World Cruise--Darwin, Australia

Darwin, Australia, is the perfect example of what it means to rise like a Phoenix. This was our first visit to Darwin but we knew that it had quite a history from WWII. Little did we know how much more there was to their history.

As we peeked out through parted curtains the morning of our arrival, we were pleased to see blue skies. It is monsoon season in the Northern Territory and the Weatherbug had predicted a 90% chance of rain for most of the day. We still packed our rain insurance—the umbrellas before setting off to explore.

Bob had bought Hop On Hop Off bus tickets for the day. We planned to sit inside if it rained but it looked like we’d enjoy the open deck. There was a cruise shuttle provided for the fifteen minute ride into the city. You could walk, they said, in twenty minutes but once you stepped outside, you knew that the shuttle was the better choice. As our shuttle driver put it, “We have two kinds of days here. Hot and hotter.”

Darwin being at the northern tip of Australia is much closer to the equator than the rest of the country and if the heat doesn’t get you, the humidity will. The temps for the two days hit 90 F and felt like 102. Unlike Florida which does cool down in the winter, Darwin temperatures remain fairly steady throughout the year—hot.

As we drove through the city, you could see that it was very modern looking. Sleek buildings with none of the quaint looks of other cities in Australia from older buildings of the past. There was a reason for the modern look. The city has been rebuilt—twice.

On February 19, 1942, just ten weeks after Pearl Harbor, the city of Darwin was bombed heavily by the Japanese. More bombs were dropped on Darwin than on Pearl Harbor to insure that the Allies who had set up military operations for the South Pacific there would be totally crippled. Darwin was not heavily populated and still does not have a really large population but 252 people were killed and most of the city destroyed.

What wasn’t destroyed on February 19 would be destroyed in 64 more bombings that took place over the course of the next nine months. Undaunted, Australians fought right alongside their Allies in the war and managed to keep Japan out of Papua and other strategic islands of the Pacific.

After the war, rebuilding began in Darwin and the city was doing well. Then came Cyclone Tracy.

On Christmas morning, 1974, Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin full force. The high winds could not be calculated because the meters were destroyed in the storm. Once again the city was devastated.

The rebuilding began again only this time there would be new restrictions in place, new building codes that would withstand the force of cyclones and buried utility lines that would help to prevent loss of power and services. It’s much like the precautions now in place for new builds in Florida.

Our ninety minute bus ride took us in a loop that included the Darwin Military Museum on the East Point Road. By the time we finished the loop we had decided to stay on the bus and ride back to the museum and go through it. At least it would be air conditioned. The morning had heated up tremendously and even though the top of the bus had a cover, it was still getting unbearable. We decided to ride out to the museum in the A/C.

A half hour later, we arrived at the museum and were charged the lower senior prices to enter. Some countries don’t do that for non-citizens. We discovered that there was an indoor and outdoor section of the museum. Inside, there were lots of pictures and stories of the war and Darwin and the country’s involvement.

One large room with benches suddenly sounded an air raid alarm. The doors closed, all the small display cases went dark and finally the large display across one end of the room went dark and a video began to play on the glass as if it were a movie screen. It explained what happened on the day of the initial bombing in February of 1942. The video was amazing in how it took still pictures and made them almost appear to be moving. Someone did quite a job of editing.

Of course Bob would find the radio equipment

When we finished exploring inside, we took a deep breath and walked back out into the heat. There were a lot of vehicles and large guns displayed and one landing craft that was interesting. Some of them had been there for a while as one had a tree growing up inside of it. Still it was a reminder of a time past when freedom was fought for.

We looked at most of it until the heat began to get to us and then we went back inside where we waited for the next HOHO bus to stop and take us back to the city. Our other goal for the day was to find a nail salon and a barber which we did in the large outdoor mall area where the cruise shuttle and the HOHO dropped passengers. We also found a little indoor place that sold sandwiches and had the best BLT we’d had in a long time.

