MEETING the most beloved creatures of nature, totally wild, has to rate as one of the best eco-experiences in the world. And it’s something that Tin Can Bay has become famed for - the wild, yet incredibly gentle dolphins that swim in to meet the people near the boat ramp at Norman Point almost every day.
Sometime after 7.00am, people wade into the warm water of the bay just down from the boat ramp, as the dolphins appear. Nowadays, as with everything, there are government guidelines that have to be followed. But all the regulations in the world don’t diminish the magic of the fact that these wild creatures choose to interact with man on an almost daily basis. It started with Scarry, a dolphin that was injured in fishing nets out at sea and was nursed back to health here. Scarry made the almost daily pilgrimage for 40 years. Then Scarry’s son Mystique started coming to meet the people and now Mystique brings his girlfriend, Patch, in with him.
Right at Norman Point where the dolphins come in is Barnacles Cafe. Its cheery host, Steve Walker, has been providing free fish for feeding the dolphins ever since he took over the business.
Barnacles is open seven days a week. Relax under the shade of sails while you eat fish and salad, calamari rings, hamburgers or sandwiches. There’s really nothing better than eating beautifully prepared food while you’re relaxing in the open air, making this the perfect place to have breakfast while you wait for Mystique to come in for his own breakkie. He usually arrives by 8.00am, but on rare occasions his timing is more along the lines of “brunch”.
Before you leave Norman Point, stock up on ice, marine fuel, bait and tackle at Barnacles Cafe so you can spend part of the rest of the day undertaking the important task of catching your dinner. The Norman Point boat ramp is the most used ramp in Tin Can Bay, but there is a second ramp at the southern end of the bay at the Crab Creek opening.
This a paradise for people who love to potter around in boats, throwing in a line occasionally in the hope of catching dinner. You can try estuary fishing or go across the bar for some reef fishing. For a bigger day out, you might like to do some beach fishing at the World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. The whole region is so good for fishing that Tin Can Bay has long had a commercial fishing industry, which is still the area’s major industry. The sheltered waterways are also home to giant turtles and dugongs.
The relaxed lifestyle will appeal to you if you want a break from the frenetic pace of city living. Have a game of golf or bowls. Walk along the Kate Kelly Walkway from Crab Creek to the Norman Point area. The environmental walkway along the foreshores has points of interests marked along the way. See the birdlife and the soldier crabs which come out in force at low tide, scurrying like a moving carpet along the sand.
Tin Can Bay is situated 61km east of Gympie.
