For 20 years, a Western Australia teacher has paddled a kayak to school; his daily route across Albany Harbour ends at the classroom door

Gary Fullarton has been starting his workday by putting a kayak into Oyster Harbour and paddling toward the school where he teaches mathematics for about 20 years. Fullarton teaches at Great Southern Grammar in Albany, Western Australia. His paddle across the harbour takes about 30 minutes depending on the weather and wind, while on rougher mornings, the trip can stretch to around 40 minutes. The school sits on a 144-acre waterfront campus beside Oyster Harbour, which makes the unusual commute possible in the first place.Fullarton told ABC in March 2022 that the idea started when he first moved to the area and noticed the school across the water. He thought kayaking would be a better way to get to the harbour instead of driving around it. Two decades later, the paddle had become part of his normal working routine. He carries his school clothes and other belongings in a dry bag stored inside the kayak, and a trolley helps him move the boat between his home and the water. Once he reaches the opposite side, he packs up the kayak and walks onto the school grounds.The commute changes with the weatherWind and water conditions determine how long the crossing takes, and Fullarton said lightning is the main weather condition that stops him from kayaking. On calm mornings, the harbour can be almost glass-like. Mist is also common, which gives the journey a very different setting from a conventional drive to work. Fullarton told ABC that he finds the paddle relaxing and considers it a form of exercise that leaves him ready for the school day.Oyster Harbour is a permanently open estuary with seafood and wildlife, which includes commercial oyster and mussel farms. Fullarton has encountered dolphins, seals, stingrays and a shark while crossing the water. On one occasion, a dolphin surfaced close behind his kayak, while on another morning, he caught four fish during the trip and arrived late to class after cleaning them.Great Southern Grammar says that the school’s 144-acre site is located beside Oyster Harbour, about 16 kilometres from Albany, and includes bushland, wetlands and waterfront areas. The school opened in 1999 before moving to its current Lower Kalgan location in 2000. That location is central to Fullarton's commute, since the school is not simply near the water. Its campus occupies a waterfront site, which allows the final stretch of his journey to end close to where he works.From kayak to classroomFullarton has managed to make the crossing without capsizing, although he does not treat the trip as completely predictable. Stronger conditions can slow the journey, while wildlife occasionally appears alongside the boat. Fullarton told ABC that he has occasionally put a fishing lure behind the kayak while paddling. The catch has been inconsistent, but the unusual combination of commuting and fishing has produced at least one memorable morning.Fullarton described the trip as therapeutic and said it provides exercise without leaving him exhausted before teaching begins. He also pointed to fuel costs and the environmental advantages of paddling. Great Southern Grammar describes its current campus as a waterfront school on Menang Noongar boodja, with learning spaces surrounded by natural and built environments. The school currently serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through Year 12.By the time ABC profiled Fullarton's routine in 2022, he had already been making the journey for roughly two decades. His commute had therefore become an established part of how he travelled to work.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.