Yes, Her Happiest Days!

While the early mornings were tough and the evenings were a busy time for someone exhausted by a long day on a small boat catering for clients whims; the actual days would qualify as the happiest of Claudia's life. The excitement would start once they cast off. Princess 2 would chug out of the Marina, normally the second boat out, and the skipper would have a chat with the passengers. The crew would point out one or two landmarks on the way out and they would set about preparing tea, coffee and the nost wonderful fresh damper with honey. Once past the sand banks, they would be in Platypus Bay proper and everyone would be scanning the horizon for the distinctive puff of a whale 'blowing' or coming up for air. There were many other things to see; there would always be a few dolphins about each day and once in a while there would be a sighting of the elusive and endangered dugongs. Crossing the shallows would always stir up a few Bull Rays that would be clearly visible as the water was only a few metres deep with a sandy bottom. A bar of sand that was exposed always had a crowd of pelicans and other assorted sea birds.The air would smell of the sea and suntan lotion. Fraser Island would be off the starboard bow, it was the 'quiet' side of Fraser with no traffic on the beach and no campers around, it was all stupefyingly beautiful. The atmosphere was relaxed yet there was an edge of excitement as everyone hoped to be the first to spot something. It was usually David who spotted the first whales though, there is no substitute for experience. Princess 2 would head towards them and stop some way off. If the whales were curious, as they usually were, they would come up to the boat for a closer look. With the engine cut, the only sounds were excited whispers and squeals of people shuffling for a better look, combined with the 'blowing' of the whales as the milled around the boat. There are terms for every bit of their behaviour that can be witnessed while whale-watching - spy-hops, tail-slaps, breaches- and the passangers would jostle from one side to the other as the curious whales passed beneath the boat. The mothers would pause to feed their calves, suspending themselves in the water while a mischevous calf was more interested in peeking at the boat. It was truly electric; the awe and excitement among everyone was palpable. It made strangers laugh, joke and chat among each other as if they had been friends for years. If you have never done it before, you have to go whale-watching on a small boat. There is nothing to beat it.

And this was Claudia's daily routine for the whole season. It was going to be very difficult to get back to the world that the rest of us had to live in.