A Western Australian saga.

[drron]

Wasn't paying attention tonight and missed most of the sunset.
.
.
.

Also no pics of dinner but the feature was fresh bald chin groper.mrsdrron had gone out fishing and pulled in the first catch of this cruise.Sadly only 1 but the group caught the bag limit.
At dinner they put up the activities for the next day.
.

However I was up for sunrise.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 

[drron]

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 

[JohnM]

Deja vu cont...

Sigh...

 

[drron]

The view at breakfast.
.

With the biggest croissants I have ever had.
.

The pot pullers have done their job well.
.
.

Now just have to move the gulls on and get to our walk.
..

 

[drron]

And now anchored in turtle Bay.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 

[drron]

And then the walk around East Wallabi Island.Once again no wallabies seen.
.
.

But a dead skink.
.
.
..

And that is the ospreys nest.And next the osprey.
.
.

The sea eagles had built there nest on a rock.The cyclone moved it.
.

And in here is an Abrolhos dragon...really.
..

 

[drron]

After the walk we once again had a snorkel off the beach.Wonderful coral and lots of fish.
Lunch featured salt and pepper crayfish.very nice but no photos.
After lunch was a snorkel over the Batavia wreck site.Apparently very few occasions when this can be done.Discretion got the better of me as a strong current and 1.5 metre waves meant easy to glide over but getting back to the boats would be difficult.With my peripheral neuropathy I have lost a fair amount of leg strength so decided to forgo the opportunity.But I did get sent some pictures.
.
.
.

So I spent the time reading Howard Gray's book Spice at any price about the East Indies company and frederick Houtman who named the Abrolhos Islands in 1619.A good read.
On our way out from Geraldton I had read his other book on the islands -Lucretia's Batavia Diary.A fictionalised account but very easy reading.I then made it my goal to get other interesting pax to read that book rather than the Red bandanna's book Batavia.I actually succeeded!

After the snorkellers were back on board the ship sailed to the Easter group of islands.I though went on the King Diver fishing.A fair swell but a nice day.Surprised myself by pulling in the first fish a very nice sized sweet lip Emperor.Though just like mrsdrron that was my only one.A bag limit of 2 per person and it wasn't long before we had our limit of 14 plus 1 bald chin groper.So we ended up not being far behind the mother ship at the Easter Island group.

 

[JohnM]

Bummer about the sea eagle's nest.

Envious about conditions being OK to snorkel the Batavia wreck. The day I was there just exceeded the no-go threshold.

 

[drron]

When re reached the shipp it was moored off Little Sandy Island which was to be the spot for our sunset drinks.Not much of it.
.
.
.
.

And just a little way away was Big Rat island.What a lovely name.
.

Soon we were on the island with most of the crew.About 20 sea lions were also in attendance.
.
.

As well as a few birds.
.

And the tenders were there to take us back if needed.
.

 

[drron]

This little fellow swam up to have a good look at me.As usual I was apart from the main group.
.
.
.

More of the birds.
.
.

I also found a bush covered in golden orb spiders.
.

Then there was a large bull sea lion with his harem.
.

But he soon got tired of resting.
.
.
.

 

[drron]

He picked out one but she played hard to get.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..

 

[drron]

The younger sea lions happily played.
.
.
.
.
.
.

The sunset had started.
.
.

 

[drron]

Whilst watching the sun set the sea lions put on another display.A young bull started getting friendly with one of the harem.The old bull was not impressed and forced the interloper into the water.then began a chase around the island.Absolutely amazing how fast those animals can go in the water.Fortunatey for the young bull the old fellow ran out of puff first.No way could i get a picture of the chase.So a whole lot of sunset it is.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 

[drron]

And time to go back to the ship.I waited for the last tender.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 

[drron]

The last of the time on Little Sandy island.
.
.
.
.
.
.

And I head back to the ship.
.

 

[drron]

But just a few more pics of the night sky.Really was a lovely night.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..
.

 

[drron]

Diner that night was Mexican with spicy crayfish.The cook had kept a couple spice free for mrsdrron.
Then the activities for day 3.one of the highlights for us will be the Pearls and Plates lunch on Post office Island.
.

But before that a walk and a snorkel at Morley Island.The sea eagle was on guard.
.

A bit of a muddy walk to the other side of the island..
.
.
.

The reason to come here was to go to a lagoon with one of Abrolhos rarer bird in a world sense.
.

 

[drron]

Well we didn't see the birds but evidence of their presence.They make a flat nest out of seaweed laid out on a branch.
.
.
.

Most of the migratory birds have left.
..
.

Back at the snorkel site an immature sea eagle was keeping an eye on us.
.

The snorkel was once again very good.

 

[drron]

When we got back to the ship we were able to inspect the fishers and pot pullers bounty.
..

Lovely big pink snapper and good sized crays.
It was then a dash to the Pelsaert group of islands for those going to the Pearls and plates lunch.We were only about 10 minutes late.
.
.

Looking back to the ship.
.

The sponsors had some displays and our historian's books were on sale.
.

Now time to be seated.
.

 

[JohnM]

Correction to the fish in that tub: they are baldchin groper.