Beautiful Coral Bay

For more pictures follow the below link
http://picasaweb.google.com/tonycesare/CoralBayWesternAustralia?authkey=Gv1sRgCM2axayb47fIdw&feat=directlink

We were a bit sad to leave Exmouth, but the next stop was back to Coral Bay –which is a very small touristy town on the southern part of the Ningaloo Reef. After arriving we watched the sunset while riding quad bikes through the sand dunes –not a bad way to end the day. Watching the sun set into the ocean doesn’t get old.

Now Coral bay has a year round population ~ 200 people, with probably about 1000 tourists during peak season (which is now). Despite being “crowded” it is a little slice of heaven on earth. The bay is protected by the reef resulting in calm, clear and warm waters that are inviting for a swim. The best part – the reef is right off the bay. Like 10 meters into the water. By wading out just a few feet you are met by a school of Northwest Snapper (or Spangled Emperor to use the local name) and by the time you are chest deep the coral starts and you are surrounded by schools of beautiful fish. For all the press the Great Barrier Reef receives, it is amazing no one talks about the Ningaloo reef. It is possibly the best kept secret in Australia tourism. Maybe this is because the Western Australians like to keep it all to themselves, or it could be that it’s just so hard to get to. With a protected bay, no cars, beautiful sunny weather, kids running all over the place, there’s lots to do for kids and families, and just as much for teens and adults.

The next morning we were up early to pack up again then head out for a morning kayak and snorkel in the reef. If you find yourself in Coral Bay we highly recommend the kayak and snorkel. There were only 4 of us plus a guide. The guide did all the picture-taking so we were free to swim and enjoy. After a 20 min paddle to the outer reef, we moored to a buoy and jumped in – right over a nurse shark! (Actually we didn’t see him, he swam off too fast but the guide got a pic). The snorkeling was awesome! Beautiful coral and amazing wildlife; we swam with 3 green sea turtles; blue spotted sting-rays; giant blue clams; a passing eagle ray (the big manta rays); lots of colorful fish both big and small; and SHARKS! Admittedly, we were a little nervous to swim with sharks, but they are beautiful harmless creatures on the reef. We saw white-, grey- and black-tipped reef sharks. Erika dove down about 10 feet to see one under some coral (which scared it out so Tony could see it without diving). They were so graceful and peaceful; it was like swimming in an aquarium. We got a really good look at them after paddling another 20 min in the Kayak to the “cleaning station”. Here the sharks come in to get their gills cleaned by “cleaner wrasse” --small fish that swim in their mouths and gills and eat off the parasites. As we did a drift snorkel we could see 5 or 6 sharks circling below, including a 2+ meter grey-tipped reef shark; just amazing. After that snorkel it was back in the Kayaks, some lunch at the pub at Coral bay, then off to the next stop.