Near the cruise terminal was another WWII historical museum, oil tunnels. It was a quick five minute walk first thing in the morning for us while the temperature was still bearable. Again we enjoyed a discounted senior price and began our trek through the tunnels.

When the bombing destroyed the large oil tanks in Darwin, it was decided that they would build underground tunnels to store the oil. The plan was to dig eleven tunnels but only built four or five were finished, I believe. You get to walk through tunnel five and look into tunnel six and along the way look at pictures of Darwin during the war as well as listen to one man’s recall of the February bombing. Let me tell you, when they built those tunnels, the weather wasn’t any cooler inside than it was outside.

One of the most touching things I found in the museums we had visited was the section on the Holocaust and the immigration of many Jews to Australia to escape the persecution. A short history of how Hitler came to power was on one display. Germany was looking for a leader to improve their economy and take them in a new direction. Hitler appealed to them. I took a picture of the display. It reminded me of the book I’d read for a history class my freshman year in college. The book left a profound impression on me on how he rose to power so quickly and what it led to. Every time I see our president raise his fist in triumph, I hear echoes of the past.

World Cruise--Koalas And Roos And Crocs, Oh My!

The Queen Anne is too large for the cruise ship accommodations in Cairns so we were anchored at a place called Yorkey’s Knob that is near Cairns. It’s a little inconvenient when you have to tender so many people to shore but there were a couple of large local boats that helped with transportation along with the ship’s tenders.

There’s always a story or two behind the naming of places in Australia. One that made sense was that a fisherman named George Lawson lived on a small hill in the area. He was originally form Yorkshire, England and was nicknamed Yorkey. Hill, or knob and Yorkey. It works.

Our tender operation went a bit more smoothly than it had in the last two tender situations and we only waited a half hour for our number to be called. It helped that we were on a ship’s excursion. Our five hour excursion would include a train ride to Karunda and a tour of the Rainforestation, a park that included koalas and kangaroos. We’d missed that opportunity in Brisbane because of the cyclone so I was glad we’d booked this one ahead.

A short bus ride in much appreciated A/C comfort (the day was already hot and humid at nine in the morning) and we arrived at the Kuranda Scenic Railway. We think this is the third time we’ve taken the train up the mountain to Kuranda. We’ve been there at least that many times, once with Bob driving on the narrow winding road that leads to it. A thrilling experience to say the least.

We waited for about fifteen minutes when a train arrival was announced but unfortunately it was a train that was originally delayed an hour and it wasn’t for us. We would have to wait another forty-five minutes in the heat for the next one. Our guide was quite anxious and was on the phone arranging with his boss how we would get the rest of the tour done on time without sacrificing too much. Thankfully our wait was mostly in the shade but every so often the little breeze we had would quit. I was surprised how well we all faired considering the average age of our cruising companions.

The train finally arrived and we boarded our coach car. The train has antique cars much like our Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway does at home. While we were among the last to board, the seat at the front of the car was still empty. I think people didn’t realize there was a seat there. It was great since we had two windows, one beside us and one a little in front that was in the doorway. Nice breeze once we got going.

There is a lot of greenery and rock walls and tunnels in the hour and a half trip but there are also quite a few nice views of the valley and ocean below and a great view of the train as it makes its way around a large curve. We passed several waterfalls including one that the train stopped at to let people get out for a good picture. The falls were running full as there had been lots of rain preceding our arrival. We spent a lot of time reminiscing about our other trips here. Once with our son, Rob, when he was a student at James Cook University in Townsville and several visits on our own.

Upon our arrival in Karunda we all hustled to the waiting bus. Was it for the A/C or because we were behind schedule? I voted for both. It was a short distance to the Rainforestation Park. The rainforest here near Cairns is said to be the oldest in the world, estimated at 180 million years old. And I thought I was old.

