July 8: Bye-Bye Coral Bay
Leaving the coastal settlement of Coral Bay in my rear view mirror this morning, I reflected on how fortunate I was to have lost my reservation in Exmouth, spurring me to look for an alternative place to swim with the sea creatures on the Ningaloo Reef. When it comes to road trips, I’m much more of a small-town person and this little tropical hamlet just 1200 kilometers north of Perth fit the bill in all senses of the word.
The population of Coral Bay was last counted as 207 people and the town itself is essentially one main street. From my lodging at the Ningaloo Reef Backpackers Club at one end of the street, I was just steps away from the sand dunes, three outstanding restaurants, both tour companies that I booked packages with, and the shopping arcade, making it possible for me to park my bike for two days and walk around in my flip flops and shorts.
Although its size is small, the place offers everything you might need on a beach vacation – a gas pump open 24 hours a day, a family-owned business selling homemade ice cream, a bakery with delectable breakfast and snack items, a grocery store with all the essentials, a souvenir shop, and several companies offering adventures at sea.
My meal two nights ago at Bill’s Bar was so good I surreptitiously used my finger to clean my plate and almost went as far as licking my knife before deciding I had to draw the line somewhere. The fresh Goldband Snapper was moist and tender, and the sumac and quinoa crust added a welcome crunch to each bite. The accompanying broccolini, grape tomatoes, tapenade, spring onion, crispy leaks, roasted baby carrots, lemon, and a dill cauliflower puree created a flavor explosion in my mouth so exceptional that I went back last night for the same meal.
Today’s ride north and east, mostly along highway 1, was rather uneventful and peaceful. There were some stretches with strong cross winds and few fuel options. But I managed to coast into the Nanutarra Roadhouse about halfway through the ride, getting enough gas to make it to Karratha for the evening.
The landscape continued to be rather arid, with gorgeous sandy orange colored dirt, desert trees and shrubs, and a bright blue sky up above. I passed dozens of signs warning motorists “Road subject to flooding – indicators show depth” accompanied by vertical measuring posts marked off up to two meters! I counted my blessings I was not attempting this ride during the rainy season. What a great day on the road!
