Port Douglas, AU - Yesterday was my 42nd birthday (today for those of you in the US and Canada - Hi Firecracker!!). I have been so unbelievably lucky to spend my birthday these past three or four years snorkeling the Low Isles of the Great Barrier Reef and this year was no different.
Wasn't sure Mother Nature would cooperate when I awoke to overcast skies but by the time the catamaran Wavedancer left the marina, the skies had warmed to a brilliant blue.
We had a small crowd, which suited me just fine, as my mind has been overflowing lately with thoughts of my horrible work situation (yep, couldn't quite turn it off, as much as I've tried). I did, however, meet a very nice British couple (Jilian and Rupert, how British is THAT?!?!). Julian was near tears when they came aboard, not knowing where to put her things, what to do on the boat or on the island, would they get lunch?, is it included? She seemed very rattled and her husband had no idea what to do.
"Are you a good swimmer?" I asked her, jumping right into her panicked world. She nodded.
"Then you're going to have a WONDERFUL time today," I said and smiled. "You can leave your stuff on the boat. The staff will watch over everything. You can either snorkel or dive or go on the glass-bottomed boat or just go and walk on the island with the marine biologist. And they serve a really nice buffet lunch here on the boat."
She smiled and dried her tears. Her husband smiled too and said "Thank you." He showed more tangible appreciation in buying me a XXXX Gold beer later.
One of the staff members offered to give me a Wavedancer employee outfit.
The outfit I did get was a blue Lycra bodysuit which is supposed to keep me from getting stung by jellyfish and getting too much sun. I woke up today with a swollen lower lip (apparently the suit didn't cover all of me and the sun hit me right in the face.) Oh well.
Sorry that I don't have photos of my fish adventures yet, but when I get home, I'll post them.
Of course, I had already used up all of my underwater camera's film by lunchtime, so the post-meal snorkeling would be just me...no technological crutch. You see, when I get nervous in the water, I tell myself just to concentrate on taking pictures of the pretty fish and don't think about sharks or jellyfish or any other aquatic dangers.
But yesterday, on my birthday, I wasn't nervous about losing my crutch. I was excited (and pretty sure I wouldn't be one of those people who die on their birthday. But wouldn't that be a fascinating way to die? eaten by a shark on the Great Barrier Reef??)
But I digress.
After securing all of my snorkeling gear on the island, I backed into the water and drifted through the clear, shallow water (the tide had gone out over lunch). The proximity of the coral reef made me a bit nervous as we'd been told numerous times that we'll kill the coral is we touch it.
Don't think, just swim and look at all the pretty fishes, I told myself.
And then I saw them.
Clams! Not your run-of-the-mill appetizer clams. These were HUGE, blue-lipped monsters that wouldn't even fit in my bathroom (post-remodel)!! My jaw would've dropped but then I would probably drown so somehow I managed to be in awe and keep my mouth shut at the same time (pretty big feat, huh?) How incredible!! And what a time to be without a camera!
Strangely, I wasn't disappointed that I couldn't document this sighting for my loyal readers (both of you, ha!), but you'll just have to trust me on this one.
And then it got better.
I had just decided that this snorkeling thing is pretty strenuous and I could use a break, or maybe even call it a day altogether when I lifted my head to locate the island. My mask had barely broken the surface of the water when I spotted the turtle (or 'tortuga' as our Spanish contingent said.)
She (I don't really know the sex, but still) seemed to be jammed partially under a section of reef. I couldn't decided if she was rubbing against the reef to reach an itch or maybe she really WAS stuck. Okay, that seems pretty stupid now, but at the time it seemed a possibility.
She was gorgeous, about a meter and a half long with a intricately themed shell. I didn't want to scare her, so I stayed back. I just floated there, occasionally lifting my head to see if any other snorkelers were around to show them my exciting discovery.
After at least 10 minutes, another Blue Man arrived at my side and I pointed to my lovely shelled friend, still wiggling around under the reef. We both held our ground (water?) and saw as she freed herself and surfaced.
I lifted my head and saw her grab a breath and submerge again. We played a bit of peek-a-boo for a minute or two and then she drifted away out of sight.
How fantastic!
Oh, and by the way, I asked the marine biologist and she said that turtles jam themselves under the reef to sleep (so they don't float to the surface). Apparently, I had arrived at naptime.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
A walk in the park
ADELAIDE, AU - Decided that I'd check out Adelaide's Botanic Gardens, as is my habit in all Australian cities. Nothing like celebrating my first full day in South Australia (known on the license plates as The Festival State, for those interesting in that type of trivia) with a face full of kangaroo paw (strange but cool flower found in these parts).
The day opened as it closed yesterday, too cool for my liking. I left my hotel with several layers that included a scarf around my neck, but Mother Nature had changes in store for me and I returned several hours later with my scarf tied around my camera bag and my sweater wrapped around my waist.
Never made it to the Botanic Gardens, however, as the University of Adelaide's campus stood in my way. I strode through the huge wrought-iron gates and was somewhat disappointed to see very few students. All in class maybe? Nice campus, though.
