I took the train from Sydney to Casino. This is actually a great rail journey. It is slow, but the old XPT is very comfortable and it travels through some great countryside.
From Casino you take a connecting bus to Byron Bay.
I really like Byron Bay and of, have a few rituals. These include a meal a Fish Mongers and a beers at the Beach Hotel. The meal was up to its usual standard which is excellent.
BIB has Definitely left the Beach
The Beach Hotel has been famous of the years for the quality of its bar staff. The place has recently changed hands. Clearly the policy with respect to the recruitment of bar staff has undergone a change. This is a pity albeit it probably more ‘PC’.
Some Healthy Activity
I decided to do ‘swimming with the turtles’. There are a number of companies that offer trips out to Julian Rock to see the turtles. I pick one, Wild Byron. They operate out of Brunswick Heads which is about 20 kilometres north of Byron Bay. This involved being picked up in Byron Bay by 4WD and battling the traffic out of the town.
I was one of only four on the trip. The others were two French girls on holiday in Australia and Scottish lass who was working in Byron.
If only I could speak French
When we arrived in Brunswick Heads, we were met by the Skipper of the boat that would take us out to Julian Rock and our guide, Laura who was also French. As it turned out all the French girls were from Montpellier. There was a lot of excited conversation in French.
The Skipper of the boat explained that Julian Rock was part of the Cape Bay Marine Park. It is also the point where the currents from southern NSW and north from Queensland meet. These two factors make it a great place for marine life. This include dolphins, sharks and, of course, the turtles.
It is also a great place to see whales and manta rays in the winter months.
Getting to the Rock is half the Fun
After the brief introduction and the donning of our wetsuits, we boarded the boat and headed along the river and out to sea. Once we out of the small harbour, we certain picked up speed. It was a very fast boat. The views across to Byron Bay and the hinterland were spectacular. The boat ride is an experience.
When we arrived at the Rock, The Skipper explained that Laura would guide us to the best laces to see the wildlife. This involved swimming to a gap in the rock and slowly drifting along the side of the rock which faced Byron Bay.
Lots of Turtles and friendly Sharks
We all jumped into the water and headed to the rock. It wasn’t long before I saw my first turtle. Check out the video.
There was a bit of wait before I saw a shark. It took it to be a Leopard Shark. I have since been told by an old school mate, who knows a great deal more about sharks than me, that it was actually a Wobbegong Shark. In case you are worried about these sharks, you can be rest assured that they a both harmless.
Apart from the Turtles and the Sharks there are also other fish, but not in the number that you would see on a coral refer such as the Great Barrier Reef or Ningaloo in Western Australia.
Albeit, I was wearing a wetsuit, I started to feel the cold and decided to get out. It must be an aging thing. The others stayed in the water longer.
As I waited for the others to finish, I chatted with the Skipper and his offsider. They told me a bit about their business and the competition. One competitor is allowed to pick up customers on the beach at Byron Bay. This is a bit an advantage, I guess, but the trip from Brunswick Heads was interesting and being so fast, it was a bit of a thrill.
Seeing Whales could be even be Better
They also talked about the whale watching tour they run in Winter. They showed me a video of two whales on either side of the boat. The whales “were very curious and hung around the boat for ages”. Even though they “could have sunk the boat with one flick of their tail, there was no danger”.
I must to a whale watching trip someday.
After the others finished their dive, we headed back to Brunswick Heads at full speed.
It was a great trip that I can highly recommend.
Link to Wild Byron
Flickr Link
Swimming with the Turtles
Garmin Link
(Fast Boat)
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2392280528
Wobbegong Sharks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wobbegong
billrider2013 