Working on the Great Barrier Reef!

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September 24th 2006

Published: September 24th 2006

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WeeJill

Sunset over the reef

Hello All
I've just finished 3 weeks working as a hostess on a private chartered boat in the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef!!!! It's a fishing boat and along with Laura our job is housekeeping, assist with cooking and generally be nice to the customers. We had our own cabin on the boat and got all food plus the chance to go fishing again.

The rest of the crew were Marco & Lynn (owners), Todd (skipper and complete lunatic) and Matt the deckhand. We stayed for 2 private charters - a 3 day tour for young guys who work in the mines and a 6 day charter for slightly older guys from New South Wales. Both trips were pretty good fun but completely different. the best bit about the job is meeting australians - usually it's mostly backpackers because of the hostels and towns we visit here on the east coast.

We did a bit of fishing but didn't catch that much - our first day was the most successful - between Laura and I we caught 12 mackerel and cooked fish and chips for dinner! Whislt on the trips i managed to catch lots of different types -

Maori Wrasse

the type of fish i was swimming with on my dive

cod, coral trout, red throat emperors, fusileers and tusk fish. None as impressive as my giant trevally in Broome though.
The guys went fishing for crayfish and we went snorkelling. the water wasn't that warm so Lynn leant us her wetsuits which were hilarious - my one was red, blue and yellow and made me look like wonderwoman - slightly embarassing in front of the 12 male guests also! Didn't see a huge amount becuase all Laura and i could do was laugh as we tried to do hand signals under water and i had to get rid of cramp which made me look like a ballerina with my fins sticking up out the water. I broke my mask too and the snorkel fell to the bottom and Matt had to swim down to retrieve it!

Whilst we weren't out on the reef we prepared the boat for trips and did some baking and cooking prep - it's definitely helped my culinary skills - a bit like free cooking lessons! there was the "occasional" drinking session also - a mexican night with margaritas and a night out at the local Tavern in the middle of nowhere! Laura and Todd

Laura and I

At the bow of our 24metre boat - Centurion

decided that they should do Tequilla Stuntmen (crazy fools!). This is a bit like a tequilla slammer but instead of licking the salt and lemon you snort the salt then squirt lemon in your eye! i have prrof - see the evidence in the photos

I did have a good time but it wouldn't have been half as much fun without Laura - we've been keeping each other entertained and i sometimes question our sanity becaus of the crazy stuff we do! See silly pics involving jelly lips!!

Oh and i forgot to add that i did another dive on the breat barrier reef before starting work on the boat. It was fantastic colourful coral and hundreds of huge fish, the only problem was thre rental mask kept on leaking water and i had to clear the mask every 2 minutes which definitely interrupts your enjoyment of the dive. i made a loovely friend called Sharon whio lives in Brissie and will try and go diving with her when i get there in november.

We're back in Airlie Beach now and looking for paid jobs in between partying with the Rock 'n Roll gang, Barbies, sunbathing and