Desert Air - 41. DA Ch 41 - Final Semester & Holidays

“Limestone to Dad, do you copy, over?” I said into the radio mic, “Receiving you son, I am on my way back to the homestead right now, see you shortly, over,” Dad replied, and after getting a drink of cold water, I sat down on the front verandah to await my Dad’s arrival.

A few minutes later, Dad arrived with the American Colonel with him, and he was smiling as he climbed out of the Ute. “How did the inspection go?” I asked as I stood up to meet them, “Very good, I think we can do nicely by landing on the road and using the tuck bay as a turnaround,” the Colonel replied.

“That is good to hear, I have brought the flat bed trailer over, so we can transport the buildings over to the road, and we have a front end loader here to lift them on the trailer,” I explained. “Good, how about we start right away, I will give my lads on Globemaster one to get prepared to come over this afternoon, if you can organise for the road to be closed while we land and take off,” the Colonel said.

“Yes, I can arrange that, while my son can start getting the buildings transported over to the road,” Dad said and nodding my head, I walked over to the shed to get started on the task of loading the first two buildings onto the long flat bed trailer and strapping them down.

By the end of the day we had four of the octagonal buildings loaded onto the Globemaster, and transported back to the airbase, and once I had driven back there with the trailer, we transported them over to the new Outcamp, with man muscles used to lift them off the trailer, and put them into position.

By lunch time the following day, we had all 9 buildings in place, and with the arrival of the truck with the two converted shipping containers, we had the ablutions and showers connected to the water supply, and the Outcamp was now operational, and the Americans moved over to the new camp, where they would stay for the remainder stay on the airbase.

With the Outcamp now operational and with the Captain releasing me from any other Army commitments, I drove to Port Hedland, and placing my Jackaroo Ute in long term parking, I caught a flight back to Perth to continue my studies.

For the remainder of the semester, I concentrated on my studies, as well as the field work at the University’s Veterinary Clinic as well as at the Perth Zoo, until it was time for my final examinations, which I was very nervous about.

When the exams were all finally over, I decided to treat myself to a short holiday, so booked and paid for a weeks holiday on Rottnest island, before I packed up all of my belongings from the University accommodation that I had been living in, and had it all shipped up to Port Hedland, where I would collect it on my way home.

Once that was all completed, I headed for Fremantle to board the ferry to Rottnest Island, and with it being late spring; I was looking forward to some swimming, sunshine and restful walks along the many beaches on the island.

I had booked into an Eco cabin, which is located just behind the sand dunes at Pinkie’s Beach, just a short walk away from the main settlement, where most of the shops and restaurants are located, and after a rather rough ferry ride, that didn’t affect me but did affect a lot of other travellers, I collected my key from the accommodation office and made my way to my eco cabin.

I spent the last few hours of the afternoon just relaxing, before taking a shower and heading over to the settlement to get some dinner, passing a lot of Quokka’s who were coming out of their hiding places to hunt for some food.

The following morning after some breakfast of fresh Rottnest bread and a cup of tea, I did some basic shopping at the islands main supermarket, before hiring a bike and setting off to explore the island, which took me the rest of the morning, returning to the eco cabin for a late lunch, followed by a lay down.

Time seemed to pass by quickly, as the eight days that I have been on the Island passed by, especially with me just relaxing and doing absolutely nothing. On my last day on the island, straight after breakfast, I returned the hire bike, before storing my luggage in a locker, and went for a long walk along the beach, when I saw a group of tourists gathered on the edge of the water, and I soon discovered a dugong that was tangled up in fishing rope with foam floats attached.

I quickly flicked off my sandshoes, and headed into the water, with just board shorts and t-shirt on, and forgetting that I had my day backpack on, as I slowed down as I approached the distressed mammal, thankful that my supervisor at the zoo had encouraged me to learn about the sea mammals as well as the land mammals.

Checking my backpack, I found my multi-tool, and I carefully assessed the ropes and netting that he seal was tangled in, before starting to cut them away, not noticing the approaching Rottnest island rangers, who had sprinted from their vehicle.

“Hey you, step away from that… that creature,” a loud voice shouted, which I noticed frightened the dugong, and I slowly turned to face the two men standing on the waters edge, “Please keep your voice down, and this is a Dugong, although I have no idea what it is doing this far south. I am a zoologist, so I know what I am doing,” I responded quietly.

“What are you doing there?” one of the rangers asked, “The dugong is trapped in fishing rope and netting, I am trying to cut the netting away,” I replied, and soon after one of the rangers was in the water standing waist deep alongside me.

