NORTHWEST AUSTRALIA - A Helicopter Diving Adventure

In our second of a two part series from Western Australia, we continue to travela northern route up the western coast along the Indian Ocean. The temperatures begin to heat up, the further north we travel. The coral coast is in the hot andarid tropics of Northwest Australia. In Geraldton, we join the Batavia Coast Dive Academy and board Australia's only amphibious rescue helicopter to fly 35 nautical miles (64.8 km) off shore to the famous Abrolhos Islands and dive its spectacular coral gardens which offers a home to a unique mix of tropical and temperate marine species. With warm southern flowing currents, it creates a marine environment that breeds both tropical and temperate sea life to thrive in an area they wouldn't normally be found.
Further Northward we visit Coral Bay - part of the famous Ningaloo reef - heralded as the most pristine reef system of Australia. The Ningaloo Marine Parkbegins about 62 miles (100 km) north of Perth. Our Northwest coast diving adventure finally culminates at Exmouth a town built by the United States Navy in the 1950's and home of the famous Navy pier. Here a mass spawning of more than 200 species of coral occurs in March and April each year and is part of a chain of biological events that herald the arrival of whale sharks. At Exmouth we also dive around the famous Muiron Islands a marine management park area. Sitback and watch this adventure unfold as we travel by camper van through the bushcountry of beautiful Northwest Australia.