Afternoon Treat

What a fantastic way to spend a late afternoon, aboard a Whale Watching Boat.

Not the type that takes tourists out to see the whales, though that is spectacular, but as a guest aboard the boat that tracks whales up and down the W A coastline for the Federal Government.

The Jenners, Micheline & Kurt are contracted by the Australian Government to track, record and analyse whale movements along the West Australian coast. It was very exciting visiting an area usually reserved for fishing and charter boats. There were hundreds of boats, all shapes and sizes glistening brightly in the late afternoon sun.

We walked along a secure jetty and passed all sorts of craft, with Micheline pointing out the interesting ones and those with some history. Directing my gaze towards a sleek catamaran moored on a side jetty she proudly announced that it was Whale Song I, their first boat, built entirely by the Jenners themselves. It looked magnificent and it was with a wistful sigh that we walked past it to the larger and equally magnificent, Whale Song II.

The second of the Jenner's boats was originally a large fishing boat, though it now bears little resemblence to its original calling. The open deck has been enclosed and converted into the family's living quarters. The boat itself can sleep a total of 15 people, though usually carries around 12. It has a large galley and boasts three bathrooms. There is a fully operational bridge with all manner of electronic devices. Pardon my ignorance in this area.

It seemed quite whimsical to be seated around a solid jarrah topped table, eating afternoon tea whilst discussing topics such as whale migration, the affect that offshore mining has on such creatures and not unnaturally climate change and its possible ramifications.

I left the boat and the Jenner family, feeling as if I had been included into something quite special. It isn't every day I get invited into a lifestyle so different from my own.