Day 22: Tom watching the blowhole do its thing
Day 22: We spent the afternoon rambling around the rocky shore spotting crabs, sea urchins and various other things.
Day 22: Tom and rocky shore
Day 22: one of many crabs
Day 22: Coral Bay to Quobba (274km) Wanting to break the drive from Coral Bay to Monkey Mia we stopped off at the Quobba Blowholes. They were pretty cool.
Day 23: old shell brick quarry, Hamelin Pool Marine Reserve
Day 23: shell bricks
Day 23: stromatolites, Hamelin Pool - the lines are from where carts used to be wheeled out to load the ships
Day 23: We arrived at Monkey Mia mid-afternoon, the water in the bay was completely flat so we hired some kayaks and went for a paddle.
Day 23: Tom paddling with Monkey Mia resort in background
Day 23: Dolphins
Day 23: Sunset from Monkey Mia resort
Day 23: Quobba to Monkey Mia (452km)
Day 24: Sunrise at Monkey Mia. We expected to be the only ones out at such an early hour but some tour group had been woken up to watch the sunrise as well.
Day 24: The first dolphin feed of the day. Not as feral as I was expecting but certainly not a natural experience.
Day 24: We hung round for the second feed when there was a lot less people. I did the cliched thing and hand fed a dolphin.
Day 24: Dolphin (I think this one was called "Surprise")
Day 24: Tom walking along the coastline as part of the Wulybidi Yaninyina Trail, Monkey Mia Reserve
Day 24: On our way out of Monkey Mia/Denham we went to Ocean Park - their main attraction is sharks. They advertise daily feeding but sharks don't eat much particularly not in winter. Apparently we were lucky to even see them surface! (despite the lack of shark feeding it was a pretty interesting visit)
Day 24: a tow truck has come to rescue us from the Ocean Park car park!
Day 24: We left Monkey Mia and visited the local aquarium. On exit the van would not start. Of course it was Sunday, but fortunately we were just in mobile range so could get a call in to Wicked. We eventually got in touch with the RAC and finally a tow truck turned up! We didn't want a tow so were a bit worried but the driver was the local mechanic. Not too pleased to be called out having just cracked open his first stubbie. The battery terminal is stuffed so he turns it over and bashes it back on... the battery cage is broken so he ties it in with a piece of rope. Kicking myself for not taking a photo of that! We do eventually get on the road but have to stop short of our intended destination as we run out of daylight.
Day 24: Not a bad place to be stuck I guess...
Day 24: Monkey Mia to Nerren Nerren Rest Area (262km) We had to stop short of our intended destination due to the late start.
Day 25: We got up early and drove 160-odd km before breakfast. We had breakfast at Hawks Head lookout in Kalbarri NP
Day 25: Tom wanted me to take a photo from this direction despite the backdrop being less interesting
Day 25: Tom showing off the German look on the Ross Graham Lookout walk
Day 25: Ross Graham Lookout walk - on the Murchison River
Day 25: there were lots of these flowers in bloom
Day 25: Murchison River at the "Z Bend"
Day 25: Tom on the Z Bend Gorge Trail
Day 25: Tom at "Nature's Window", The Loop
Day 25: Wildlife encounter on The Loop Trail
Day 25: Tom with the ridgeline we've come along in the background.
Day 25: There were lots of side creeks, we went off and explored some but decided climbing onto this rock would be a bit sketchy
Day 25: the rock patterns and weathering was pretty cool
Day 25: Another natural window we found in our off-track exploring. "oh what a feeling!"
Day 25: Murchison River, The Loop Trail
Day 25: Tom stalking the local wallabies
Day 25: We probably saw more feral goats than any other mammal on this trip. There is an eradication program in place in Kalbarri NP but these guys clearly hadn't been eradicated yet. Tom chased them for a fair way after I took this photo.
Day 25: Nerren Nerren Rest Area to Kalbarri (234km)
Day 26: Cool rock formations, Kalbarri NP
Day 26: Tom in a coastal gully
Day 26: Today we visited the coastal section of Kalbarri NP. It didn't really excite me - lots of coastal cliffs - this is Tom on "Mushroom Rock"
Day 26: Kalbarri to Arrawarra Farm (447km) Tom has relations who live on a farm near Watheroo. We spent two nights with them receiving wonderful country hospitality.
Day 27: Front garden at Arrawarra Farm
Day 27: Front garden at Arrawarra Farm
Day 28: I had promised Tom he could do sunset and sunrise photos at the Pinnacles (Nambung NP). So we spent many hours here. I had thought the pinnacles would be a bit bigger...
Day 28: Pinnacles
Day 28: Pinnacles
Day 28: Sunset was non-existent due to rain, but on the plus side there were lots of rainbows.
Day 28: Arrawarra to Cervantes (206km)
Day 29: Sand detail at Pinnacles
Day 29: the keen photographer at work during sunrise at the Pinnacles. After this we drove back to Perth and caught up with some more relations and then back home to Sydney.