A Whale Tale – Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth Australia

We’re exhausted. 15,000 miles, 4 countries and 14 hotels. The past three months have been amazing – full of travel, culture and new experiences.  It feels as if we’ve been on vacation more than we’ve been at work. But as they say, all good things come to an end. July, August and September, known informally in our industry as ‘busy season,’ are fast approaching. A time when the use of the word vacation is forbidden and travel is more scarce than the Tasmanian Tiger.

We had one last trip before our fates were sealed, so it needed to be memorable. Something adventurous, but also relaxing. Something along the lines of sipping a glass of wine by a roaring fire overlooking a vineyard, finding the perfect beach where the water is every possible shade of turquoise, and then jumping off the back of a boat to swim with sharks. Something like Western Australia.

 

Miles away from city lights, Margaret River lit up under a full moon and thousands of stars.  Known for its world class wines and beautiful vineyards, we were excited to spend a few nights in wine country. There was no better place to settle in than the Losari Retreat. A family of kangaroos welcomed us onto the 60 acre property which featured a handful of private villas.   Adam  Gardiner (who has the same last name as Dean) had booked a lovely lakeside villa and thanks to a mix up at the reception desk, we were handed the keys to his suite.

We spent a day with reds and whites touring the beautiful region.  Afterward, still on a bit of a wine, chocolate and cheese high, we  lowered ourselves into one of Margret River’s remarkable caves – Mammouth Cave. Like something out of a sci-fi movie, we stepped into an underground world, a world where dripping water turns limestone rock into huge stalagmites that rise up from the ground and stunning stalactites that hang from the ceiling.

Three hours north of Margaret River we found ‘New England.’ Fremantle, referred to locally as “Freo,” could easily be picked up and moved to Rhode Island or Cape Cod. “Joe’s crab shack,” the weathered boardwalk, the ocean views and the string of ice cream huts around the harbor looked like they were from the seaside towns we left behind.

A thriving shipping port in the 1800s, Fremantle quickly grew in size and fresh water was a serious problem.  The solution came with the discovery of a reservoir deep below the local prison.  The inmates were forced to burrow through hundreds of thousands of tons of limestone in heavy shackles and weak pic-axes.  Some of England’s most hardened criminals were shipped in for reinforcement.  We put on our helmets and turned on our head lamps before descending 100 feet down a ladder to explore the labyrinth of tunnels and dark passageways carved by the prisoners. For two hours, while on the prison’s Tunnel Tour, we had a glimpse into the grueling life of a Fremantle prisoner.

Above ground, our eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight, and just in time for an evening in Perth with the Jersey Boys.  Frankie Valli’s hits were still playing in our heads the next morning when we left the “big” city and headed north to Exmouth.  We took what could have been a scenic flight along Australia’s west coast as the pilot of our small prop plane positioned us perfectly over the Monkey Mia Marine Reserve and stunning red earth.

We’ve all heard the saying ‘a one stop light town’, I can’t remember even seeing a stop sign. In a town where population figures change significantly with the arrival and departure of an airplane, it may come as a surprise to hear that 60,000 travelers visit Exmouth each year. They come in droves, researchers, adventure seekers, families and the like and they are all here for one reason – sharks. Ningaloo Reef lies just off the coast of Exmouth, and for three months every  year, the reef is home to whale sharks.  With mannerisms that resemble more whale than shark, these majestic giants of the deep sea, glide through water expending little effort, feeding on plankton (not humans) and we had this rare opportunity to swim along side them.

With a spotter plane hard at work, the crew briefed us on the safety instructions.  1. Keep a safe distance from the whale sharks 2. Do not attempt to ride the whale sharks; I’ve seen more rules posted next to a jacuzzi. The call came in, a confirmed whale shark sighting not more than 10 minutes away.  We assumed dive position and on command dove off the back of the boat into the shark infested waters of the Indian ocean. Sitting in the path of the Leeuwin current, the water was nearly 10 degrees warmer than it was along the coast making it the perfect playground for marine life. We put our faces down and there it was.  A 19 foot giant. Swimming along side this magnificent creature was remarkable and 3 weeks later the thrill hasn’t worn off.  Our aquatic day also included views of breaching humpbacks, killer whales, dolphins and during one of our whale shark swims an unexpected visit by a bull shark (which our guide kept quiet until we were out of the water).

Exmouth was our first trip into the Australian outback.  Ruled by kangaroos and completely untouched, every view was breathtaking.  As the sun set on our incredible journey, it was clear we have only scratched the surface of this beautiful country.