Albany WA, Kalgan River Cruise, Pelican, White Breasted Sea Eagle, Osprey

Albany WA April 21, 2015
An early start this morning to catch the Kalgan River Cruise. The Kalgan is the river that runs down into Albany, though Oyster Bay and out into King George Sound

We knew we were in for a treat the moment we set foot on the wharf. Right below us were two of these huge stingrays cruising about and our guide started telling us all about them, calling each by their pet name and explaining how one must be at least 40 years old as that was the last time anyone knows of when they used to cut their tails off for safety.

I took pictures of the pelican instead

Pelican. Emu Point. Albany WA

Our guide I must mention is a local and only about 27, but he's been doing this cruise since his father started it 15 years ago. He's been doing it on his own as a guide for 7 years, 7 days a week, 9 months a year. Our craft is flat bottomed and has a glass viewing section. As we followed the channel markers out from the marina, he explained that the theory is that we were following the ancient course of the Kalgan, before the area was flooded after the ice age. Certainly it is natural channel that leads all the way from the mouth back up into the river proper. Through the glass bottom you can see that we are in metre of water and as we cross over the river bed, it drops out of sight, perhaps 15 metres. Our first stop is on the opposite bank where we can clearly see the remains of the water-tanker called the Camel, which was brought here after a collision at sea, saved, and then lost as it burnt to the water line while they were celebrating their efforts to save it. Or so they say. The official story is vaguely the same, but hey, why spoil a good yarn with facts, eh?

Wreck of the Camel. Albany WA

We then crossed over to Green Island, so named because its bright green from the verdant grass, a consequence of it being nothing more than a big heap of pelican pooh. Speaking of pelicans, according to our authority, it is one of only 4 places in Australia where pelicans breed. The story was that when the convicts arrived, one man was put there to grow vegetables and thus the first veggie patch in WA was established. Not noticed by the settlers was that the pelicans left and didn't come back for 150 years. They are certainly there now and you can see many young being baby-sat by a few adult birds.

Pelican on Green island. Albany WA

Pelican on Green Island. Albany WA

Jack, as our guide is known, has all these wild birds that come to his boat for their allocation of 1 - 3 fish. There are pelicans, White breasted sea-eagles, osprey and eagles. Each has a name and knows exactly when to appear and how many fish they get. He maintains that this way, we get to see some wild life and the wild life stay wild as they have to spend the rest of the day doing what birds do - fishing.

One pelican in particular though is his pet. It was rescued by his father from tangled fishing lines and embedded hooks. They had to take it to the vet for repair and then they had to take it home for recovery. A pelican being a pelican, it needs water to sit on and a supply of fish to eat. SO they sat it in the bathtub for three weeks and it was his job to feed it after school. Jack soon noticed that it span around every time he gave it a fish and they soon developed a relationship: he would call 'dance', the bird would spin around on the water, and he would feed it a fish. That was 20 years ago and he and the bird still do this routine today. Imagine that, a dancing pelican.

Knowing all the local birds so well, he has to be careful to make sure one doesn't get ideas bigger than his belly, in one case a pelican named Bruce will pester and follow him all the way up the river, stopping him from feeding the other eagles and hawks, but he is strict. If Bruce won't go away, no one gets fed.

Osprey. Albany WA

White Breasted Eagle. Albany WA

White breasted sea-eagle. Albany WA

Pelicam. Albany WA

Juvenile white breasted sea-eagle feeding on his fish. Albany WA

Aways up the river we pass the speed boat club and sanctioned speedboat area, and then Honeymoon Island. Honeymoon Island was originally named Elbow Island but came to be called Honeymoon after a young couple spent their honeymoon there. The legend has it that they were there a week. During that time they planted two Norfolk Pines which grew to be big fine trees and a baby tree was self sown between them. The man went to war and didn't return. His tree withered and died. Her tree was eventually struck by lightning and she died shortly after, as did the tree. A few years back, he was telling the yarn when an old lady piped-up and claimed that she was the daughter and that third tree was her. She came on his cruise every Christmas for a few years, and then one day he noticed the tree dying. The tree and the daughter were both dead within the week.

Around the corner we got all excited at the prospect of seeing the Giant Kingfisher. We all got a laugh at the actual bird that we found

Giant Kingfisher. Albany WA

Further up the river we blow, finally reaching a land that has a bus waiting to take us to Montgomery winery, about 1km up a dirt road. Wine is tasted and bought and we are taken back to the boat where a hot cuppa and a piece of hot damper await us.

Montgomery Winer. Albany WA

The return time is filled with yarns, homespun philosophy and his recital of some poetry that he and his father have written.

Soon enough, we re back at the dock and thanking Captain Jack for a most enjoyable 4 hours on the water.

If you come to Albany, don't miss this.