Today we decided to tour Darwin on pushbike so after a slow start to the morning we ventured into the city and hired 2 bikes for Kerry and I as Gordon and Trev had theirs with them.

We had a great time seeing the sights of Darwin on the bikes and stopped for lunch at the Cornucopia Cafe at the museum.

Later that afternoon Trev and I went to visit our niece Amy, her husband Ben and their 2 gorgeous girls Charlotte and Maddison. We had a great night catching up for dinner and then back to the camp for a last cuppa with Kerry and Gordon who were leaving for Mataranka in the morning 😣. We were staying on to see Litchfield and Kakadu – places they had already been to. Gordie was heading to QLD after that to go home via Brisbane and get some work done on the Ram!!

Rosie was keen to see Darwin CBD and pick up some souvenirs so they headed off, planning to meet up with us for lunch and a visit to the Darwin Art Gallery and Museum.

We drove out to Charles Darwin National Park. The park was originally part of the Darwin military bases and has 11 bunkers built into it for storage of ammunition. The bunkers were cleverly camouflaged as hills.

Darwin was a key area for defense of Australia an WWII and was bombed severly by the Japanese a number of times…in the first day of bombing 13 ships in Darwin Harbour were sunk and many more damaged. Hundreds were killed or injured – it was worse than Pearl Harbour. In one of the bunkers there was a display that outlined Darwin’s role in WWII – very interesting!

We all caught up for lunch at the boat trailer club at Vestey’s Beach….Rose and Trev went looking for crocodiles on the beach and Trev dipped his toes in as bait….no crocs to be seen….

On to the Art Gallery and Museum where there was a very interesting display on the 1974 Cyclone Tracey which devastated Darwin.

The famous crocodile “Sweetheart ” was on display …

As well as great exhibits of marine life, fossils, native art etc….

The Mindil Beach Sunset Markets were on so we went for a browse and grabbed some dinner at the many takeway stalls….all sorts of foods and unique articles to buy!

Trev found the stall with the cure for his cracked feet…and had a great head and neck massage as his neck had been giving him grief.

Gordie bought a crocodile skin band for his Akubra…now he really looks part of the Outback!

We farewelled Rose and Dave that night..they were leaving us at 530 tomorrow morning to start their trek home….we were all sad that the group part of the trip was coming to an end as we had had such a great time of fellowship and laughs!!

Before we left Shady Lane Caravan Park, Trev took the opportunity to use up our excess water and give the Black Pearl a rinse off….much to Dave’s surprise…and envy?

Our destination was Darwin today..as we drove out of Katherine and crossed the bridge over the Katherine River we noticed the flood markers on the bridge which put into perspective the flood of  ’94 where the river peaked at 21m….and the whole town was under water!

A quick stop at Adelaide River for coffee at an unusual coffee shop…..

We followed the Ghan railway for a while then reached Darwin and set up at Hidden Valley Resort.

That afternoon we drove in to Darwin and looked around Darwin Harbour and Waterfront. There was a huge French naval supply ship in dock.

Darwin Waterfront was a great place for families with a safe swimming beach, wave pool and grassy park, with lots of cafes and restaurants surrounding it.

Trev and Gordie contemplated the wave pool…it had been a long time between surfs!

We walked across the skyway to the centre of the city and saw some of the older buildings, or remains of those devastated in Cyclone Tracey.

 

 

 

The dawn cruise on Katherine Gorge left at 0700 so we had to leave the caravan park at 0615 to get to the jetty in the National Park to check in and get our light breakfast. The sun was just rising as we arrived and thousands of bats were flying around the carpark…the noise and stench was incredible! We found out later that there were 2 colonies of bats that lived there – one with approx 500 black fruitbats and the other around 2000 red flying foxes!!

We boarded the boat and Jason our indigenous guide was very friendly and informative. Katherine Gorge was spectacular in the early morning light, and we saw crocodiles, snakes, turtles and other wildlife.

There was a good example of ancient rock art at the first rapids we had to walk over to join the second boat to cruise up the next part of the gorge.

The Jayowyn people own the land around Nitmiluk gorge and manage it with the National Parks service.

After the cruise we arrived back at the campground where Gordon and Kerry were just finishing breakfast….having had a sleep in..they had been to Nitmiluk before.

We went in to Katherine- first place to visit was the museum which had some really interesting WWII displays and info about the history of the district including the disastrous Katherine Flood in 1998. Trev checked out the ancient fire fighting appliance….and Rose and Dave were fascinating by the old fashioned laundry!

After a late lunch in town we drove to Katherine hot springs – beautiful clear warm water flowing out of the rock down a chain of deep pools – we stayed and soaked for quite a while.

We went back to the shops to get some groceries and home for bbq dinner.

As we drove out of Lake Argyle, Branch noticed Dave and Rose’s latest faux pas…leaving their back window open so he alerted them straight away…what happened to the checklist??

Passing the spillway and some more great scenery, we  reached the border of WA and the Northern Territory…sad to leave WA as we had enjoyed our time in such a scenic and spectacular place!

