We both had no problems getting up this morning in time for the dolphin experience as we went to sleep early last night. How lucky were we to experience them for a second time. This time we both chose to watch from the pier as neither of us wanted to get our feet wet and sandy and you get a good (and different) vantage point from above.
This morning one of the dolphins was waiting for her fish and she was soon joined by another female and both their calves.
It was wonderful to be able to watch the calves play right next to where we were standing and we were able to get some good photos.
The excitement for the day was that my jumper fell off my arm as I was juggling my camera, iPhone, handbag and jumper - and into the water below. The calves showed interest, swimming in circles around it and I wished one could have lifted it on its nose and brought it to shore. I thought I wouldn't get it back as neither Gadi or I would have jumped in, but a kindly older English gentleman stripped down and actually swam out to retrieve it. The crowd clapped his efforts, and after he dried off and got dressed him I bought him and his wife a coffee as a small token of my thanks. I chatted to them for a bit before returning to the caravan to eat breakfast and head off.
By 9.30am we were on our way, stopping first at Little Lagoon to have a look at the perfectly formed lagoon that has a little creek that heads out to sea. The water was much warmer in the lagoon than the ocean. Next we headed into Denham to the visitor centre before checking out the pretty beach front and aqua clear water dotted with sail boats.
On our way out of the Shark Bay peninsula we stopped at Eagle Bluff to check out the limestone cliff top board walk high above the crystal clear green waters. The only marine life we saw were a couple of small sharks in the shallows. If you are lucky you can also see whales, dolphins, manta and sting rays as well as a variety of sharks.
We continued driving for a few hours, and as we got further south I suddenly noticed a dramatic change in the scenery out the window. We had gone from flat, red expanses of earth, with occasional clumps of shrubs to progressively green irrigated fields and wheat crops, gentle undulating farmland and trees. We were most definitely out of the Pilbara and it really felt like we were in a totally different part of the world.
As we'd eaten only fruit and crackers for lunch, when we arrived at our chosen rest stop for the night around 4pm we were quite hungry and enjoyed a plate of cheese, olives, pickles, tomatoes and cucumbers to nibble on along with some lovely, raisiny sweet Victorian Tokay.
We enjoyed the last rays of the sunshine as we sat outside and then, well sated, we moved inside as one of our neighbours turned in their generator (our pet hate!) and we watched an episode of Breaking Bad before cooking pasta for dinner.
Tomorrow we head to Kalbarri - only a short drive from here.
Good night from this WA rest area xx