Tin Can Bay

We arrived at Tin Can Bay at lunch time on Friday, set up and then went down to the Marina and Port. Tin Can Bay is at the lower end of the Great Sandy Strait, which divides Fraser Island from the mainland, - the waters are so exceptionally clear.

Where the boats navigate above or amongst the mangroves below, and just sooh much sand.

En route into town we noticed an army base CAMP KERR (my maiden name), and on reviewing the map found that it was a huge military base, and signs around town told us they were in the middle of an operational exercise.

Were they ever - as on Saturday morning when we went back to the Marina to see the wild dolphins - an army landing craft was tied up to the wharf where the dolphins normally gather.

All was quiet, then the army moved into action all around us. Very busy young men and women, and the one I spoke to was quite apologetic that their manoevres might've chased off those dolphins.

They backed in their machine

then loaded her and left for their manoevres at the Wide Bay Training area.

Once the noise of that strange motor disappeared, the dolphins appeared.

These are Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins who spend the majority of their life in estuaries. There is a pod of 7 in this estuary, lead by a large male (who has been named Mystique). Mystique is the grand son of a dolphin who turned up at the Tin Can Bay Marina very badly injured in the 1950's, the locals spent months volunteering their care for this particular dolphin till she was in good health again, she never forgot, and came back with a member of her pod every morning (around 7 am) - this behaviour and trust in the caring local minders for over 60 years has been carried down through her genetics for 3 generations. These creatures really are incredible as are the minders.

The volunteer minders are great and very protective of these wild creatures. They offer the opportunity to feed under strictly hygenic conditions. Everyone has to wash their hands in a special mixture first, people with colds cannot feed, and only a certain amount of fish can be fed. There is absolutely no touching - the dolphin can touch you, but you cannot innitiate any activity other than holding their little bit of feed.

A great thrill for the young one below.

Mystique (18 years old)

Patch (23 year old female)

Another local below!

We decided to take the small ferry across the strait to Carlo Point.

So did the dogs below!

En route across the Strait a "Whistling Kite" flew above us

Incredible flying machine

And those talons are ready for their catch.

Next we spotted the "Carlo sand blow" above Rainbow Beach.

Carlo Point - consists of a large camp ground (accompanied by many sandflies - I hear!)

There is a Houseboat hiring company at Carlo, the owner's wife is Thai, and she operates an interesting looking Thai Restaurant in the boat shed.

This boat below sits right next to the mangroves, and on sand at low tide - the owners live in it at Carlo Point. (They would have to be immune to sandflies, mosquitos and black midgies in that position - me thinks!!)

Docking back at Barnacles wharf and cafe at Tin Can Bay - will take the Brig there tomorrow morning for a Father's Day breakfast.

Next - off to Rainbow Beach for a look.

Spring has sprung on the Great Sandy Strait!

After an incredible day with the Whales, we had a rest from excitement yesterday, and today we walked for kilometers along the protected coast in Hervey Bay thanks to Fraser Island (which is the world's largest sand island - 120 klms by 24 klms). Spring had definitely sprung, and it was all so peaceful.

The calm of Shelley Beach this morning.

A few fisherman, walkers and a couple of swimmers.

We called into the "Water Side" Park (below) - built around some magnificent Moreton Bay Fig trees, the kids were having a ball (it's free) , and there was an incredible amount of education on H2O - very impressive really.

More of the English enjoying themselves below at Torquay, Hervey Bay.

Plenty of jetties, dating back to carting sugar cane, coal and timber.

Tomorrow morning we plan to drive south, the idea was to camp for 3 days at Rainbow Beach on the edge of the Great Sandy Strait National Park, but this morning I found out they have no available sites, so we will go to Tin Can Bay, instead. The names don't sort of relate!!!!. Anyway, late this afternoon we met up with another northern english lady, who broke into our conversation when I was showing Frank on a large map our destination for tomorrow, and where Tin Can Bay and Rainbow Beach were. She was really warm about Tin Can Bay, and has stayed many times at the Park I did get a booking at, we now know where the best fish and chip shop is, and a few secrets about the wild dolphins that frequent the Bay. She was extremely enthusiastic, so we are really hopeful there is more to come.

Winter Whales

Yesterday was one to remember - the last day of winter, and we chose to go on a "Whale Watching" cruise from Urangan Boat Harbour at Hervey Bay. We were picked up by the company we chose - one of 8 Whale Watching companies operating here, and boarded the "Spirit of Hervey Bay" at 8.30 am.

We motored out past Fraser Island till we discovered the first lot of "spouts". We were lucky to see some 20 whales (all humpbacks) up close, in pods of 2, 3 and 4 - there was also a lot more activity further out, but there was no need for us to venture out - too much happening where we were.

Basically the pods we saw were the "teenagers" (immature - premating), the pregnant females turn up in September to calve (12 month gestation) and the big males turn up in October, mate with the females, straight after calving, then not long after that they head south to the Antarctic, babes and all.

They were very active and playful.

Each pod had a general "show off". The skippers keep their boats at a specific distance from the pods - WHEN THEY CAN! We came across a couple of very inquisitive teenagers who just loved this yellow boat. They played with our boat for well over an hour They circled, swam underneath our Catamaran, which was great as this vessel also had "underwater" viewing windows. Head out of water - is called the "SPY HOP'! The Skipper told us that the bigger of the two weighed approximately 25 tonnes, and would grow up to about 40 tonnes - the other player, was quite a bit smaller. Another much smaller Catamaran joined us. They spouted and rolled under both the boats then. We were late getting back, as it was necessary to wait until these teenagers became bored with this game - and left us, then the engines could be started without hurting these big fellas.

Motoring home past Fraser Island to Urangan Boat Harbour.

Some passengers told us how good the food was at the "Boat Club", so we decided instantly to go there for a late lunch.

After a superb and lowly priced lunch we sat out on the Boat Club's large deck, and had a long conversation with a couple who had immigrated from North Yorkshire some 40 years ago, very interesting people.

The reflections in the Marina were super.

Our transport home.

IT WAS A DAY WE WILL NEVER EVER FORGET