Now for the special part. Obviously I went wandering in with a camera over my shoulder. “Did you see Wynnie?” asked Kevin after I placed my order. “No” was my puzzled reply “Who’s Wynnie?” “The seal” he replied “just at the end of the wharf.” Needless to say that sent me scurrying out of the shop back onto the wharf and sure enough I found Wynnie. Several shots later my number was called, so back into the shop. “Tell me about Wynnie”, I asked after telling Kevin about our Website and asking if it was OK to put him in the Best Fish and Chips Shops section.

Well it turned out Wynnie had come to the wharf some 2½ years ago, starving and had conned Kevin and Veronica to feed him their heads and fillet left overs. Each morning at dawn he is there and at dusk each night, he goes back out to the big ocean. Wynnie has become a favourite with the locals and visitors alike, except for a few mean people. In their boat, they would throw bits of fish, attached to a line, over the end of the boat to Wynnie. Thinking it was a food handout he would aim at the fish, only to find it reeled in. One of these mean people accused Wynnie of biting him on the arm, so the Wildlife people thought it safest for everyone, including Wynnie, to tranquilise him and relocate him elsewhere. When in a sleeping mode, he was weighed in at 320 kgs – not a shadow of the starving skinny seal that came to visit 2 years previously.

They towed him in a sling all the way around the west coast to the southern port of Strahan, where he was set free. Needless to say there were a few wet eyes at his departure, because Wynnie had become a friend to so many of the good guys. 23 days later, Kevin opened up one morning and there was Wynnie. At first he thought it couldn’t be – but it was – Wynnie had navigated his way all the way home – just like Lassie! Since then, the locals and visitors have warned off the mean people and Wynnie gets to spend his days lazing under the wharf in the clear waters, just waiting for Veronica or Kevin to decide it’s feed time. The seagulls soon flock around, but generally they are fed by the human clients with their leftovers.

Fortunately for us, Veronica gave Wynnie some lunch and we got to see the graceful arch of this large seal as he turned and swam out to where the fish heads and fillets were thrown. After his lunch, like every good child, he wiped his face, bringing a smile to all of us who had the privilege to watch. Kevin reckons Wynnie is like a faithful dog, when he comes to work in the morning, he is greeted by his seagoing friend and like all astute animals, he seems to sense the people who are friendly and those who are pains. He is quite territorial and very wary of little boys as they were his teasers and tormentors.

So when you are on the North west side of Tasmania, call and get your lunch or dinner from Kevin and Veronica. They have fresh, smoked and cooked seafood at realistic prices. Then you can have a wildlife experience with Wynnie, right on your doorstep.

This is a delightful spot with easy motorhome parking. We had a lot of trouble finding water taps in this area, however there are lots on the wharf. Lots of spots nearby for good overnighters.