Anticlockwise: Ningaloo and the NW Coast

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We popped out on the Coral Coast at Exmouth and the North West Cape. I very different sort of town, originally built to support the defence installations, its now part oil town, part tourism and of course part defence. Camping under the Lighthouse we had an interesting view toward the huge aerials, and a huge stretch of Ningaloo Reef at our doorstep.
My first surf since the Sunshine Coast was is pumping waves at Dunes. A fast barreling left on a building swell was a heap of fun - until my last wave and my lack of surf fitness almost put me out of action. Pulling in a fast backhand barrel and my position was wrong and the lip landed on my head, instantly I felt a twang in my hamstring and I was left hobbling for days. Thankfully I was still able to surf the rights, albeit gingerly. Its a wild coast but the snorkelling off the beach is unbeatable.
Heading down to Coral Bay we enjoyed an awesome snorkelling cruise on a sailing catamaran. I have now recovered from my phobia of sailing catamarans and coral reefs and this one expertly avoided getting wrecked on the reef.
At Carnarvon we turned back north toward a less visited part of Ningaloo, Quobba and Gnaraloo are home to some of the most legendary surf breaks in Australia. Its an intimidating coastline, extremely remote with big powerful waves and an ocean full of creatures great and small. I had a few surfs at Red Bluff and 3 Mile as my hamstring slowly recovered. But when the swell peaked with triple overhead sets sweeping down the reef I realised that I was not up for that just yet.