Thanks to the Indian Pacific train I arrived safely in Adelaide. There was delay of 4 hours after a lightening storm brought down a power line across the track. Normally I would be very annoyed at such a delay on a train journey but with the Indian Pacific the journey is the thing, not the destination.
The delay did mean that I didn't get to see the Blue Mountains though as it was dark and I was fast asleep by the time we went through them. But I was awake early the next morning and after my shower (yes, a shower on a train) I watched the sun come up over the bush and was rewarded with sightings of many kangaroos and emus.
I was up early again this morning and took the tram to Glenelg, which is on the coast, 20 minutes south. My appointment with the dolphins had arrived.
At last I got to see what shark shield did.
Whenever dolphins are sighted the swimmers on the large boat are ushered into the water and cling to one of two ropes that trail behind. And in between the ropes trails shark shield, a bit of old rope that supposedly sends out pulses that sharks can't stand. If it's that good I wonder why the crew were so keen on me signing the indemnity form?
As soon as the shout went up I duly donned my snorkel and mask and worked my way down the rope. I couldn't see anything except the pale legs of the bloke in front. People on the boat were shouting and pointing. I looked to my left and no more than 25 feet away a fin appeared out of the water. Shark or dolphin? Luckily it was a bottlenose. But he stayed out to my left and didn't come to play so I never got the underwater view.
Then, on the rope opposite, a young girl began to panic and shout. What's that? Is she saying Help! or Shark? I wasn't quite sure but she certainly wasn't happy. I was the closest person to her and luckily I was trained in life saving many years ago. I began to recall my lessons. Number one - you're no use to anyone dead so don't put yourself in danger. Good advice. I moved as far away from her as I could. Besides if she was shouting Shark then all that thrashing about was asking for trouble. It was close, but I survived.
So did she.
There was one more call to get on the water and once again no dolphins were sighted actually under the water. After that I just lazed around on deck, like a Spitfire pilot waiting for the shout. It never came. I'd spent $98 and the people who didn't get in the water were the ones who saw dolphins, not the mugs who paid extra to get in the bloody water.
Being English I accepted that this was the way of things but as I left the boat a young French girl had a different viewpoint and was berating the crew - But I did not see any dolphins!
I left her to it.
The good news is that at no point did I feel remotely ill so my anti-puking measures are working so far. I was so glad I went off for fish and chips.
It was a beautiful day and very hot. It would have been a shame to leave the beach so I went for a walk.
From the pier I took photos of Glenelg as it seemed to be a very modern and attractive resort. I got a few shots too of a magnifiscent sting ray that glided under the pier. Not too big, maybe 6 feet across, but I really enjoyed seeing this creature flapping its wings and moving along so wild and free.
I pointed it out to a chap nearby. He then regaled me with fishing stories and told me how this area had beeen ruined. All the seaweed had been removed, driving the fish away, and local houses bull-dozed to make way for modern flats, all to make it more attractive to people. 'Don't tell me about the green house effect' he said. 'What about the greed house effect?' Suddenly I saw Glenelg differently.
I wandered up the beach and was pleased to see that further up the seaweed reappeared.
The delay did mean that I didn't get to see the Blue Mountains though as it was dark and I was fast asleep by the time we went through them. But I was awake early the next morning and after my shower (yes, a shower on a train) I watched the sun come up over the bush and was rewarded with sightings of many kangaroos and emus.
I was up early again this morning and took the tram to Glenelg, which is on the coast, 20 minutes south. My appointment with the dolphins had arrived.
At last I got to see what shark shield did.
Whenever dolphins are sighted the swimmers on the large boat are ushered into the water and cling to one of two ropes that trail behind. And in between the ropes trails shark shield, a bit of old rope that supposedly sends out pulses that sharks can't stand. If it's that good I wonder why the crew were so keen on me signing the indemnity form?
As soon as the shout went up I duly donned my snorkel and mask and worked my way down the rope. I couldn't see anything except the pale legs of the bloke in front. People on the boat were shouting and pointing. I looked to my left and no more than 25 feet away a fin appeared out of the water. Shark or dolphin? Luckily it was a bottlenose. But he stayed out to my left and didn't come to play so I never got the underwater view.
