Marine & Eco Tourism

The Murmuring Myalls- Eco Point far away in time...

A little while ago this writer had purchased at auction a weekend pass to a local resort to support young activist and whale protector Skye Bortoli's campaign to save our whales by taking children's art and a BIG swag of petion signatures to Santiago Chile for this years International Whaling Committee meeting.

To my surprise I had the absolute pleasure of a weekend stay at one of the Hunter's best kept secrets Eco-Points Myall Shores resort. Our journey began mid-afternoon as I picked my children up early from school (always a hit) and with the trusty Hilux 4WD packed with goodies we headed north across the Hunter River on the Hexam bridge and off up the newly revamped Pacific Highway towards the Tea Gardens / Hawkesnest turnoff.  This stretch was notorious when I was a young football playing surfie. My opinion is the stretch of road is now a pleasure to drive.

Turning in at Tea Gardens one can see that the developers have found this unique and fairly isolated spot though as we keep driving the beautiful location still has that old fishing village feel. For those of you who do not know this area well, it is located on the north side of Port Stephens. Tea Gardens / Hawkesnest is an idyllic seaside location and the tidal river that connects the broadwaters of Port Stephens to the murmuring Myall, a series of connected brackish to freshwater river and lake systems that stretch north to Seal Rocks.

Heading out along Mungo Brush Rd we pass through thick coastal scrub country with the expanse of the Tasman sea on one side and following the Myall river upstream we find the approaching Bombah Broadwater on the other. There is 4WD access to some parts of the beach north to the Big Gibber just inshore from Broughton Island and the boys make me promise to take old 'Migaloo" for a run on the sand. Migaloo by the way is my white whale of a truck:)

It's coming on dark now as we reach the end of the road. Mac the ferry driver spots us and brings the old ferry over to meet us with a smile.  Just on the other side of the still brown waters is our destination Myall Shores.  Checking in we are greeted enthusiastically by Darren Cowan the efficient and affable manager, shown the ropes and given the keys to our spacious self contained unit by the shores of Bombah broadwater.                                                                                                

The grounds of Eco Point Resort Myall Shores on Bombah Point hold a variety of styles of accommodation. from low budget dorm style to the two bedroom, two bathroom luxury spa suites with the amazing broadwater outlook where you can relax in shear luxury and walk 20 metres to the shore and play with the kids or enjoy a refreshing swim in the tannin stained mineral waters.

Myall shores is an eco retreat. From it's inception the impact of the developments footprint on the national park area the resort occupies has been the primary focus of design. The most recent inclusion  is the  state of the art waste treatment plant that has transformed the ability to process waste from the influx of guests that high season produces. At times a full book will see 600 people housed in the various forms of accommodation and now regardless of numbers waste is not an issue.

This writer was impressed by the corporate facilities available at Myall Shores. There are two specific conference rooms on site with state of the art conference facilities, ample amenity and the obligatory bar service available to quench the thirst at the end of a long day. The size of the group is never an issue at Myall Shores Eco Point with groups up to 150 participants easily catered for.

The resort has full amenity in relation to water sports and surrounded by water I consider that a good thing. Whether sailing or motor boating is your thing, you can take a run-about or Hobie cat and explore to your hearts content. Considering the Myall lake system's size consider taking a cut lunch and a fishing rod. There are kayaks and canoes and helpful staff to kit you up and brief you before you set sail on a journey of discovery. You can truly loose yourself up here, the area is pristine and at times you can believe you are the only one on the planet.

For dinner you are sure to meet Michael James the resident chef who's claim to fame is twice beating the legendary Gordon Ramsey to apprentice chef of the year in his native UK. Michael is passionate about his involvement in Myall Shores and brings his special culinary flare to the sumptuous though slightly expensive menu. If your group requires special catering as the fitness industry gathering attending last weekend did, then submit your requests and your tastes will be catered for.

