Day 11

Wednesday 4 October

I awake to hear Des gently calling my name as he searches for my tent in the pre-dawn glow. It’s 5.30am and time to head to the beach to organise this final visit to Lizard Island. This will be the 13th and 14th crossing of this stretch of water between the Cape and Lizard Island, for Pelican and her hard working crew. Colin drives our inflatable boat onto the beach, transferring people onboard. Sam helps us with his “Turtle 4” tinny, also sending his tribe of kids with their mates. It’s our thank you for the tagging work.

Pelican sets full sail and accelerates out of the protected bay as the sun rises onto her white sails, turning them golden. It’s a downwind sail, which they crack off in less than 3 hours –a very exhilarating way to travel with 31 people onboard. Most of the Bama onboard have never been on Lizard Island. This includes several Dingaal Traditional Owners who have an unforgettable day feeling their extended homelands for the first time.

John and Hong discuss possibilities of how this tragic whale got here

Meanwhile Andrew and Hong, our ANZers go with Marty to help lug gear in and out by vehicle to Starke -Des traditional lands for his Daarba people. It’s the base camp for this Flattery operation as it’s roughly half way between the Cape and the Hope Vale township. They miss the rising tide on the return journey, unable to drive down the beach until the tide falls a few hours later. They get a fire going and chat with the Bama on the edge of this long ocean beach, returning elated having had a great adventure, so remote from their corporate lives. They have broken through to a deeper level of friendship with Marty and his carload of Hope Vale people, chatting beyond the shy chitchat of first meetings. From this moment on they both feel like they fully belong to this project.

I write Log 4 looking out over the sea, I can see Pelican slowly motor sailing into view, arriving in the golden light of dusk. As usual it’s been a rough sail back but the boat handles it with ease, with just a few sickie casualties. The Bama arrive onshore having had a terrific adventure in their sea country.

Pelican 1 returns after her last visit to Lizard Island

It’s a ideal opportunity with both Garry and Natalie here to gather the Pelican troops, so with young Finnley Sunlight we all head out to the Pelican for a meal. There are 14 of us round the dinner table munching lentils, prepared by our very able cook Anna. We acknowledge Ini and his crew for the amazing work they have all done during the last 10 days.

Back onshore we sit round a fire with Des and Estelle. We cherish this time with them, after the hectic organisation of the last week. Des has just come back from taking another load of gear out to Starke, and was delayed again by the tide. He works relentlessly over these few days, doing countless trips in and out with the Toyota Troop Carrier. He is a linchpin of this project being totally reliable whilst maintaining an awareness of everything that’s going on–a great role model to all the young people It’s an early night for us all with the big haul out day tomorrow.