Monday 12 May

After a restless night of being worried to sleep with my mouth open, in case a cockroach crawled in there (Nathan confessed to thinking about the same urban legend all night--so at least it was a snore-free evening), we woke early.

As usual in Western Australia, the weather was gorgeous. We decided to go for a run and get a layout of the town. As the main highway looked dreary, we headed down a side track heading for the beach. We ran past the town golf course--black sand greens and grass optional. Then over a rise to the beach. He ran on the beach, I stayed on the path, and he still beat me back to the hotel.

After checking out of the Pot Shot Roach Motel, our goal for Monday was to plan the rest of our time in Exmouth. For those of you who know us, making decisions is usually the hardest part of any travel, we prefer serendipity. But we had so many things we wanted to do, it would require a schedule. With a quick stop at the internet cafe, we were able to find the dive shop we wanted. After scheduling 5 dives and a whaleshark tour, then finding a place to stay for the night that didn't include roaches free of charge, our wallets were feeling a little lighter and we decided to search for some free entertainment.

We hopped in the car to head to Cape Range National Park. On the way, we passed a the Howard Holt Naval Communications Station. The Naval Communications Station was built by the US in the 70s, using very low frequency radio transmission to contact submarines. The station used to hold 3000 americans to build and staff the towers. The town of Exmouth sprung up as an off-base site for grocery shops, family homes, and bars. Although the US soldiers eventually left and the base was tenanted by the Australian Federal Police, the US still owns the naval station. After 9/11, 500 soldiers dropped in to check on "their station."
Without the Naval Station, its entirely possible that some of the most beautiful coastline in Australia, with an amazing natural coral reef just off shore, might have remained totally unappreciated and unvisited by all but a few.

From the naval station, we stopped by the Turtle center where every November turtles come to lay there eggs on shore, then leave the nests untended to return to the sea. Visitors and researchers come to watch over the nests, before the baby turtles return to the sea in March. In May, however, there wasn't much to see but rocky coastline and turqoise water. Our drive also takes us past a low bushland filled with large red mounds. These 6 foot high termite mounds. The termites feed on a spinifex (a prickly Australian bush grass). Nathan, the biology geek, goes crazy with his camera. I have spared you.

Finally, we arrive at Cape Range National Park and drive to the visitor's center to find out about the good snorkelling spots on the Ningaloo Reef. Where we meet one a real rarity--a surly Australian National Parks employee. Australians are amazingly friendly people--but very egalitarian. As a waiter or waitress, they don't see their job to suck up to you...just to bring you the food, so occasionally an Austrlian in a service role will do their job--and nothing more. This, however, was beyond the lack of welcome to a real sense of being inconvenienced and annoyed by our waiting at the information desk.

After asking about snorkel spots, we are abruptly pointed to a book with a few maps. The maps contain clauses about dangerous currents which are a little unsettling. Nathan asks questions about how strong the currents are, how experienced a swimmer do you have to be? After several terse answers that "our safety is our responsibility", and "we have been warned", we head with some annoyance and trepidation to Turquoise Bay.

On one side of the Bay is a highly recommended drift snorkel, which has warning signs about rip tides and sharks, on the other a calm pool. With words of doom echoing in our heads, we opt for the safe snorkel and see an amazing amount of marine life--Brain coral, giant clams, nudibranchs, schools of vibrantly colored tropical fish. After drying out on the beach, we chatted to another American visitor who encouraged us to take the drift dive with the sharks. But, we didn't. "We have lots of time to come back and try the drift snorkel." (yeah right).

Heading back to our chalet, (that's what the caravan park calls our trailer house with no bathroom) we settled into a quiet night drying our tent and sleeping bags, Nathan LOSING at cribbage, and heading to bed for an early start for whalesharking at 7 am.

TOMORROW: Swimming with Whalesharks