tumby - day 2

Today was all about tide times.

While the kids had their first day in the boat with Kym fishing and squidding,

Bec Beattie and I walked out to Tumby Island to photograph the Tumby Island Arch.

Low tide was 12.07pm and .2 metres. By 11 am we were on the Southern End and around the corner of Ski Beach taking a few shots of the coastline while the tide dropped.

11.30am saw us venturing forward to the Island. A few prior preparations had to be considered before heading out.

Big Arse Razor Fish all the way out, so appropriate footwear is paramount. Sneakers just wont do. Fortunately Kym had his diving boots here so I used them. Bec used her runners with her husband's Reef Shoes strapped on the outside. She looked like Big Foot but her feet were so safe.

Mine, however, were in older perished rubber, so I took it slow to get out there. Sort of slide my foot forward, feel the bottom then plant it firmly. So it took us 30 mins to travel 750 metres to get to the Island.

On the way we saw Hermit Crabs, Red Starfish and really big Starfish the size of a dinner plate.

And this is why we travelled there.

We had planned to go to the other side of the Island to photograph an Osprey Chick in the nest, but the tide was on its way back in. And thank goodness we decided not to go there. The tide was higher on the way back in than on our way out. A couple of times we both got stuck in sludgy spots and had help each other out of them.

This is certainly not a trip to do on one's own, so I am very grateful that Bec said yes, she'd come out. Both for the company and, in hind sight, safety. Believe me, I cheered loudly when we were back on Mainland.

As it worked out, Bec and I picked up the kids from Kym at Second Creek and we headed to Lincoln. We dropped off Bec to her family at the Caravan Park at North Shields, and the kids and I headed to Kmart to get them bike helmets as they had both out grown their old ones.

We had the freshest Garfish, Calamari and Tommies for tea and by 10.30pm I was in bed. Puffed out from the day.