I am the entertainment, or how I cheated Davy Jones Locker – Day 28

Today we anchored off Moreton Island, the second largest sand island in the world. It was grey and squally, but I had booked on an early kayaking trip. So I left a sleeping Marion and headed for my briefing at 8am. We were instructed in the use of the lifejackets and other safety procedures before heading to a zodiac for the mile or so trip to shore. I suppose I should have read the runes when the zodiac driver said that they were a little unsure about the conditions but had decided to it was worth starting. 

We were completely wet before reaching the beach from the spray coming over the zodiac, however the water and the air were very warm so it was not an issue. But undaunted we had a demonstration of paddling and launched our kayaks from the beach. There was little chance of seeing the promised marine life, as the sea was too rough. I also did not realise that my co-kayaker was a volunteer with the Australian coastguard, so he knew his port form his starboard. It was a lovely paddle in amongst wrecks parallel to the beach. There was quite a swell but after a bit I became use to the motion and more adept at pointing the kayak into the waves.

After about an hour the three kayaks (there were originally four but one couple dropped out) were called together and told that ship to shore operations had been called off. I suppose we should have noticed that the tenders ferrying people to the shore had stopped operating. So the first challenge was transferring from the kayaks to the zodiacs in the open sea with a considerable swell. Not easy, one person had to be literally dragged from one to the other. We then bumped our way back to the ship, and got thoroughly wet, completely soaked. It then became obvious that it would become quite a challenge coming alongside the ship in a heavy swell. Indeed on the first two attempts the swell was too great and we had to abort. By now quite a crowd had gathered on the ship to watch us poor saps try to disembark. I am not sure whether Marion was waving or reviewing the travel insurance policy.

Eventually thanks to the professionalism of the crew we made it back on board, after a rather interesting thirty mines bobbing around in the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately for the rest of the day the weather deteriorated so there was not possibility to go ashore. Instead after a lovely hot shower we had a quiet day on board. 

So I was one of only six passengers to make it ashore and make it back again, truly a good adventure that became more exaggerated in the telling. Did I mention the six sharks that surrounded the kayaks!