“Hold him still, while I cut the netting, and I suggest you get hold of the Perth Zoo and tell them that we have a Dugong trapped off the west end of Longreach Bay,” I said to the ranger, and he relayed the information to his partner. I took about 45 minutes to carefully cut away the netting before attempting to untangle the twisted ropes, and by then a Fisheries Department vessel had arrived, and the Fisheries officer joined us.

“Why hello there Jexon, fancy bumping into you here,” the familiar voice said and I stopped what I was doing and looked up to see a smiling Auggie. “Hey buddy, good to see you again too, as you see we have a dugong, well away from its usual territory, what do you recommend we do, once we have freed it?” I responded.

“Well there are only two options here in Western Australia, the Aquarium of WA and the Perth Zoo,” August replied, “Yes they are two options, but you are forgetting two others, the UWA has the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, in Waterman’s Bay, plus there is another place more suited to his normal surroundings, located up the coast at Shark Bay, called Ocean Park Aquarium, just south of Denham,” I added.

“Oh I hadn’t heard of those two places, let me make a few calls to see what we can do,” Auggie replied, before walking towards the beach with a mobile in hand.

A few minutes later, as I was nearing cutting all the rope away, Auggie returned, “The Aquarium is sending a boat over that has a tank onboard, big enough to hold him, and transport him to the Aquarium to have him checked out, before arranging transport up to the Denham facility,” Auggie said to me.

Once the other boat had arrived with the tank and a transfer sling, we managed to get the small male dugong into the tank, before they set off to the mainland. “Are you staying on the island?” Auggie asked me, once the vessel had gone out of sight, “I have been, today is my last day, I have to catch a ferry back to Fremantle, and catch a flight to Port Hedland tomorrow,” I replied.

“Why don’t you grab your gear and we will give you a lift back to Freo,” Auggie suggested, “Yes, why not, I left my gear at a locker in the visitor centre,” I replied. “Great, jump in and we will take you around to there then back to the mainland,” Auggie said happily.

Why his colleague piloted the vessel back to Fremantle, Auggie and I chatted away, catching up on news since we last saw each other after returning from Albany. Graduating nearly a month earlier than me, he had managed to get a job right away with the Fisheries department, and I informed Auggie that I will be catching a flight early in the morning, to start working on the family cattle station near Marble Bar part time while establishing a vet clinic business near the town.

Auggie looked upset that I would be heading north, well away from where he is working, and he tried to cheer up and wished me the best of luck in the future. “I hope that we get to catch up again soon mate,” Auggie said to me, after we had moored at Fremantle.

“I hope so too mate, I will keep in touch, and maybe you can come up and visit me up north,” I replied, and Auggie pulled me into a man hug before I left. Since it was just before lunch time as I headed for the train station, I checked to see if there was possibly and afternoon flight today to Port Hedland, and I found two afternoon flights, and I was able to get a seat on the 3.20 pm flight.

Once I arrived in the city, I headed to a café to get some lunch and to have a bit of a look around, before catching a taxi to the domestic airport. Once I had checked in, I headed to the departure lounge to relax, and since I have my Ute at the port Hedland Airport, I decided to drive home that evening, instead of spending money with accommodation in Port Hedland.

After the two hour flight and the two and a half hour drive home, I was glad to be finally home, as I parked in my car bay at the back of the complex, next to the Hawkei, before carrying my luggage to my cabin, and I was unpacking when Mum appeared.

“Oh, you are home at last, we were starting to wonder if you were going to stay at Rottnest for a bit longer,” Mum said as she entered and wrapped me in a hug. “Hi Mum, I managed to get an earlier flight, so I could be home tonight,” I replied.

There is a letter from the University for you on your office desk, as well as a few other letters, we have already eaten, do you want me to rustle up something for you?” Mum asked, “No, I am fine thanks Mum, I grabbed a bite in Port Hedland, plus the snacks I had on the plane flight,” I replied.

“Ok, I will leave you to get settled… it is good to have you home son,” Mum said to me before leaving, and as expected Dad arrived a few moments later. “G’day son, welcome home, I see you go plenty of sun while on Rottnest,” Dad said to me before shaking my hand.

“Yes I did, mainly from earlier today, I was helping rescue a tangled Dugong that had managed to end up so far south as Rottnest, and get caught up in old fishing nets and ropes,” I replied. “Always in the thick of it all as usual, great to see you home. Can we chat first thing in the morning, about what you want to do?” Dad said to me, “Sure Dad, I will be up early as usual, so see you for an early breakfast,” I replied.

After unpacking, I walked over to the Airbase office at the front of the compound, and sat down at the desk that I usually sit at, and on the desk was a small pile of mail plus a small poster tube. I opened the letter from the university first, which was the results from my last exams, where I had done surprisingly well, and a short letter from the Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University.

“To Mr Jaxon Kendrick, Congratulations on doing well with your Veterinary Science studies, I wish you all the best with your future.”