A Whale of a time at the Coral Coast

From the Pilbara we headed west to the Exmouth peninsula, and turned north again to Exmouth at the tip of the narrow land mass. The west side of the coast has the famous Ningaloo Coral reef, which is one of the few rare coral reefs on the WEST side of a continent. Here the coral comes virtually to the shore and is so easily accessible..unlike the Barrier Reef which is sometimes 90 kms out to sea. It is also the place where the famous Whale Sharks swim up and down the coast. These are the biggest creatures on earth ..huge gentle giants which eat plankton and cruise along the edge of the reef with their gaping mouths open like funnels. Many whale watching cruises take people out to snorkel with these beautiful creatures..but they cost a fortune so we did not do it. However, we saw many other whales swim by, dolphins, turtles and a giant Potatoe Cod which was about 6 foot long with a girth of a couple of meters. ..probably weighing well over 200 kg. Unfortunately when we got to Exmouth we realized that it was school holidays, and since this is such a wonderful family place and also warm in the winter, all 5 if its Caravan Parks were booked out. For a while we thought the 300 kms journey was wasted, but finally managed to get 4 days in one park, and another 4 at a park on the west side nearest the Coral. We had a few wonderful days snorkelling at Turquoise Bay and Oyster Stacks beaches, and also tried our hands at fishing the rugged coast. It is still an area that is very remote and treacherous despite the crowds in the parks. Going south again we had wanted to spend a week or so at Coral Bay, our favourite holiday spot from years ago. Here the Coral comes into shore in an idyllic azure bay with pure white sand and gentle waves. The coral and fish are wonderful and it’s like swimming in a giant aquarium. Once again we knew we would have trouble getting a place since the school hols were still in full swing, so had resigned ourselves to having a swim and driving to the next town. Somehow there was ONE spot left for a couple of nights for which we were grateful, and managed to get in some nice snorkelling despite the windy and miserable weather. Disappointed, we drove 300 kms south to Carnarvon where we restocked and decided our next destination.
We re- evaluated and decided to explore a remote area along the lower WEST side of the peninsula which had only one dirt road going up through a couple of Sheep stations and then ending abruptly. We had heard that the fishing was good along that coast, but it was difficult to get information..people we asked seemed evasive and mumbled..”Yes, the fishing is good, but it’s VERY dangerous”. There was no real accommodation except for a bush camp where the campers were allowed to camp on the edge of a lovely bay, but there were NO facilities...one had to be self sufficient with everything. power, water, food etc. Since we had our little freezer full of fish, we opted for the only other place..a sheep station that had turned its shearing sheds into basic Fishermans cabins, and cleared some bits of bush for caravans...VERY remote and basic. There was borehole (salty) water, a wood fired hot water for the dingy showers, generator power for 8 hours a day, and nothing else. Only windswept salt bushes, sheep, and the pounding of the huge ocean nearby. We wondered WHY people came here..the coast was spectacular, but surely it was more than that? Well, we soon found out..here fishing is an EXTREME SPORT, and fishermen come from all over and risk their lives fishing on this very dangerous coast.
This is the world’s premier Balloon fishing region, and many people have lost their lives along this savage coast. Balloon fishing is basically land based big game fishing. The fisherman stands on the edge of a high cliff and releases a large helium balloon into the wind and it floats out to sea, dangling a large fish with coloured tassles just onto the surface of the waves. They need large rods, 700 metres strong tackle..but more than that..nerves of steel! In this area the cliffs are 40 meters high covered with large jagged rocks which extend to a shelf out to sea. The sea is wild and has huge swells which foam up and dash 20 meters or so up the rocks, often washing right over them. Add to that, this is the area of the King Wave..extra large waves that come from nowhere and engulf the whole cliff face. Enthusiasts come here for weeks/months at a time, getting up before dawn to get the best vantage point..often on precarious ledges or rock stacks out to sea..reached by scrambling along wave swept ridges. Sadly, the whole coast is testomy to this obsession for the fighting fish...cliffs are studded with crosses, memorials and warnings. Only last year, we were told, someone was swept to sea at this ledge, or that high rock. The fish they catch are Tuna, Spanish mackerel, Cobia, huge sharks, Sail Fish ,and other game fish. Once a ‘strike’ has been made, the fish has to be brought up to the cliff which often involves scrambling down the cliff face with many different kinds of gaffe arrangements..only to have the catch chomped in half as it leaps out of the water by a huge shark!
Yes....We DID go fishing here..how could we not at least give it a go? Since we don’t have the balloon gear needed for that type of fishing we decided to just put our ordinary rods into the water and see what happened. We chose a high rock (the highest we could find to hopefully be out of range of the swell) which had a steel cable running along the edge so that fishermen could tie themselves to the cable, and the rods to shackles. (Even so there had been people washed over at that same place the year before).The sea crashed onto hidden ledges below, and anyone with vertigo would feel seasick immediately. To get to this place one had to traverse half a km across sharp rocks of moonscape, and there was nowhere to stand or sit comfortably. Paul immediately tied me to the cable with a cord (it’s not that I am clumsy or foolhardy you understand, it’s just that he was afraid that a big fish would jerk me suddenly into the drink!) We spent an exhilarating day fishing and Paul caught enough for dinner. Dolphins swam just below, and the highlight for me was watching the whales swim by, diving and leaping with their tails flapping in the waves. At one stage we looked behind us at a little bay and there were two whales swimming only meters away...so close we could see their eyes and hear the swoosh as they spurted the water...huge and wonderful creatures. The dedicated fishermen at the station were quite a clique..they all knew each other and watched balloons bobbing around along the cliffs and could tell who had caught what. They were also very generous and we came away with large pieces of tuna, mackerel and other fish which we sliced to take home. On our last day we went to the big rock we had fished from before and pitched our bait into the swirling maelstrom below us. From our high vantage point we had a view of the whole coast and the whales and dolphins swimming past. We also had good day fishing with Paul catching a large Spangled Emperor and I caught a huge Rankin Cod (well, huge for me..he was about 3 kg and 53 cms). Since this was the best fish I had ever caught (they are wonderful to eat) I was so thrilled and did a dance on the top of the sharp rocks..for a minute or so!
Before we realized it a week had slipped by, and it was time to start the final journey home. We are nearly home now, even though it is still 1300 kms away!!
Photos
Coral Bay
Fishermen on rock stack ballooning
Quobba Coast
Huge waves crashing over high cliffs
Fishing from cliff
Colleens cod

