Heading North Solo

Crikey Moses it has been a while since we did this, and now there is no we! Yep Sarah has set off on her new adventure leaving me to carry on solo for a little while until my mate flies in to carry on with me. (thats also why the spelling and grammer in this blog will be going downhill)

Sunset over Lucky Bay

So lets get the ball rolling, you last heard from us in Geraldton. Well we got the car serviced there and headed off late afternoon with Coronation beach in our sights. We spent a few nights here soaking up the sun, scenery and surf before heading north again to Lucky bay.

Well if you are ever looking for some free camping around Kalbarri then look no further than this place.

Amazing!

Sarah and I fell in love, the water is crystal clear, the reef is virtually tropical, it is teeming fish and corals and there are sand dunes for miles.

I went spear fishing every day, and of course I missed just about everything including big western lobsters, tusk fish, parrot and tailor. I had the same luck fishing, I was spooled (couldn’t stop a fish and it took all my fishing line), lost a mulloway in the shore break and was bitten off by numerous sharks.

Kalbarri was also great, amazing coastline; towering red cliffs drop into a deep blue Indian ocean. And to top off the scenery it boasts some amazing surf. 

Too fast for me on the log and my skill too limited on the twinnie for a wave like this. A bit el loco also for my likes but I spent ages watching and getting a few snaps, unfortunately most didn’t turn out too good. (this is the inside, out back was re-donk but all photos were way overexposed)

Heading north again brings us to Shark Bay, and believe me it truly deserves its name.

I finally land one! Probably the smallest one around judging by the shadows and runs.

The first thing we saw as we pulled into Denham was emus wondering the main street and park; Sarah was fascinated by them and spent the next day stalking them. 

When we opened the door in the morning this is the first thing we saw.

The first night we got there happened to be origin, so we watched a very delayed game in the Western most pub in Aus and stayed in the car just outside the pub (terrible idea).

We stuck around the area for a while to check out the national parks and get into some of the famous shark bay fishing. We stayed in Francis Perron N.P. where I hooked into tons of very big squid and also had some raging sessions of intense snapper and sweetlip fishing. Here is two days in Shark Bay from my 'captains log'

Trying to run down big bird

Sarah soaking up the last rays.

Obviously stoked to be in Sharkay 

Friday 26^th

I spent the day fishing, caught 4 nice flathead in the morning on plastics.  Another hot dry day with plenty of flies to keep you moving or in Sarahs case enclosed in a sarong. I blew up the boat and went fishing. Caught a few sweeties and cod. Had a trawl, picked up a few small barracuda. Chucked one on live and almost got spooled again before being reefed (big fish around these parts). That evening of fishing was the hottest of the trip so far; every cast was a pinkie or sweetlip. Biggest pinkie was 45cm but the limit in Shark Bay is 50cm, max is 70cm and 1 fish per person! Anyway, kept one very good sized sweetlip and a slightly smaller one for the belly.

Sunday 27^th

Fishing was on the agenda again. More flathead in the morning followed by another crazy squid session. Decided to try keep some squid live for fishing that evening. I filled the boat and released a few in there. After about an hour or so I noticed the boast was looking a little deflated and Sarah said the squid were bubbling. Yeah that was the boat. The little bastards had chewed holes in the sides. As it turns out they may have saved me from some toothy friends because at around 4:30 when I would have been having a fish in the boat I watched in aw as a 12foot tiger shark cruised through the beach in waist deep water. The fishing that night was hot again, apart from the fact that I couldn’t get a fish in as the sharks were too thick!

Shark bait!

Pinkie on 4lb

One of many many squid

After a few nights at this spot we moved on to another picturesque site, more fish were caught and I finally landed my first shark of the trip, not huge but huge fun on my old beach outfit.

Stopped in at a few more spots (ill let the pictures do the talking) and headed out of shark bay stopping by Hamelin Pool on the way out for the night and to check out the stromatalites (Google them if you are interested ). 

These ‘living rocks’ are amazing and date back thousands of years and helped pave the way for us by letting off oxygen into the earth then toxic atmosphere, really cool stuff!

And as I said at the top Sarah is now making her way to Canada. We said our goodbyes at the Overlander Roadhouse early Sunday morning and a big red bus took her on her 10-hour journey to Perth.

I have been left to fend for myself, the first day was very strange, I had to pullover numerous times to assess maps and work out what the hell I was doing and I missed plenty of turn offs and realised how lonely you are in this part of Australia.

Anyway that basically brings me here, Carnarvon. I am looking for work to fill in the time and help me get home… eventually. I have contacted Gnarloo Station and they sound keen for me to do some labouring as well as other odd jobs around the place so heres hoping I get to stay in their amazing part of the county for a few weeks. 

Guess what i'm going to be eating for a while

Hope everyone is well!

And I think Sarah is going to continue writing blogs from her Canadian adventure either under this one or a new blog under jacksarah. So keep an eye out for that. It will certainly be a contrast.

chicken?