Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park

After leaving Coral Bay in search of better snorkelling conditions, we drove up to Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park. Saw some pretty amazing stuff in Turquoise Bay, but the water, despite being the most beautiful shade of turqoise ever, was still not the greatest for visibility.

The park just also happens to be home to a pretty spectacular multicoloured gorge, so we decided to give that a go. Unfortuately, we couldn't get a very good look at the damn thing because we arrived after 11am, which is the only time the guided boat tours are scheduled and the walking trail was blocked off in order to keep hikers from inadvertantly being mistaken for a wild goat and shot. Apparently they are quite rampant and pestilent in this part of the country [the goats, not the hikers] and there's a whole eradication program going on. In any case, we pouted and scuffed our shoes along the track as we turned back. This was pretty much all we got to see:



That is, until we spotted a lone row boat slowly making its way up the creek. What do you do when some stranger has a set of paddles and is heading precisely the direction you want to go? Why, yell out a hello to them, ask what they're doing and if you can come with, then nearly break your neck [and regret your choice of clothing for the day, a tshirt and miniskirt] climbing down the gorge to hop into their boat.

Turns out our lone boatman was an off duty park ranger doing a spot of camping for a few days who didn't mind at all taking us for a paddle in the creek and was able to tell us all sorts of cool and interesting stuff about the wildlife whilst we cruised along. Well, cruisy for us and a lot of work for him, seeing as he was the one rowing -- but I did help with the rowing on the way back. Admittedly, I was rather useless and had to put my whole being into rowing with one of the oars, as opposed to Hughie, who effortlessly used the other oar, single handed... but I'm sure it's the thought that counts. Or something.

Once we were in the boat, the view was far more spectacular:

Ended up stopping here for a bit to swim in the creek ... I really enjoyed cooling off from the hot sun in the water, but it was marred a bit by how the tranquil setting and kind, helpful stranger seemed altogether a bit too much like the setting for some B-grade horror flick. However, our guide didn't turn out to be a serial killer at all, just a really nice guy (disappointing on a narrative level, but very comforting on a personal one). Thanks for a really lovely day Hughie!