Rather than stay in one of the many "jam packed" caravan parks or DEC camps in the Exmouth / Coral Bay area we've opted to go the bush approach and head out to Ningaloo Station... BYO everything!

Camped on the salt flats the first thing we notice is the "STAY CLEAR" sign appears the Nomad brigade has set up a blowling green or should I say "SALT" and have roped it off lol.... even sent one of the old girls out to ask us nicely to observe the sign (very nicely I must say as well, certainly no sarcasm in that last comment)

First afternoon, appears the fish have all moved north for the winter, either that or headed south to avoid the feral invasion! either way there are none here apparently! and guess what.. they were right!! nothing on the first day...

Day 2 ..... we decide we are going to go check out Coral Bay the day is a bit overcast and gloomy.. we are going to take the coastal track between Ningaloo and Coral Bay so Pop has decided that he and Nan will give it a miss.. (52km of unknown road conditions...) Wow.. hasn't Coral Bay matured.. last time we were here was about 10 years ago.. 2 caravan parks about 12 houses, bakery, supermarket of sorts and the pub... now insert one huge 2 storey back packers, various additional tourism shops, caravan parks appear to have doubled in size, a new boat launching facility, plus new housing being built to house 70+ seasonal workers.. BOOMING.. Mark gets all excited by the site of the "Sub Sea explorer" we had gone on 10years ago and wants to book the boys on it for a look at the reef.. for my eastern states / over seas blog readers the reef at Ningaloo is bigger and considered healthier than the Great Barrier Reef in QLD.. so we were keen for them to have a look.. Info centre dashed our ambitions here with the trips booked out for the day and the glass bottome boat was not guarenteed to go ahead... mmmmmmmmmmmmm insert Dad's surprise... Mark decided that we could do a scenic flight of the area.. price was per tour (not person) which was quite reasonable but unfortunately the tour was only for 3 people.. Dad offered to stay on the ground.. Mummy & the boys get to see Coral Bay from the air woohoooooooooooooo.... we even upgraded to the 30min Hump Back tour so that we would have a reasonable chance of spotting some whales...Now.. insert slight hesitation, none of us have ever flown on anything other than commercial planes but hey the pilot was cute who cares if any of us puke... Quick run down on safety etc.. and we're off.. Kane's face was priceless at take off, not sure he knew what to think lol... but as we settled into flight over the ocean and spotted our first hump back whale he was in sensory overload, I can see why we were asked about air sickness I swear we spent well over half our flight flying on our side in circles so we all got a good look... about 12 hump backs later and a good look at about 4 Manta Rays we did a low fly over the town centre and one of the smoothest landings I've experienced... Thanks Dave!!!...

Wow back on earth... and back to reality I'm not being flown away into the sunset by a handsome pilot!.. Mark the kids and I are on our way back to Ningaloo just in time for me to cook dinner! (roast lamb mmmmmmmmmm yum)

Last day in Ningaloo.. more fishing attempts more failures lol... last of our Onslow fish for dinner and off to bed.. tomorrow we venture south, closer to home :(