Monkey MIa is the place to go to see dolphins close up. It's a bit. commercialised and set up for it as they come into the bay daily to look at humans. And there is an attached resort now but it's supposed to be a good place to see them close up.
But it's on the end of a peninsula that's a bit like a little finger sticking off the left side of AustrIalia. Steep Point is it here too - the most westerly point of the Australian mainland but 4AD only. I have been very tempted to ride out there but checking around with locals and the concensus is that the sand at the most remote end - the further end - is too deep and boggy and I would not get up the sandhills. Disappointing but particulartly in the wake of my recent medical problems, I've listened and decided that a trying solo trip out to such a remote , place would be foolhardy. So I'm not going and will leave it for another time.
Dirk Hartog Island is out that way too. A pristine island named after a Dutchman who was the first person to land on
mainand Australia back in 1616. They've been doing a feral clean up out there - culling rats, feral cars and foxes, all introduced creatures which have decimated native wildlife. Then they will use the place as a breeding ground for local native stuff to introduce back to the mainland.
It always makes me smile though when they go on about introduced European species and the need to get rid if it and re establish native things .... the whole of Australia is built on introduced Europen stuff which is why it exists. Crops, domestic animals lifestyle, culture and of course people. The irony is palpable; Australia is a land of boat people - convicts , explorers, free settlers, developers and it continues today. But they do like to pick and choose when it comes to what - or who - belongs and what or who does not. Amusing.
But back to the dolphins. It's a long ride up there just to see some big fish. I didn't bother with the early morning commercial business and just turned up early afternoon and went for a walk on the beach. I was on my own and immediately I saw a big shape just off the shore, about 200 m from where I'd left Gerty. A dolphin! I couldn't believe my luck. So I stood on the edge of the water and it came up to me and stuck it's head out of the water and looked at me, probably scoping what offerings I may have brought. Then two more appeared and two more. they were just there looking at me, beautiful creatures all glistening and smooth. Fantastic.
I expected them to disappear as soon as they realised I had nothing for them, but they staye. Then the fist one started chattng, that clicking noise that Flipper always made. Might have been swearing of shouting at me for all I knew but it was definitely aimed at me because I was the only one there .
But then the best bit was they started to play. The original one came right up to the shore and rolled on his back in the sand and wriggled, rubbed his back and began chattng. Two stayed a bit further out just hovering in the water while two more swam in small circles, arching their backs and slipping in and out of the water. This went in for a few minutes before they all slipped off together out to deeper water.
That really made my day. I've seen dolphins before but never so close and never where they're clearly aware of me and are as interested in me as I am in them.
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