Swimming with Tuna

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Flew to Port Lincoln for a 3 day weekend and went on a 'Swim with the Tuna' adventure. We boarded the twin decked catamaran for a liesurely 15 minute cruise out to the tuna pontoon. This is a 45m double collar ring floating just to the south of Boston Island, and is equiped with all you could want even a postbox, changerooms, deli and warm freshwater showers. Below in one of the sectioned off pools of the pontoon were around 30 tuna, weighing up to 70kg. We changed into the wetsuits, (wet)boots and (wet)gloves, donned some goggles with snorkel and entered the tuna pool. Exposed fingers look like fish, so are good to have covered and away from view. In the water you floated about looking into the depths, while small 20cm uninvited fish that have entered from the surrounding ocean swim around you. The guide begins throwing small bait fish into the water around us, and the tuna arrive. They swim past you to eat the fish, only if the birds and small fish havent got there first. The guide jokes about the three second rule - if you havent grabbed the fish yourself in 3 seconds, something else will. Sometimes a small fish would eat the bait fish, only to be taken themselves in one swift and elegant movement of a blue fin tuna, which my Dad would call a double header. The water was now filled with darting tuna, but at no time would one touch you, they kept their distance, and gracefully glide around the pool beneath you.

Next we were holding the bait fish (15cm long) under water by the tails, and with arm outstretched and floating horizontally on the water surface, wait for a tuna to do a cruise by. You dont know if they will be coming from in front of you or from behind, so is rather exhilarating to have a tuna *just appear*, take the fish and disappear in front of you. They would roll to one side as they took the fish and straighen up again as they swim away. They are a beautiful blue with bright yellow triangle decorations near their tail fin. Their dorsal fin is retractable and only in use when turning, it would otherwise be almost invisible. They are the 6th fastest fish in the ocean, but fastest from 0 - 60km/h. Their pectoral fins can also trim against their body when travelling fast, making them almost a bullet in shape.

After the tuna pool we entered another pool where there were hundreds of fish including small sharks, silver trevally, salmon, morwong, snapper and others. When one prized some food from the burley pot, it was chased by dozens of others trying for their share of the winnings. Strange to see fish behaving like seagulls. After showering and drying off, we visited the underwater platform to see them feeding up close, and got to see again the variety of shapes and colours.

Cruising back to Lincoln we did a tour of the shore front, grain loading jetty and local fleet before returning to the marina. All in all an exciting few hours, information packed and a real treat to swim with the tuna. The tour operators were professional, knowledgeable and courteous, highly recommended. http://www.swimwiththetuna.com.au/

Friday I went to some wineries in my lovely ivory white Suzuki Swift hire car with air conditioning, tinted windows and that unbeatable new car smell. Wineries is a fairly new concept in Eyre Peninsula, but that didnt stop us getting right into the swing of things. Started at Boston Bay wines and then lunch at Delacolline. The food was outstanding, treated ourselves to a tasting plate which definitely satisfied, great local produce.

Sunday was a trip to Coffin bay where we sampled the much sought after local oyster pie and toured the bay area.

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Photos

Swim with the Tuna
Approaching Viewing Pontoon

Swim with the Tuna
Viewing Pontoon - inner pool

Bay Cruise
Port Lincoln coastline on returning cruise

Sunday Lunch
View of Boston Bay during Sunday lunch. Oysters Kilpatrick and proscuito wrapped scallops

Hotel Pool
Hotel Pool, Sunday morning

Balcony View
View from balcony of our top floor room