Heading to the Great Barrier Reef has always been a dream of mine. I could only imagine the surf, the sand, the translucent blue waters. We were surprised to learn that beaches from land were not safe to swim due to the dangers in the water. If you want to swim in this part of the ocean, you need to take a 45 min boat ride to a pontoon, Then, you need to wear a full body stinger suit when you enter the water. Yes it is all so breathtakingly beautiful and the waters are crystal clear and the fish are plenty.....but beware. Between October and May the box 'jellyfish' (sea stingers) are prevelant. The jellyfish come in several varieties and forms and while most are visable, many are not. They are deadly. Those that have survived the sting say the pain is indescribable and it can be followed by a heart attack within minutes. If the stingrays don't upset you too much, you can ponder the 'large salties' or the crocks. Although they are taken out daily, ya just never know about that one that might have gotten away or hid behind the rock. :) Although it sounded like immense fun, the weather looked a tad iffy, so David and I changed tours so that we could see the rainforest on the longest skyrail in the world. We were high above the crocks and jellyfish. Twice, we got off and there were these wonderful walks through the rainforest and then another ramp to get back on after the walk. On the way up, we saw a huge raging waterfall hosting a great RAINBOW just for me. At the top was an old mining town converted to Estes Park....:), a lovely touristy town called Kuranda. It was a perfect day for us.
For some reason the town of Cairns, where we are docked, was full of bats which were pointed out to us as we had dinner. They flew in masses all over the hills surrounding the town. There were signs of bats in town hanging upside down but we didn't think about it. It was eirie.
We were disappointed that we 'missed' The Great Barrier Reef as we left at 10 at night. The captain thoughtfully took a detour and we actually sailed through the reef the next day so we all could enjoy the waters and views. If you click on the photos above they will enlarge. It was so beautiful to see the change in the colors of the water as we cruised the ocean waters. We just sat on the balcony and stared. We lost use of a generator in the reef so an engine had to be shut down and we slowly crawled toward our next port all day while they fixed it. We missed the port Thursday Island today because of this, meaning another sea day.
We are a day ahead of you at home. Happy Valentines Day! Hope the snow has calmed down and you all are back to normal soon.
For some reason the town of Cairns, where we are docked, was full of bats which were pointed out to us as we had dinner. They flew in masses all over the hills surrounding the town. There were signs of bats in town hanging upside down but we didn't think about it. It was eirie.
We were disappointed that we 'missed' The Great Barrier Reef as we left at 10 at night. The captain thoughtfully took a detour and we actually sailed through the reef the next day so we all could enjoy the waters and views. If you click on the photos above they will enlarge. It was so beautiful to see the change in the colors of the water as we cruised the ocean waters. We just sat on the balcony and stared. We lost use of a generator in the reef so an engine had to be shut down and we slowly crawled toward our next port all day while they fixed it. We missed the port Thursday Island today because of this, meaning another sea day.
We are a day ahead of you at home. Happy Valentines Day! Hope the snow has calmed down and you all are back to normal soon.
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