It’s nice to visit a rainforest when it isn’t raining. Makes for much better pictures and drier feet. While there was a place to buy sandwiches or even a cooked meal or burger, there wasn’t any time planned for it. It was now noon and Bob was getting hungry. The line at the counter was very long. Tours that had visited the park in the morning were now having lunch. The plan according to our guide, was to visit the rainforest part where the animals were and then take an old amphibious army duck vehicle for a half hour ride through  the forest and partly in the water.

Bob and I agreed we were more interested in seeing the animals rather than the half hour ride. Plus it would give us a little more exercise walking around. There just wasn’t enough time to do both and to try to get a little lunch. Skipping the ride would give us a leisurely walk through the park. That was our plan.

And it worked. We told our guide we were passing on the ride so he wouldn’t look for us. He was good with that. We grabbed a quick sandwich and some cold bottled water, wolfed it down and then went into the animal park. Turns out it was a good decision.

The koalas were all sleepy as was expected but some of their positions draped over the branches of their trees were amusing to say the least. The kangaroos and wallabies were allowed to wander about. There weren’t any of the large red kangaroos but the ones that were there were quite content to wander among the guests and stop to be pet and pose for pictures. A few kids were feeding some of them but we passed on wasting time trying to go back to buy food. We’ve fed roos before.

Kookaburra

The cassowary remained hidden among the bushes and trees in her exhibit. We tried twice to find her but couldn’t. We did find the Tasmanian devil lurking about behind some plants. He really doesn’t look as mean as his reputation.

The real score was a chance to watch attendants feed one of the large crocodiles. There were two large crocs that had been taken in because there was no room for them at some other shelter. A large fish was attached to a rope on a pole and hung over the head of the croc. He jumped several times trying to get it. The attendants said it was to help him get exercise, not to tease him. If they didn’t, he would get too fat just laying around and eating.

The amazing thing was the deep clap noise that his jaws made when he snapped at the fish. It doesn’t sound quite as deep in the video I took. Those massive jaws finally clamped around the fish and pulled it off of the rope. Was that a big smile or what?

We revisited the koalas and then walked out to the large porch area where the bus was parked. The driver invited us to go ahead and get on the bus but we sat for a while longer until a few more in our group showed up. A half hour ride back down the mountain, this time in A/C and comfortable seats and we were back to our tender dock just in time to board a tender to return to the ship.

There is always an afternoon tea on the ship at three o’clock. If you want to do it a bit more formally, you can go to the Queen’s Room where tables are covered in white cloths, teacups and accessories set out and waiters serve tea and scones and little sandwiches. Less formal is the Artisan’s Foodhall up on deck nine (think buffet) where you can get your own tea and scones and sandwiches and sit by a window enjoying the view. I find that a little more relaxing even though there isn’t any live music. That’s where we headed when we arrived back at the ship. Our quick lunch needed a little refresh.

While I didn’t have to drape myself over a tree branch, I did drape myself over the bed for a bit before dinner. I may not be as old as the rainforest but I do need a nap now and then.

World Cruise--Brisbane Is Closed, Hello Airlie Beach

This wasn’t our first cyclone. A few years ago we were in Tokyo when the edge of a cyclone passed by. We lost several umbrellas in the wind trying to get our grandkids to the movie theater. But Cyclone Alfred tracking through the Coral Sea and expected to hit the coast of Queensland as a category 2 completely shut down the port of Brisbane in preparation.  Sadly, Brisbane was one of the places in Australian we have not visited.

The ship’s itinerary scrambled as well as the entertainment staff in trying to reorganize our journey. We immediately got an extra sea day as we headed up the coast trying to skirt the edge of the cyclone. There was one really rough night but surprisingly it calmed quickly the next day. Nice job, Captain!

After our day early stop in Airlie Beach, we would also arrive a day early in Yorkey’s Knob (near Cairns) and then after a few sea days, have an extra day in Darwin. The important thing is we faired well in getting around the cyclone. From the reports I saw online, the Crown Princess did not. They hit a couple of nasty swells and sent things flying. Several were injured.

