Day 60, 30 August 2009, Denham

Woke and had a quick shower/ cuppa then a 25 km. drive to Monkey Mia.

Contrary to logic, 'Monkey Mia' does not mean 'My monkey'. 'Mia' is a Malganya word for 'home'.

The 'monkey' part has three possible explanations:

1. There was a ship called the Monkey that had something to do with the area;

2. Malaysian pearlers had pet monkeys; or

3. 'Monkey' is supposedly an Australian slang word for sheep. I have yet to meet anyone who has ever heard this.

I've decided to continue to believe that 'Monkey Mia' means ' my monkey'. And I'm sticking to it.

Anyway.

We arrived to find a hundred or so tourists who stay at the resort freezing their feet off in the coldish water.

Only female dolphins come in to feed. The female commentator explained that dolphins are very sensitive and so we couldn't touch them, feed them or look at them funny.

Only specially trained (female) German backpackers were allowed to give them (presumably female) fish. The dolphins have a strong work ethic, as soon as the feeding is complete, they swim in unison away.

Still very impressive and fun, seeing the critters up close. Most impressive was when they roll over on their sides to look back.

After a great breakfast in the resort restaurant we got on a 50 or so foot catamaran 'Aristocat 2' for a sail around Shark Bay. This boat reminded us of a larger version of Sjany and Paul's boat, "Skellim", which we enjoyed time on at the Whitsundays, last year. Spent the next few hours looking at more dolphins, dugongs and finally a pearl farm.

The pearl farmer explained how he was hoping to get his first pearls in about two years and how he had been at it for 14. Normally it takes 20 years so he was ahead of the game. Big risk and potentially big rewards. His business is on a big raft, about 1 km. off shore. The workers who actually plant the seed pearl and other stuff make between $1000 and $5000 per day, after five years of training. They work 11 months of the year and as a group are notorious gamblers. Australians have proved hopeless at this job, all seeders are Japanese. Using the whole product, they also market the pearl meat to Asia. We were invited to partake of this gift from the sea, with the warning that it is reputed to have aphrodesiac effects. When the young owner was asked if he ate the pearl meat, he said, "Well, I do have twins."

The dugongs were fun to spot but difficult to photograph. They graze on the sea grass, surface to breath, then graze on the sea grass, surface to breath etc. Pat took about 35 photos and 5 movies, all of which look like ... the sea. Dugongs are not curious like dolphins, or playful. They are not awesome, like whales. But they are pleasant to watch, grazing placidly. They are known as sea cows, and observing them is relaxing. Most things seem to be relaxing at present.

The weather is still blowy and cooler than we're used to, but the place is magic.