Dolphins and Outback

A sunny morning saw us all lining up on the beach hoping for dolphins again. There are more people here than we’ve seen in all of Western Australia- about 100 people.

The dolphins came – 5 of them right up to the shore. This was Puck & her family – she has been coming here for years and is 41 years old! They know all the dolphins by the marks on their dorsal fins -sometimes from sharks and sometimes from snarling in fishing nets.

It was quite special to see them so free and happy to see us all and no one allowed to scare them or be silly. One of the dolphins escorted the stray pelican out of the feeding area – they seemed to be following each other.

 

They used to feed the dolphins too much and made them scavengers – this meant they didn’t teach their young to hunt and there was a 90% calf mortality rate! Since the mid 1990s they have changed the interaction so the dolphins only get a few fish and are no longer petted by the tourists. Now the calves survive as well as those in the wild.

We had breakfast and watched the second feeding – we were not the lucky ones invited to step in to offer them a fish.

Then we packed up, checked out & headed up to Francois Peron National Park in the North of the peninsula – a 4×4 wheel only zone! We let the air out of our tyres as recommended & headed up the red sandy roads to Big Lagoon feeling like true Outbackers.

We walked round the peaceful wide shores where white sands and turquoise seas meet red dunes. There were water birds and more emus including one in the sea! Can you spot it?

Where the peninsula rejoins the mainland there’s an enormous white stretch called Shell Beach – and that’s exactly what it is! We thought about swimming but we could see a man 200 yards out and only up to his ankles! The beach undulated and was made of billions of tiny cockle shells – very spectacular!

We drove on to Carnarvon, a fruit farming and fishing town whose main claim to fame is its large radio antenna that relayed the final contact before Apollo splash-downs. Once there were 220 Space personnel working here to communicate with the NASA Apollo missions. It must be why they have an unnecessary dual carriageway in the town to make the Americans feel at home.

Otherwise it’s a good harbour with very impressive flashing leading lights and a yacht club. Much easier & safer to moor here than Kalbarri and a very good restaurant too. We asked about pudding – it’s beer here.