This story is about swimming with sea lions.
We'll look at the expressions 'all walks of life' and 'something else', as well as the
phrasal verb 'get on'.
We stumbled across Baird Bay back in 1988.
Fortunately there was a block of land for sale the day we drove in so I bought it.
On a perfect day you'd come out here and we'd arrive probably in that pool out there mostly
and there'd probably be one of two sea lions around first thing in the morning and then,
as the morning went on within a half an hour and getting a bit warmer they'd come down
off the island and we'd be swimming with between 2 and 15 sea lions.
The sea lions will come around they'll play with you, they like to interact they to come
and have a look up close, they're up for a game you can see they've got a smile on their
face, they like to play they're really a very friendly animal to play around with.
On land it's a different matter.
You need to leave them alone on the land.
That's their bedroom.
You don't bother 'em there.
I enjoy bringing the people out here showing them around, showing them how good the sea
lions are and the same with the dolphins over the other side.
We get people from all over the world, from all walks of life.
People from 'all walks of life' means people who do all sorts of jobs and come from all
backgrounds.
So why do people swim with the sea lions?
Usually within 10 or 15 minutes we've got people swimming and using a mask and snorkel
and according to them having the best time in their life.
People really do get quite a buzz out of it, their time with the sea lions and again with
the dolphins too.
It's just a pretty special experience.
People get a buzz out of it - they enjoy it.
Now listen for the phrasal verb 'get on':
And we've had lots of favourites over the years.
My first favourite was Dennis.
He was a male sea lion obviously, but Dennis because of Dennis the menace he was a bit
of a pest at times.
He used to chase people around a fair bit and give 'em a hard time but I used to get
on with him pretty well.
He used to 'get on' with Dennis the sea lion.
They liked each other.
Get on is one of those phrasal verbs with several meanings.
To get on can mean 'be successful': he wants to get on in the business world.
And it can also mean to continue doing something:
let's get on with the story.
He made so many people so happy he was really something else.
He came to a sad end.
It was a really bad day and he turned up one Easter and he'd been attacked by a shark and
there was nothin' we could do.
We tried and tried but there was nothin' could do and he died and he was only 5 years old.
It was a pretty ordinary old day for us.
Dennis was 'something else'.
He was special and different.
And to turn up is to arrive.
Listen again:
Dennis was something special.
He made so many people so happy he was really something else.
He came to a sad end.
It was a really bad day and he turned up one Easter and he'd been attacked by a shark and
there was nothin' we could do.
So we've seen that to get a buzz out of something is to enjoy it,
that getting on is being friendly
and all walks of life means all occupations and backgrounds.
We'll finish with the expression 'experiencing first hand', which means experiencing something
yourself, rather than being told about it.
In the water, they're in their element.
They've got the speed behind them.
Mainly they like to dive around with you, flip around and somersault.
You end up experiencing these animals first hand every day and helping people get that
same enjoyment I get out of it.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
I used to work in a pizza shop.
It's a totally different world out here.
Every day someone tells me I've got one of the best jobs in the world and I still pinch
meself daily.
It's amazin'.