One For The Track: Thurs 16th, Swim with the Whale Sharks

Up at 5:45am for a quick breakfast and then the drive over the rough track north through the RAAF weapons range to Yardi Creek and up to Tantabiddi.

What with kangaroos and a rough road it takes us about an hour to do the 30kms to Yardie Creek. At yardie Creek I find that I can't get the 4wd light to go off. Try reversing, reading the book to no avail. Drive the bitumin up to Tantabiddi with frequent incursions off the side in case we are getting any transmission wind up. About 20km later find that the light has gone off. Will try not to select the drive shaft lock or low range until the service in Broome on Monday week.

We go out with Ningaloo Blue. The morning starts with an introductory snorkel over an inner reef outcrop to make sure everyone is comfortable in their snorkel gear. We see coral, an octopus, a clam and turtle. We are blessed today and have the presence of Wally, a fellow guest who comes every year, this year he is dressed as 'Where's Wally', that is blue trousers, striped red and white shirt and a red and white beanie. Another whale shark boat comes over to find Wally.

On the run out to the reef opening we see a Tiger Shark, Dugong, Dolphins and a large Green Turtle. A good morning tea is served with a nice variety of food.

Dugong

We are lucky today and find a Whale Shark at around 11am. There are 20 people on our boat, people are dropped in groups of 10 in front of the whale shark. The shark cooperates and swims pretty much straight enabling us to do 4 drops for each group over the permitted full hour. Just as our hour is up another shark watching boat pulls up, unfortunately for them the shark dives and is seen no more. This boat has yet to find a whale shark today. We were lucky not to have had to share the shark with another boat as this would have reduced the drops we could do.

Following this there is no attempt to find further whale sharks. We do an outer reef drift which was not very interesting and unfortunately run into a lot of jelly fish which give many of us some low level stings.

We turn Inside the reef for for lunch where we anchor up near a reef which they have not used before, they are after a name and call it Wally's Reef. Lunch is nice tucker, mixed selection of meats and salads with additional sides.

After lunch it is time for the final reef swim. On the trip back to Tantabiddi we are treated to a fresh fruit platter followed by champagne on strawberries.