nickyjohnt

Just wondered if anyone else had been to monkey mia ? We went there 2 years ago today, and have just been looking at the photos this morning ! Would definatley reccomend it even though its a hell of a long boring drive to get there ! Its beautiful, if you get to the beach early in the morning and stand up to your knees in the water lots of wild dophins will come in close enough for you to feed them some fish which is given to you by the wardens ! They only pick a few people and my sister was chosen, she then grabbed hold of my daughter and she got to feed them aswell. I have never seen her so happy. So to waffle on a bit but im off on one of my daydreams again !!!!!!! roll on next year.

BKate

Hi,

I went to Monkey Mia last August, loved it they've done a great job with the place, lovely restaurant on site. We went out to the pearl farm which was really interesting too. Stayed in Shark Bay but as it was a little out of season I got a bit bored with fishing and everything closed early. Next time would definitly stay at Monkey Mia, when I was there they were building a backpackers.

hevs

I think that they have spoilt it
I went there about 15 years ago, where it was just a beach and people feeding dolphins. Now its a tourism mecca where your lucky to elbow yourself a space between the masses of people and wardens. I was very dissapointed and won't be going back. You can see and swim with dolphins all over Australia in places where it doesn't feel "staged"
I'm ducking now

steandleigh

Hi Hevs,

where else is there in Oz to meet the dolphins? We are going far nth qld...any up there?

Would make my kids dreams come true, so am happy to do the distance if it means getting to an unstaged version.

Eek,eek - thats dolphin speak for thanks in advance.

hevs

eek eeekk eeeekk (done a search )

http://www.google.com.au/search?q=sw...cr%3DcountryAU

any use?

steandleigh

Nice one mate

'Just call me Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning......'



While we're on the subject of animals, when we went to Oz last summer, visited heaps of wildlife parks and zoos etc with the nippers and ive developed a real love of wombats. After speaking to the keepers, I know that you CAN tame them, to the point of them being almost a baby human, but do you know if it is possible or legal to keep one as a pet?

And yes i know they are enormous and very heavy ....but I WANT ONE!!!!!

( No, i'm not completely barking....just a tad. )

helinuk

any use? [/QUOTE]

We saw dolphins at Bunbury, Perth - they decided not to come up to the beach that day so a boat took us out by the harbour entrance and there they were rolling around and swimming around the boat, the kids loved it.

helinuk

We saw dolphins at Bunbury, Perth - they decided not to come up to the beach that day so a boat took us out by the harbour entrance and there they were rolling around and swimming around the boat, the kids loved it. [/QUOTE]

Ah hevs thx -even found a mention of Bunbury on your google

http://www.abc.net.au/southwestwa/stories/s1026632.htm

nickyjohnt

I didnt find it "staged at all" it was very early in the morning and only about 12 people with 2 wardens ! As these dolphins are wild sometimes they dont turn up at all so we were very lucky to see them !! please dont put a dampner on a very special day for us all !!! I found the beach fantastic and around the pier you could look over and see turtles swimming everywhere.

ABCDiamond

www.tangalooma.com
Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Island QLD

walaj

I did find it a bit staged, but then I prefer to see them in the natural environment eg whilst diving, but not everybody dives, and not every diver is that lucky - I was in Salcome diving last year and the dolphins stopped turning up at the bow of the boat the day I arrived

The place (monkey mia) is also research place, and I would strongly suggest going to one of the talks in the evening. They talked how naturally they would catch fish, and lo and behold the next day I see a fish closely followed by a dolphin going back and forth into shallower water by the shore Any closer and the dolphin would have ended up beached on the sand. That (for me) was a much better experience than passing a fish to a dolphin.

btw the fish won!

hevs

sorry i didn't mean to put a dampner on your day at all I was just pointing out that there are better places to see dolphins in the wild.
I'm glad that you had a special day, those memories will stay with you forever

Simone

There's two different points to think about when comparing 'old day' Monkey Mia, and present.

1. Tourism - there is MUCH more tourists in WA now, so you have to cater for them, and 'control' them. This means paying more, more accomodation etc

2. Environment/nature - they don't want the dolphins getting to 'tame' etc, so that's why the CALM rangers 'control' the situation. For example they only get fed in the morning, and you can't all go and pet them etc. This is also of course connected with more tourism...

Am 'official' link:
http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/national_p...a_reserve.html
There's also a 'Dolphin cam' (webcam)


Now, for some pics

First, me feeding/patting in 1988
(yes, that little 'un is me )

Simone

Here's a direct link to the Dolphin cam, it's only on on set times:
http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/webcams/dolphincam.html


Second pic:

2000 - Me, helping out with holding the fish bucket! Of course, I was very proud, but, I didn't get to touch a dolphin, only yucky fish

My tactic btw: spent ALL morning there, dolphins came several times, after one time I got talking to the ranger... I could remember some of the dolphins names, one she hadn't even 'experienced' herself, but she had heard of her! That was Holey Fin, she died 5 years earlier, by a stingray that went through her hart!!

The dolphin I helped feed was called Puck.

hevs

i've got pictures of me petting them too! but i was slightly longer in the tooth that you though (about 1989)

Now your not allowed near them. It does make me laugh when they go on about them being totally wild dolphins and don't want them to become to tame! Well hello, they only come in for food, reduce that, they won't come in any more Double edge sword and all of that.

Ps, we saw Puk in November and she had a wee baby.(sure it was puks anyway) All together now, ahhhhh