator vent. We then met Dave and Michelle at the Italian restaurant attached to the caravan park for dinner and chatted excitedly about our whale shark tour the next day.

Day Three – Whale Sharks!!!!
We were picked up at the front of the park by Ningaloo Blue at 7:20am and transported to the boat, about 40mins drive, moored at Tantabiddi Boat Ramp. There were 20 people on our tour, so they made several trips in the tender, and we were off – motoring across the beautiful blue waters of the Ningaloo Reef. It was a bit rocky getting across the swell of the reef, but once we were across we motored out in search of the whale sharks – fingers crossed!!!

First stop on the tour was to the designated snorkelling spot. After being provided with wet suits, masks, snorkels and fins, it was into the water to test our ability to snorkel and swim (in deep ocean water) successfully. All on board passed the test – and so we were off.

There are 12 companies in Exmouth running tours and they have 5 spotter planes between them. The protocol is whoever’s plane spots the whale shark has first dibs to swim with it. After about 45 mins travelling along the reef, we got the call from the spotter plane and we were on! Sippy and I had been placed in Group 1, so it was quickly to the back of the boat with masks, snorkels and fins and we took the plunge. No time to worry about other sharks – we were too excited to see a majestic whale shark.

AMAZING!!! We were SO close, we felt like we could touch it! The shark was huge, being well over 5 metres and beautiful, with its unique white spots. The water was so clear and we both got an amazing view and swam alongside the massive creature for several minutes. We were very lucky that it was travelling quite slowly, so we got a great view and could easily keep up with it. Incredible!

Back on the boat we were all buzzing and thrilled that we had seen one. After another 30mins we got the call again and we were in swimming with another beautiful 5m whale shark – this one a bit wider and with a very big open, gapped mouth in view!! We were blessed to have a third swim, with the same shark, and then it was time to get dried (we were rather cold by this point). We were so excited about what we had just experienced – a once in a life time fabulous adventure!

We were then treated to a lovely lunch and a tour back through the crystal blue waters. While sipping champagne and enjoying a delicious fruit platter, we spotted countless whales, doing breaches (so close to the boat!), a pod of dolphins and a couple of squid.

We again caught up with Mish and Dave to share stories (they were on a different tour), celebrating at the brewery with a delicious lamb shank. A fantastic day indeed!

Day Four we drove back around to the Ningaloo Reef to spend the day snorkelling in the pristine water. On the way we visited the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse, which runs on kerosene but is now decommissioned due to the VLF Antennas installed on the point.

The best thing about Ningaloo Reef, as opposed to the Great Barrier Reef, is that you can simply walk in off the beach, swim several meters out into the water and be experiencing another world! Both the fish and the coral were incredible! We had bought snorkels with us but ended up purchasing fins and wet suit jackets at the visitors centre – which was well worth it. We snorkelled at Lakeside and Turquoise Bay (recently voted the 6^th best beach in the world) and then drove down to have a look at Sandy Bay where we enjoyed a late picnic lunch. The snorkelling was so incredible – it was like being in the Nemo movie – SO many beautiful fish. Our favourite were the big rainbow coloured Parrot Fish, the brilliant blue little fish swimming in large numbers and the bright yellow and blue angelfish. We also saw numerous blue-green chromis (iridescent pale green) fish, beaked leather jackets with their yellow spots and convict surgeonfish with their vertical black stripes – all amazing!

Day Five and we headed back to Lakeside to set up the Cool Cabana, where we spent the entire day snorkelling – we were hooked!
As we headed back to our campsite we turned off to see the SS Mildura Ship wreck, clearly visible at around 50m off the shore. We were very blessed to have spent five days here.