Around Australia Travelog

Tasmania - the last frontier. At least that how this island south of the Australian mainland with its rugged beauty, stunning beaches and difficult to explore wilderness felt to us.

When I first came to Australia, almost 20 years ago, my then-boyfriend (now husband and trusted dive buddy) had a poster hanging in the bathroom depicting what I thought was a fantasy creature.

Esperance, Western Australia, the 2nd of January - this was going to be the first dive of the new year for me.

Although I am not a mad keen wreck diver, I was very much looking forward to diving the HMAS Swan out of Dunsborough with Cape Dive.

As I entered the water with a giant stride, the cool water trickled down my back. Normally this would bother me, but after walking down the whole of Busselton Jetty with a trolley filled with my dive gear in it was a welcome reprieve.

Traveling further down the West Coast of Australia, we noticed the weather changing and temperatures dropping.

Most divers use Geraldton as a stepping stone to reach the famous islands and reefs of the Houtman Abrolhos.

On one day, late October, I was booked on with Ningaloo Reef Dive, Coral Bay, Western Australia for a day of diving Ningaloo Reef and snorkelling with Manta Rays.

On several web sites it is claimed to be in The Top 10 Dive Sites around Australia" and "one of the Top Ten Pier Dives in the world".

Ningaloo Reef - located about 1200 km north of Perth - is maybe most famous for the Whale Sharks encounters happening between March and July each year when those giant Elasmobranchs aggregate here.