7th- On to Coral Bay

I'd met with the new tour group I was joining the evening before and they were unfortunately disappointed by the weather- the dolphins were staying away again. We left Monkey Mia in the rain, retreated to a cafe in Denham and then to an Ocean Park whilst waiting for an improvement in the weather. By lunch time it was sunny again.

4 to 5 hours driving up the coast to Coral Bay followed during which time most of us lost the plot at being in the bus, the landscape was unvarying: low shrub, reddish sandy soil, sparse grass, termite mounds. As the sun set in a huge sky and dusk set in kangaroo dodging became the only break in the monotony.

Coral bay is a tiny community some 2000km north of Perth, having not passed through anywhere with traffic lights for more than 1000km it felt pretty isolated when we arrived. They have a shortage of freshwater so salty bore water is used whenever possible. In the hostel the showers were a bit salty and there were only 2 taps in the kitchen with water for drinking and cooking. This and its isolation made it seem like it was somewhere overseas, less civilised than Australia.

Along with neighbouring Exmouth this is the place from which to explore Ningaloo reef several hundred kilometres of fringing reef, accessible, unlike the Great Barrier Reef, from the shore line with a snorkel and proclaimed by many to be better or at least quieter than the GBR.