Along the way, we picked up a local pilot/guide who would be with us through the area that is bordered by the Great Barrier Reef. I read that it takes a cruise ship about 40 total hours to make its way up that coastal reef area. We slowed our speed and I assume that was partly because of the protection of the reef. I'm sure there are lots of other regulations we know nothing about but that pilot is there to be sure they are all followed.

Our initial disappointment in missing our koala excursion in Brisbane was eased with the beautiful sunny day that greeted us in Airlie Beach when we arrived. We had not planned any excursions for the day other than to wander on our own. I found that Airlie had a freshwater lagoon that was free to swim for anyone so we packed our towels and sunscreen and set out.

Tendering 3,000 people again was another challenge but Airlie had provided large boats that could hold 300 each so at least it went a little more smoothly than the last tender port. Some who were on excursions to the Great Barrier Reef were actually picked up straight from the ship.

The day was already hot and humid mid morning as we made our way around the boardwalk and the beach to the lagoon. Since it was a Tuesday, the lagoon was not terribly busy and by the time we arrived, the water looked absolutely inviting.

This is the time of year that the box jellyfish are plentiful in the ocean waters so the beach only had one swimmer that we could see. The box jellyfish get their name from the main body that is shaped like a box but then it gets its reputation from the deadly long tentacles that wrap around its prey. It can be deadly to humans but at the very least it is extremely painful. They liken it to being burned with a hot iron. No thanks. The lagoon was appreciated.

We swam/lounged in the water for about an hour until Bob said he was wrinkling. I pointed out that he was wrinkling before he got in the water. I’m not sure he appreciated that.

After packing up our things, we headed for the main street to find a place for lunch. We found a typical Australian beach town restaurant, all open air with lots of fans. After we ordered a pizza and drinks, Bob asked for a WiFi password. “There is no WiFi here,” the waitress said abruptly. “Why not?” Bob asked. “Because it’s the middle of nowhere.” She turned and went to place our order.

It was true. Airlie is sort of in the middle of nowhere along the coast. No large cities nearby. Almost like being in the outback but a bit more civilized. Lots of shops and restaurants and travel shops offering all sorts of tours. It would be a neat place to spend a few days and explore the area.

Thankfully the line for the tender formed inside a fan cooled area in the shade. We were pretty much heated up again from our walk, so much so that my bathing suit was as dry as it could be in all the humidity.

The ship’s A/C was a welcome relief and I fought off a nap in order to take advantage of the somewhat empty laundry room. It has been the most frustrating part of our cruise to have to try to judge when you might get a free washer/dryer. People line up for them. I scored a free machine and quickly did a load so we are all good for the next week. But missing my nap saw me falling asleep at the dinner table. I passed on the evening entertainment and was sound asleep by nine. I’m so old.

World Cruise--Our Overnight Stay in Sydney

The signal for an announcement from the bridge came around nine at night as we sat in the Queen’s Room watching the ballroom dancing. As most everyone else thought, we wondered what sort of medical emergency might have happened. The last time, the call was for O positive blood donors. This time it was the ship that needed some help.

As the captain said, there were technical problems that had slowed the progress of the ship and our arrival in Sydney would be significantly delayed. Our original arrival time was 6:30 AM. Now it was estimated to be three and a half hours later at ten o’clock. There was never an explanation for the technical difficulties but everyone was now scrambling to readjust their plans for excursions and/or flights home as there were a little over 1300 who were disembarking.

Added to all the confusion and reorganization was the need to have face to face immigration which meant that everyone on board had to leave the ship and go through immigration personally, all 3,000 passengers. And add to that there would be a crew drill for the benefit of the Australian Coast Guard, a health inspection and I believe one more official act that I can’t remember. I really felt for the crew and staff. What a nightmare day.