The first thing we noticed was the change in speed limit..from 100 kph for towing vehicles in WA to 130kph in NT! The scenery was still much the same and we reached Victoria River where we stopped for lunch under the shade of some gums.

As we continued on the landscape was a bit lusher..and those fires continued to burn at the side of the road with the kites circling above.

We drove through Katherine to Shady Lane Caravan Park on the road out to Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) where we set up camp for the next 2 nights. We booked into the dawn cruise on the Katherine Gorge as we were not allowed to  canoe up it due to the big wet and salties still present in the area – the national parks still had not cleared it for canoing and swimming.

Dave decided to take a hose to the underneath of the toilet cassette holder as it looked a little dusty…nothing wrong with a flush of water to remove red dust!! Suddenly Rosie was heard yelling from inside the van….the van was flooding…..water all through cupboards and over the floor….3 rolls of paper towel later  (and Branch nowhere in sight) the van floor (and cassette holder) was spotless!!

It was a beautiful morning and perfect for snorkelling so we left the campground early and went to Turquoise Bay to do “the drift”. Turquoise Bay has a large reef with current passing along the reef you can snorkel and drift along looking at the reef below. The current becomes stronger at the middle of the bay as it sucks out to the open ocean through a break in the reef. Due to the strong current you have to exit the water at a certain point to avoid being swept out to sea.

Turquoise Bay is aptly named… a gorgeous sandy bay with turquoise blue water.

We arrived and there was only one other couple there so it was great….we jumped inthe water and snorkelled for the next 3 hours.

The reef was exquisite with many different varieties of coral formations, myriads of fish, reef sharks, manta rays….the list goes on. Such a beautiful and special place Ningaloo Reef.

A quick stop to look in the visitor centre and South T-bone beach one of the many beaches along the Ningaloo Coast. The outer reef stretches the entire length of the coastline and the surf can be seen breaking on it.

We went back to camp for lunch then while Kerry, Dave and Rose had a rest Trev,  Gordon and I went for a snorkel at our camp beach. The wind and swell had picked up a bit so visibility was not as good but we did see a turtle feeding on the seagrass and a ray.

At 4o’clock we drove down to Yardie Creek Gorge to do the gorge walk. It was a perfect time to do the walk after the heat of the day and surprisingly there were no flies!! The gorge was beautiful and is the only permanent water source in Cape Range National Park.

    

The sun was going down as we walked to Yardie Beach and had a look . Gordie spoke to an old mate who was fishing there at the river mouth as there was some surf out the back. The fisherman had seen numerous large bull and tiger sharks in the area….so surfing was out of the question.

On the way back as it was dusk the wildlife was everywhere…numerous small kangaroos and wallabies,  and even an echidna trying to cross the road.

 

 

The next destination was Osprey Bay in Cape Range National Park. The Ram was really struggling despite Branch’s best efforts the day before while we were out swimming with whale sharks…. Trev’s face was a little worse for wear with the Red Bell sting….Branch turned his hand to healthcare  (or was that haircare?)

We left Coral Bay but did not get very far..the Ram was running so rough that Gordie thought he could go no further. A call to a mechanic in Exmouth who said it was OK to drive and they would be happy to look at the Dodge as soon as we arrived in Exmouth…and Gordon was off like a shot. We all said a prayer that the Ram would make it and the problem would be finally sorted this time.

The road to Exmouth was lined with the usual desert scrub and increasing numbers of termite mounds. We passed the RAAF base and airport.

Exmouth has a more tropical feel to it with frangipanis and poinciana trees.  Canals have been formed with housing around very similar to the Gold Coast in QLD.

We arrived at the mechanics in Exmouth…the workshop was amazing…you could have eaten off the floor….and within half an hour the Ram was fixed… a chip problem…

 

Hallelujah we were on the road again…. after a quick Trev fix for Daves van had lost a couple of screws that had been overtightened….

We grabbed lunch at the bakery and some supplies and headed onto Osprey Bay. A couple of emus strolled along side the road as we passed a naval base/ federal police area with huge communication tours right on the tip of the peninsular.

We passed the lighthouse and travelled back down the western side of Cape Range National Park peninsular…and who should we meet but Joe and Leanne who had been exploring the area that day….they were heading off tomorrow so we said our goodbyes on the roadside…until we meet again at Uluru…

We finally  reached our campsite at Osprey Bay. The campsite was well laid out, right near the beach and the camphost Jenny was really helpful. She put our minds to rest about the stingers as none had been seen for the past week and many people including herself had been swimming every day.

Another beautiful sunset over the Indian Ocean as we set up and cooked dinner.

The day had finally arrived for our swim with the whale sharks. We arrived at the tour office at 730 and boarded a bus to take us to the wharf. Boarding the boat we met the crew who were fantasic the whole day – friendly, informative and very helpful.

Our first stop was a snorkel over the Ningaloo Reef – words  cannot do it justice – magnificent coral formations teeming with hundreds of different marine life – fish, rays, turtles, sharks, slugs, octopus, clams….and jelly fish.

