Hi everyone, I hope you and yours are doing well.
In truth I have struggled to know where to begin with this post or in fact even to write it. But life is not always beautiful. And sometimes we need to highlight what is going on in our world on planet earth.
But first to backtrack slightly - Last month I started sharing our recent 3 week caravanning trip up along Western Australia's stunning Coral Coast - re exploring Coral Bay, Exmouth, the Ningaloo Reef, Monkey Mia and Shark Bay, and a place new to us - Bullara Station Stay on Exmouth Gulf.
Here is a map to orientate yourself -
This is what Tourism Western Australia says about the Ningaloo Reef - Discover a colourful universe of coral gardens and ocean life beneath the crystal-clear waters of World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu). Dive, snorkel or swim Australia’s largest fringing reef as whale sharks, humpback whales and manta rays glide past in a once-in-a-life-time experience.
ps - the photo above is actually two photos I have put together - the swimmers is one, and the fish another. I don't do much of this - but this one worked!
Visiting the Ningaloo Reef is truly an incredible experience. We have visited many times in the past, the first being way back in 1986 in our little second-hand caravan with our two young children.
Back then we virtually parked our caravan just beyond the beach, only a few steps from the water. But over the years Coral Bay has become busier and busier with more and more tourists, more caravan parks, more accommodation options, more boats, more fishing, more tours, more tourism, more infrastructure. Sadly I think they have become a victim of their popularity - in short over-tourism. But of course tourism businesses need tourists to survive. I get it.
With blue water, white sand, and safe swimming for children - and snorkelling over the coral just metres from the beach - who could resist.
We also rented our friends house a couple of times at Coral Bay and took our boat so we could go fishing and snorkelling further out. If you are fishing you need to be aware of the sanctuary zones where fishing is not allowed.
About a 12 hour drive from Perth, Coral Bay's beach is sheltered by the bay and a fringing reef - the World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef.
You only have to swim out a few metres from the shore to see the coral and fish. So beautiful. These are some photos I took back in 2012.
However - For those who think climate change is a myth, I now fast forward to 2025 - see the images below of what we saw - devastating coral bleaching caused by an extended marine heatwave the end of 2024/early 2025 and a weather event that caused the yearly coral spawn to blow up onto the beach instead of attaching to the coral. They say it will take years for the reef to recover - and only if another marine heatwave does not occur.
I was absolutely devastated to see the result. Bleached, dead, broken coral with a few small fish nibbling on the dead coral. Sorry about the rather indistinct photos - the water was not very clear, seeming to be filled with chalky powdered coral.
Compare these to the photos I took in 2016 - Coral Bay- Another Day in Paradise
Our son still enjoyed snorkelling in the shallows along the beach where small fish and spangled snapper swim up and down. They do a fish feeding along there a couple of times a week.
On the radio this last week I heard that the marine heatwave has started again along Western Australia's Coral Coast, and that is why I have decided to write this post.
The marine heatwave is an obvious example of global warming. It is not a fallacy - it is real and it is right here and now. We can see it everywhere with trees dying, less rain, hotter temperatures, more bush fires, droughts, catastrophic floods, more destructive deadly weather events, and yes - dead coral in previously pristine marine environments.
It is not me that is saying this - Here is a link to a post from the Australian Institute of Marine Science - Worst bleaching event on record. And there are other similar posts if you care to look on the internet.
The 2024/25 marine heatwave that brought heat stress to coral reefs off the Western Australian coast was the longest, largest and most intense on record for the state, resulting in the most widespread coral bleaching event ever recorded for WA, scientists and managers say. - Australian Institute of Marine Science.
It seems that for visitors to Coral Bay today, the only way you can see live coral is to go further out on a boat tour. There are many reputable tour companies that will take you on boat tour where you can snorkel or dive with the whale sharks and manta-rays. Ningaloo Visitor Centre
It is not all bad news -
Update - 26 October - We caught up with friends today who have been to Coral Bay many times and take their kayaks. They paddling in their kayaks further off the beach and said there was lots of coral - as good as it always had been. There are mooring boys to tie your kayak to. You can hire a kayak from the kiosk at the beach at Coral Bay, and we were thinking of doing that - perhaps if we had stayed longer. Or you can join kayak tour. Next time.....
We were fortunate to be directed to a beach - Five Finger Reef - a few kilometres south from Coral Bay township where we did see live coral just a few metres off shore. But you do need a 4WD to get there as the sand track is quite rough and boggy - particularly in tourist season.
It was worth the drive. The coral, just a short swim off the beach, was magical. Lots of fish - I loved the little blue ones - and I was so excited to see a turtle! He was undisturbed by us as he nibbled way at his lunch. Magical. This is the Coral Bay that I have always loved. It stills exists but you have to go further to find it.
The Ningaloo Coast is recognised as one of the world's most important nesting grounds for both green and loggerhead turtles.
We spent four nights in the caravan park in Coral Bay, walked along the beach, snorkelled, bought cream donuts from the bakery - a must - and on the last night ate fish and chips while watching the sunset. Coral Bay and the Ningaloo Reef can be and still is magical. I do fear however for its long term survival in the face of global warming and over tourism.
Next time we will continue our journey along the Coral Coast to Exmouth and more from the Ningaloo Reef.
I hope you have enjoyed - and learnt - something from my recent travels to Coral Bay. We need to protect our most precious resources.
By the way - the camera I used for these photos is a waterproof, shock proof, Olympus Tough TG-6 - a great little go anywhere camera. It is waterproof to 50 feet, and you can get a waterproof housing for deeper depths to 150 feet. There is now a newer TG-7 on the market.
Life in Beach in Western Australia - 2013
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