Having a vague idea where the gardens began, I headed through the campus toward Torrens River. Now the place reminds me of Melbourne, where it gave me glimpses of Perth yesterday. Melbourne features the Yarra River dividing sections of town and one must find a walkway across the Yarra to get to Melbourne's amazing Botanic Gardens.
But I digress.
Having crossed the Torrens, I found myself not at the gardens but at the entrance to the Adelaide Zoological Gardens. Okay, that works. I love zoos!
Can I put in a plug here for the Animal Planet show called "Meercat Manor"? Seriously folks, I can watch those critters for hours and nearly did in Adelaide. For sheer entertainment value, they really do rival the chimpanzees - and that's saying something.
Having viewed my buddies the meercats and some odd African creature called a mara which looked like someone put a rabbit's head on a small dog, I decided that nature was calling. Is it strange or very creative that the ladies room at the Adelaide Zoo is built into an aviary? Yep, brightly colored (and noisy) parrets were watching us pee from above.
I devoured a croissant sandwich, doritos and a water and decided to call it a day (since I had absolutely NO IDEA how long it would take to get back to my hotel.) I had been meandering around since 10:30 in the morning and since all of the grammer school field trips had departed, it had to be late.
Time to go.
On the way back, I stopped for a breather on a park bench near the Adelaide...oops, sorry, the Royal Adelaide Hospital (not sure what's royal about it, but whatever). Anyway, while sitting there enjoying the first real sun I've absorbed in days, I saw a group of young boys in white short-sleeved shirts and a few in matching white hats run across the street in front of me.
A few minutes later, more boys in the same shirt (with a purple stripe across the shoulders) trickled by and raced through the parking lot across the street. And more boys, these a few years older, followed a few minutes later.
There's a game on!
White shirts and hats?? Would it be cricket maybe? I remembered seeing an area called the "parade grounds" on the map and it wasn't too far from here. Maybe it's Aussie Rules football? I don't know squat about either sport, but what a great chance to find out!
I raced across the street in the direction that the boys went and found myself back on campus, but this time it was the University of South Australia. Whatever. I headed toward the river and spotted the boys on the far banks of the Torrens, gathered with some men near a small structure.
One look at the equipment spread out on the ground and I knew.
Not cricket, not football, but crew!
The day opened as it closed yesterday, too cool for my liking. I left my hotel with several layers that included a scarf around my neck, but Mother Nature had changes in store for me and I returned several hours later with my scarf tied around my camera bag and my sweater wrapped around my waist.
Never made it to the Botanic Gardens, however, as the University of Adelaide's campus stood in my way. I strode through the huge wrought-iron gates and was somewhat disappointed to see very few students. All in class maybe? Nice campus, though.
Having a vague idea where the gardens began, I headed through the campus toward Torrens River. Now the place reminds me of Melbourne, where it gave me glimpses of Perth yesterday. Melbourne features the Yarra River dividing sections of town and one must find a walkway across the Yarra to get to Melbourne's amazing Botanic Gardens.
But I digress.
Having crossed the Torrens, I found myself not at the gardens but at the entrance to the Adelaide Zoological Gardens. Okay, that works. I love zoos!
Can I put in a plug here for the Animal Planet show called "Meercat Manor"? Seriously folks, I can watch those critters for hours and nearly did in Adelaide. For sheer entertainment value, they really do rival the chimpanzees - and that's saying something.
Having viewed my buddies the meercats and some odd African creature called a mara which looked like someone put a rabbit's head on a small dog, I decided that nature was calling. Is it strange or very creative that the ladies room at the Adelaide Zoo is built into an aviary? Yep, brightly colored (and noisy) parrets were watching us pee from above.
I devoured a croissant sandwich, doritos and a water and decided to call it a day (since I had absolutely NO IDEA how long it would take to get back to my hotel.) I had been meandering around since 10:30 in the morning and since all of the grammer school field trips had departed, it had to be late.
Time to go.
On the way back, I stopped for a breather on a park bench near the Adelaide...oops, sorry, the Royal Adelaide Hospital (not sure what's royal about it, but whatever). Anyway, while sitting there enjoying the first real sun I've absorbed in days, I saw a group of young boys in white short-sleeved shirts and a few in matching white hats run across the street in front of me.
A few minutes later, more boys in the same shirt (with a purple stripe across the shoulders) trickled by and raced through the parking lot across the street. And more boys, these a few years older, followed a few minutes later.
There's a game on!
White shirts and hats?? Would it be cricket maybe? I remembered seeing an area called the "parade grounds" on the map and it wasn't too far from here. Maybe it's Aussie Rules football? I don't know squat about either sport, but what a great chance to find out!
I raced across the street in the direction that the boys went and found myself back on campus, but this time it was the University of South Australia. Whatever. I headed toward the river and spotted the boys on the far banks of the Torrens, gathered with some men near a small structure.
One look at the equipment spread out on the ground and I knew.
Not cricket, not football, but crew!
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