We had another fantastic day planned for today – after lunch we were booked in to “swim with the sealions”. We enjoyed our lazy morning and had a quick sandwich before setting off to the marina where the boat was to pick us up. The tour was run by the same company that Josh had dived with the sharks, Calypso Star. Upon arriving, the boat pulled up in front of us and the small crowd of only 9 passengers boarded, including our family of four, and three that did the shark dive with Josh - Tony, Anne and Jason. There were two others who we were quick to meet as well as the staff: Andrew and Amy. We got chatting on the long ride out and there were fortunately snacks of chips on board which helped Sami stay well during the 2 hour boat trip. Amy went about finding wetsuits for us all, only to find that there were no kids ones on board – the kids were not impressed and nor was I – it meant they were unlikely to enjoy the experience in full. Usually this swim is done at Hopkins Island but today we went somewhere different, we think it was called Blythe Island. As we neared the island we could see the sealions basking in the sun on the sand and rocks. The dinghy was hoisted into the water and two boat loads were taken to the island, us in the second boat. We took a few photos when we landed and the sealions didn’t look disturbed by us at all. Josh and Zoe were first of our group to go in the water, but Sami needed some convincing complaining that the water was too cold; really I think it was a mix of the freezing cold water and her uncertainty about trusting the sealions. Eventually, Sami and I entered the water and yes it was damn cold. I got Sami in as far as her waist before Amy took over and got her in deeper but she was already cold and not wanting to go any further. Fortunately, she did get to see the sealions nearby both in and out of the water and it wasn’t a complete waste of time for her. Zoe was having fun with Josh but they came back after spending a short time in the water as Zoe too was cold – bugger – not happy about them not having proper wetsuits! Anyway, Josh decided to stay with the girls so I could finally get in for a closer look at these gorgeous creatures. As I hopped into the water, a male sealion (bull) popped up within 5 metres from where I stood, but we were told not to feel intimidated so I kept nearing him before he swam off. There were plenty of sealions, well over 20 and a good mix of bulls, cows and babies. I spent lots of time in the water, watching them frolic and play not only with each other but also with me. It felt like every time I went under the water to watch them, that they too went down to swim and play nearby; then when I popped up they too would surface and stare back at me. I think they were as curious as what I was. Not only did they appear extremely friendly, but they were simply cute; long whiskers and puppy dog eyes, I just wanted to get near enough to cuddle them. Before I realised it, a few of us had actually gone a lot further out from the island than what we had intended… eventually being called back in closer to the others. It was a fantastic experience and one that I would definitely jump at the chance again. The boat ride back to the mainland was much rougher than the trip out. The waves were crashing over the side of the boat and Sami wasn’t feeling too good. Zoe spent the whole trip chatting to everyone downstairs while I took Sami upstairs to enjoy some fresh air – fortunately she held it together and made it back without a problem. It was after 6.30pm when we returned to the marina and Josh gave Chook and Teresa a call as we were catching up with them for dinner tonight. We ate dinner at the marina pub with a few drinks. As we sat down at the table, a dolphin was swimming right up near the marina amongst the canals… very cute. We were pretty exhausted by the end of the day and were glad to have a hot shower and some well-earned rest.
No comments:
Post a Comment