First Day On the Job

My flight departed as planned at 8am with my bike hidden under my mattress in the back of the car and the car safely parked in the employee car park at the airport. The plane had room for 10 including the pilot. We flew from Hervey Bay to Bundaberg to pick up one person who I later learned was coming to fix the desalination unit.

I scanned the ocean for whales as the pilot had suggested there were many about and only saw the bluest water until close to the island when I could plainly see about 20 huge manta rays. As I toured the island with the assistant manager in a golf buggy we saw 4 humpbacks frolicking from the beach. This was in a 10 minute time frame and apparently it was quite a day for whales with them approaching the dive boat so close that when the whale blew, its fishy moist breath went all over those aboard. I can’t wait to see a manta while I am snorkelling, but I am here to work!! I must invest in some good binoculars and a camera to get some nice photos to show you. Whale spotting and manta ray observations while on the clock is the job for me!!

Here is a stock photo of a manta ray.

There are 41 “rooms” (portable cabin set up as 3 hotel rooms or eco tents or a few 2BR units) and they all get serviced daily although linens changed only every 3 days. Seems funny that this is an eco resort and the Ramada I was staying in at Hervey Bay said they were ecologically minded so they would only service your room on check out. If anyone has a thought on how often you want your hotel room serviced please comment. One thing they want me to do as “head of housekeeping” is make improvements. There is a lot of sand here so that is certainly a concern. My mother was a fanatic about not having sand in her car or house. As a beach lover I accept sand as part of the experience but know that it can get on your nerves when you have it in the bed.

I am afraid that some staff may wonder about my qualifications as I spent part of the day looking at You Tube for housekeeping info. One video was on making a bed. It’s not rocket science but if there is a more effective way I know I’ll find it on You Tube. Orientation was very informal the only shock is the alcohol monitor that you must blow into every morning before starting work. I am happy to know that I can test myself after 2 beers and find out exactly how long I have to wait until I can legally drive (just For My Info when I return to mainland). There is nothing here except this resort, no cars, nothing else. You can circumnavigate the island in 30 minutes

I don’t have my permanent staff room yet and so for the next few nights I am in a guest room with a fantastic view of the surf from my bed and 30 metres to the water. Time to get used to the roar of the surf because it is going to be with me for the next few months. Seems lots of staff have just adopted the island as home and stayed for 3, 4, 5 years. Oh I would miss Chloe !! Of course Morgan can come visit. And so can you friends!! It is paradise if you snorkel or dive. Not sure if there is TV reception anywhere. No TVs in rooms. Internet is slow. What happened to the NBN for every Aus locale?? No mobile coverage.

Day One of work, Excellent! If this sounds too good to be true there is an immediate opening in housekeeping so you too could change your life for 3 or 6 months or who knows how long.

A flight that left from Coolangatta took the time to circle the Orcas that are trying to find their way out of the Great Sandy Straits. There was a pod of 7-11 Orcas that found themselves on the inland side of Fraser Island yesterday. Two orcas were found dead and 7 others were beached but lived to get floated again at high tide. I will have to check the internet to see what has happened and I pray these beautiful creatures can find their way back to deep water. After I just wrote the other day about Orcas it was shocking to see this on the news. Orcas have never been seen in Hervey Bay before but it is known that they come north to feed on humpback calves.  Nature - beautiful, amazing and cruel just like life.