Coogee

In a recently published list of the 20 best beaches in Australia, Misery Beach near Albany came first. The only other one in WA (at number 14, I think) was Coogee which is where I am now.  I’m staying in a small (very small) cabin in Coogee Beach Holiday Park. Next door is a young man, evidently here for some time, with a top-of-the-range bike, a surfboard and a portable gas cooker on which he produces healthy stir-fries. He is also a technology whizz and soon put me right about the intermittent wi-fi, showing me how to make my iPhone into a hotspot to link up to my laptop.

Most of the other residents of this place are grey nomads in caravans. They gather in the late afternoon under shady trees to swap drinks, nibbles and stories about their travels. This goes on for hours until darkness forces them inside and someone has to cook dinner. For myself, I brought with me a casserole of lamb shanks and Puy lentils which just needed a few minutes in the microwave.

The real reason for my trip was to go snorkelling at the Omeo Wreck, about 10 minutes walk up the beach. Last weekend the Nats Club had organised a trip to the wreck, but Sunday is not a good day as it’s like Piccadilly Circus out there. Everyone was milling around, stirring up sediment, learning how to snorkel and generally getting in the way! So, my plan was to be up early and get there before the crowds. I was surprised to find I had slept (with earplugs) till 7.00 am. When I looked out of the window, a woman from a neighbouring caravan was doing her ironing outside! 

After a quick cup of tea, I was on my way up the beach. Today there were only about 8 or 9 people snorkelling and 100% more fish swimming around the wreck. There were many different types of fish. On Sunday, the Nats had with them a handy chart to identify fish and I should think I saw most of those on the first page. I watched a couple of fish opening their big lips to feed off the weed surrounding the rusty ironwork of the wreck, then spit out what was unpalatable. I saw shoals of small silver fish darting in and out and two big black ones sliding away. I needed that chart! On Sunday, we saw a red-lipped Morwong, but he wasn’t there today. I stayed out for at least 45 minutes. It was a very calm morning and my tight short wetsuit kept me warm enough. I just had to keep my eye on the sunrise to see which direction I was floating in. It was a very successful expedition, I thought.