Our plans for visiting the Blue Mountains were scrapped. The train ride would have been two hours each way and we would have needed at least three hours to tour and eat lunch. Now our immigration appointment time had been changed to 12:30 and it was moving slowly. We ended up eating lunch before we showed up for our “face to face” and decided that once off the ship, we would look for a harbor cruise instead.

The good news of the day was that we didn’t have to get up at five in the morning to see the sail in. It was a spectacular event with several tugboats spraying water as we entered the harbor to celebrate the maiden call of the Queen Anne. Cunard is a British cruise line even though it is owned by Carnival so the connection between Great Britain and Australia was properly celebrated.

Our pier was situated between the iconic Sydney Harbor Bridge and the equally iconic Opera House. It was right next to the ferry docks where the ferries could take you most any place you wanted to go in the area. At the end of the pier was the Circular Quay station for the metro line which is where we would have caught a ride to the Central Station for the train to the mountains. Sigh.

The day was heating up by the time we exited the immigration area and started around Circular Quay to the ferry docks and the area where there were harbor cruises offered. We found one that was an hour and a half long and leaving soon. It turned out to be a perfect choice. We sat by open windows and enjoyed the sunshine and refreshing breeze as we listened to the commentary of our tour guide. The harbor tour reminded us a lot of the tour that is offered in Miami where the boat travels around the harbor and points out the homes of the rich and famous. Some of those here included Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe.

The Sydney area is densely populated around the large harbor. It explains all the ferries that are constantly back and forth providing easier access to the outlying areas for commuters as well as tourists. The other traffic in the harbor included hundreds of sailboats of all sizes. There were quite a few racing sails that were practicing for regattas. We passed one huge sailboat that our guide said was one that does the race to Hobart in Tasmania, which is usually a two day sail.

On Saturday (we had an overnight in port), we took a ferry to Manly Beach. The slower ferry was a twenty minute ride which was nice because we could see a lot of the sailboat races that were going on. The harbor is so busy it amazed me how the ferries threaded their way through all the sailboats which don’t turn so quickly depending on the wind and direction of it.

Manly beach was a mass of people. The waves coming in were large enough to attract hundreds of surfers. We had thought about taking off our shoes and wading along the water’s edge but I was afraid we’d get run over by a surf board. There was a section where the waves were not breaking quite as bad and it was crowded with “wave jumpers”. You couldn’t really swim in the breaking waves.

Further down the beach, it appeared that the lifesaving club was doing drills or training. There were groups of them with various lifesaving paraphernalia working together. They were dressed in uniforms of sorts but as Bob remarked, “It’s not Bay Watch.”

And even further down the beach was an organization set up for a beach volleyball competition. There must have been at least 25 “courts” set up. We watched in awe as some of the players deftly moved through the sand to bat the volleyball back over the net.

The beach town is interesting and we wandered around a bit. There was a craft market set up in the middle of the pedestrian area. After a brewed Starbucks and a stop for a few supplies we needed, we made our way back to the ferry. We were a bit like salmon heading the wrong way downstream instead of upstream. The beach was obviously getting more crowded.

Back on the ship, we dressed a little earlier for dinner. The sail away was scheduled for five and our side of the ship was going to be able to catch the last glimpses of the Opera House as we turned and sailed out. We settled ourselves on our balcony for the view. The trip out to the ocean took about a half an hour before the harbor pilot was left off and we were on our way out into the open ocean.

Our next adventure could include skirting the Cyclone Alfred which is making its way down the east coast of Queensland. The captain explained that we would try to “get ahead of the game” and arrive a bit early in Brisbane, our next port of call. We’ll hope for the best.

July 15 & 16, 1992--Townsville's Aquarium and A Goodbye

Rob's drom at JCU

[Sending your kids off to college is difficult enough but having to let Rob go halfway around the world shortly after was even more nerve-wracking. At least this trip with him made me feel better about where he was and how he was doing. My kids will soon begin to understand the feeling as their children begin to spread their wings.]

