We were up early for the feeding of the dolphins at 7.45. On top of that deadline, we had to have our camper packed up, as the only spot we could get for the second night at Monkey Mia was a different site. So therefore this qualifies as our shortest trip at 50 metres. We were in time for the dolphin feed, and true to form, I got selected to feed a dolphin. As I did it eight years ago, I sent Phoebe out. Sadly our dolphin was a fusspot and wouldn't take the fish. The next lady had the same result, so the Ranger gave up trying to feed it. It was a little disappointing for Phoebe, but she got to see the dolphin at very close range.
They only feed the females now. The males used to get feed, but as they were aggressive towards the feeders and the females the Rangers stopped their food supply. They soon got the message and gave up trying. Post dolphin feeding, Justin moved the rig to our new campsite, then came back in time for our sailing trip. The boats are mostly catamarans here as the bay is so shallow.
This is Monkey Mia from the water. We motored and sailed for almost an hour, then saw our first dugong. The population here in Shark Bay is growing unlike in other parts of the world. The shallow waters have ideal conditions for the sea grass that the dugongs feed on exclusively. They have exceptionally long intestines to break down the cellulose in the sea grass. They are shy animals, needing to breathe around every 7 minutes, which gives you a chance to spot one as is surfaces to breathe. The below picture is the best I could get. They do look funny.
We ate lunch on the common, then hired what I called a water took-took. They looked a bit like sea golf buggies. We saw almost no fish through the glass bottom, but it was heaps of fun. Phoebe drove in hers and Georgina had a drive of the other one. Justin and Phoebe's almost ran out of batteries before they reached the shore.
We rushed back to the tent and got warm gear on for the sunset segment of our boat trip. We met a nice Scottish couple that are immigrating to Perth sometime in the next four years. I envied them heading north to Coral Bay from Monkey Mia. We will be in Melbourne in a week. I am looking forward to being home again, as well as the next time we can holiday in these parts.
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