Exotic Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island - a very unflattering name, don't you think? The little guy pictured here is to blame. Quokkas, which are small marsupials, were originally mistaken for large rats by the Dutch explorers that came to the island in the 17th century. The island's name actually means "rat's nest." Well, I can't say that I would have visited "rat's nest" if the locals hadn't raved about its beauty. And for the record, the quokkas are actually pleasant.

Rottnest Island is roughly 18 kilometers from the west coast of Australia. The most popular way to reach the island is by ferry, which takes little more than 30 minutes time. The ferry takes guests directly to the only developed part of the island. There are a few establishments for food, bicycles, and snorkeling gear. Some tourists elect to stay on the island and the port is close to several dozen cottages.

Outside of the entrance port, Rottnest hosts peace and quiet. How quiet you ask? Well, no cars are allowed on the island. I saw one bus, one garbage truck, and several boats but no other motorized vehicles. Most tourists, like myself, rent a bike for the day and ride from bay to bay. One of the great things about the island is that there are so many great bays and beaches on Rottnest that it is possible to find your own private beach if you are there on the right day. I chose to go on a Monday and I felt like there was nobody else for miles around. It was fantastic to say the least. The water was clear and cool and there was not a single cloud in the sky. Seriously, I looked back at all the pictures from that day and I can only see one baby cloud... 18km away over the mainland of Australia.

Besides my objective to relax on Rottnest Island, I also snorkeled at multiple locations. The picture here to the left is the first location where I went diving. Salmon Bay is a short ride from the main port and is very diver friendly. The maps showed a snorkeling "trail" in Salmon Bay and I was surprised to find that a course has actually been created underwater. The bay has roughly a dozen markers, which are stone tablets anchored to the sea floor that give historical facts and interesting dive highlights. I would spot one of these markers from the surface and dive to the sea floor to read what was written on the tablet. It was a great feature of snorkeling there.

The final two photos were taken at the last dive spot I chose. Although I had been somewhat disappointed in the snorkeling up to that point, the last location saved the day. The water had been a little choppy all day and visibility was not ideal, but that didn't keep me from spotting an incredible surprise. I was on the surface and a huge dark shadow appeared beneath me. It was a massive stingray as big or bigger than any I have seen in an aquarium. I was startled at first, but fascinated by the size and grace with which the ray moved. I kept my distance but was able to swim near the stingray for several minutes.

If you ever make it to Perth, Australia, I (like the locals) strongly recommend a trip out to "Rotto."