 

On to our whale shark swim area out beyond the reef in the open ocean. A spotter plane radioed the boat when whale sharks were sighted and we sped over to the area. A group of 10 swimmers are dropped off the back of the boat with a guide and photographer to swim along with the sharks. The first drop was a bit like a feeding frenzy as swimmers anxious to catch a glimpse of the shark kicked each other in various parts of their anatomy! As I dropped in to the ocean the first time I turned and there was a massive whale shark coming straight towards me. They are beautiful and enourmous creatures….we swam along side it briefly until it dived deeper. The boat picked us up and the search continued. There were 20 swimmers on our boat and so each group of 10 took alternate turns in the water as sharks were sighted. We saw a playful baby whale shark who kept circling our group….the day was fantastic and we got great footage of these amazing sharks. Swimming with them was great exercise in the open ocean with the swell and also the fact that despite their size they move through the water quickly.

After a delicious lunch on board we cruised back for another snorkel on the reef…again amazing coral formations and animal life.

Trev got up close and personal with a Red Bell jellyfish…ouch!! Irikanji like jellies had also been sighted recently for the first time in Ningaloo and 17 people since the beginning of April had been hospitalized so everyone was a little wary.

We returned to the wharf at about 345 after a fantastic day. The photos of the day were available to purchase so we did….photos on today’s entry mostly courtesy of Coral Bay Ecotours.

The group on the whale shark swim were really friendly and we got to know them quite well over the course of the day.  Steve from Loftus of all places was one of Gordie’s favourite “old mates”….being a Sharks supporter 🐟

We returned home to find Branch had been working all day on the Ram….was it sorted?

And Rosie got her white linen washed 😉

Due to the bad road in, we decided to make an early start from 3 mile camp on our way to Coral Bay….and the much anticipated swim with the whale sharks. We had been lucky to get the last 8 places on the whale shark tour and Leanne and Joe were flying in to join us.

We left at 645 after a prayer for safety to get us back out on the main road….in daylight the road looked worse but some parts had been freshly graded so made the journey easier. The Ram was going OK until Kerry thought she heard a rattling noise in the van…quick check and no issue identified. Just a bit further along the rattle became very loud under the Ram….the nudge bar had fallen off and was only hanging on by the light bar cord! The metal had fractured…..no fault of anyone…just a cheap metal….Branch was reassured. Trev thought it was symbolic of the Sharkies going down!!

Two friendly road workers stopped to check if we were OK…they were working on the road to Gnaraloo….so of course the guys had a long chat to them and after removing the nudge bar totally we were on our way.

We saw plenty of wild goats and birds along the road. We reached the tarmac at Quobba turnoff without further incident and stopped to inflate our tyres and look at the Quobba  blowholes.

There were multiple blowholes which were spectacular with a large hole through which the waves sucked back – very treacherous – a tourist trying to get the ultimate photo had recently gone right down next to the hole and a king wave sucked him in never to be seen again…what a tragedy 😓

Large pools of salt had collected near the holes..Gordo wanted to bring some back for his fish and chips.

As we came into reception our phones went ballistic with multiple messages and notifications after being off the grid for 3 days…most were from Leanne who had thought we’d been abducted by aliens….we sent her a reassuring message and organised to meet that afternoon in Coral Bay.

Back on the main road we travelled through more arid areas and stopped at Minilya Roadhouse for Dave and Gordon to get some fuel. We had a quick drink in the shade and a huge 5th wheeler pulled in….Gordie had “van envy” …we left quickly before the guys could get caught up in a conversation with the owners.

The landscape on the way to Coral Bay was a bit greener and termite mounds rose out of the ground like red monoliths.

Arriving at Coral Bay we set up in 35 degree heat…and the Ram had another issue…it was running rough and Gordo thought maybe dirty fuel from the last stop or a chip issue….Branch checked it out…no help but again injected some positive thoughts for us all hahaha…

We caught up with Joe and Leanne,  went and did the paperwork for our whale shark swim tomorrow,  and had dinner at the local restaurant at our caravan park.

 

 

Another day in paradise……beautiful blue skies, warm weather and a day spent at the beach. After another Simon Manchester podcast accompanied with great discussion and Gordon’s famous scones done on the weber, Gordie and Trev went to check out the surf at Tombstones…it was pumping and Gordon was out for 3 hours!!!

Trev went back twice to check he had not disappeared (aka become shark bait)….but he was all good…just making the most of possibly the last surf of the trip.

The rest of us chilled at the beach as the tide was too high for snorkelling in the morning and the swell was big…we ended up sitting in the dunes after a couple of king waves smashed us and left us with soggy sand laden towels.

Rosie washed her white sheets and towels and managed to get the red dust out…until the wind blew over her clothesline and the white towel was red once more!! Rosie gave up and chucked the towel out 😀 . The campsite was after all a veritable dustbowl …

That afternoon after putting on the weber roast, we went down for a snorkel on the low tide…it was amazing – great tree coral, coloured fish, turtles, clams, an octopus and a wobbygong shark…🐠🐟🐢🐡🐙🐚🦀

The Sunday roast went down well…nothing was left on the bone 🍗