Day 38 8/10 (Fri) – Swimming with sealions in Baird Bay

Off this morning early to drive the 50 km or so to Baird Bay for an eco tour swimming with sealions and dolphins. I drove so we could be sure of making it in time. The 30 km or so of dirt road into Baird Bay was as good as a highway so could go really fast. Luckily didn’t hit any stumpy tailed lizards (part of the road looked a bit like lizard suicide alley), although have to say that have less sympathy for lizards after seeing one doing crocodile-like death rolls in the middle of the road trying to take a chunk out of his/her flattened compatriot the other day! Baird Bay is the end of the road and looks to be in the middle of nowhere. Idyllic really. Instructions were to turn right when the road ended and then left onto the beach and drive up to the big Aussie flag. Beach was like a highway. Lovely to drive on. Bit nippy but were assured water temp was at least 16 degrees….  sounded balmy (not!). Set off with the 4 other intrepid swimmers towards Jones Island where the local colony of sealions hangs out. Certainly plenty of sealions, including some pups of between 3 and 5 months age. Unfortunately didn’t seem much interested in swimming with anything, much less us, so went on to where the dolphins hang out. Several dolphins appeared after a lot of searching, but were then herded away by another dolphin (after we had all got into the rather chilly water and flailed around a bit). Back again to the sealions, and this time they eventually decided to have a go at the whole water thing. Magic once it was all happening. Very inquisitive creatures with big soulful eyes, although get the impression they are wondering what manner of creature is in there with them, failing miserably to demonstrate any evidence of agility or elegance. Spent quite a lot of time in with the sealions but eventually got out (somewhat frozen by this time, with both of us shaking and Chris nearly losing his milo involuntarily several times). Went back to the other side of the bay and found a lone dolphin for me to swim with. I was the only idiot who went back in the water at this point (apart from poor Matt, the only crew to Alan’s skippering and who has to go in the water regardless – although sounds like he enjoys the job). Dolphin quite good but lost interest pretty quickly (just as well really). On return eventually warmed up in the sun.
Quick stop at Murphy’s Haystacks on the way back into Streaky Bay. Great piles of rocks in the middle of rolling hills, formed by the action of weathering on softer rock over millions of years. Mistaken for haystacks by some Irishman called Murphy, hence the name. Rest of afternoon huge laundry afternoon so generally pretty boring.