With the Kookaburras laughing we bid a fond farewell and headed home, refreshed and looking forward to returning soon. Myall Shores Eco Point for booking and pricing details

Andrew Parker is the Eco-Marine writer for Huntersbest. Andrew is a facilitator with his company DolphCom Solutions provides a range of adventure training programs in the Hunter Valley and various locations overseas. For further details DolphCom Solutions

Ambassador Dolphins Banned in U.K what about Newcastle??

Humans and dolphins have been interacting since humans formed organised groups in coastal regions. Our own coastal Australian Aborigines have formed alliances with coastal dolphin pods who assisted them to feed their mobs by driving shoals of fish into bays where they were netted and caught.  These dolphins were then rewarded with a share of the catch. Dolphins form an integral part of the 'dreaming' of coastal Aborigines.

In Kombana Bay Bunbury a Dolphin Centre  has been established at the very site that coastal Aborgines frequented where Bottlenose dolphins come into the bay and meet thousands of tourists every year. We name them, we love them, they have personalities and are sentient beings.

When they are in the open ocean and such a circumstance occurs where dolphins choose to interact with humans they do so out of 'free will'.  They are willing to interact.

In ancient Greece at the temple of Delphi some say that this was the source and inspiration of our current forms of government, literature, agriculture, the arts, all inspired by the Dolphin and by dolphin / human interaction. This was a place believe it or not, were we would actually come to be counseled by the dolphins through human interpreters. Where wisdom and balance reigned giving rise to one of the greatest civilizations this planet has known.

My friend and mentor Dr Horace Dobbs, scientist and researcher has spent a good part of his long and colourful life interacting with, studying and observing the phenomenon of Ambassador Dolphins. He has filmed and produced several documentaries about these dolphins, spending more one-on-one time with these dolphins than virtually anyone on this planet alive today.

Horace is quite possibly the most qualified person to speak on this topic however his defence of two young men charged with "disturbing" a wild dolphin in Dover Magistrates Court near Folkestone U.K was to no avail. The magistrate has upheld the police charges, although video was produced for prosecution purposes valuable video in the form of one of Horace's well known BBC dolphin documentaries that may have given the magistrate a more balanced view was not permitted to be shown.

This local court judgment may have profound and potentially world-wide impact in the case of human / dolphin interaction in the wild.  Here is the press release provided by Jackie Connell from International Dolphin Watch and will hit headlines in the UK TODAY

PRESS RELEASE, Thursday 17^th April 2008

Today David Buck and Michael Jukes were found guilty at Dover Magistrates Court of disturbing a friendly wild female dolphin, known as Dave, at Sandgate near Folkestone at around 5.30am on 9^th June 2007.

A local resident videoed the men playing with the dolphin. The police were called and the two young men were arrested and charged with disturbing the dolphin.

After several delays, the case was opened on 4^th February 2008 and then adjourned until 14^th April 2008.

The prosecution was strongly supported by representatives from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS), British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR), and Marine Connection, who jointly have a policy that swimming with wild dolphins should be banned.

This view was diametrically opposed by Dr. Horace Dobbs, The Honorary Director of International Dolphin Watch http://www.idw.org/.

Dr. Dobbs argued that by deliberately swimming to the men from further out to sea and then encouraging them to play with her was natural behaviour for what he calls “Ambassador Dolphins”, i.e. sociable wild dolphins seeking human company, like Dave.

The three magistrates viewed the police video. The prosecution however, objected to the magistrates seeing a DVD provided by Dr. Dobbs showing the typical behaviour of other sociable wild dolphins.

When the verdict was announced, the men were each given fines of £350 and 120 hours community service. After announcing a verdict, the chief magistrate warned the two men that if they did not comply with these penalties, they could be given custodial sentences.

When the verdict was announced, Dr. Dobbs commented “the prospect of being put in jail for interacting with a playful dolphin that swims up to you in the open sea and can swim away at any time in my opinion is ludicrous”.

For most people dolphins, such as Dave, are symbols of freedom. Dolphins are mammals with a brain as large as humans and with a free will. To deliberately prevent their natural behaviour is a sad reflection on organisations promoting this policy.

