Dear Mammy,
How are you? I am fine. I got your package with the Tayto and the tea bags, thanks, I was only hanging for a Tayto sandwich!
Last week I was in Coral Bay - also known as the real life Summer Bay! I didn’t find Alf Stewart but I did find a lady who was the very embodiment of Irene - well impressed!
Unfortunately I’ve not been great at taking pictures, mainly because I keep forgetting to take my camera, but I’ll try to do better. I did manage to get some nice sunset ones so I’ll be sure and post those on my FaceAche account.
Coral Bay was absolutely paradise so I’m glad I left - I could very easily have had a very different letter to you if I’d stayed a day longer (along the lines of “Mammy I love you but I’m never coming home”). Breathe easy, that’s not going to happen just yet!
The main focus of my week was snorkelling and other water / beach based activities because, well, there isn’t really much else to do, Coral Bay is literally one street!
On the Monday of my stay I did an eco tour with Coral Bay EcoTours which absolutely blew my mind. We did three snorkel sessions in total and were on the boat for about 5 hours. In that time I got to swim with actual real life manta rays!! I did have a bit of a scare when one decided to swim at me with his mouth open but once I’d established that I was too big to fit in there I relaxed. I saw a shark too! It was only a nurse shark which are harmless apparently, but I still swam off the other direction (just in case). “Jaws” has a lot to answer for… I saw plenty of sea turtles too (the ones from “Finding Nemo” hehe).
Ironically with all the reef sharks, and manta rays and what not, the scariest thing I encountered were these like, super-aggressive snapper. I’m not joking, these were MEAN. One day I was out snorkelling when the American girl I was with told me to look behind me. Lo and behold, I had a little entourage of snapper swimming after me. I think the fat b*stards thought I was going to feed them. They’re bloody lucky I didn’t take a bite out of them. I found out later that all the tour operators feed them (mainly as all the people are getting into the water) so they get all excited when they see people haha!
Apart from that, I did do some socialising in Coral Bay, might maybe have had a little sherry one of the days…! I met lots of Irish people there which was odd given that it’s such a small town. Of course I met a few Ozzies as well.
One of the funniest nights (which I probably shouldn’t tell you about but sure feck it, the wooden spoon is in Ireland…) was when I met James and Chris. They’re two young lads from Perth who were up for a holiday. Funny out I tell ya! After we’d been, uh, playing pool, ahem… in the hostel, the lads decided they were going on an adventure so of course, never one to be left out, I had to go with them. What I realised later was that this adventure involved letting the air out of their tyres on their truck thing (they call them “ute”s here - sounds like yooot) they proceeded to go flying off down this 4WD track to the beach. It was fun but I was very very happy to have a seat belt. I promised I’d look them up if I ever get back to Perth.
Another night I went off down to find a beach party with Wendy (from Tallaght) and her fella Chris (they’re all called Chris or James / Jamie I’ve decided) we had to stop by the closed bakery. Except it wasn’t closed. Apparently the bakery does a very lucrative line in after hours pies. I nearly died laughing. In Ireland when you go to a party you try to get more booze, in Coral Bay you barter your soul for an illicit after hours pie. I suppose that’s just how they, ah, roll…
On my last day in Coral Bay I did lots of walking and eventually found the shark nursery. That was very scary - you stand on the beach and look into the water (about 3 feet in front of you) and you’ll see anywhere between 15 and 30 sharks in the water! It’s ok though because they’re reef sharks and not bothered with people but still - aaargh! Needless to say I had to wade in up to my ankles (very very briefly I might add) but how many people can say they’ve stood in shark infested waters?? I know one at least…
So that’s it really. I was very sad to leave Coral Bay but I was super excited to be moving on to Broome because I’d heard so much about it. I took the bus with 2 Irish girls and a Kiwi girl that I’d met in Coral Bay so that was nice, to have someone to hang out with.
I’m in Broome now, and gearing up to go seeing all the sights. First stop? Sunset on the famous Cable Beach of course!
I’ll keep you posted on all the goings on (within reason of couse - Iloveyoumammy…)
Thanks again for the Tayto and the Barry’s tea bags. You wouldn’t do me a favour and send me over an old block of the Avonmore cheese would you? Mmmm….
Love you!
Your Daughter (the one who ran away)
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