Wednesday, July 15, 1992

               The Townsville aquarium is world famous. A huge facility. We explore the small tanks on exhibit and then enter the large acrylic tube that divides the huge tank of sharks from the tank of smaller reef fish. As awesome as the aquarium is, the colors are still diminished from those we saw when snorkeling and diving on the reef. But it is thrilling to have the sharks swim up to you at eye level as you pass by the tank.

              Sadly, it is time to leave Rob at James Cook University and drive back through the sugar cane fields to Cairns.

Sunset from above the clouds

Thursday, July 16, 1992 

          Usually after a long vacation, it feels good to be going home. This is the first time I truly feel sad. There is so much more of Australia to explore. We comfort each other with a promise to return to the Land Down Under. Australia will be a special part of our lives forever.

[And return we have. Several times as a stopover to Papua New Guinea for diving, another long trip around the country and out to the west coast and several stops during cruises. Always a favorite part of our world.]

July 14, 1992--Magnetic Island

[Magnetic Island is named "magnetic" because as James Cook was passing by his compass was affected. There have been lots of studies done to determine what may have caused it but nothing was determined. The island adventure though remains my most fascinating encounter with butterflies.]

Tuesday, July 14, 1992

               Magnetic Island, just off the shore from Townsville, should be renamed Butterfly Island.

Brilliant blue butterflies are everywhere as thick as clusters of gnats. It reminds me of a Disney film where the butterflies flutter around the heroine.

              The sea is too rough to be able to snorkel. We tour the island instead in a rented Suzuki jeep. Along one trail we explore, Rob tells us to look up from the path. In a tree just above our heads is a koala.

Not quite as pretty as the ones that are well fed and groomed at the wildlife park.

              Low tide gives an opportunity to explore the exposed beach and rocks. Little tidal pools offer interesting activity with blue crabs and small fish. We watch boat owners whose sailboats have now rested in the sand, hulls exposed, scrape accumulations of growth from the ocean off of the wooden hulls.

[We didn't know Australia had an open policy on nudity on the beaches. There wasn't a lot but the example of it here took me by surprise when a guy came strutting out of the water and I realized there wasn't even a Speedo. All of us kept our eyes straight ahead.}

July 13, 1992--James Cook University

Eucalyptus trees

[Australian food was good. We had a wonderful seafood buffet at Dunk Island (which included "bugs"--a type of crab), enjoyed meat pies, and Bob especially liked the large slice of beet that they added to their hamburgers. Rob had complained that Townsville "rolled up the sidewalks" after 6PM and there wasn't much to do. He managed to fill in the gap by finding a slot in the local radio station programming and DJed some Christian music. All part of building to his calling of starting CALLFM in Florida.]

Monday, July 13, 1992

              

Even though a misty rain is still falling, I feel sad leaving our island paradise. Now in a rental car again, we stop in Ingham for lunch. Rob insists we try a meat pie. He’s grown fond of the meat filled biscuit-like sandwich.

             Skies clear as we near Townsville and the James Cook University. Rob takes us on a quick tour of the campus which has quite a smell of eucalyptus from all the trees in the center of campus.

We get to see his dorm. His room is screened but there are little lizards that manage to invade. He tells us he throws a book down on the floor to scatter them before he gets out of bed at night. 

Down the hall we see the community bathroom. It’s a co-ed dorm and a little distracting for him to have a pretty girl brushing her teeth in the sink next to him (or so he tells us).     

Rob directs us to Castle Hill in the center of town where we watch another picture postcard sunset.

[The sunset picture is not from Castle Hill. I think it is from Dunk Island but just a sample of the glorious Australian sunsets.]

July 12, 1992==Hiking Dunk Island

[I would love to return to Dunk Island but I am sure it would not be the same 28 years later. Sometimes it's better to just keep the memories. There have been other places we've returned to and found them not as wonderful as we thought on the first visit. I think maybe the joy of discovery in new places and things can't be revisited.]

