Mozzies Around Australia: Day 19 Carnarvon to The Ridge Warroora Station

Left Carnarvon and took North Coast Highway turning off at Minilya. About 20 k out of Coral Bay , you turn off onto about 10k of gravel to our site at “The Ridge” We would have liked to get into 14 mile beach which is the other campground but no sites were available . The Ningaloo Marine Park runs right along this coastline so as you look over the ocean you can see the waves breaking over the reef. We have a couple of neighbours – both from Perth . Bev and Harald are veteran visitors here and have been retired for many years . They usually stay here for 2 months but WA Parks has limited it to 28 days. First day we set up and did the swim and fish thing had tea and off to bed. That night, we found out why they call it Windy Warra , The wind came blasting so up at midnight in the rain hanging on for dear life while we got the awning in. Thought we were going to loose it !! Wet and bedraggled back into bed as the van shook around us. Bev and Harald told us “ that wasn’t that bad – you know its bad when you have to use star pickets and rope across the top of the van !!!

Next morning, we headed up the up the track that goes to Coral Bay . Its about 20 k and there are numerous places where you can head off towards the beach/rocky outcrops. Stopped at Turtle Rock which would have been a great fishing spot on a good day. Any stop along there is beautiful on the right day. Arrived in Coral Bay Township – great sheltered bay very close to the reef but it was like Torquay at Xmas time. Caravan parks were packed in like sardines – looked it up $80 for a site in high season which is most of the year. We escaped pretty quickly after visiting yet another award-winning bakery and headed back for a swim/snorkel for a few hours. All the real excitement happened later that day when Russ caught a good-sized snapper. Fresh fish for tea! Sorry we didn’t get a photo.

Our final day was again at the beach where Russ had more success- about 4kg bone fish and yes you don’t eat this one but lots of fun to catch and I have the evidence to prove how big it was.

The other entertainment was watching some “w…………” bring their boat down and launch it off the beach and then get the whole lot bogged. Maybe options such as unhooking the boat trailer and letting some air out of the tyres might have been helpful. They broke their snatchem strap . Luckily there was a guy there with an electric winch.to help them out. Land cruisers don’t always go everywhere. We left before they returned. I would have liked to take some video but thought it might be a bit obvious.

It’s been a great place to stay but you just have to be prepared for the changeable weather. Onto to Exmouth tomorrow. PS ankle is looking very black!