GLORIES AROUND MONKEY MIA

From experience we have learned to set up accommodation for our van somewhere central and drive to the various points of interest, and to this end we went to Hamelin Pool C/Park, just in from the turnoff to the Peninsula.
Situated at the now closed Telegraph Station and rusting away, the reception office contained a lot of clothing and nick knacks for sale plus a kiosk.
That afternoon we trecked off to the beach, firstly viewing the tiny shells on the beach moulded solidly together by a mixture of lime and water (coquina) and we learned that the early settlers, having a great shortage of wood for building, used crosscut saws to cut the coquina into blocks to construct many buildings including homesteads and churches - a brilliant use of natural product.
Continuing along the beach we came to the jetty out over the stromatolites or living fossils, and marvelled as their bubbles rose in the water.
The next day we headed off to Monkey Mia and were rewarded within 10 minutes by fins knifing through the water to the beach as the ranger talked about their habits and ways. Approximately 7 came, some were mothers and calves who frolicked and played while waiting.  Others were pregnant, they do not feed on the proferred fish in case it may be contaminated and threaten their unborn.
I was interested to learn that the aborigines called pearl divers 'Monkeys' and 'Mia' means home, hence 'Monkey Mia' - Monkey's Home.
It rained while we were at Monkey Mia the first rain we have experienced since leaving Mackay.
On our return journey we explored and marvelled at the beautiful rugged coastline including Little Lagoon, Shark Bay the lovely township of Denham, Eagle Bluff, Eagle Island, and the fantastic shell beach an extension of the coastline from Hamelin. The statistic is that over all it stretches for over 120 klms of coast is 1klm wide and estimated to be over 10 metres deep, made up of trillions upon trillions of tiny shells.  Detouring off the road to all these fantastic bays, the photos barely do justice to their beauty.
Shark Bay comprises 748,735 hectares, 1500 klms coastline-the largest marine embayment in Australia, containing, sharks, manta rays, dugongs, turtles, sea snakes, scallops, prawns, crabs, dolphins, and many more I disremember.  There were red sea cliffs, white sandy beaches and turquoise waters.
Next Stop Kalbarri !