Crayfish wrap

Embracing the spirit of King Island, the hh♡ Princess back on board Even Steven, a working crayfish boat, helping to catch Southern Rock Lobsters.

I may be Crayzee, but I just may be the lunatic that Shane was looking for. Captain Shane Thomas is a natural and is truly in his element on his cray boat out at sea.  He has the patience of a Saint and very understanding when it comes to me being his deck hand and makes me feel safe. 

 The season closed now for six weeks.  So celebrate with the spirit of King Island.  The perfect match King Island Distillery Ruby Grapefruit Spirit and King Island Lobster.

Upon reflection.....

On a boat, I'm way out of my comfort zone, I suffer badly from sea sickness and often distracted by the wildlife and scenery that I need to photograph.  No sense of direction when I'm constantly balancing, bumping into things as the boat rocks in any and every way and tears flowing from the wind.

Working out at sea is everything one would imagine and more.

Albatross are quite the characters and very entertaining to watch.  They are beautiful and all very different in their personalities and looks.  It's fascinating to watch these magnificent birds glide, dive, fly into each other landing on the ocean and squark out their breakfast orders.  

Driving a boat from crazy pot to Cray pot is one of the most challenging things I've ever needed my brain to focus on and figure out.  All the elements of mother nature, weather, wind, swell, tide, rain, hail, shine. Navigating looking at a compass a screen with lines and an X on it that marks the pot not the floats I need to find in the dark through a very salty windscreen.

Rope floating in the water, that connects the pot and floats that all need to go on the boat.  Getting the timing right to approach, turn, idle, forwards, sideways, up, down and some times around again. positioning in correct direction on approach to the floats, which I sometimes pick on the wrong line.

Shane Thomas Makes it work. He is skilful, does all the heavy lifting, Bait and cleaning.  Even allows my dog Buddy on board.

Price is dismal for the fishermen.  The running and maintenance Costs are phenomenal. Breakdowns are an almost daily occurrence, then there's the loss of pots for one reason or another beyond our control and it is a much tougher gig than meets the eye, when at the wharf.

Season closes 1.10.22 and reopens mid November 2022.