Ocean Research - 20. IOR Chapter 20

Shortly after we had everything secured, Flynn’s mobile rang, “Its Mum calling,” Flynn said before accepting the call. “Hi Mum, how is the shopping trip to town going?” Flynn said smiling, as he put the call on loud speaker so I could listen in. “Going good, we are almost at home. I have a missed call from you boys, what is the matter?” our mum said in reply.

”We are on my vessel on the Sherlock River, and we have found a group of people camping at the family camp ground, do you know anything about it?” I asked. ”No dear, your dad and I have not given permission to anyone, have you tried calling Sherlock homestead?” Mum responded.

”Ok, leave it to us, we will handle it, I will give you a call later with an update on what happens, bye” I replied before ending the call, then dialling the number for the neighbouring station.

”Sherlock Station, Glen speaking” came a reply when the call was finally answered. ”Glen, it’s Kip here, how are things over your way?” I responded, ”Hey Kipling, long time no hear mate, we should get together some time and talk about old times at boarding school” Glen said, which made me smile.

”That sounds like a plan, I am in the area at the moment actually. I was gifted a vessel and a barge by my employer, to help me set up an research facility, and I am on the Sherlock now, and we have found a large group, of fishing campers at our campsite. Do you know anything about it mate?” I replied.

”If it is a mob of about seven vehicles with camper trailers and boat trailers with dinghies, then yes I do. They were instructed not to go across the river or creeks heading west. I clearly told them that the river was the boundary with the neighbouring station, and that they only have permission to be on Sherlock Station, I’m sorry that they have not listened to my instructions, I will be kicking them out as soon as I catch up with them,” Glen replied.

”Ok mate thanks for that info, when they return from their fishing trip, Flynn and I will deal with them, oh and if you need to call us we have UHF radio here and we are on our usual channel,” I said to my neighbour, who’s family have been on that station for three generations.

”I can be there in just over half an hour, I had the station phone diverted to my sat phone, as I am doing a water check on the northern end, and I am only about 12 km’s away, ” Glenn offered. ”If you like that would be great, you can camp out with us for the night if you want, we have plenty of supplies,” I replied, ”Awesome, I look forward to it mate, see you soon, ” Glen said before ending the call.

Flynn laughed having heard the conversation, ”Glenn is in for one big surprise when he arrives and sees the research facility, ” my brother said and smiling I nodded my head in agreement.

Less than fifteen minutes later we heard the sound of a number of outboard motors, as Flynn and. I stood on the bridge of my vessel. Glenn to Kip, do you read me, over, ” we heard over the radio, ”receiving you Glenn, this is Flynn, over” Flynn replied as he was closest to the radio.

”I’m about five clicks out from you, and I can see a number of dinghies travelling at high speed about two kilometres downstream from you over, ” Glenn reported.

”Yes copy that Glenn, we can hear them now, but not visible yet, see you when you get here, over,” Flynn replied. ”Roger that, over and out, ” Glenn said, just as I started up the motor of the vessel, as I decided to have a little bit of fun with the trespassers and I asked Flynn to release the mooring ropes.

I knew there is a large U shaped bend about 900 metres upstream, so I headed that way and stopped on the inside curve of the river, about twenty metres downstream from the end of the bend, where we waited.

As we heard the dinghies approaching, Flynn stood on the bow of the vessel, while remained on the bridge, and as the three dinghies came into sight and they saw the tri-hull vessel in front of them, the panicked and turned hard to their left and beached themselves at high speed, which sent a lot of the passengers flying in the air and landing on the sandy river bank.

”Now hear this, you are all trespassing on private property, you were not given permission to enter into Warambie Station land, you have one hour from now, to pack up and leave this station and Sherlock Station as well, as they have withdrawn their permission to be on the station, ” I announced over the loud PA speaker, as we watched them recover from their sudden stop.

”You can’t do that, we are allowed to camp and fish here, ” one of the men called back. ”You had permission to be on Sherlock Station, and you were told not to head west across the river, which you clearly have done, and the Sherlock station manager is now on his way here to ensure that you leave, as will we the family owners of Warambie and Pyramid Stations, ” I replied.

Once the dinghies we’re in the water again, they slowly made their way downstream to their campsite, and we slowly followed behind them, and as we were approaching the research facility, they began to slow down, so I grabbed the mic and switched it over to PA again.

