The Great Barrier Reef

Today was the day for our adventure snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.  We paid extra to spend an hour with a marine biologist guiding us in the water to see the best of Reef.  We were excited to finally by able to experience the wonders of this beautiful place.

We left the hotel in a coach with a driver from the Quicksilver Tour Company.   Fort Douglas is about 50 minutes north of Cairns.  You drive right along the coast.  Very nice views.

BTW, did I report 2 million people come to this town of Cairns each year - mainly to snorkel or scuba dive in the Reef.  It brings 2 billion A$ into the local economy!  

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I caught a couple of pictures along the way.  We saw kangaroos sleeping under the trees in one area.  Also saw The Mirage - the very first modern resort in Australia.  The idea of a golf resort was new in the 1980s.

 

We arrived in Fort Douglas at about 9:30 and went right to the boat at the marina.  

There were 2 identical catamarans side by side at the dock.  Only one was going out today.

 

On board they had coffee and tea with crumpets - no I mean assorted store bought cookies for us.  Wide screen TVs showed videos on how to snorkel and dive along with underwater scenes like we would experience.  

 

This interesting looking houseboat was in the short channel to the Ocean.

 

This is the Marina entrance.  You could walk outside along the docks or you could walk inside the buildings and shop.  You had a choice in the morning...on the way out in the afternoon you were forced to walk through the buildings!

 

Not sure what this parade of boats was about....

We are out on open water now...

Pam and I sat outside at the front of the boat most of the way out.  It was windy but warm and being out in the sun felt good.  We weren't scared!!  Just windblown.

   

At times the shore looked mysterious, almost mystical.  They stretched out for miles.

 

The water was a beautiful aqua blue.  As you looked out over the Reef, you could see shades of blue and green.  

It took - 1 1/2 hours to get out to the Reef where Quicksilver has its own large permanent pontoon to tie up to and provide more space for the boatload of people - I'd say about 10,000, Barb!  No, really about 150-175.  The catamaran moved at about 30 knots.  So how many miles is that??

They can easily serve lunch, get the gear sorted, or sit and relax on the pontoon .  In addition to snorkeling and scuba diving, they have a glass bottom boat.  

 

 Here's the pontoon waiting for us...

Here we are 10 minutes later, pulling away and heading for Fort Douglas.  They determined the water was too turbulent and dangerous - no snorkeling or diving today.

 

 

Goodbye dream of ever snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef...I have no words for the disappointment...

 

I spent about an hour by myself outside up on the front deck... 

 

Wondering....

 

Noticing...

Enjoying...

 

They took us back to the dock a different way...closer to land.

At one point they announced that everyone on the boat could either reschedule their tour or get their money back.  Lunch would be served on board when we got into the dock.

We had a safe ride back to Cairns.  Dinner together with the tour group wasn't until 6:30, so we decided to take a dip in the pool before showering and getting ready.  It's the first time we have taken advantage of the pool at a hotel on this trip.

 

  

Nice pool, warn water, pretty setting.

 

Brad had arranged a very nice dinner for us all at a restaurant called Bayleaf.  The presentation was beautiful ....a tray full for four...Polynesian type foods, I believe.

Main  course and dessert - it was all good!

Then a few of us went down to the Night Market along the water.  We walked down and back on the boardwalk.  The breeze off the ocean felt so good after the heat of the day.

 

The large public pool along the Boardwalk 

Someone did a very good job with lighting!

 

 

In the end, the ☀️ will come out tomorrow...

Aboriginal Cultural Center

 

This is the beautiful Aboriginal Cultural Center in CAIRNS .  What a helpful, educational, enlightening place...with nice staff as well.  Glad this experience  was included in our tour.

The first large, light airy room have several different striking pieces of Aboriginal artwork.  Some were quite large.  Each had a story.

 

 

 

We had a good opportunity to look around before we were ushered into another very large round auditorium.  We sat in two similar circles, each under a very large screen....two huge rectangles high  above us.  We were not able to take pictures in this room and it is hard to describe.  Wish I could show you. 

Basically it was a theatre and they showed a colorful multifaceted high tech story about creation, using several mediums.  Two aboriginal men in native costumes told the story.  One represented water and one represented land.

Very interesting tho I could not always catch the details of the story.

From there we went outside to a very nice outdoor stage.  Here we enjoyed  native music and dance.

 

This man is playing a hand made Didgeridoo.  Interesting sounds come out as he manipulates his lips and tongue.  You see men playing these in the streets of the little towns, hoping for money in the basket.

 

  

There was music and narration during the traditional tribal dances - once again they are based on telling stories.  

 

 

From the amphitheater we went across a bridge and into the woods.  There a young man showed us hand made clubs and spears.  He showed us how to hold them and use them.  Each one had a special use.

He shared that men who broke their laws were punished by beatings and death.  The women could also be beaten under certain circumstances.

Then he spoke about various things from the woods they used for physical problems, digestive disorders, rashes, etc.  He had an extensive collection of leaves, nuts, seeds, etc that they used.

At the end he showed us how to throw a boomerang!

The next event was going into a clearing where we all had a chance to actually throw a spear and a boomerang.

 

I was NOT successful at all with the boomerang but I did pretty well with one spear.

   

I was shooting right into the sun on these pics so they aren't real good.  Andy had pretty good form and got the boomerang to spin and the spear to fly!

 

 

It was pretty warm out there in the sun ar 4:00 in the afternoon!

 

We have been in several public bathrooms where they posted these signs.  Must be a problem!  

 

All in all it was a good glimpse into the daily life of the aboriginal tribes.  Grateful for the opportunity! 

More beauty - More experiences

We left the hotel this morning at 8:00 to catch the train to Kuranda Village at the Freshwater Station.  It was a beautiful day but hot and very humid.  

Our tour group had a private car at the front of the train.  It was a fun  ride but as you know, there can be long stretches where you cannot see much....with the mountain on one side and trees on the other.  Is was pretty but not picture worthy.

Then again, it could be very beautiful, the very next minute!

This sign was at the train station where we caught the Train.

Off in the distance you can see the Great Barrier Reef - or a very large reservoir!  Not quite sure...what do you think? 

 

This was at a short stop to see the Barron Falls.  The train was quite long.

We have made friends with a young man named Gordon.  He and I have been taking pictures for each other since the 2nc or third day.  Neither of us particularly like selfies.

 

 

Dick and Pam...

 

We saw Barron Falls from a distance on the train.  Then about 10 minutes later made a viewing stop to take pictures.  Quite a sight.