The next morning we wake early and head down to the lagoon to check out the beach. We cannot believe our eyes. We are sharing this incredible space with only 8 other people!!!!! How are we ever going to be able to leave this place??????
The only footprints on this beach belong to crabs, the pelican and us.
Later that day Benj and Robbie drove past Gnaraloo Bay to the 6 Mile reef to do some fishing and returned with a beautiful spangled emperor. After being expertly filleted by Robbie and expertly crumbed by Linda, it was expertly demolished by the kids!
This fellow was named Lord Nelson by the kids.
Looking out from the front of our caravan. This was to be our playground for the next few days. Denise, the camp manager, has published a snorkellers guide to Gnaraloo, which includes pictures of all the marine life and suggestions of where to snorkel in the lagoon. All the pictures were taken by her in 3 Mile Lagoon and Gnaraloo Bay. She explained that here the outer reef is very close to shore, giving the opportunity for a more varied fish life, big and small to visit the lagoon. The waves breaking over the reef flow back through a break in the reef called the Key Hole and when conditions are right, you are able to drift snorkel out with the current and then around the outer reef. We did not complete this particular loop but we did hang out at the Key Hole with big schools of rather large fish.
The snorkelling here did not disappoint and was possibly the best we have had to date. We even saw our first ever nudi branch (a small bright coloured sea slug and a great indicator of the health of the reef). Later in the day we went for a walk exploring the beach north of the campsite.
If not for the rocks at the bottom of this sand dune and the sharks in the water, it would have made for an awesome sand boarding ride.
Robbie went for a surf anyway....brave man.
Hot after our walk, we went for a quick dip, sharks and all. (Note for grandparents... harmless reef sharks!!) 
Much time was spent spotting eagle rays, reef sharks, crabs, turtles..and this was just from the shore.
A present to mum, a castle for her royal bottom...oops highness.
Typical pose from Linda who truly loves having her portrait taken.
Every day we played on the beach and snorkelled till dark....living the life of a beach bum! 
Just another beautiful sunset......
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