”Keep moving and stay clear of the barge, ” I warned them, and they did as instructed, and as we rounded the final corner, we could see a station vehicle approaching from the track to the right and behind us, which we knew was Glenn, who was just pulling up at the campsite, as the fishing dinghies arrived there, and we watched Glenn from a distance, as he started to inform the unwelcome campers that they had to pack up and leave immediately.

I moved the vessel close to the shore so Flynn could jump off in the shallows and assist him with evicting the campers, while I headed back up stream to the research facility, where I managed to secure the vessel on my own.

Once I had the vessel secured, I headed to the kitchen to work out what to have for dinner tonight, and decided to have a simple barbecue with steak, chops and sausages, and a small tossed salad, so I got to work with preparing the salad, but after finishing making it, I decided that we needed more, so, I found the ingredients for a coleslaw, and started making that as well.

By the time I had finished making the second salad, and having the meat defrosting on the sink, I headed over to the vessel and up to the bridge, where I have binoculars to see what is happening with the campers. I arrived on the bridge just in time to see the last of the vehicles towing camper trailers heading south for the highway, and from there where ever they choose to go.

I watched as my brother climbed into the front passenger seat of Glenn’s vehicle and they were soon making their way towards me, so I headed down stairs to meet them. From the aft of the vessel, I walked along the short gangway onto the barge, and crossed the width of the barge and down the gangway onto the ground, arriving just moments before the vehicle came to a stop close by.

”Wow, this is some amazing floating building that you have here Kip, how did you get so lucky to have something like this?” Glenn asked when he stepped out of his vehicle.

”Just lucky I guess, grab your swag and we will show you were you will be staying the night, ” I replied smiling as I heard my brother chuckling as we went up the gangway to the barge, and I lead our guest to one of the cabins on the main deck.

”This is your room for the night, so make yourself at home, we will be just over there in the mid section of the barge, just turn left and go through the door on either side of the stairs, into the dining room” I said to Glenn, before heading to the dining room, with Flynn following me.

”Whats for dinner bro?” Flynn asked me as we entered the dining room and turned to go into the kitchen, ”For you dear brother, leftovers… That would be if I was a mean bastard, which I’m not. We are having a barbecue and two salads, ” I replied.

”Hey Kip, the room that you allocated to me is a lot bigger than I expected, almost the size of normal household bedroom, ” Glenn said when he walked into the kitchen. ”Flynn’s and mine on the next level up are even bigger still, we will give you a full tour shortly, but first let’s grab a beer and take a seat and discuss this situation that we had today, ” I suggested.

After about twenty minutes of discussions, we had agreed that if either station allowed fishing and camping groups onto their stations, that we would keep each other informed of how many there are and where they are going, and we suggested a limit of eight people permitted in one area at a time.

As the younger generation of the family station owners we would inform our parents of the recommendations that we have discussed today, as well as that all river crossings at our boundaries would be clearly marked with signage, to say which station they are about to enter.

After a complete tour of the facilities, the three young men returned to the kitchen, where Tyler got to work to start cooking dinner.

”So, how exactly did you get to have a vessel and a research facility like this?” Glen asked, ”Quite by luck really, a class mate of mine at University came looking for me, after we had graduated, and asked e to be part of a new ocean research project, and I said yes, ” I replied.

”That sounds a little too easy, go is this mysterious former university class mate of yours?” Glenn asked, and Flynn chuckled and smiled when he said this. ”Have you ever heard of Lloyd Family Corporation?” I asked Glenn. ”No… Oh! Wait, isn’t that the group that own the giant research submarines, and recently built a floating town out on the Abrolhos Islands?” Glenn relied.

”Yes, that is correct, Mr Lloyd’s grandson is my former uni classmate and now good friend, Joshua Alliston.

I was living out at the Abrolhos Islands until recently, when I had a run in with a herd of sharks, which I am still recovering from. I had been helping Josh with coordinating the cleanup of the islands after the cyclone that wiped out all of the fishermen’s cottages and most of the smaller jetties, and the floating town as you call it is called the Abrolhos Ocean City, which has two levels underwater and five above, ” I explained.

”So, are you going to run your research floating station along the West coast, or what are your plans?” Glenn asked.

”Not really sure to be honest, I was fairly shaken up after the shark attack that I experienced, I’m told that I was very lucky to be alive, and I was lucky to get only a few broken ribs and lots of bruising. I have been getting a lot of nightmares, but thankfully they have mostly gone now, ” I replied. “Wow, I had no idea, well I’m glad your still alive,” Glenn responded.

