Whale sharking didn't happen today due to ferocious winds - the trip in the zodiac to the main boat was so rough that we turned back as soon as everyone was thoroughly soaked to the skin. Bugger! The dive guide, Zoe, was one of those well-adjusted nice girls that your parents wish you'd turned into, instead of studying art and sulking, and whose cheery "let's all get to know each other!" was a sinister foreshadowing of her penchant for happy bus singalongs.
It was disappointing to miss out on the dive, but our excursion wasn't completely wasted as we learned that the submarine radar towers are 387 metres high and got to see the failed experimental wind farm debris for a few seconds as we sped back to the bland tedium of downtown Exmouth, where, of course, most things were shut. I packed up and went to Yardie Homestead, a station just outside the national park, which is a lovely place. Turns out their "pet friendly" policy is not as welcoming as the website makes it sound, so I am hiding Smokey from view during the day. Hordes of people drive all over the place, camping, fishing, running generators, trampling on the coral etc but apparently if Smokey were to step out of the bus the entire eco-system would collapse within minutes.
At the homestead are heaps of emus and kangaroos, and many little birds. A father emu and his two little chicks walk about the campground, coming up to see if you have any snacks. The campground has lots of shady trees, a pool, and is the only place I would recommend staying if you want to visit this area. While waiting out the wind, I'm doing some more paint work on the bus, trying out my new hammock and, most rewardingly, not doing my tax paperwork.
 |
| Yardie Creek Gorge |
 |
| Mr. Emu and his chicks scouting the campground for unwary sandwiches |
 |
| Waggin' Trail nestled amongst the trees in 320 km/hr winds |
 |
| Who needs hundreds of km's of stunning coastal reef when you can use the pool? |
No comments:
Post a Comment