Boat Trip - Carnac Island

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Well I finally got around to adding some text, apologies and that but we've been so busy. I don't know what we've been doing 'cos I don't feel like we've done much in the last fortnight but you'll have to trust me, I have been busy, and if I keep telling myself that then I'll hopefully stay out of the rat race that is getting a job. Anyway on to the story, are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin......

We met Andrew and Marina at Lara and Frank’s party on Saturday, and despite the impression that we made they still invited us on a boat trip to Carnac Island.

They were entertaining clients, they're in the Oil and Gas business, and had room for us on board, quite frankly they had room for a small army on board the impressive ‘52 footer’ they had hired for the day.

We arrived at the jetty around 8am and it was already warm, the forecast was 38 degrees so there was plenty of slip, slap, slopping going on. No there is nothing untoward happening, slip on a shirt, slap on a hat and slop on some sun cream, it’s all very dignified really.

The boat was amazing, it had a top driving bit where the two skippers sat and a huge deck and cabin on the bottom complete with a couple of bedrooms, shower and full kitchen, nice touch.

We set sail around 9am for the 90 minute ride/sail/drive to the island, Carnac is a seal sanctuary on the West Australian coast, surrounded by the beautiful turquoise waters of the warm Indian Ocean. The seals are happy to see us and seem keen to play, you’re not meant to go towards them but if they instigate the relationship then let the fun begin, I guess it’s a bit like dating a high school chick, but enough about my “friends” sordid past.

After our experience of seeing Dolphins and Whales in New Zealand I was looking forward to getting into the water, but with Fiona morbid fear of sharks it’s fair to say she was less than keen, but this time maybe she had reason……………..

I’ve mentioned before that Fiona is scared of all things fish like, except for fish funnily enough, but unfortunately she had something to back up her fear, a swimmer was eaten alive by a White Pointer (what we call a Great White) off the West Australian coast yesterday, although it was about 500KM’s from where we were I’m pretty sure a shark could cover that distance nae tather a ba, especially when the lure of warm fat seals were on the menu, and I know I’ve put of a few pounds recently so I’m looking more and more like shark bait every day, a shark biscuit if you will, a tasty treat between meals, kinda like a Milky Way I suppose, anyway I digress, seals are a sharks staple diet so I wasn’t confident of tempting Fiona into the water, no matter how pretty it looked.

Marina at put on an amazing spread and the bevie was flowing from early doors, after a while, and with full bellies of beer and fish a few of us though it would be a good idea to jump in the Ocean, why not huh, no shark will want me full of Tooheys, will they? It was nice and warm, wet but warm, and a couple of the guys made a swim over towards the seals, I however had lost my snorkel after about 30 seconds in the water so spent the next 10 minutes trying to find it, I then spent the next twenty minutes in an inflatable tyre, tied to the back of the boat, sipping a cold lager, perfect, beats working for a living I guess, mind you it’s been that long since I worked I can barely remember it, nice one.

Before we had noticed it was 3pm and time to get back aboard and head towards dry land, as we all climbed aboard the tyre, the $2 tyre, came away from it rope and sailed quickly towards South Africa, as everyone laughed and waved it goodbye I though it would be a great idea to dive in after it.

The current was pretty strong and by the time I reached the tyre I swear I could see Cape Town. I was a hell-of-a-lot further away than I thought and now I had to swim back, with this huge tyre around my neck, against the tide, with an ever-increasing belly full of beer, and a fair amount of Ocean if the truth were told.

I just about managed it before grabbing hold of a rope thrown to my aid 20 feet from safety, I was ready to give up though, “just throw me a 6-pack” was the cry, I was ready to fend for myself on this rubber ring, I quite fancy South Africa. Thankfully they pulled me in and I finally got my breath back about 3 days later.

It was an amazing day, I don’t think we’ll experience this sort of luxury again soon on our trip but we certainly enjoyed it.

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Photos

Fiona & Andrew
aboard the boat, and what a boat, 52 footer.

Fiona on the boat
with the city behind

First ship to find WA
or a replica at least

Fiona
at the back of the boat

Millionaires Row
more millionaires in this suburb than anywhere else in Australia

Andrew up top
When do I get to drive this thing?

Andrew snorkelling
where's the sharks?

Carnac Island
seals a plenty

Got it !!
at last, my quest to retrieve that f'n rubber ring

Help is at hand
to get my knackered ass over the final hurdle

Skippers
and a fine job they did too

Ron, Marina, Lisa & Andrew
from left to right

Lisa gets to grips with John
massage time

Fiona, Lara & Andrew
before boarding the boat