After dinner, we went up to the recreation lounge, where there are two large sky windows in the roof, giving a clear view of the night sky, and with us being in a remote location, they had a magnificent view of the night sky and all the stars, as they chatted about life on the stations and the future.

The following morning after breakfast, Glenn set off to continue his water checks on Sherlock Station, while Flynn headed for home, as he was needed on Warambie to do fence repairs at the southern boundary of Warambie, where the station joins with Pyramid Station.

Now on my own, I headed to the main deck meeting room, which would make my main office when on the facility, as it has a computer, printer scanner, fax machine and video conferencing facilities. On arrival, I found a fax already waiting for me, and looking at the day and time stamp at the top, it was sent late yesterday afternoon, not long after giving Glenn the tour of the facilities.

“To; Kipling F Ashburton, Ashburton Research Facility. From; Joshua Allison, Abrolhos Ocean City. Hey mate, just checking in with you, to see how you are managing. Hope you like the gifts from my grandfather and me, they are both yours to keep, no matter what you decide what to do, but I would really like you to return to the Abrolhos Islands, so you can help me with running this place.

Although we are officially open, we have not yet accepted any accommodation bookings, as we are waiting for the flight company to finalise planes that will be used just for passenger flights to Rat Island, and that will happen next week hopefully.

Just let us know when you are ready to come back, and we will send a cargo ship up to collect the barge and vessel from Cossack, to transport them and you back here. I miss you terribly, and I hope to see you soon. Your good friend, Josh.”

Having read this, I decided that it was time to return and get back into the water in the Abrolhos Islands, so I prepared the forward mooring ropes on the barge, before untying the vessel and steering it around to the downstream end of the barge, and carefully reversed it into place, keeping the vessel on idle, while I dashed downstairs to secure the mooring roped from the barge to each aft corner of the vessel.

Once I was secured, I returned to the bridge, and set off down stream to the ocean, and once there I turned West, heading for Cossack, which would be a five hour journey, and I decided that I would stay there overnight, before making the eight hour journey around to Dampier, where I would stock up on supplies, as I wanted to get as far down the West coast as I can on my own, while the weather is good.

From Dampier, it will take me sixteen hours to get to the next coastal town of Onslow, and a further seven hours to get to Exmouth, on the North-West Cape, with eleven more hours to reach the small coastal town of Coral Bay.

I arrived at Cossack mid-afternoon and one of the residents assisted me with securing the mooring ropes to the wharf, before releasing the ropes between the barge and the vessel and securing it behind the barge. Once I had done that I went for a walk around the tiny community that was once was a busy port back in the mid 1800’s and all that remains now is a almost ghost town, with just s small handful of residents.

With Karratha not that far away, I had mobile phone coverage, so I decided to contact my friend Joshua, to let him know what my plans are.”Hello my friend, how are things up at the station? “ Joshua asked as he answered the call. “Good as far as I know, I spent just a day on the river with my brother, and dealt with some unwelcome visitors, be for a Flynn had to head home, and I decided that I need to face this fear of the sharks head on, so I am heading back down the coast,” I replied.

“Your towing the barge on your own down the coast? That is not a good idea, what if you get caught in a storm? Listen stay put and I will send Amanda with the Silver Cloud to come and assist you, so just tell me where you are, and they will meet you there in a day or two” Joshua replied.

“I am in Cossack at the moment, but I wish to try and get as far as I can get down the coast, so how about we meet at Onslow in two days, as I estimate to get there by early evening, the day after tomorrow” I replied, “Ok, that is fine, Amanda is here with me and she says that it will take her two days for the Silver Cloud to get to Onslow. We look forward to having you back here, se you when you arrive,” Joshua replied sounding happy at the news. “ Right, see you in about five days, bye” I said and ended the call.

The next morning at 5 am, I had the vessel secured to the barge once again, and I began the long journey around Point Sampson and the a Burrup Peninsula to the mining town of Dampier. The first part of the journey went well, but as I rounded the last island, I was facing a strong south-westerly sea breeze, which slowed me quite considerably, and it took me another three hours before I finally arrived at Dampier, and after tying up at the Hampton Harbour jetty, I was finally able to relax.

About half an hour before the close of shops, I headed to the nearby shopping centre to stock up on some supplies, before setting off again, where I planned to anchor for the night in Shoal Bay, between two islands for the night, which is a 90 minute journey, that would give me a bit of a head start for the long day ahead tomorrow.