Mudcrabs and the Pilbara

In perfect weather we headed south of Broome to an interesting coastline with long stretches of wonderful beaches and interesting lagoons. We stopped at a small caravan park called Port Smith down the end of a 23 km long dirt road. Here it was like living in a bowl of red talcum powder...every footstep throws up a puff of red dust, cars drive in a cloud of crimson and the dust gets into every nook and cranny ...before long everything seemed to look pink. The reason we went off road was because we had heard that the fishing was marvellous at Pt Smith, and what a lovely place it was! We drove down to the edge of the large, azure lagoon which stretched several kms before going through a channel into the sea and gazed at the clear water lapping the edge of the mangroves. We thought..OK , looks pretty..but not so special for fishing. Next day we walked to the lagoon and could not believe our eyes! It was as if a bath plug had been pulled out of the bottom of the lagoon because there was NO WATER in the whole lagoon except odd pools and trickles where the rivers had run....just sand as far as the eye could see and islands of mangroves. The tides were 8 meters or more and one has to see it to believe it! The trick to fishing here was the fish that were caught in the pools that were left behind were generally easier to catch..and we proved that by catching about 6 fat Bream as the tide was running out one morning. We caught a variety of fish, but the most fun was had by catching the muddies (Mud Crabs). Another couple we befriended who knew the ropes offered to take me and show me how to catch a mud crab the way the locals did it..by hooking them out of their holes at low tide. This was not as easy as it sounds cos the tide comes rushing in faster than you can run, and there are so many little rivulets and islands one could easily get caught. Also the mangroves are full of twisted roots in knee deep foul smelling mud. Even one of the pros dallied a few minutes too long the day before and before he knew it he was up to his neck and going against the tide..scary!
Anyway, while Paul fished nearby, “Bruce” took me sloshing down a small stream between the mangroves brandishing a long piece of thick wire with a hook on the end. After slipping and sliding in the mud for a while, and climbing over and under tortured roots, he spied a hole in the bank and told me to put the hook in and jiggle it around until I heard a knocking sound...then to yank the large and angry crab out of his hole..which I did. He then said “now grab it by its back legs and hold it up,” I said “ERRR, he has huge claws which are thrashing around and look like they could easily bend backwards...” But I did what he said and moments later proudly staggered out of the undergrowth bearing my huge and frantically wriggling mud crab...you should have seen Paul’s face! I also said to Bruce...what about crocs and sharks here? He replied casually “No worries Mate... haven’t seen a croc in years and no sharks here!” Next day a fisherman hooked an 8 ft Hammerhead Shark which took his rod and reel out of that same lagoon.... Next day Paul and I set off early at low tide to catch our own muddy. We slipped and slithered up banks and streams of mud which sucked at our feet and tripped us up over the mangrove roots. We prodded countless holes until we found a MONSTER mud crab and caught him very professionally the way we had been taught..even getting him into the bag which is no mean feat as they grab the edges with their razor sharp, strong claws. He was delicious and worth every bit of muddy struggle. I must add that I was completely out of my comfort zone as normally I like to be able to see my feet at all times!
Reluctantly we left Pt Smith for a place further down the coast called 80 Mile Beach. Another red dusty road brought us to a lovely park right on this perfect beach which DOES stretch for 80 miles and as far as the eye can see is just perfect white sand and turquoise water. The beach is famous for its Salmon fishing at high tide, so we headed off to the beach at sunset to try our luck...together with what seem like hundreds of other fishermen all lined along the beach every 20 meters or so...as far as the eye could see. After a few casts Paul caught a lovely Salmon which was delicious, and to watch the magnificent sunset while we were doing this was just mind blowing. Next day we caught another Salmon and I caught an enormous Silver Cobbler...about 8 kg (Released).
