Monkey Mia Part Two

So we signed up for a Wildlife Cruise and a sunset cruise. At 9.30, we boarded a nice catamaran sailing boat called the Shotover, met the most laid-back (Timmy-like) captain and crew and headed out northwest from the resort area on the 'hunt' for some whale sharks, dolphins, turtles, fish, etc to be viewed, not hunted.

We didn't have very much luck, although we did see some of the rarer animals that the crew said they hardly ever see. We saw a lemon shark, a pair of manta rays and a green sea turtle. Didn't get many good pictures as one, the boat was moving, two it was a little bit cloudy making the water appear murky, although we had great vision ourselves, and three, I was too busy looking at them to bother with the camera!

Here is one of the Manta Ray we nearly ran over with the boat. It refused to move out of the way and we were at full sail!



Manta Ray - Shotover Cruise, Monkey Mia, W.A.


We did however, get some amazing photos during the sunset cruise that evening.


Sunset, Shotover Cruise, Monkey Mia, W.A.



The Leeuwin - Replica of explorer ship that mapped most of W.A.





The Leeuwin at Sunset, Monkey Mia, W.A.



Sunset, Shotover Cruise, Monkey Mia, W.A.



Monkey Mia Part One

The resort located at an area called Monkey Mia, about twenty minutes west of Denham has accommodation options for everyone. We set up camp on the back corner of a nice grassy area and were entertained by the curious emus that wandered throughout the day. They are looking for food and will find it! One even tried to go through the mesh on our tent because it could see our food totes inside. They were not shy in the least and a little bit of a pest, really, but other than inspecting our tent everyday they left us alone (we didn't leave any food out for them so they lost interest pretty quick!)

Monkey Mia has a long history of friendly dolphin interaction. For years, they have had human/dolphin interactions that have grown into a ritual of daily feeding of up to 5 dolphins. These 5 female dolphins are part of a program through the Department of Environment and Conservation and are identified by their unique markings (various scars & scratches on their otherwise smooth grey bodies). There is strict policy to how/when and how much the dolphins are fed in order to encourage them to feed and hunt naturally so that their calves will learn the appropriate survival skills.

Each morning at 7.45am (yup.. I got up that early on holidays folks! - kinda have to when the bloody crows start their alarms at 6.30 and the sun is shining onto the tent making it a little bit like a boiling tank!) an interpreter comes out with a remote microphone and the viewers gather high up on the beach. She gives some instructions about not touching the dolphins, how to behave and then everyone wanders down to the shoreline and steps in to the water so that it is just below their knees. Almost immediately "Nikki" arrives to gently swim up and down the line of spectators to inspect the crowd. Often she has her calf Fin with her, but sometimes Fin stays out with the rest of the pod in the deeper waters playing with the other young calves whilst being supervised by some of the other mothers. For about the next 20 minutes, the story of these dolphins and general information about dolphins lifestyles and habitat is shared with the crowd and then comes the buckets of fish. The other dolphins know it's food time and come in and obediently line up 1 per bucket and await for their snack. Volunteers are picked from the crowd to feed the dolphins and then the session is over.

I watched from the jetty as I wasn't interested in feeding them and felt I could get a better view. And sure enough, I could see the pod of young ones out chasing the bait fish, Nikki trawling up and down near the crowd and even a nice green turtle who was checking out the jetty and the bait fish swimming around.

Another amazing white beach?



Shell Beach - Sharks Bay, World Heritage Area, W.A.

 oh it looks like it could be... but no... it is actually made up of millions and billions of tiny white cockle shells!



Cockle Shells, Shell Beach, W.A.





Clear water over cockle shells, Shell Beach, W.A.



How life on earth began

Stromatolites are examples of how planet earth became oxygenated billions of years ago. These life forms raised the oxygen level of the atmosphere to 20% which allowed life on land to begin. Such simple creatures, all they ask for is extra saline waters that are still and shallow. It takes a whole year to grow a whopping .5 mm. That is incredibly slow! Here are some pics from Hamelin Pool at the southern end of Sharks Bay - a world heritage site.

Stromatolites - Hamelin Pool, Sharks Bay World Heritage Area



Stromatolites - Hamelin Pool, Sharks Bay - World Heritage Area

 

School of fish - Hamelin Pool, Sharks Bay, W.A.



A long fish chasing the school - Hamelin Pool, Sharks Bay, W.A.

Kalbarri - The winter destination!

So with hot glaring sunshine we arrived north of Geraldton in Kalbarri (pop. ~ 2000). This sleepy town is located along the Murchinson River as it meets the wild and powerful Indian Ocean. Other than not being able to locate a decent swimming beach today, we loved the quiet evening as it cooled down to a nice warm still evening as we listen to the 4 meter/12 foot swell crash into the reef protecting the river inlet. Watching the sunset over the inlet.



Town Beach - Kalbarri, W.A.

The town is surrounded by Kalbarri National Park where red, red rock has been eroded by the river creating 'a true old-school Australian river' as my hubby puts it. Crystal blue waters deep inside the gorge winds its way through what otherwise is a stark, bland landscape.


Hawks Head - Kalbarri NP, W.A.

I am still trying to picture what it was like in this harsh place for the early settlers and pioneers of this land. It's all fine and good to travel along in our comfy air-conditioned car at 110k's/hour (70mph) for half a day, pull over and find a nice air-conditioned hotel almost always with a swimming pool to knock the edge off the day after sitting in the car. To walk into a pub, order a substantial meal and sip on an ice-cold drink whilst waiting for the food to arrive... But to travel across this land and have to survive... Just to find fresh water would have been such a struggle. But to then work or travel through the soaring heat with no shade to be found for miles and miles around. Why would you persist? How would you survive? These people did not have near the conveniences we have today. Landmarks. They are very subtle, and few and far between.

We all know Matt would get lost in a five street town if he had to go to a store across town and back on his own (with a GPS mind you). But I'm struggling to find telling signs that I would normally navigate by. Nearing the 26 _Degree_ parallel, when the sun is high overhead... it is literally overhead. Near mid-day I can't tell which way is north - except in towns where there are trees. It seems all the trees slightly lean to the north east. Must be the prevailing winds.

Now even after my 5 years here in Australia, I still have moments, very occasionally, where I forget that the sun is in the northern sky rather than the southern. This is one of the challenges of changing hemispheres. But, I really am looking for something to help me direct my internal compass. Please, anyone who has some suggestions... please tell me what to look for!

Geologist loves himself some rocks!

In the coastal part of Kalbarri National Park, hubby got really excited about some serious examples of Geology.

The scientist inspects the Geology at Pot Alley, Kalbarri NP. W.A.

This is what he is inspecting. A layer of conglomerate pebbles/gravel deposited by a large inland storm which was quickly covered up by another layer of red sand.

Fascinating layers in the cliff side!



Pot Alley - Kalbarri NP, W.A.

All this exciting Geology is found in a gully which leads to this secluded beach.


Pot Alley - Kalbarri NP, W.A.

A Dog to Remember

Now just quickly, we followed this flatbed truck for at least a half hour. The dog pictured here would look through the cab as he is doing here and spy on coming traffic. Then, he would duck down low facing the oncoming lane of traffic out of sight behind the cab. Then jump up and bark at the passing car. Immediately return to watching for more oncoming traffic. We wondered what would happen when we finally passed the truck but he didn't give a stuff about us... only the oncoming cars.


Entertaining Himself on the Indian Ocean Drive