The past few months have been a little tough and very busy! I completed one of my scholarships in November with a high distinction (YAY). My car was broken into at the train station and I lost someone I love very much in a car accident in December and was absolutely devastated. December really sucked. With BSP on a break over the hot summer months, I decided that I needed one too and booked a trip home to Perth for two weeks.
I also fought a few fires in December and one was 2km from my house. As I was on the truck, I really wasn’t that worried about the house, but more so about my dog and fortunately, we had the 15ha fire under control by late evening. It was a stinker of a day, 44 degrees and the heat from the flames was intense. Twelve fire fighters went down with either heat stress or heat shock from various brigades. Not a fun way to spent a hot day, that’s for sure. However, overall CFA saved 48 houses and all the livestock so it was a huge success and later that week, red balloons and streamers decorated many road signs and light poles as a thank you to the brigades.
I met with the Fire Services Commissioner, Craig Lapsley to discuss a new project for another scholarship application, this one with the Emergency Services Foundation. Craig is another of my heroes and it was mind blowing to hear him say he was very excited about my idea and that he’s thinks I am on to a winner. He also wrote me a glowing letter of endorsement for my application and I submitted my project the day prior to my departure.
January 24th, I headed off to the airport in a chauffeured car that I hired to make the trip a little easier as I live so far away from public transport and the city. I arrived at the airport, checked in and headed to the departure gate. I flew out of Melbourne early on a grey, rainy Friday and arrived in hot sunny Perth at 10:30am to be greeted by my best friend ‘Frog’ and her two gorgeous children.
On a plane ready to leave rainy Melbourne
We headed back to her house and spent the day catching up. We had a great time! I had a busy trip planned and on the Monday, I was on the bus and heading down South to Margaret River.
I stayed in a backpackers in Margaret River and was in a dorm with four boys. One was German and really friendly. The other three were ‘grunters’ and not much up for conversation. The first night they all snored their heads off so I was a little tired the next morning, but I headed off on a winery, beer and chocolate tour. That was a super day! The wineries we went to were lovely, the views magnificent and the chocolate delish! That night I had dinner at the pub and sat around with other travellers and chatted.
I did enjoy the wineries
My second day I caught up with a friend Tracy who travelled from Bunbury to meet with me and then late in the afternoon I caught the bus down to Augusta. Checking in to my new backpackers, I had dinner and chatted until about 11pm with my room mate.
The next morning, another spectacular day, I took a taxi to the lighthouse. My uncle Ray used to be a lighthouse keeper there when I was a kid and lived in WA and we used to go and see him a lot. Dad would help him carry the kero up the 176 stairs and we’d watch Ray light it all up. I remember the wild winds and the way the lighthouse swayed. I was lucky to be on the first tour of the day. This was a flying visit and I needed to be back on the bus to Perth at 4:30pm that day. I told the staff about our adventures there as a kid and they asked me to sign their guest book and when I bought some souvenirs they were kind enough to give me a staff discount.
The Lighthouse was wonderful
After spending three hours at the lighthouse, I began the 9km walk back to town. I like a good walk and stopped by an old waterwheel and beach before I continued on my way. About a kilometre down the road a couple stopped and offered me a lift so I accepted and was back in town in no time! I had a quick bite to eat and then called the same taxi to take me to the Jewell Cave which was stunning and lovely and cold! Again, I began the 11km walk back to town and was about 2km down the road when I lady and her children offered me a lift and took me back to town. Everyone was so friendly, it was really lovely.
Jewell Cave
At 4:30pm I was back on the bus to Perth and arrived around 9pm.
The next morning I woke up VERY excited. I was to spend the next three days learning to scuba dive. We started our course at Dolphin Dive Fremantle and did some revision tests from our pre-course study and then we headed to the local pool. We did five confined water dives and at the end of the day I headed back home on the train.
The following morning we did another two assessments and then headed out to Susan’s Groin to do our two shore dives (Yes, you can imaging the jokes that eventuated with a name like that!). We kitted up and with 23kg on my body, we walked through the sand to the water’s edge and I have never been so happy to get into the water! Our instructor, Maarten briefed us and under we went. Visibility was only 2-4 metres but we saw an octopus, a flat head, a sea snail and some wrasse fish! It was amazing! We dived to a depth of 7.3m.
Such a beautiful spot
When we returned to the van, Maarten realised that someone had broken into it and Adriana’s and Adam’s bags, plus our sunnies had been stolen! Fortunately, I had left my bag at the shop so I was lucky, but Adam lost a stack of cash. We drove back to the shop for lunch and contacted the police and we tracked Adriana’s phone from my phone using the App Find my iPhone and it was only eight minutes away from the shop. So we contacted the police and filed a report. They told us they were unable to do anything for a while. So after lunch, we decided to go for a drive. Google Maps had shown us the location was by a shopping centre. Behind that were seven units and that was where the phone appeared to be.
