2 July 2011

Kalbarri to Shark Bay 26/6 to 2/7

Galena Bridge Campsite

Murchison River



Frequent visitor to camps





After leaving Kalbarri we headed back to the main highway to resume our journey north.  We pulled up at Galena Bridge on the Murchison River.  We had heard from fellow travellers that this is a very popular freestay (zero fees); so after looking at the scenery we decided to stay at least two days.  Very friendly people, fireplaces dotted around the campground and a beautiful river which made our stay worthwhile.  On our second night we couldn’t believe the number of vans that stopped over for the night ( at least 40+ vans & motorhomes).  The Galena Bridge site extended on both sides of the river and there were eco toilets provided on the southern side of the camp ground.
Mark - Flat out as usual!
As much as we enjoyed our time at Galena Bridge we had to keep moving; so we continued our journey north.  We stopped at Nerrum Nerrum freestay as a particularly bad storm had been forecast.  Luckily we stopped when we did, because no sooner had we set up and collected firewood for the night then the wind hit.  We felt quite safe inside our caravan as outside the wind buffeted – no damage in the area we were in  - however in Mandurah and Busselton (far to the south) several houses were unroofed.
Nanga - Henri Freycinet Bay
We woke the following morning to a sunny day and pushed on for Shark Bay.  Following the recommendation of fellow travellers we stopped at Nanga Beach.  This was our first encounter with bore water and unfortunately Mark was the first to realise it was bore water when the cup of tea was not quite to his taste! Luckily there are several large rainwater tanks scattered around the property for drinking water.  After having a few sips of the tea, Mark told me that he was going to drag his tongue along the beach to try and get rid of the taste. What a sook!!
Stromatolites - Hamelin Pool

On our way to Nanga Beach we stopped at Hamelin Pool.  This is another bay with very high salinity providing a safe haven for stromatolite colonies for 5000+ years.  These stromatolites are layered limestone rocks built by cyanobacteria which trap and bind sediments.  These rocks can be flat, spongy mats, or craggy towers.  There were examples of both kinds at Hamelin Pool.  If you watch them you can see the oxygen they release coming to the surface in the form of bubbles.  It is believed that stromatolites dominated the earth for two billion years and the oxygen they produced provided conditions in which animals could flourish.  This is now the 3rd location that we have seen stromatolites since beginning our W.A adventure.
Shell Quarry - Hamelin

Shell Glue
It isn’t often that a quarry becomes interesting viewing, but we were both fascinated by a beachside quarry that we came across at Hamelin Bay.  Building blocks have been carved from this quarry using hand held cross saws since the days of the pioneers.  What are they carving by hand?  Coquina!  Coquina is a soft limestone that is produced from the cardiid cockle shells which have been deposited on this shoreline for 6000 years.  They are bound together when rainwater washes small deposits of calcium carbonate from the shells that dries into a crystal which binds the shells together.  In the past many historical buildings in this area were built from these hand sawn coquina building blocks.

Shell Brick Building - Nanga

While we had been given prior warning from Jeff Noonan about the sudden storms and wind in this part of world nothing can really prepare you for the real thing!  The weather in this part of the world can change quickly and in between bouts of blue sky and sunshine you can suddenly experience a wind squall along with a few drops of rain.  Mark went cycling today in sunshine and arrived home just in time to take down our awning which looked like it could blow away at any moment.  We’ve vowed to learn from this experience and we’ve agreed that while we’re in this area we need to put down the awning both before we go to bed and before we leave to explore the local attractions.  At least that way it will still be attached to the van when we wake in the morning or when we return from our sightseeing trips. Following the last squall, which lasted no more than 15 mins, the sun promptly came out, the wind stopped and we both headed back down to beach.  Strange weather by anyone's measures.















Moving on to Denham we stopped at Shell Beach.  Amazing to think that these shells are ten metres deep in parts of this beach...and still coming.  Didn’t think there were that many shells in Australia!  Luckily for the poultry industry however as they are used for shell grit.  We also called in to Eagle Bluff where a boardwalk has been constructed so that people can look over the sea grasses and Eagle Island to try to sight dolphins, dugong, turtles etc.  We saw..... sea grasses and Eagle Island.
Eagle Island & Sea Grass

Campsite at Denham
Our site at Denham is amazing, right on the beach overlooking peaceful Shark Bay. We also drove and checked out the freestays in Shark Bay.  Unfortunately in this area if you camp without a permit there is a $1000 fine and you can only camp for one day per annum in one of the four freestays.  You are not permitted to move from one freestay to another.
Whalebone Bay (Freestay)
Even though it is very ‘touristy’ we enjoyed our morning at Monkey Mia.  The day was glorious and the dolphins co-operated beautifully.  We could see them coming into the bay from quite a distance.  Most of the pod of about forty dolphins stayed out about twenty metres from the shore. 
Part of the pod of dolphins
Tail Wave!
  The younger ones were definitely having fun.  Diving under and over other dolphins.  They looked like this was their playtime.  Then the females and calves came closer into the shore.  They were there (where all the tourists were standing) about twenty minutes before the feeding.  They only feed five of these females and the others seem quite happy with that.  Once they used to feed all the fish but found they were losing dolphins as the mums weren’t teaching the little ones how to hunt their own food and the males were aggressive to humans who didn’t have fish to feed them.  Now they ensure that the fish they are given are not enough for them to exist on and their hunting skills are still utilised. 
Isn't she gorgeous!
Can you see the spots on Nicky's stomach?




I was excited because I was chosen to hand feed ‘Nicky’.  She’s been coming to Monkey Mia for thirty years and she came up to me quite a few times before the feeding time and smiled!  You can tell she’s an oldie by the spots on her tummy – something like age spots for dolphins.


Donna after feeding Nicky







 
Francois Peron National Park



Boats in Shark Bay






It was just another perfect day in Paradise.  Wonder what tomorrow will bring?

5 comments:

  1. Are you asleep? Naughty Poppy!

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  2. I would like to feed the dolphins like you one day Nana!

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  3. Georgia when we get home I might be able to take you to Tangalooma to feed the dolphins one day. I am looking forward to getting your letter.

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  4. Poppy wasn't really sleeping Georgia, he was just resting his eyes on the inside. Good spotting!

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  5. Really Mark - one usually planks on ones stomach. Some planking shots in some remote locations would be good. Maybe Karijini
    may provide some opportunity??

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