Geo field attire

Josh has shunned conventional wisdom and developed his own style if field attire. It includes Dunlop volleys instead of hiking boots and gators. Hard core or super silly? You can decide. 

New friends come to visit

Ashlie's professor ( martin )has come to spend a few days with us. He brought along Josh and Erica with him who have been doing field work farther west. We had a huge day today walking in the dome. We arrived back in camp just before dark with fried brains and bodies. Here is a photo of the visitors enjoying to comforts of Club Coates. 

S'mores

They're a party in your mouth!!

Choc wheaten biscuit, marshmallow melted on the fire, & chocolate. 

Chair envy?

I left Sydney thinking we'd be roughing it in the Pilbara....

Mountain bike Pilbara style

Ashlie battles riding the sandy tracks.

Ashlie the Geologist playing in the rocks

Ash got her teeth into the first real field work yesterday as we tracked across the Rocklea Dome for the first time. Lisa's landcruiser was also put to the test in some decent Offroad tests

Camp Coates

Here's a photo of Camp Coates in the Pilbara. We are very comfortable. Solar power, hot shower, coffee machine etc in true club Coates style

Ashlie in the morning

Too many longnecks? Ash struggles to get out of her warm swag

The track to Camp

Here is a short clip of the road into our camp site. Definitely dry use only

Beasley River 4WD

Here is a short clip of us climbing out of the Beasley River bed

First day in the field

Ash and I did our first day in the field today. We basically circumnavigated the Rocklea dome area that Ashlie has to map. It is 15kms x 15kms. It took us 6 hours in the 4WD. No idea how we are going to get a result in a little over a month. 

We met one of the station stockmen today. His name was Peter and he was a classic old aboriginal bushie. He told us where he was setting dingo traps and said he would see us round. We also met 2 prospectors. They showed ash their gold. One of them told us where his house was in Tom Price and said we could go there and do our washing and stay. He told us where the key was in case he wasn't home. Nice blokes. 

 We finished the day tired and dry. Nothing a cold beer and a shower didn't fix. 

We also found some water in the Beasley river. We might go for a swim one day. 

Swag under the stars

Not sure why we bought the camper?

Housewarming Beers

First Pilbara sunset

Off into the sticks

The camper was straining at the seams thismorning as we loaded up in Tom Price with a weeks worth of food and water. If it rains out there it will have to last a lot longer. 

Interview with our Geo

Here is a short clip of ashlie talking about her first impressions of the survey site

4WD Pilbara

Here is a short clip of crossing a dry riverbed with the camper in tow

L Plate Extreme Sand Driving

Alex is getting her log book hours up in a very unconventional way. I know this video is now out of sync with our trip but I have only just been able to post it

Ash & Mike head for the hills

The hamersly ranges was our destination. The site of the rocklea dome, which is the geological formation that Ashlie is doing her honours thesis on. We packed up at exmouth and headed east towards the project site. We are in a bush camp around 50kms from our ultimate destination and home for about 5 weeks. Tomorrow we meet with a nearby station manager who is going to show us around the area.

We came across some broken down grey nomads during the day. Dad would have been proud if me as I managed to doctor their vehicle enough to get them the 200 kms to Tom price. I find it incomprehensible that people travel out here with no mechanical knowledge or tools. 

We have a lovely camp and a fire thanks to an early roadside firewood hunt. 

Can you see ashlie doing burpees.

I had a great dinner of fresh trevalea caught last night by our next door neighbor. YUM. Ashlie had a mushroom and an onion. Hmmm

Our camp at the Beasley river. Unfortunately there was no river. 

The Girls return home

It was pretty sad to farewell Lisa and Alexandra today as they headed back to the east. Alexandra has to get back to hsc studies. We had a great 10 days together. 

Ashlie and I head off inland towards Tom Price today. Our next big adventure is about to begin. Thismorning we will shop for 3 days in the bush/ desert. I'm a bit excited !!

Naughty girls at Ningaloo

What are these two coatesy's up to?

Mikey found a new toy

I reckon I need one of these. 

A day off in Exmouth

First up a little sleep in. In my swag.

Then an afternoon bike ride before beer o'clock

Swimming with the Whale Sharks

Yesterday we all had the privilege of spending the day swimming with Whale Sharks off the WA coast at Ningaloo reef. We had an amazing experience and actually got to interact with 6 different Sharks throughout the day. The girls also spotted a 4m hammerhead shark prowling close by as we all bobbed around in the Indian Ocean. Its one of those activities that if you stopped to think too much about what you were actually doing, you probably wouldn't do it. Anyway we all survived with our limbs intact and its an experience that we will talk about for the rest of our lives. Yes it was that good.

Ash & Mikey posing with a Bigun

They really are that good

We weren't the only hangers on

A spinner Dolphin. We were lucky enough to see a pod of around 300 Dolphins. They played around our boat for about half an hour, showing off their acrobatic skills

The Coatesy's all at Sea on Ningaloo Reef WA

Exmouth campsite-warm weather

On the road to Exmouth

Termite mounds

Denham to Carnarvon - time to move on

It was with a touch of sadness that we packed up this morning because we had to leave our old new friends at the Van park at Dunham. We have had a lovely few days and we just seemed to slot in nicely with all of the oldies that spend there winter months in Denham escaping the cold. Our next door neighbours have been coming to the same spot in the park fir 40 years. The girls were firm favourites around camp , especially Alexandra who just seems to mesmerise the oldies with her intelligence, friendliness and spunk.
Lisa and I went for a last walk on the beach before packing up and heading off. It was an easy 350 km run to carnarvon where we checked into a campground with a bowls green. We were lucky enough to arrive on BBQ night where the whole campground gets together for a drink and a feed. We made some lovely new friends " Barry and Cheryl " from busselton WA.
Tomorrow we he'd for Exmouth for our date with the whale sharks.

Denham morning

Shell Beach

Denham - Monkey Mia

Denham Main beach


Alexandra is getting some extreme "L" plater experience


Cape Peron National Park











- Posted by mikey & my iPhone

Location:Knight Terrace,Shark Bay,Australia