Shipwright - John Beazley

Anth and Pete in the studio today... celebrating the welcome return of Bron!

Weather for Port Phillip Bay- SW around 10-15 knots, SWW for Northern Bass Strait and Gale Wind warning for the east of Bass Strait.

During the week, Melbourne was privileged to have a Humpback gliding around Port Phillip Bay - an occurrence that seems to happen every year.

Living and Working In Bass Strait is the focus for today's show - thus Bron's weather report has a healthy dose of the Straight. Furthermore, we are in the midst of Reconciliation Week, and in recognition of this - all song's on todays show come courtesy of some of Australia's fantastic indigenous talent...

John, a long time resident of the town of Queenscliff (otherwise known as the entrance to Port Phillip Bay) has long been associated with the town's maritime heritage. His grandfather was a fisherman before him, and it must have been in the family's blood - for John became a shipwright, building boats for a living - working with the Port Phillip Sea Pilots.

In his time, he's built many boats, among them the famous Couta Boats - a locally designed boats specifically designed for the harsh and frenetic local fishing conditions. Not only did they have to compete against each other in the fishing stakes, but to get to the fishing grounds (and back again) they had to face the treacherous Rip.

Nowadays, it's a different story. John laments that modern boats are now made of fiberglass or aluminum, and that many of these amazing skills are slowly disappearing. Even so, the tradition is being valiantly kept alive by modern-day enthusiasts of the Couta Boat - one can easily travel down to the boat harbors of Queenscliff, Warrnambool or Portland and see these fantastic boats still bobbing in the harbor.

Captain Robert Buck joins us to talk about one of the only privately-owned pilot boat services in Victoria - the Port Phillip Sea Pilots. A Master Mariner with 23 years experience, he (along with 31 other such pilots) is charged with ensuring the safe passage of all ships through Port Phillip Heads - the treacherous section of water known as The Rip.

A challenging job, it involves pulling up alongside a ship (which is still traveling at full speed) in a pilot boat, climbing up the side of the ship up a rope ladder, and into the bridge where they can direct the ship safely.

The only boats which are exempt from this requirement are those boats that travel through so regularly that their pilots are deemed worthy of a special exemption - the Spirit of Tasmania's are a good example.

"Friends"

"Sorry Business "

"Iwanj Girl"

Kev Carmody

Jimmy Chi