Sunday, July 12, 1992

               Into every vacation, a little rain must fall. It makes our hike through the rest of the island’s rainforest a little eerie. The restaurant has packed

us a picnic and we stop by one of the beaches to eat when the misty rain has subsided. The rest of our hike shows us huge vines traveling up into the canopy above us out of sight. The roots above the ground at the base of the trees have a distinct right angle. We have been told that the Aborigines make their boomerangs from these roots.

              Large nests made of mulch from the forest floor rise 6-8 feet high. They are built by wild turkeys that we occasionally see scuffling through the trees. The heat generated by the decaying mulch keeps the unattended eggs warm.

              We keep an eye out for cockatoos and parrots but hear more than we see. The rain gets heavier as we return. 

Our entertainment for the afternoon is provided by a peacock that almost struts right inside our room.

July 11, 1992--Visiting The Great Barrier Reef

[Okay. This is where it all started. We blame our son, Rob.

We fell in love with scuba diving--well Bob did, enough to get me to try it a couple months later and we were both hooked. We went on to get certified and have been diving ever since.]

Saturday July 11, 1992

               This is it. Our trip to the Great Barrier Reef. We board the Catamaran for the forty-five minute trip to the cay. After a short explanation of time schedules, Bob and Rob head for the scuba diving boat. Bob has signed up for a $50 introductory dive (I am not as brave) and Rob will dive with the certified divers.

              Before I get my snorkeling gear, I take advantage of the semi-submersible observation boat they offer. Huge fish look in on us through the windows as we wait for the captain to start our trip. The sights through our windows are spectacular even though the captain tells us the color will be better when we’re snorkeling.

              Someone shouts that there are three squid on the right side. All heads turn. We pass over different types of coral. Some look like dense jungle growth. Others resemble shelves and mushrooms, while still more look like giant brains. Hundreds of fish seem to make their home in this little area of the reef.

              Returning to the catamaran, I don the snorkel gear and lower myself into the large school of fish one of the crew is feeding by hand. To my amazement they do not touch my legs at all and seem to respect another body in the midst of them.

              A little ways from the catamaran, I begin to see the dense coral growth. Large parrot and butterfly fish in bright teals, yellows, purples, blues, and oranges swim under me. Many fish I don’t recognize but they are indescribably brilliant in color. I pass over a giant clam. It must be six feet across. The inside of it is like a neon network of fluorescent blue with patterns of teal, purple and white.             

I have never seen a picture or a film that has portrayed the colors under the sea as bright and stunning as they really are. I see my first blue starfish and it looks artificial because it is so blue. Large black sea urchins and cucumbers are among the various shapes and colors of the coral formations. And, tucked into the anemones, are a pair of clown fish, a little larger than our in the tank at home and seem even a brighter orange.

              After three hours on the reef and a nice lunch buffet, we return to Dunk Island. The evening is filled with entertainment from the staff. It is golden oldies night with appearances from the Blues Brothers, Louie Armstrong and yes, even Elvis.

 

July 10, 1992--Learning To Snorkel

[While I enjoyed hiking, the snorkeling lesson given us by our son was the beginning of a love of exploring the beautiful world beneath the sea.]

Friday, July 10, 1992

              Dunk Island is covered with a rainforest. We walk the cool, slightly damp, wooded path two kilometers to the top of Mt. Kataloo. Looking down we can see clearly the surrounding reef areas through the crystal water.

              A two-man hobie cat provides an exciting sail around the bay area of the island. To finish a perfect afternoon, we sign out snorkeling gear and Rob gives us our first lesson in snorkeling.

              At first I fight the idea of breathing through a tube. I struggle to breathe. My natural inclination is to hold my breath. A swarm of small colorful fish swim beneath me and, lost in the beauty, I relax, breathe easily, and begin to enjoy the unusual surroundings. Suddenly the sand beneath me stirs and a small stingray skitters off. I never realized how colorful they are.

