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Published: December 27th 2012
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Tin Can Bay, is off the southern edge of Queensland's Fraser Island, and is a large horseshoe shaped bay, affording natural refuge for yachties, houseboats, fisherman and a friendly pod of dolphins that call the bay home.
Legend has it that a dolphin injured by a boat prop, was rescued and nursed back to health by a local villager in the 1950's, it subsequently returned with its pod every day at sunrise to thank and pay homage to the special lady that became its benefactor. Ever since, the progeny of that dolphin, swim and parade at the same very place every morning around 7 oclock.
As always some enterprising entrepreneur, smells a touro attraction,when they see one, and has set up shop,with tourist paraphenalia, restaurant/coffee shop, $5 dollar fish to feed dolphins and dolphinologists, miked up in the water to provide info and commentary to the touros like us who come to experience this daily phenomenon.
But I am glad to give credit that they haven't gone all "fun park" with their venture, it is still small shop and ethical, ,no sign of the BIG DOLPHIN, yet which is good to see in this fast paced world.
Basho and Bilbo were enchanted by our first ever up close and personal experience with the pod of 5 dolphins, that swim right up to the foreshore to greet the humans, it truly was a magical experience wading into the sandy shallows to greet them in the early morning light of this picturesque bay. The pod included Patch who had recently been attacked by a shark, and has since has a healing patch of about 8 centimeters just behind his dorsal fin, Mystique with her new born Squirt in tow, all of five weeks old, talk about cute.
Basho had a special encounter with Mystique, as she was patting the water to attract the attention of the dolphins, Mystique came in right up to her hand and lingered for what seemed to be an eternity, before swimming off and then returning right up to Basho's waiting hand to give her a beautiful dolphin kiss, before finally swimming off again, back out to sea. The dolphinologist miked up in the water made comment to Basho, "You are privileged, these wild dolphins just don't do that".
Another awe inspiring local we met was "Houseboat Mike", a Vietnam vet, who sadly
due to his war nerves has trouble coping with society, and lives with his wife on a houseboat moored on the bay foreshore. Basho and I were cooking up dinner in the park on the free barby, as you do, when Mike approached us and asked if we had experienced any trouble with pesky rangers moving us on. Now Mike is an intelligent man, but one you definitely do not want to cross, as the Dalby country hick constabulary found out many years ago. Mike had built an old American western prairie wagon and with his wife and two children embarked on a road trip, through western Queensland complete with a set of four clydesdales, front and back. The 'old dog', "one horse town" law keeper, confronted Mikes approaching convoy and barked, "Back it up Sonny Jim you can't bring that contraption through here, with those four horses pooing over my beautiful asphalt roads, who's gonna clean it up." Well the temperature in the town just rose 50 degrees as steam poured out of Mikes inflating combustible head, (nobody calls Mike, "Sonny Jim" and gets off lightly) Mike stood up on his wagon seat and hollered John Wayne style "Whoa
just a darn cotton pickin' minute constable, by the law of the constitution of this land, I still have the right to take my horses on any road unless signposted otherwise, and I didn't see any signs as I entered your two bit town. You know that large yard behind yours and every rural police station, that my friend, is for stabling, feeding and watering my horses, that law has never been repealed in the constitution. I could also request that you, the lawman in this town walk in front of my horses with a lantern, escorting me through the cavalcade of motor cars, now are you going to give me any more trouble or do I have to call your superior officers and tell them of your lack of knowledge of the common law afforded to all travelling citizens." Soon after I understand the constable was eating pie, I think it was of the humble kind, so Mike passed on through,
Mike is now roaming the high seas in his houseboat, mooring it where ever he likes, Mike has since had a stack of information request forms drawn up by a barrister friend, requesting any council ranger to fully identify himself, name rank serial number and a stack of other questions such as what he had for breakfast etc., failure to provide such information will result in our assumption that your order/requests are unauthorised and illegal and that any further actions by you will then constitute harrrassment and badgery and will be dealt with accordingly.
What we really liked about Tin Can Bay, is with the approaching winter, night temperatures were usually around 12 to 15 degrees, nice little winter hang out, and with entertainment provided by Houseboat Mike and the dolphins, you couldn't ask for much more.
At the time of writing, Bilbo and Basho have just returned home for Xmas, from Coochin Creek where we made a very good friend in Mitch, who will appear in a later edition as "Mitch versus Wild", Mitch is also our newest subscriber, and hey buddy we sincerely wish you all the very very best in the new year, as we do to all our subscribers.
"and we will drink a drop of kindness yet, for the sake of auld lang syne"
Happy Happy New Year everyone, much love and kindness B&B
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Mitch
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I had a great laugh yet again
I was waiting with anticipation to read of tin can bay and houseboat mike, Yet again I sat here and read one of your well spoken tales of your amazing journey and smiled a laughed the whole way. Take care guys and I will speak to you shortly. Safe trails :)