Dr. Horace Dobbs can be contacted by phone on 079795 22276 and 01482 632650, Email horace@drdobbs.karoo.co.uk, fax 01482 634914.

Dr. Dobbs is Patron of a registered charity 1121315, Operation Sunshine Family Therapy Programmes, that take special needs families to swim with dolphins in their natural environment http://www.operationsunshine.org/

Dr. Dobbs will be attending a scientific conference in May in Dingle where the issues involving friendly wild dolphins will be debated http://www.irishdolphins.com/conference/ .

Andrew Parker is a facilitator and presenter who owns and operates DolphCom Solutions in Newcastle Australia providing the opportunity for people to meet with dolphins and whales in the wild where they are free to come and go as they choose.

Visit www.dolphcom.com.au

Local Marine Tourism Industry Under Threat

Source: Andrew Parker

The Hunter's whale and dolphin watching tourism industry is under threat due to new legislation and rules that have been introduced by the NSW national parks and wildlife's service.

Our coastline abounds with dolphins and for a large part of the year we play host to quite significant traffic as whales migrate up and down our coastline for two thirds of the year. As they enter our territorial waters NPWS are charged with the protection of these mammals and quite sensibly we have developed protocol and rules for watching whales and dolphins. The fact that whales for the most part are traveling through our area and do not stay around for lengthy periods (unless they do) makes it pretty easy for operators of whale watch vessels to keep a decent distance and because of their immense size (up to 60 tonnes and 60 feet long) still have an exciting encounter that many of us pay operators to experience.

Now we come to the dolphins. Most of us in Newcastle have at least seen the dolphins that live in and around our local beaches. If you surf like I do then more than likely you have had an extremely close encounter. The pod that frequents Merewether is exceptionally cheeky and playful and I have personally witnessed surfers (myself included) being surrounded and even used as a hurdle and jumped over. The new approach distances state that you must be 150 metres from a dolphin if they have a calf and that you must not enter the water if there are dolphins and leave the water if a dolphin approaches you. There are quite hefty fines wielded by NPWS of up to $250,000 for those who breach this attempt to separate two intelligent species from interacting.

Now honestly I can't see NPWS ever fining a surfer or swimmer for being in the water with a dolphin though what about those of us who can't swim and who have disabilities that prevent us from surfing or swimming in surf? What about the tourism industry that brings tens of thousands of people to Newcastle and Port Stephens and millions of dollars to the local economy every year? With many of those visitors who wish to simply view a dolphin. This legislation brought in with arguably the best intention for cetaceans IE supposedly to protect dolphins from boats has effectively knee-capped our dolphin watch industry. A local industry that has set the standard for eco-tourism over the past 10 years. 150 metres is a long way for a small mammal such as a dolphin and to put it in context 150 metres is one and a half football fields!

Dolphins approach boats! Anyone who has a boat or has been on a boat knows this. The new legislation says that if a dolphin approaches your boat you must move away. What next? Hit them with a stick? We are talking about extremely intelligent mammals here. We are talking about highly evolved lifeforms that are sentient, that means they know who they are and quite possibly who we are. They can move with great speed, hold their breath for up to 16 minutes, navigate in complete darkness with highly evolved and adapted bio-sonar, they have their own language and can talk to each other and they don't do anything they don't want to do for they are free, in open ocean. How will we keep them away? Why should we even consider trying?

Lets take the busiest dolphin watching port in Australia  Port Stephens for example. There are  10  licensed  dolphin watch boats in this Port. All  adhering  to a strict code of ethics, self imposed limits on their activities, actively supporting government initiatives like the marine park who have now been effectively shut out of an area they have supported and  grown. Now I am not saying that there is no pressure on the dolphins, there is. Though it is not through approach distances, it is boat traffic. High speed private vessels moving through areas that are frequented by dolphins at times that dolphins are feeding or resting are more likely the culprits of recent mortalities in the local population. Not the slow moving and careful tour operators. Increased traffic in our waterways, expanded business interests and unexperienced maritime vessel pilots and acoustic pollution are main causes of stress for dolphins in bays. Once you get outside into oceanic populations there are few if any threats, save large predators and pod numbers are in the thousands. Yet the same rules apply even in open ocean! No approaching dolphins, viewing only at 150 metres when calf's are around.

