The first busy week of Two Bays 2019 is complete and I’m writing on a day that was meant to be spent on Mud Islands in the Port Phillip Heads marine park with the St Aloyishus school from Queenscliff. Strong Northerly winds were predicted so a comfortable transfer of kids onto the island was considered too dangerous. Fortunately we have a spare weather day tomorrow and the school has been able to switch days. Programming at sea is a fine art of crossing fingers and praying to the weather gods. Port Phillip Bay can throw all kinds of weather patterns at you even though the impending Autumn used to mean calmer, less windy conditions. Looking back over the last 14 years of programming, it seems remarkable that we have been able to run all the days planned, as we have always managed to work in with our spare days.
Pelican Captain Garry McKechnie uses the marine wind forecast on the BOM website to get the best insight into the shape of a day at sea. But the best predictions can be inaccurate and at this stage as I write we probably could’ve headed out today.
So, as our Marine Educator Harry Breidahl says Thank You Ocean , not only for every second breath we take, but for the time we have safely been able to run our programs at sea. Here’s hoping that we are granted enough sea days to introduce our Two Bays participants to the wonders of their local Sea Country this year.
Banjo Shark eyeing me in the Point Cook Marine Sanctuary
Primary school kids on board Pelican1 as part of their Ocean Literacy experience.