Australia Day

Yesterday was Australia day, and the island had its get together at Yellow beach. It was rather different to last year... in that last year we knew almost no-one and this year we knew almost everyone. Last year I was bright and eager to talk to everyone, and this year I was so tired I could barely talk to my friends.

In the morning we'd gone to dive where I'd seen some scallop shells washed up, last year. I only saw one there this year and it was old. The season is closed but I want to locate them. The area proved rather dull, thick seagrass, sand, prawn holes, a myriad little fry (in their billions) until in the thick sea-grass I spotted a scallop... well, the fan-pattern. I swam down to pick it up... touched it... and the flathead whose pectoral I had just touched took off like a ballistic missile. So did I, vertical lift off above the water. Anyway, the next dodgy thing I saw - about 4 metres down was a bit of kelp - in the seagrass. I prodded that with a spear and the ray swam off.

Then we had a coffee at Max's, made an early stop in at the Australia day do, where the Lions were hard at work, organising a vast tea, and went off to go waterski-ing... on the sea.

Now, here is the truth. I cannot waterski. I can do the splits, cartwheel, get liters of water up my nose, and try again, and again and again with determined stubborness, but not ski. I was just getting up and losing it. James got a bit further and managed to stand for about half a minute... really skiing. One day. Anyway, it was fun, even if we got to the Australia day thing again too late for the races (phew) and the beach cricket (which james likes). But there is no finer place for an Australia day celebration than Flinders island, I conclude, especially if you are a kid. Everyone looks out for the kids - most of them know the kids. It was just so different to the average beach in South Africa (where you have to watch your child every second).

I am as a result today very very stiff and rather bruised.