I say these laws are unworkable. I say that the science they are using is incomplete and lacks objective comparative data. Even the scientists own papers state that in the case of Port Stephens it is not the approach distances that are the issue though the number of operators that work the waters. Yet a cap on operators was rejected. I wonder what underlying issues are at play here. I have studied whale and dolphin behavior for over 10 years now. I have swam in various locations around the world with dolphins and whales. I have observed and studied how operators who are licensed to swim with dolphins do their job in various locations around the world and I tell you that the operators in Port Stephens have a great respect for the dolphins and whales and are to be worked with not against.

It seems that Port Stephens is the first place the this legislation is to be tested.

Andrew Parker owns and operates DolphCom Solutions. Broughton island dolphin adventures and I enjoy taking people to meet with and swim with whales and dolphins both locally and internationally. I invite comments on this article! Images of dolphins courtesy of Imagine Cruises Frank Future

Mattara maritime festival a success.

Sunday 6th October 2007. Andrew Parker
Newcastle harbour has come to life hosting the Mattara Maritime Festival. Thousands of novacastrians and visitors lined the foreshore to day for a Bevvy of first class aquatic and aerial entertainments. The sun shone brightly and the air was filled with laughter as the foreshore became the focus of the annual Mattara Maritime festival.

Powerboat racing featured prominently and there were several visiting ships in dock and inviting inspection. South of the harbour at the old customs wharf you were able to inspect two of the local built mine-hunters some of the newest in our fleet and the state of the art customs vessel looking similar in design to the stealth range of boats in military service nowadays. though it was the replica tall ships the James Craig and HMB Endeavor that caught my attention.

The barque James Craig is a restored hull that amazingly was built in 1874! This ship is a relic of the past having plied her trade until 1911 when she was retired due to competition from steamships. From 1911-25 she had various ignominious jobs as a 'hulk' for various minerals. Stripped of her masts she remained a shadow of her former self. She was abandoned and became beached in Tasmania in 1932 where she remained until 1972 when volunteers re-floated her and eventually towed her to Sydney where restoration work was finally completed in 1997. Wow what a journey after 23 times round 'the horn'. She now sails most weekends from her berth in Sydney harbour and her 21 sails are a sight to see. fantastic to have her in our home port.

HMB Endeavor is a piece of history now owned and operated by the Sydney maritime museum. She is not an original though her form and scale were taken from the original drawings, right down to the cabins occupied by Cook, Banks and Sporing. The barque is an amazing ship, she was commissioned by a member of the national maritime museum in 1987 Bruce Stannard and bankrolled by the then prominent businessman Alan Bond as a gift to Australia to celebrate our 200th anniversary or bi-centenary.

Bond-corp withdrew funding two years later in 1990 due to financial difficulties now infamous. The project was completed with impressive skill in 1992 as a herculean effort of all involved and an amalgamation of funding from Federal government, the West Australian government and private investors like John Singleton and Gary Weston. At one stage everyone involved in the project took a pay cut from the CEO down to the cleaner to get this project finished. They now tell me she takes a mere $5000 every single day to keep her ship shape. Endeavor is now owned by the Maritime museum  and since her launch has safely sailed roughly 170,000 nautical miles or twice round the world. Her crew are experienced as are her volunteers and staff. She sails often out of Sydney and passage will cost you around $200-400 per day including berth.

Being out and around the harbour including on the harbour today I am amazed at the wonderful beauty that is 'our town'. I am proud to be a novocastrian and to participate in a great day like today was a gift. All those who organised today deserve a pat on the back, great to see so many of us down by our foreshore soaking up the rays of sun and the local entertainment.  Life be in it!

