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FROLICKING TO FRASER ISLAND...continued |
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Next day was a rest day. We were sitting in the cockpit reading when we noticed a large turtle drifting towards us on the outgoing tide. Our secret anchorage is alive with turtles and because so few boats go there, the turtles are not boat savvy. Now this turtle was obviously asleep, and it had been for some time as the part of its shell that was out of the water was bone dry. Its legs and head hung down in the water as it floated backwards, completely unaware of the 41.5 foot steel monster close by.
“It’s going to hit the hull,” said Leanne. “What should we do?”
“We have to wake it up somehow. Try clapping your hands,” I replied. She did so. Several times. Just before the turtle’s shell was due to go BONG against the boat, it woke up. It lifted its head out of the water to have a look but because it was floating backwards it still didn’t really see us. So it put its head back in the water. However some sixth sense must have alerted it because it immediately raised its head for another look. Now turtles don’t have the kind of face that shows much emotion, but you could read the expression in this one’s eyes – “Oh Sh*t”, followed by a crash dive. We laughed and laughed. Over the next few days there were many “Oh Sh*t” moments, which kept us constantly amused.
After our day’s rest we repeated the fishing expedition. This time, with the benefit of earlier experience, the final tally was 17 Whiting and 2 Flathead. Yippee! |
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Above and left: our secret anchorage in the Great Sandy Straits is renowned for fantastic sunsets. |