Tuesday morning.
A full moon still hanging in the sky, the last of the night clinging to the windows as Jack and I sat in the car waiting for the windscreen to clear. The air was damp — heavy in that way that tells you the day is going to burn bright once the sun gets up. We were off to harvest bananas.

First, we loosened up.
On the causeway up the mountain Jack led me through a simple stretch warm-up — slow breathing, a few bends, the body waking up to the day. We pulled on our MARSH workwear, packed the ute and beat the sun to the farm.

As the fog lifted you could see the ocean from the ridge. silver blue, quiet and endless. Jack put me straight to work, and I was catching bunches one after another, 20–40 kilos at a time. Long pants and gumboots were essential, a hat so you can look up and pick your bunch without the sun blinding you.

After a couple of hours we took a breather.
In a 100% cotton flannel — breathable, soft, perfect for the climb — Jack made a bed out of banana leaves and stretched out for a moment of stillness. Time moves slower out there even when your body is working hard.

By 10am the bunches were cut, the trailer full. We crossed back over the mountain to the waterhole — washed off the sap, cooled the arms that had been hauling fruit since dawn. Lunch was chicken and capsicum skewers cooked over a bed of coals on the rocks, served with rice and avocado. We set our intentions for the day, packed up, and headed off to finish the days jobs with lungs full of fresh air and topped off with a cold plunge. 

Talent: Jack Anning 

Photography & Words: Tommy Rogers