Then, on the rope opposite, a young girl began to panic and shout. What's that? Is she saying Help! or Shark? I wasn't quite sure but she certainly wasn't happy. I was the closest person to her and luckily I was trained in life saving many years ago. I began to recall my lessons. Number one - you're no use to anyone dead so don't put yourself in danger. Good advice. I moved as far away from her as I could. Besides if she was shouting Shark then all that thrashing about was asking for trouble. It was close, but I survived.
So did she.
There was one more call to get on the water and once again no dolphins were sighted actually under the water. After that I just lazed around on deck, like a Spitfire pilot waiting for the shout. It never came. I'd spent $98 and the people who didn't get in the water were the ones who saw dolphins, not the mugs who paid extra to get in the bloody water.
Being English I accepted that this was the way of things but as I left the boat a young French girl had a different viewpoint and was berating the crew - But I did not see any dolphins!
I left her to it.
The good news is that at no point did I feel remotely ill so my anti-puking measures are working so far. I was so glad I went off for fish and chips.
It was a beautiful day and very hot. It would have been a shame to leave the beach so I went for a walk.
From the pier I took photos of Glenelg as it seemed to be a very modern and attractive resort. I got a few shots too of a magnifiscent sting ray that glided under the pier. Not too big, maybe 6 feet across, but I really enjoyed seeing this creature flapping its wings and moving along so wild and free.
I pointed it out to a chap nearby. He then regaled me with fishing stories and told me how this area had beeen ruined. All the seaweed had been removed, driving the fish away, and local houses bull-dozed to make way for modern flats, all to make it more attractive to people. 'Don't tell me about the green house effect' he said. 'What about the greed house effect?' Suddenly I saw Glenelg differently.
I wandered up the beach and was pleased to see that further up the seaweed reappeared.
My walk took me past the young French girl who still looked unhappy and was saying something to her boyfriend. My French isn't too good, but I think it was 'But I did not see any dolphins!'
A short nap and a bit of sunburn later I made my way back but this time I walked along the promenade. The houses that fronted it were splendid and no two were alike. One in particular caught my eye. All steel, concrete and glass it was full of curves and designed so the top storey was the main living area. It was the grass that amazed me most. I was an unnatural green. I walked over to it to seee if it was real and it was. Every blade of uniform length and not a weed in sight. The groundsman at Wembley would be proud of this grass. I was perfect. And it was on a slope, so I've no idea how such precision was engineered. I wanted to take a picture so the next time the Green Thumb Man appears we can have a chat about what I should get for my money. But I was conscious of the security cameras and sure that somewhere unseen there was a rottweiller with and elastic band around its nuts to provide additional motivation to see off intruders.
I withdrew. But maybe I would have been okay, because what was odd is there were no people about at all. Apart form the odd workman painting or cementing something I never saw any residents of these award winning beachfront properties. It was eerily quiet.
So quite a day all in all. I'd paid nearly a $100 for the pleasure of being dragged through the sea on a rope just to prove that my sea sickness pills work. And then I'd gone walkabout for nothing and seen a majestic sting ray and been left wondering, not for the first time, about the nature of progress and man's need to sterilise nature in order to create communities worthy of Homes and Gardens.
Live long and prosper.
A short nap and a bit of sunburn later I made my way back but this time I walked along the promenade. The houses that fronted it were splendid and no two were alike. One in particular caught my eye. All steel, concrete and glass it was full of curves and designed so the top storey was the main living area. It was the grass that amazed me most. I was an unnatural green. I walked over to it to seee if it was real and it was. Every blade of uniform length and not a weed in sight. The groundsman at Wembley would be proud of this grass. I was perfect. And it was on a slope, so I've no idea how such precision was engineered. I wanted to take a picture so the next time the Green Thumb Man appears we can have a chat about what I should get for my money. But I was conscious of the security cameras and sure that somewhere unseen there was a rottweiller with and elastic band around its nuts to provide additional motivation to see off intruders.
I withdrew. But maybe I would have been okay, because what was odd is there were no people about at all. Apart form the odd workman painting or cementing something I never saw any residents of these award winning beachfront properties. It was eerily quiet.
So quite a day all in all. I'd paid nearly a $100 for the pleasure of being dragged through the sea on a rope just to prove that my sea sickness pills work. And then I'd gone walkabout for nothing and seen a majestic sting ray and been left wondering, not for the first time, about the nature of progress and man's need to sterilise nature in order to create communities worthy of Homes and Gardens.
Live long and prosper.
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