From the Trainee Matthew Seaton, Mackay to Whitsundays 12-17/03/2006

When we got to Mackay, me and Ewan met Ewan's mates who invited us go onto their Coral Trout boat. They were six fishermen and they were staying in Mackay because it was too windy for them to go out fishing. They gave us a bag full of Morton Bay bugs and scallops and everyone on the Pelican eat them up and it was yummy.

The next day we went to the fish and chip shop it was real nice.

We went into town two times. First I went with Garry to the Marine Safety Board to get some books for my course. After that we went to McDonalds for lunch. Another time Nick took all us boys to the shops to get some things and some photos.

Then we started sailing out to the sea again. We thought it was going to be rough, but it was not so bad. I was up for watch at night two times. We went out to the middle reef and I went diving with Ewan and Marina. Then we went in overnight to the Whitsundays and here we also went diving again. We have been doing lots of diving theory and we are finished the theory now so are going to be 'open divers' very soon. We will be finished when we have done our test.

Yesterday I was sailing to the Whitsundays doing the steering. I like it very much and would like to have my own boat to have fun and go fishing.

The boys went fishing last night, they caught two fish and I went to bed as I was really tired.

Today we are on the track again to Airley Beach. We are going to drop three scientists and then go to Townsville.

If I do see my mates in Townsville I'll see what they are doing and I'll show them the boat we are on.