By then our supplies were finished so we headed into Port Headland to restock. It is mainly a port for the huge Iron Ore mines of the Pilbara region, and there were always at least 10 Ore Carriers on the horizon and a few in the dock. It was really something to see the ore carrying trains coming into town as some were 2.70 kms long..3 locos in front and another 2 mid way!
The coastal road then went via Karratha and Dampier, which were two more port towns. We decided instead to veer inland to the Karijini National Park which is known for its awesome gorges. This is the Pilbara region which has red earth, unusual ridge and mountain formations, and wide open flat arid vegetation. It’s also the region which has rich mineral deposits and there are huge Iron Mining operations which have opened it up. But it is the National Park which people flock to from all over the world. We stayed at a nearby mining town called Tom Price and took a tour into the park. At first glance the NP looked unspectacular except for the red earth and mauve hills surrounding it. But what was hidden until we walked right up to them were the deep gorges cut into the valleys and waterfalls, pools and narrow chasms....the more spectacular because of the ruggedness and colours. From the lookouts we gazed at these sheer cliffs and the rivers a 100 meters down and wondered what they looked like in the Wet season. One of the gorges we took a walk down to the bottom to find a lovely fern pool and lush vegetation. But the highlight was another lookout where 4 gorges met and the narrow passages between them had waterfalls and rapids. Even with fenced lookouts the area is treacherous because of crumbling rock and there have been many deaths here. Last year a tourist fell down a slope and was injured and while being rescued a shower of rain further inland miles away caused a flash flood in the gorges and washed one of the rescuers many kms down the gorge. Sadly he lost his life, but the other two rescuers were able to hang on to the stretcher and save the tourist and themselves. After a well prepared buffet picnic lunch we all donned swimming gear and non slip shoes and were taken down one of the more spectacular gorges. It was breathtaking when we got to the bottom to see these high coloured walls of ancient rock rising on either side of us. But more was in store! We trudged along the sandy bottom as the chasm got narrower and narrower and then started to wade through waist high icy water. Eventually the cleft was so narrow we were holding both sides as we walked through slippery icy water gushing into a huge pool deep in the rocks. The final part was scary in that we had to hold tightly onto surrounding rocks as it started to slope downwards, then became a rushing torrent! As the water became a small waterfall over the steep, slippery rock there was a handrail on one side that we had to cling onto to save ourselves dropping many meters below...talk about canyoning! All this time the walls of the chasm rose steeply and ruggedly 100 meters blocking out most of the light..but what filtered through had an eerie blue look caused by the water onto the now blue/black ironstone! Once at the edge of the pool we only had time for a quick photo clinging precariously to the ledge before starting back UP the waterfall. We learned later that this part was a Grade 5 climb and at the next part of the chasm it became Grade 6 where you have to have a licence and training to do it! Definitely the best thing we have done for a while..very memorable!

Photos

Karinjini Nat Park hand rail pool

Karinini Nat park Weano Gorge

Red Dust on road! -Port Smith

Mud crab monster -Port Smith

Colleen's first Crab - Port Smith

Hunting crabs in Mangroves - Port Smith

80 Mile beach Salmon

80 Mile beach Magnificent Sunset

Fishing on 80 Mile Beach