Spring was in the air in Exmouth, and what a wonderful time of year it was to be there. Most days a father Emu led his young brood through our campsite – seven stripey, fluffy, little chicks huddling next to the safety of his giant dinosaur-like feet!
Emu chicks
With turtle mating season in full swing, hundreds of green turtles dot the shallows. Some were even trying to mate precariously on the shoreline, with waves crashing over them. When you stop to think that all these turtles ran the gauntlet of predators to reach adulthood, roamed the oceans, then returned here to their place of birth, you can sense the privilege of witnessing this event.
Green turtles mating
Hundreds of turtles gather in the shallows
A SCUBA dive on the Navy Pier is always a “must-do” for us in Exmouth. This time, we had a close encounter with a local celebrity…. The BFG (Big Friendly Groper)! This enormous groper must be ancient, as he dwarves the other gropers, and even the divers. He hung mid-water at the centre of the pier, as if watching over the place, whilst thousands of schooling fish swirled around the pylons. He definitely gave us the feeling he was the boss down there.
Massive Groper at Navy Pier
Exmouth is a remarkable place, where arid land with sprawling cities of termite mounds meets an ocean full of life. There is no doubt that we’ll be back here every chance we can get to explore what’s above and below the water.
A sandy spit, Ningaloo Reef
Aerial view of land meeting water, Ningaloo Reef
Thanks again to Dive Ningaloo for the excellent dives, and RAC Exmouth Cape Holiday Park, our home for the week.
Photos by Scott Portelli & Rosie Leaney, using Olympus OMD cameras, and Mavic2Pro drone.