Swimming with the Whales

04 Oct 15

• Transport arrived bright and not so early to take us to the Fishing Club where the swimmers were fitted with their wet suits. And what fun that was.... Check out the Blog moments below.

• Once outfitted, Geoff, the owner of the boats, advised us that the swimmers would go on one boat with 3 non swimmers and the other two non swimmers would go on the second boat which would pick up two other couples from one of the resort islands.

• Mez, Liz and Diane got in first to join the swimmers boat, so Ed and John kindly volunteered to go on the other boat. That boat took off for the resort to pick up the other couples and we headed out on our search for the whales.

• Our skipper was David and the Spvr/instructor was Tim. We were told to all them D and T! We stopped some way out so that the swimmers could get in a little practice and become familiar with being in the water.

No-one is safe from the waterproof camera... hey Michelle?

• We then headed off in search of whales. We spotted our first lot, slowed down the engines and the swimmers; Steve, Michelle, Chilly, Phil and Shirley prepared to enter the water. T told the swimmers to slide into the water as quietly as possible as the splashing spooked the whales. Next thing Shirley dove off the side of the boat into the water. The whales were gone!

• Off we headed again in search of the whales. Steve and Phil went to the front of the boat with T to try a bit of Whale spotting.

Quietly next time please Shirley

looking, looking, looking....

and looking some more....

• We came across another group, slowed the boat down and the swimmers again got their flippers and snorkels on. T told Shirley to exit the boat from the back this time, and for everyone to slide in as quietly as possible. Before anyone could say anything, Shirley dove off the back of the boat!! The whales were gone... again.

Off we headed in search of the whales.

• We came across another group of whales and what a sight to behold. The swimmers quietly slipped into the water, (well done Shirley), and had an experience of a lifetime. T told the swimmers to form a line in the water and hold hands. The whales would think they were a whale and swim around them and that's exactly what happened. The whales swam back and forth for ages. Steve took my waterproof camera and managed to get a very short video of 3 whales swimming away and a still picture of a whale swimming by.

• Watching from the side of the boat I have to admit I was a little bit jealous. Lots of photos taken of the whales and the swimmers?

Who's photographing who?

• The original plan was to head over to an island and have lunch but when T asked if we would like to just eat lunch on the boat and continue searching for the whales, the immediate response was one of ... "absolutely"...
• We encountered more whales, and one whale swam beneath the boat and was seen as clear as a bell through the water. All I can say is ... 'wow'...

• D asked at the start of the trip if anyone was a poor traveller. Mez told him she was not great and had taken some Travel Calm. Mez also had travel bands, which David helped to fit. Later in the afternoon, D looked over and saw that Mez was not travelling real great. D asked Mez if she would like to steer the boat. She jumped at the chance. 

I have the power!

• Michelle and Lizzie had gone out and sat at the front of the boat. D told Mez to accelerate, she did. D told her more and she did. D told her even more, and she did. D told Mez best to pull back as Liz and Michelle were bouncing up and down at the front of the boat and Liz did not looked too happy.

Go 'D'

• We then headed over to a deserted island. D told us we had 40 mins to explore the island. 

Is that Steve Flexing again?

• Mez had walked around the island in about 10 mins and called to D and T that we were ready to leave, nothing more to see! A few of the swimmers took off their wet suits and went for a swim before we left so they could say they had swum in the South Pacific.

The Island

Ready to head home

• We got back to the Fishing Club and relaxed with a couple of beers. D & T joined us for a drink and what a great couple of guys, and what a great adventure.

Get a room!

Together again...

I have no idea!

 What a team

and again

yeah man

 i think the sun is the problem

Nothing like terra firma

• We headed home and all met in the party house to exchange experiences. Kathryn, Gerry, Keith, Geoff and Grant went to an island resort and Geoff and Grant planned to go fishing. A bit difficult if you forget your fishing rod hey Geoff?

• And who, despite the abundance of sun block available, managed to get their feet sunburnt?

?????

Ah yes...

• Those who were so inclined headed out to I Cafe for dinner.

 Grant will be so jealous!

 Geoff doesn't look very happy either!

 Interesting set up

What did Geoff say to Keith?

Michelle and Ed, the original lovebirds

Blog Moments:

• Michelle and Phil, halfway through struggling into their wet suits discovered, not necessarily by themselves, that they were inside out.
• One can only struggle so much trying to get into a wet suit... the boys all had to up size.
• When Mez wanted to take a photo of Chilly and Steve in their wet suits, was told, don't call out "say cheese!", call out "say flex", so the boys had time to suck in their bellies.

Flex!!

And Flex again!!

• Who made the comment, "we will go down together"?
• Who undressed Michelle on a deserted Island? The comment was "you sit down and I'll pull". Michelle's instant reaction was "no way"! Until she realized that was the only way she was going to get out of her wet suit to go for a swim (of course Michelle had bathers on underneath). Steve moved up a notch on the gross meter for his gallantry. Won't last long though, Steve just can't help himself.