Eaglehawk Neck -> Murdunna

Distance cycled: 38.0 km
Ave: 16.8 km/h
Max speed: 46.5 km/h

We arrived almost an hour early at the meeting point with Damian and his boat, so of course we got distracted and were rushing a few minutes late to meet him and the 6 others who’d booked in for a wild ocean boat tour.

Although I’d been the one who’d suggested this trip, I was on the fence about whether a boat tour would feel worthwhile (we had, after all, recently been on a boat to get to the 3 Capes Track nearby). It was so different. I was blown away.

For one thing, bouncing along on a small zodiac style boat with straddle seats is fun in itself.

One of our fellow passengers (a guy around our age) handed around a Tupperware container full of gummy bears (he swore they were not special gummies). Someone else taking their snacks seriously – we felt so seen!

But also, we saw albatrosses, a sea eagle, lion’s mane jellyfish, and cormorants.

Dolphins playing in our bow wake, jumping high into the air, pushing fish, slapping their heads against the waves, and pooping.

And Damo was a passionate guide. He’s been working on conservation and research projects in this area for 22 years and was generous about sharing his experience and his enthusiasm. We were both left with mixed emotions: overwhelming stoke about being around dolphins, and equally overwhelming discouragement that we as humans are unbalancing or extinguishing the world’s established ecosystems.

We also saw eels (who can survive for 3 days out of the water, but live in fresh water for 35 years before making an epic saltwater journey over to the mainland to breed and die). Finally, I think I can distinguish between pademelons, wallabies and forester kangaroos.

We left the Unzoo in a bit of a hurry to visit the Chocolate Foundry before it closed, and bumped into Barbara and Ben from the Three Capes Track.

Brett was not a serial killer, but had been picking blackberries: he did his best to kill us with kindness in hosting us overnight at his beautiful beachfront house, and feeding us fresh local food:

Brett is a carpenter nearing retirement, currently on fishing duty only as he’s recovering from an infected “carpenter’s knee”. He’d built his house, and although he claimed it was a simple build, there was a boat recessed in the ceiling, which looked far from simple. He admitted he built the house around the boat. I neglected to get a photo.

His house also had a piano, which we noodled around on (gosh I’m useless without sheet music!)

Alice (with the usual F edits)