14^th August – Exmouth

The peninsular that Exmouth is situated on and the Exmouth Gulf exist because there is a solid core that the sand has gathered around over the millions of years. This core is a limestone range, Cape Range, that is an old coral reef on the edge of the continental shelf that was uplifted as a block while the Gulf is a valley that subsided at the same tie along parallel flaws. The range was intersected deeply by ancient creeks forming gorges but now only one has permanent water, Yardie Creek. 

 

So today we drove the 75 kms from here to Yardie Creek and walked along the Gorge. It is such rough country on the range and it is surrounded by sand covered with spinifex and small shrubs no higher than a metre. And in the midst of this heathland, kangaroos (wallabies?) and emus roam. One bounced out and hit Gail's car, pushed in the headlight but fortunately, because she was only going the designated speed – 60 , it rolled over and got up to hop away very rapidly. Gail now has a phobia about kangaroos: this is the second time this has happenedon our trips.

But Yardie Creek was surprising in this country: deep,blue fresh water away from the mouth where it flows into the sea across a bar which is shallow in places but rather deep in others. The road actually goes across here – at low tide I presume because I can't see how you could ford it normally! Even in a high 4WD. No way would Glen go across there – salt water. 

River Crossing - Yardie Creek style!

 

We climbed up and along the gorge. I didn't go all the way as I was feeling ill. (I worked out I was hungry. I had either thrown up everything or not eaten the day before and had been unwell in the morning. So my stomach was empty andtherewas no fuel for this body to operate on!) You can take a boat ride which would have been easier but it is not a long gorge. Lots of wildlife.

We walked on the beach and then went back to Sandy Bay where we changed behind the car and went swimming. What a beautiful place! The water was so clear, so freshing (there's that euphemism again!) and moderately calm, given a wind was howling from the NE. It was lovely! I don't know how long we are going to be able to keep swimming, given it is actually winter. But it is still hot and cloudless here and so it is great. (I have never seensuch continuously blue skies. It is true: Exmouth just doesn't have clouds and I can see why it doesn't rain. It is actually a desert!

We called in at the Oyster Stacks and Torquoise Bay, driving slowly to avoid the kangaroos which Gail felt were targeting her! These are famed snorking spots as the reef comes closer in. Torquoise Bay is beautiful but a possibly dangerous beach as a rip develops to allow water to rush out of the lagoon through a gap in the reef. But again it is so clear and so green and blue with a sandy bottom where there is no reef. All these waters on the west coast are so clear as there are no rivers flowing into the sea most of the year round and so no silty run-off. 

Oyster Stacks

Torquoise Beach

 

We had had a lovely day seeing the western side of the Cape Range. Tomorrow, we will explore the eastern side before moving on to Coral Bay.