Our plans changed this week. In our last blog we were intending to leave Woodgate Beach on Wednesday 9th November and head back to Bundaberg to get our new air conditioning unit installed. Instead we were marooned at Woodgate for a further 5 days as our air con unit got misplaced by Cope Transport en route from Cairns. It was supposed to now arrive in Bundaberg that Friday 11th (we weren’t holding our breath). It was a blessing in disguise as we had originally wanted to stay here for 2 weeks. We were trapped in paradise for an extra 5 days (what a hardship I ask you). I really didn’t care if the unit ever turned up as I was more than very happy to stay put indefinitely as it was such a beautiful place. When we rang to enquire if the unit had arrived on Friday we were quite devastated to learn it was actually in Bundaberg but couldn’t be installed until the following Monday.
We spent the next 5 days swimming in the ocean, doing lots of walking, relaxing and discovered another fabulous author called Tess Gerritsen. We both had one of her books we’d found in a second hand shop and couldn’t put them down. When we got to Bundaberg on Monday I bought all the books I could find by her at another used bookshop (about 9).
Monday 14th November Very sadly we leave wonderful Woodgate and arrive back at the air conditioning company at Bundaberg at 8am. It’s supposed to only take 2-3 hours to replace the unit. We had to visit Jayco for replacement light bulbs, restock supplies at Aldi and Dan Murphy’s. We also checked into the caravan park at East Bundaberg (minus the caravan) and caught up with our friends Colin and Margaret who were also still there awaiting delivery of spare parts for their 5th wheeler. We ended up having to wait until 2pm before the van was ready – no surprises there. Finally – YEAH – we have a fully operational air conditioning unit which we absolutely needed in Bundaberg as it was stinking hot without a sea breeze to cool us down. Needless to say we kept it running all afternoon to make sure it was working ok.
I had planned to go on The Bundy Belle River Cruise on Tuesday so was disappointed to discover it only operated at weekends now when the tides are higher. Since the floods last year the tides aren’t high enough through the week. We weren’t having much luck with the things we’d planned on doing in Bundaberg. We had happy hour with Colin and Margaret who were leaving the next day for a week at Tin Can Bay (the other side of Hervey Bay
Wednesday 16th November We set off at 8am for a 2 ½ hour trip south to Tin Can Bay staying at Tin Can Bay Tourist Park Tin Can Bay Rainbow Beach where all the tours depart for Fraser Island
Thursday 17th November Dolphin Feeding Day at last. We were at the jetty by 7am and already one of the dolphins was in the bay waiting for the daily feeding ritual. I couldn’t wait to get into the water to watch it. We were told the actual feeding wasn’t until 8am so I stayed in the water talking to the two female dolphin volunteers who attend daily to protect the dolphins and answer questions about them. I learnt some fascinating facts. Contrary to what you think you know about them they are quite aggressive – at least the males and in particular the alpha male of the pod. Mystique (named by the local primary school children in a competition) our marine visitor today is 20 years old and full of battle scars from tussles over females and territory. He was a pale gray as they’re born dark gray and as they age their body colour becomes a paler gray – opposite to us. They eat at least 25kg of seafood per day (the daily feeding is a maximum of 3kg). Mystique has 4 females in tow but only allows his favourite a 24 year old cougar called Patch to come into the bay most days for the feeding ritual. Sometimes his son Harmony is also allowed to accompany Patch. Mystique is a third generation dolphin to regularly visit the bay. It all began in 1952 when his grandfather was injured by a boat and came into the bay to recover. He was well protected and looked after and stayed for 11 days with 24/7 helpers. After the 11th day he flipped his tail and took off into the ocean and came back every day after that. Mystique also spent a recovery period in the bay when he was badly attacked by 2 sharks and still has a chunk out of the end of his tail and disfigured dorsal fin to prove it.
We weren’t allowed to actually touch the dolphin – there’s a $300 instant fine by Fisheries if you do. We could put one hand out straight under the water and wait to be nudged by him if he chose. He came right up close to me but didn’t actually nudge me. He put on a wonderful performance of turning and flapping his tail several times and really enjoyed the attention. I paid $5 for a tiny fish in a bucket and lined up behind 40 other people to wait for my 15 minutes of fame up close and personal with Mystique. I went into the water absolutely in awe of this magnificent creature and felt so privileged to be allowed to get so so close to him and felt a real buzz handing him his fish. There was a big crowd on the beach watching and taking photos and lots of cormorants flapping about trying to steal the fish from us (they too got their share from the volunteers).
We’re going back to the jetty tomorrow to take some more photos and see if Patch and Harmony are with Mystique as he was on his own today.
Tomorrow night we’re off to the local pub for a $12.50 two-course meal and live music.
We’re staying at Tin Can Bay until Sunday when we leave to head further south and into New South Wales again, staying overnight at a free camp at Yelgum.
Next week we’re in Grafton for 2 nights to see the jacarandas in full bloom and the flower displays. Unfortunately we’ve missed the festival which finished last week. Then we’re stopping off at Maelstom once more for 3 days and returning to our friends at Laurieton by 28th. Quite a hectic agenda.
Take care and thanks once again for logging in. Love Marian, Richard and Sally
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