Killing to continue in the southern ocean

This summer the southern ocean whale "sanctuary" is set to become a killing zone. The Japanese whaling fleet boasting a new and very fast catcher boat and a refitted factory ship the "Nissin Maru" will be scouring the pristine and abundant antarctic waters for their personally assigned quota of Whales.

This year under the guise of scientific research the Japanese fleet plan to hunt for the first time since 1986 when an international moratorium on commercial whaling came into effect 50 endangered Fin whales and 50 of OUR very own East Coast Australian Humpback whales as well as an obscene number of the beautiful Minke whale (950+).

This year Japan once again did not have the numbers at the International Whaling commission meeting in Anchorage Alaska to overturn the moratorium as they have sought to do every year since the ban on commercial whaling was put in place, so they did the next best thing. They abstained from the vote and expanded their commercial whaling through the thinly disguised JARPA 2 scientific whaling program. (JARPA stands for Japanese Research Program in Antarctic).

The whales the misguided Japanese whale men intend to hunt are the remnants of a once mighty and far ranging southern population that numbered in the millions. Our history has shown that we have scant regard for other species that inhabit this planet and none more so than the whales. Yet no other creature has singlehandedly given us more than the great whales. They were our total source of world oil right up until fossil fuels overtook the declining world whale populations as our main source of oil in the late 1800's. They lit our streets and lubricated our factories machinery and heated our homes. We made everything out of whales, if I were to begin listing all the uses we have had for whale oil and products it would fill five full pages. They single handedly fueled our industrial revolution and in fact gave of their very lives so that we could evolve to our present level of technological comfort. Our technology, it appears has surpassed our humanity.

The whales are extremely intelligent, they have the largest and most evolved brains on the planet. They are warm blooded, give birth and suckle their young just like us. They have evolved in an an atmosphere 770 times as dense as our own and the great rorquals or Baleen whales like the humpback, Fin, Bryde, Sei and the colossal Blue whale have grown to immense size. Despite their immense size they remain the most gentle beings. Having just come back from Tonga where I had the honor of swimming with Humpbacks I can attest to their gentle nature. Their beauty captivates us, their size mesmerizes us, their mere presence excites us and fills us with wonder and awe.

This year is a tipping point for us as we seemingly unknowingly allow this tragedy to unfold. Who knows how the survivors of this years genocide will react to humans? Who knows the impact of resumed commercial whaling on the operators of whale watch vessels like those in our very own Port Stephens? Who know the effect of such a holocaust on the towns that rely on tourist dollars driven by our want to be close to these beings?

We are entering into dangerous territory as a nation. The ocean that Japan hunt in is essentially Australian territorial waters yet we allow such operations. I say we because it is not our governments allowing this it is YOU & ME. We have the ultimate say in what happens on this planet and it is public opinion, that is YOURS & MINE that count. Keep your eyes on my column over the coming months as there are many issues relating to Eco-tourism and marine that will enlighten and inform you. I will keep you informed about what you can do to make the difference. With the coming election ask your local politician what he/she plans to do about OUR whales. The very whales born in our territorial waters that are essentially Australian citizens, our Humpback Whales.

My name is Andrew Parker  and you can reach me via my website DolphCom Website or by emailing directly andrew@dolphcom.com.au Images of whales courtesy of PVD Australia Kerry Smith

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Eco-tourism in Tonga

By Andrew Parker

Vava'u Tonga is a paradise.   Flying from Nukua'lofa in an ancient Beech twin aircraft adds to the excitement as your bleary eyes spot the azure blue waters of the Tonga archipelago. Tonga is a jewel in the pacific and a most amazing destination, named by Captain Cook as 'the friendly isle's Cook was taken by the laid back demeanor of the locals and the natural beauty that is Tonga Tapu.

Tonga offers something quite special and unique.  This is one of two places in the world where by royal decree (Tonga is a kingdom not part of the commonwealth) you can actually swim with the Humpback whales that visit each year to give birth, socialize and make the next generation of whales. Here you can have the opportunity of a lifetime, swimming in deep waters with some of the largest most intelligent beings to have evolved on this planet.

