Tues, 4th Oct, 2022 Bush camp in Pot Shot Gorge, near Exmouth to Bush camp by Exmouth Gulf, near Learmonth, WA

Up early for the drive to Exmouth then around the top of the peninsula and down into the Cape Range National Park to snorkel on Ningaloo Reef. (Check out all the other stuff about the area in my blogs in Dec 2019.

We paid our day visit fee and headed straight to Turquoise Bay which is a day use only area. The best spot to snorkel though the Oyster Stacks are good too but you need higher tides then what is happening so we won’t being going there.

Already a lot of people are here but we got a park in a bigger bay and put on our togs.

Steve got in first so I could get a photo for Facebook.

The water is cold and there is a good breeze which doesn’t help with the cold water! No wonder we see lots of people in full skin suits! The Body Glove googles worked well and we walked in and then floated along with the current as it headed down to the point. You have to get out before the point otherwise it takes you out further but we got out in plenty of time.

There are so many fish. I wish I was game to trust the ‘waterproofing’ of the camera but then again it was nice to just float and take it all in for a change instead of trying to get a photo.

There is a line of broken coral on the beach which is rough underfoot but we have our beach shoes on so it was good. More people arrived but it was not overcrowded on the beach or in the water.

As the tide is going out the waves are getting bigger as they hit the reef off shore.

We went back to the camper for a cuppa - needed warming up!

Walked to the end of the point and looked around at the bay which is great for families. Then back over the point to the waves again.

Another longer float then another one a bit further out. It was amazing to see so much in so close to the shore and they weren’t shy at all. Some fish came in close and some were good enough size to eat - but you can’t catch them here of course! Such a variety - little brilliant blue fish and small black & white ones that were so cute. Lots of tusk fish and wrasse with such rainbow colours all nibbling away at the coral which looks dead though I did some some bright colours coming through. There were certainly a lot of different varieties and they were all working together in harmony, some nibbling coral or digging holes in the sand, some cleaning other fish’s gills and some just floating along with us. We spotted a black & white striped sea snake who stayed on the sea floor which was good, some big Long Toms and I spotted an octopus hiding in a bit of coral. The highlight was seeing a turtle swim by and I followed him with some kids for a while. When we were here in 2019 we saw lots of turtles and manta rays swimming by as we stood in the water - must admit I am glad not to have a manta ray swim by as their big shadow gives me a bit of a fright and I certainly don’t want to see any sharks. We loved floating and just looking over the top of the water then glancing down to see the fish just below the surface - amazing. So glad we made the effort to come as it is a long way to drive for just the day but maybe we can come back another time as camp host and stay for a bit.

The wind has picked up and the tide going out made the water a bit murkier but that didn’t worry the fish, they just keep swimming.

Went back to the camper for lunch to try and warm up. We didn’t realise how many people had arrived until we saw the car park and it was full plus they had parked in any spot along the wooden fencing, making the track just wide enough to get a car through. Glad we got here early.

Worked our way out through the overpacked car park - the national parks people really should come and have a look at the chaos and open up the car park more. Especially as the Oyster Stacks was closed, everyone has come here.

Drove down to Osprey Campground where we had wanted to book a site as it is up on the hard rock platform so great views. The other camp grounds are behind sand dunes.

The wind has picked up more making it quite choppy. A chap on a jet ski came down with his great catch - a very good sized Spanish Mackerel. They can fish further out and he scored well. Steve had the camera and got some good photos.

I went in for a float as Steve had had enough for the day. Good start - forgot to take my sunglasses off. The googles look a bit weird but we saw a lot of others with them so didn’t feel to out of place.

The area was more sea grass than coral and there weren’t nearly as many fish but I saw some huge wrasse that I think they call Blue Bone. I enjoyed it though the choppy water whacked my ears etc and I was chilled to the bone by the time I got out.

Steve had taken more photos of the area while keeping an eye on me - good lad.

We drove down to Yardie Creek as there is more room to park so we could have a shower before heading out. Had a cuppa then walked down to the 4WD track across the mouth of the creek which takes you to more camps on the old Ningaloo Station which is now booked online with National Parks. Even 9 Mile and 14 Mile which were stations handed back to the ‘locals’ but obviously they didn’t want to take control of bookings etc which they were doing when we came through in 2019. We did the walk up the gorge previously.

Will have to come back again as a National Park Camp Host so we can stay for a while.

Headed back up the peninsula and around the top and back to Exmouth to top up with fuel at the cheap 24hr servo ($2.098/L). We got 5km/l for that fill due to the tail wind yesterday.

Continued south to Learmonth and found a track off to the left and Exmouth Gulf to park up for the night. Lovely colour as the sun set behind Rough Range.

Quiet evening.