As we sat in a mini-bus on our way for a day snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef, the youngest turned to me and said: “Why are your eyes wet? … Are you CRYING?”
And then she rolled her eyes in teen horror, because I WAS crying. I was just so happy to be ticking Ningaloo Reef off my bucketlist.
Our trip to Western Australia had initially been planned as a swift trip to see Coldplay in Perth, followed by two nights on Rottnest Island. But I was checking the Qantas website one day and noticed tickets to Exmouth were on sale for $140 one way and I decided it was a sign.
Exmouth is located about halfway between Perth and Broome. It’s the town located closest to the reef.
So I booked flights and two nights accommodation.
We landed at the local airport and gazed at the barren landscape surrounding us. There wasn’t a tree in sight during the transfer to our hotel – Mantarays Ningaloo Beach Resort – just the occasional willy willy. or “dust devil”, little tornados of dust that looked like spot fires in the distance.
Mantarays was an oasis of green, complete with fabulous pool area, pond and ocean views. It even provided a namesake mantaray when we went for a swim at the beach, I put one foot in the water then hastily retreated at the sight of the mantaray gliding through the shallows!
Our room was literally bigger than some apartments I’ve lived in! And the staff were so lovely.
A few days before we arrived, it was looking like our snorkelling adventure wouldn’t be happening. I got a message to say the tour company had closed early for the season.
Most visitors come to Exmouth to swim with the whalesharks. Whaleshark season runs from March to the end of September each year, which coincides with the coolest temperatures in the region.
As the temperatures climb in the lead-up to summer, visitor numbers decline. By December only a handful of tours are still running.
Fortunately the Ningaloo Visitor Centre found us an alternative tour with Cape Immersion Tours.
I was the oldest tour participant and the youngest was the youngest.
I was also the most covered up participant after buying last-minute swim leggings at the hotel shop, while the youngest was the least covered up, in a teeny weeny striped bikini.
The Cape Immersion team were wonderful and took us to three snorkelling spots, although sadly we couldn’t go to Murion Island as planned due to high winds.
The spots around the cape were filled with darting fish, mating turtles and sharks including a wobbegong. (The photos are by Cape Immersion, as we didn’t take waterproof cameras).
The coral wasn’t the technicolour experience I had hoped it would be, but it was still an incredible sight.
I was both amazed and exhausted by all the snorkelling. As I can’t swim, I did it all with a pool noodle and there was a lot of paddling involved!
I was very happy with my new full-face snorkelling mask from Ninja Shark. While it looked like a WWII gas mask, it was perfect for someone who doesn’t want to faff around with a snorkel. (We forgot to take a photo of me wearing it.)
Cape Immersion cooked us a barbecue lunch at the most stunning beach near the Vlamingh Head Lighthouse. The water was gloriously turquoise and clear. And the beach was covered in turtle tracks – every year from November through to March, mature female turtles make their way up the beaches to lay their eggs.
It was a big and very enjoyable day out.
I had been contemplating a second snorkelling trip on our final day in Exmouth but I was so delirious with exhaustion after a full day on the boat that I decided a quiet morning of reading by the pool was in order instead!
A young German woman was on the tour with us, staying at Mantarays and travelling alone so I invited her to walk down to the local brewery with us for dinner. I apologised for the fact it would be a hot 2.5km trek and she said we could always use her car instead.
Oooh you have a car?!
Winning!
We had pizza and very refreshing passionfruit and mango seltzers at Whalebone Brewing Company, while listening to great live music.
A barefoot 19 year old with a fantastic voice took to the stage to sing lots of the youngest’s favourite songs.
And then we got a lift back to the resort with our new friend.
We took it easy on our last day, reading books and eating a leisurely lunch by the pool: Fremantle Octopus with fennel, chilli oil and gremolata; and hummus with coriander, lemon and flatbread.
Oh, and I may have ordered a farewell cocktail from Felix the bartender …
All too soon our side trip was over and we were back at the dusty airport to begin our long trek home.
The youngest loved Exmouth and can’t wait to return. It was a fantastic high to end our trip on … pity it was followed by catching a red-eye flight back to Sydney from Perth.
We felt like zombies when we arrived home on Sunday.
But we can’t wait for our next (separate) getaways. The youngest is off again tomorrow to Schoolies and I’m counting down the days to Christmas shutdown at work.
Song of the day: Jack Johnson “Upside down”
housegoeshome 
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