Karijini NP & The highest town in WA <2009.4.25>

The next stop brings us to West Australia`s most popular attraction – the Karijini National Park - located 600km east of Exmouth.

On the way there everyone stops for an overpriced refill at the Nanutarra Road House.

HERE you can already experience true outback impressions – it’s a different world, with different people!
(Gas refill & smoking – what an exxxplosive mix :-)

Here everyone can have a break

The gateway to Karijini NP is Tom Price. A little tidy town with a supermarket, bakery and more kakadoo`s than inhabitants. Tom Price is located over 700m altitude which makes it to WA highest town! :-)

There is plenty of space at the caravan park for powered sites available or you go to one of the 2 natural camp grounds within the NP.

Here rules the wildlife just in front of your car, where you will have a close encounter with the wild creatures just in front of your car – Roos, Kakadoos, Dingos, ...

The NP has about the size of Switzerland and is mainly accessible by 4WD vehicles as there are only few paved roads.

Thus we decided to make the off road areas with a tour led by charming Jeff (Pilbara Gorge Tours) who perfectly took care about us.
http://www.pilbaragorgetours.com.au/booking.php

We visited the Kalamina-, Knox-, Joffre- & Weano Gorge and several waterfalls close by. The Oxer lookout is definitely the highlight of the tour which offers a breath taking view off the 3 gorges joining at that point – Hancock, Red & Weano Gorge.

We also made the adventure walk down the gorge which leads us finally to the hand rail pool which is a nice climb down to have a refreshing dip in the natural pool.

Hand Rail Pool

On the next day we left Tom Price and went into the NP by ourselves and visited to state-of-the-art visitor center which gives a natural & historical overview of the area.

We spent the whole day around the Dales Gorge where you have pleasant walks on top of the rim our through the valley and stop by waterfalls or to inviting pools for swimming.

As for me – I liked byside the Oxer lookout the Dales gorge most! It is heaven for every photographer to spent hours in the Gorges at most brilliant colors and such stunning scenery.

And the cherry on the ice cream are the clear nights sitting outside below millions of stars which look like in a hand reach distance to you…

From Mother Nature’s Nap

Swim with the Whale Sharks <2009.4.21>

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (& XMAS) to ME!!!

Today my dream and (last) birthday present become real when we finally went on board to head out to the Ningaloo Reef to swim with friendly whale sharks!

There can`t be more excitment before such a trip when you know that in minutes you will swim with the biggest fish on earth!

If you want to know more about those lovely fellows - check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark




We booked the trip again with Ningaloo Reef Dreaming (NRD) who took perfectly care about us. The big advantage with them - beside their beautiful paintings on cars, trailers, t-shirts & boats - is that they have their own spotter plane, so you don`t need to share your shark with other boats!




The rules are strict:
- Only 10 people with one whale shark
- No diving, no one below, above or infront
- Side distance 3m & tail 4m
- not more than 1 hour

At most boats you can be lucky if you make 10min with a whale shark x-)

BUT we where really lucky - we had 4 different whale sharks today - for us alone!!!

All between 3 - 7 meters. Big enough when you are close to them!

YES - I was there - I swim the whale shark \(*v*)/

What a graceful creature - stunning!

And more close ups

THAT WAS REALY COOL!!!

At the end of the day we had full 60 min out with the whale sharks which passed away like seconds! It is realy hard to describe - just do it!

Thanks to NRD who made this a real enjoyable trip!

http://www.ningaloodreaming.com/

WHALE SHARKS ROCK

TOP 6 DIVE IN THE WORLD - Exmouth Navy Pier <2009.4.20>

Here I am - waiting in line on military pier in the desert - closed to public; build in the 60ies to make one of the biggest marine communication center on this planet ... and now one of the most outstanding artifical reefs you can dive.

I am at the EXMOUTH NAVY PIER which is the TOP 6 dive in the world.

Yeah - you might think all those ranking are hard to believe - same as I thought - but it was really extraordinary ... see yourself:

You dive in depth of 14m with a visibility of 5 - 10m (if you are lucky ;-) and an area of 100m length. It is not much, but there aare so many fish concentrate in one spot, you could spend hours just on few square meters!

It reaches from Black & Whitetip Sharks

Carpet Sharks (Wobby gongs)

Huge Potato Cod Fish (they become you pet during the night dive, as they hunt in your torch beam)

Angler Fish

Bull Rays

Huge Puffer Fish

Of course my beloved Nudi Branches

And most - milions of fishes

If you think your thrilling dive is over at the safety stop - you are wrong. You will get a warm welcome from hundreds of friendly jelly fishes with ope arms (or tentacles)

Never kiss a Jelly Fish