To say that this experience was exciting is an understatement.  To swim with such a being is awesome. It brings all things into perspective with a deep and profound clarity.  To have a 50 tonne mammal gliding effortlessly past you completely aware of your presence and taking care of you by not swatting you is a gift as rare as the most precious jewel.  To connect with such a powerful and gentle being is an experience that is deeply spiritual and moving.  My business is to bring people and cetacea (whales and dolphins) together.
It is a double edged sword.  Any presence of humanity generally puts some level of pressure on the wild dolphins and whales.  It must be done with utmost care and sensitivity with experienced guides who know the whales and more importantly care for those whales.  The whales themselves seem to know who we are and definitely respond to gentle approach, quieter people who can prepare themselves by opening their hearts to each other, the whales and the experience tend to have amazing interactions. Body language is key and whales are masters of body language!

I had the privilege of hosting a group from our own area of Newcastle, Sydney metropolitan area and interstate.  14 of us in total made the journey to paradise.  Our intention was to meet with and swim with these southern Humpbacks and we were gifted that experience ten-fold.  What we got was something even greater.  In this world of push and shove, where we join in the complete destruction of countries and everywhere around us we see war, the whales offer us something different.  As human beings I become desensitized by constant media bombardment and it is easier to disconnect.  I become insular and separated and less ready to engage in my natural environment.  A couch potato perhaps.

This is an opportunity not to be missed! It is time to get off your couch and engage with this magnificent world we have.  This very summer  50 of these Humpbacks are to be slaughtered in our southern ocean whale sanctuary.  It is time to go and meet them, listen to them and love them.  It is time to be inspired to live this life to the fullest.

I would like to thank Ron Hunter's Dive expeditions in Forster, Kerry Smith our video man from PVD Australia, Beluga Dive Vava'u, The Paradise Hotel Vava'u and and my magnificent team of participants who together helped create the best experiential workshop I have ever held.  You can view the DolphCom web video blog http://www.dolphcom.com.au/AudioVideo.html   and view / book on any of DolphCom's upcoming dolphin and whale programs here in Port Stephens and overseas via the website www.dolphcom.com.au

Whale Highway on our doorstep, Less traffic than the F3

Author: Andrew Parker   Image By: Ray Alley

Today I'm going to share a little about the amazing procession our fair city allows to quietly slip by us for nearly half of the year. I'm talking about the annual migration of the southern Humpback whales.

The mighty Megaptera novaeangliae, the winged giant who seems to silently glide past our doorstep, rarely making a fuss yet remains one of the most complex and amazing beings on our rather unique little planet.

The Humpback whale is a master of her domain. One of the family of Rorqual or baleen whales she is one of the largest whales at up to 60 feet long and over 40 tonnes though feeds on some of the smallest crustaceans in the ocean.

Acoustic pollution is a dangerous situation in our oceans

Author: Andrew Parker

Acoustic pollution is a dangerous situation in our oceans. This tool called LFR sonar is literally blowing whales and dolphins heads apart. That is graphic I know, however it is the truth. Martin Luther King said “Our lives begin to end the moment we fall silent about the things that matter”.

If you would like to read a press release on the subject by 'Natural Resources Defense Council' just follow the link below.

Govt considers eco-tourism resort plan

Source: ABC

The NSW Government is currently assessing plans for a $150 million eco-tourism resort at Anna Bay.

Newcastle developer Spacecon wants to develop 230 holiday apartments, a hotel, cinema, gym, restaurants, natural lagoons and nature trails on a 100 acre site on Nelson Bay Road.

Project spokesman Bob Young says if the resort is approved, construction could start before the end of the year.

"We're very committed to the area in knowing it's a resort boom area for resorts and recreation and council are quite supportive and the community understands that recreation and tourism is a very important part of the region's economy, so we're very excited to be there," he said.