Little Surprises

Coral Bay



On the way - Shell Beach

We didn’t have far to go but we weren’t sure if would get a camp site so we went early in case we had to keep driving. We came over the hill into this one street little haven right on the south end of the Ningaloo Marine Park. There are only two caravan parks and a hotel (!); the second had a spot for us which was awesome. Quick set up, lunch - then to the beach. This place is truly beautiful. Turquoise waters, huge snapper and emperor fish swimming in the shallows and coral reefs just metres off shore with excellent snorkelling.

We got the kids some pool noodles so that they could float along better while snorkelling. They saw much more that way. Huge numbers of tropical reef fish.

At 3.30pm each day they feed the snapper in the shallows off the beach. As you stand there to watch, the fish swim all around you and between your legs. Now I’m talking fish nearly a metre long. The kids fed the fish from their hands all the while Lochie was day dreaming of one on the end of his hook!
The caravan park was full of people either travelling around Aus or who come to Coal Bay each year on their holidays. A lot of WA people. More exciting however was all of the kids – and kids of all ages. It was the first time really that our three had others to play with, younger, older and same age. They played spotlight each night running crazy around the park in the dirt and sand surrounds. They will remember that.

Earlier we had booked into Cape Range National Park, to camp on the beach in the middle of the Ningaloo Marine Reserve so we had to be there on the Saturday. We also had decided to go and swim with the whale sharks – but from Coral Bay. They were much more accommodating of the family and the kids arrangement and cheaper over all while everyone had the opportunity to swim if they wanted. So off we went to Ningaloo / Cape Range, but we would be back in Coral Bay for another two nights on Tuesday.