Rottnest Island - off the coast of Western Australia

Lots of Dutch influence on this side of Australia as a number of vessels came across these shores in the 17th Century. Willem de Vlamingh named the island Rotte nest ( Rat's nest ) having seen what he thought were very large rats at the time but which were actually marsupials called a quokkas.

This is one of the few places that you will see Quokkas and this is what they look like.

The island is about 18 kms off the coast and the ferry journey takes you down the Swan River and past Fremantle Port to the open sea. The Ferry ticket offers you  the hire of bicycles for the day. Its the best way to get around the island.We came into the Island Jetty and headed off towards the furthermost point of the island - the West End - where we were hoping to see New Zealand Fur Seals. Along the way we stopped at coves and beaches, explored the bush land and raced each other. I came in second each time, on gentle undulating roads filled with bikers of all ages.

Arriving at West End we were not disappointed with the views of from Cathedral Rocks and and Eagle Bay. This is the exposed side of the island and the waves came crashing down on the rocks.

In amongst the bushes the King Skink which is special to the island.

The best bit of all was catching the fur seals playing. There was a whole group of them playing by a shallow shelf in the ocean below. Sadly my zoom cannot do justice to these magnificent creatures so they are nothing more than black specks here but we stood and watched them for a long time. They seemed like they were having the best time, rolling in the surf by the shelf and then pirouetting and diving with their flippers in the air, lying on their belly and giving themselves a good scratch under their armpits. A strange mix of loutish man behaviour mixed with ballets rhythms and delicate moves.

 This is a close up of these wonderful lumbering and limbering creatures. This one is winking at us.

Returning to the settlement in the evening to catch the ferry back we were given a right talking to by this island crow who had a very interesting beard and was as vocal as ever. He wanted a piece of our sandwich but we were too famished to share.