Day 25
Yardie Homestead - Cape Range NP - Yardie Homestead
"all I know is that I'll meet you there, in the summertime, baby in the summertime - that's where I'll be...."
Loving these 30 degree days - they just keep on coming! It's the summer we didnt have back at home.
We left Yardie at 8am to spend the day in the Cape Range National Park. We drove to Mandu Mandu Gorge and did a 3k loop walk which took in the ridge of the gorge and the dry river bed floor. Glad we did this walk early - it was pretty hot by the end of it! Lots of great colours in the gorge walls - reds and greens contrasting against the cloudless blue sky.
We were all pretty hot and bothered by the end and hanging for a swim but we headed further South to Yardie Creek Gorge and walked the kilometre nature walk which is along the edge of the water filled gorge - very inviting to swim but once you were in it's a long swim out!
We then drove to Osprey Bay - it was time for a swim and snorkel. Saw a Stingray just off shore busily trying to hide itself in the sand from us - he failed though. Osprey was more of a meadow though that coral viewing place and so wasn't all that great for snorkeling. I gave it another go and headed further offshore. No better coral view though but I did see and chase a sea turtle for a bit and saw a huge parrot fish - the only noteables!
We had lunch at the waters edge and then drove up to Turquoise Bay for some familiar adventures. This place could never let you down - beautiful turquoise clear warm water and an abundance of corals and marine life . No sharks today but we saw sting rays, sea cucumbers, fish of all shapes, sizes, colours and appeal!!
Kids were hanging to see a turtle - and I literally swam Cobey all over the bay at Turquoise but to no avail :(
We returned to Yardie, salt encrusted and sunned out, dodging another gaggle of kangaroos that lined our road home. Apparently we've now seen 71 Roos since we drove from Exmouth! ( thanks Cayla!)
Tomorrow will be an early start and a long days' drive as we say goodbye to the coast and the sea for a while to head inland - towards Tom Price and the Karijini National Park in the Pilbara.