Pinnacles

When I was 19 I worked for a crayfish processing plant on the coast of Cervantes WA as the Jetty Supervisor. I was responsible for the servicing of 16 crayfish boats supplying them with fuel, oil, bait and weighing in their daily catch.

This meant pushing a large heavy trolly up and down the jetty many times a day seven days a week. It was really hard work and a lot of people relied on me to be accurate and on time and I was but I held a secret from everyone I couldn't let out. Although I was surrounded by water I had a fear of it and worse of all I couldn't swim.

Everyday I ran the risk of falling off the jetty into the drink or someone pushing me in so I decided I had to get myself over it. I lived in a nice little unit in a slip yard next door to the plant where the boats were maintained and less than a minutes walk to the sea shore.

Every morning before work I'd enter the water and practice swimming and treading water out a little further everyday. I was gaining confidence and almost reaching my goal to make it past the jetty.

One stunningly beautiful morning I walked into a marvellous crystal clear still ocean and confidently set out to over come my fear. Before I knew it I found myself treading water just past the jetty and as I celebrated this moment alone in such gorgeous surroundings something magical happened.

Suddenly a dolphin and a seal appeared and were circling around me. At first I felt cautious but they seemed playful so I relaxed.

They came so close to me they'd run my fingers along their backs. Eventually they swam away but I was stunned that they came over to congratulate me.

From then on I was jumping off the jetty all the time.