Every now and then, you get a trip that sticks with you - the kind that fills the soul, leaves salt in your hair, and a grin you can’t wipe off for weeks. This was one of those trips.

Last week, Rennie and I packed up the ute and pointed it north to Geraldton. From there, we swung by to pick up Ryan Chatfield from Shipwreck Hunters. The plan was simple: link up with the Shark Eyes crew for a few days of fishing, diving, surfing, and proper off-grid island living.

Sammy Moyle, Shan’s good mate and a third-generation crayfisherman with his own island lease, had the boats, the gear, and the local knowledge. We had the stoke and the eskies.

The Journey Out

It was about a 3-hour journey out to Abrolhos Islands. The sea was calm, the sky was wide open, and the anticipation built with every mile. As we neared the island, Shannon and I decided to get the reels spinning. Within minutes, we were both hooked up - a couple of solid sambos on deck and dinner sorted.

The water out there was next level: crystal blue, glassy on top, alive underneath. Coral reefs spread out in every direction, and that feeling of pure isolation kicked in - no signal, no noise, just ocean. When we pulled up, the other boat crew had already landed a monster yellowfin tuna, which set the tone for the trip.

Island Life

Once we’d unloaded the gear, we set up in a couple of beach shacks that overlooked the bay. You couldn’t have picked a better spot if you tried - turquoise water, a strip of white sand, and nothing but horizon.

We hit the water for a swim and a dive straight off the beach. Some of the crew chased crays, and I jumped in the makeshift kitchen to cook up something proper: a bush curry with crayfish, sambo, and purple sweet potato. Sitting there that night, sunburned, salty, and satisfied, with the ocean breeze cutting through the heat - that’s the kind of simple moment that makes life feel full.

Breathwork, Blue Holes + Bushfood

The next morning started slow..... A breathwork and mindset session led by Shannon to reset and get present. It set the tone perfectly for what came next.

We motored out to a lagoon called the Blue Hole, a deep underwater cave surrounded by reef. The visibility was unreal, 25 metres easy. I only went partway down, but Oska and Rennie sent it deep. We shot a couple of parrotfish and then stumbled into a massive school of squid - easily 30 caught in five minutes. Ocean abundance at its finest.

That afternoon, I took the crew for a bit of a bushfood walk, pointing out native edibles around the island, like sea grapes, ice plant, samphire, and a few others. The island was alive with ingredients most people overlook.

Dinner that night turned into a feast:

Yellowfin tuna sashimi with finger lime ponzu + ice plant

Parrotfish on the coals

Crispy crayfish bites with lemon melaleuca

Sambo kebabs cooked over the fire

It was the kind of feed that happens when everyone chips in - wild-caught, foraged, cooked, and shared under the stars.

The Surf Day

The following morning, we loaded up and headed to an outer reef break that only a handful of people know about. The swell lined up perfectly - long, clean rides peeling across the reef. Rennie ran the jet ski pickups after each wave, making the whole session feel like a dream.

Later, we discovered a hole absolutely stacked with fish, but it was in a protected zone, so we watched, appreciated, and left it untouched. That night’s dinner was another cracker, everyone a little cooked from the sun but buzzing from the day.

The Last Day

Our final morning was spent snorkelling a coral garden that looked straight out of a nature documentary. Electric colours, curious fish, and not a ripple on the surface.

After packing up, we loaded the boats, looked back one last time, and all said the same thing without words - pure gratitude.

Couldn’t be more thankful for the time out there with Shannon and the Shark Eyes crew, and Sammy for opening up his backyard to us. Epic company, good food, and another reminder of how wild and special our coastline really is.