           

   Certainly God has blessed this place with a special beauty and grace, I think as we watch a glorious sunset together. In the stillness, it seems as if even the wind held its breath in awe.

 

July 9, 1992--Dunk Island

[Thanks to a wonderful Aussie lady who checked us into our small hotel after our Karunda visit, wediscovered that our reservations for the next couple of days had gone awry. She was concerned that we might not have reservations because of the busy holiday season and made sure to check for us. Sure enough our reservation for Fitzroy Island did not exist and we found ourselves spending the night wondering what we could do. Bob contacted the travel agency in California but we wouldn't find out until the morning that they had handled the situation. Now Dunk Island was supposed to be an upgrade. I don't remember why the transportation to the island wasn't but it was quite an adventure.]

Thursday, July 9, 1992

            Our original reservations to Fitzroy Island have changed and we are headed for Dunk Island resort. We drive to Mission Bay to take a water taxi to the island. Our taxi is a small motor boat that backs up to the sandy shore. We roll up our pant legs and wade through the water out to the boat, suitcases on our shoulders. A short trip across the channel to the island and our taxi backs up to the island beach.

              Gilligan’s island comes to mind as we wade through the water again to shore. The island vegetation is deep green with splashes of colorful flowers. It looks like an island paradise.

              Although the resort offers tennis, golf, two pools and countless other activities, we choose to relax on the beach after a short expedition to the gravesite of the Banfields, the original beachcombers.

[A little about the Banfields: Dunk Island has attracted world-wide attention since the end of the 19^th century thanks to E.J. Banfield and his novel Confessions of a Beachcomber. Given only six months to live, the editor of the Townsville Daily Bulletin longed for a more peaceful life. On his first visit to Dunk Island in 1886, Banfield was immediately taken by its pristine beauty and chose to live out his remaining days there. Banfield and his wife Bertha established a small farm that quickly became self-sufficient assisted by the Aboriginal inhabitants. Banfield defied his prognosis and lived for another 26 years. In 1908 he published his novel which quickly became world renowned, establishing Dunk Island as an exotic island paradise. Banfield passed away in 1923, his wife ten years later.]

July 8,1992--Train to Karunda

[We have been back to Karunda a couple of times. Cairns was a place to spend a couple of days before diving in Papua New Guinea. This first trip was less harrowing than when we drove ourselves up there. Sheer cliff on one side of the road. Whew!]

Wednesday, July 8, 1992

              We rise early to a beautiful day. Our tour bus drops us at an old railway station for breakfast. After eating, we board the Karunda Railway Train for a ride through the rain forest to Karunda, a small town at the top of the mountain bordering Cairns.

              At Karunda, we follow the itinerary given us, stopping first to peruse the flea market. Boomerangs, plush ‘roos and koalas, homemade jewelry, Australian opals and lots of t-shirts are available for reasonable prices. We do half of our souvenir shopping there.

              An older Aborigine is selling his boomerangs and offers to show us how to throw them. We step into a clearing across the road. He throws successfully a few times. When one is caught by the wind and does not return, he smiles at us and sends his dog after it.

              Bright colored butterflies flutter throughout the sanctuary and land on those visitors with pink or white shirts on.

              A troupe of Aborigine dancers entertain and inform a theater full of tourists with dance and music from hand crafted instruments. The dijerydoo player is fascinating. The instrument is a large hollow tube that seems to take a lot of lung power. The tones and sounds he makes are intriguing.

              Lunch time gives us an opportunity to taste a popular Aussie dish, pumpkin soup, as well as a variety of BBQ specialties.

              After a quick trip through the Noctarium, a museum of nocturnal animals, we board the coach (bus) for the trip down the mountain. We pass huge waterfalls and lush tropical growth. We stop on occasion to admire the view of sugar cane fields, the city of Cairns and the ocean beyond.