To make a long story short, we located everything except the cash and our sunnies!! Winners! We called the police and updated them and decided to do our second dive. Maarten took us to a place called Ammo Jetty and we dove to 8.4m and completed more compulsory exercises under the water before we swam around the jetty. This time we saw a seahorse, a Lion fish and jellyfish as well as crabs! It was amazing!
Our final open water dives were on the Sunday after our theory exam, which we all passed and we headed out on the Dolphin Dive boat to Rottnest Island. It was quite a rough day and our first dive location was aborted so we went around near Little Armstrong Bay and headed in to the water after a briefing. More compulsory exercises and then we went down. 14.3m to be exact. WOW! What an experience!
Pass
After that dive, we were back on the boat for lunch and then got ready for our final dive and final tests under water, which was 8m. I loved every minute of it and at the completion of that dive, we headed back on to the boat and back to Fremantle where we went out to Little Creatures with our Instructor to celebrate our PADI Open Water Diver certification. WAHOO!!
How's this for a beach!
Monday morning I was on the Ferry to head over to Rottnest Island to camp for four days. Upon arrival I checked in for my tent site and collected my bike. I rode to the tent area and my spot was under a magnificent pine tree that offered loads of shade. It was perfect. I set my tent up and then went to the shop to buy some food for dinner and then went for a nice swim at Pinky’s Beach and then a bike ride and then chilled out for the rest of the afternoon and evening. The following morning I was up at 6am and on the bike by 7am with my snorkelling gear. Maarten had told me of all the best places to snorkel and when I arrived at the spot, I was gobsmacked. My own private beach! And it was perfect! I sat on the sand for some time just relaxing and taking in the magnificent view. I was so happy. I then put on my gear and headed into the water. Here, I saw a starfish, crabs, Wrasse fish, bright green, pink and blue parrot fish, an orange and blue nudibranch, Drummer fish, a brown and grey striped fish and a bright blue fish with yellow fins and tail. It was so incredibly beautiful.
After snorkelling for about and hour and a half I sat on the beach again and then after another few hours hopped back on the bike and rode around the entire island before heading into the mall for an ice cream and then back to camp where I watched the sun set over Pinky’s Beach and saw a fur seal playing in the water!
Jenna didn't tell us what this little animal was - but it's very cute
(Obviously we need to brush up on our Australian native animals)
The next morning I was up early again and on the bike to Ricey Beach. When I parked my bike there was not a soul around as I went to remove my dive bag, I realised the strap had become caught up in the gears. OH NO! I wondered what to do. Take all my things out and leave the bag with the bike or wait for someone to come along to get some assistance. As I stood there, a man was jogging down the hill so I waited for him to arrive and with an extra set of hands, he was able to help me get the stubborn strap out and with a hug from me continued on his merry (sweaty!) way. Again, I was the only one on the beach for close to four hours and while there weren’t as many fish they were still gorgeous!
On my way back to the camp site, I rode past the fire station and there was a member out the front so I stopped for a chat and was invited to come back later that evening for dinner. The Brigade were gathering for their annual Quokka Cup and a social evening to raise funds. I gladly accepted the invitation and headed back to camp for the afternoon and returned to the station about 6pm. I met the members and was very pleased to see it’s the same as home. Any fire brigade feels like a family and you’re always made to feel so welcome. I was going to sit and watch the Quokka Cup but was asked to make up a team with a police officer from the Island and reluctantly accepted. I did warn “Unlucky Phil” that I didn’t do well at sports that involved two legs.
Fun at the fire station
The first round was against another team of two and was table tennis. We lost. From here we moved to Basketball which we won, then to darts, which we lost and finally to a game of pool which we also lost. Unlucky Phil and I were awarded the Wooden Spoon much to our delight! It was such a funny night and so much fun! We had a bbq for dinner and even though I took some vegetarian burgers they had kindly provided some for me and along with a few beers we chatted until around 11pm. It’s funny to see that even at other brigades it’s always the same few people who stay back to pack up and once we were done we had another chat and another beer before I hopped on my bike and rode off, quite wobbly, in the dark hoping I wasn’t going to hit a Quokka!
My final day at Rotto was spent waving to all the staff on the Island as they passed me from the night before! I felt like a local! I was going to book in for a snorkelling tour, but with the strong winds that were already in force and the number of white caps on the ocean, I opted out and decided to take a tour on the Captain Hussy instead to Oliver Hill. After the tour I had half an hour before the boat took me back to Perth.
My final few days in Perth were spent snorkelling and just hanging out with my best mate and my dad. It was a wonderful trip and I really needed to get away and just have some time for me.
Now, I am back home and was straight out to the Kilmore – Wallan fire. Boy talk about no rest for the wicked. I’ve also just completed my second novel, which will be published in the first week of March and I have entered BSP and myself into the TTT CT competition in March.
I got my sparkle back baby! Come at me 2014!
Until next time,
Kia Kaha (Maori for Be Strong)
Love Jenna and BSP xox
