DUDE THE CRUISEY MUDLARK

My partner and I have lived and sailed on ourboat for the past 17 years. In various parts of the world we have found injured or orphaned

creatures and done our best to help them. When we arrived in Dampier and it became obvious we were here for a while, we decided to approach the PWCA to see if we could help care. As our “residence” is obviously size specific, kangaroos etc were out of the question.

However, birds were perfect! So, on the 28th February a tiny, almost featherless bird was handed to us and Dude, a mudlark, entered our lives. In ways it was unfortunate timing as a cyclone was threatening the Pilbara, so for safety, we and all the other yachts went up the creek. We have no refrigeration so had no meat to feed Dude, but

the yachties took her welfare very seriously and in between cyclone parties would show up with containers of creepy crawlies and watch avidly as Dude devoured them!! We spent an exciting 5 days up there, which is a whole other story!!

Dude thrived onboard and in three weeks was fledging. Wire was placed over the hatches, which kept her safely inside. At seven weeks of age we allowed her outside and she loved it!

After a week she was left out unsupervised. She tried landing on the water once but after we rescued her NEVER made that mistake again!

Sitting in the cockpit on sunset having happy hour is one our favourite times, and Dude enhanced that by acrobatically skimming the

water next to the hull chasing insects. As she got older Dude loved to serenade us and do an Indian dance when we arrived home from work.

When Dude was five months old she just disappeared. I was devastated, thinking the worse, as we were anchored far from shore.

There was no good bye, no “Thankyou for the food”, nothing, Six months seems to be the best release age for her species and so we held doubts for her safety.

On dawn two weeks later, I woke to a familiar song. I boiled out of the hatch and there she was doing her display song and dance for me! She didn’t want food just a hello. It was a few minutes before I realised that she had brought out a young male Mudlark with her who she was obviously smitten with. From then on, every fortnight or so, depending on wind strength, Dude and partner flew out across Hampton Harbour for a visit, purely for the joy of it.

We have since hauled our boat out so haven’t seen them for many months, but they have started visiting the other yachts, and as of May

have a young baby in tow!

As carers we can make a positive difference in the animal world but really, our charges seem to make more of a difference to our human world !