Shipwrecked!

---

As I haven't had much luck finding work, and having done what I came out to do, I'd decided I would probably go home A.S.A.P rather then staying out here for the full 6 months. I'd got some quotes to change my flight dates and got a bit of a shock when I found out the price. It was cheaper to stay here for another 3 months than to go back home. So I applied for some jobs on the dive boats. It's quiet season now though so wasn't expecting much.

Went to Cape Tribulation the following day. It took a couple of hours to drive up there, and then when we arrived we went to some lookout points and drove throught the rainforest before going on a crocodile spotting river cruise. We only saw 1 croc so were all a bit disappointed. Had lunch in one of the hostels up there (the same one that Rachel found for me doing all her research before I came out here) and went to the Daintree Icecream shop, where they make all their own icecream from locally grown fruit (expensive but nice). I'm glad I went to Cape Trib just to say I've been there, but it wasn't as exciting as I'd thought it'd be in the rainforest. (Was glad I didn't decide to stay the night up there.) Got back to find an email saying I could go for a couple of days trial on one of the liveaboard boats the following day. I didn't get to do any diving on my trial (as I'm not certified I need to have an instructor and there weren't any available) but I did get to go snorkelling again so that was cool. The job was hostessing, I'd be doing some paperwork, housekeeping and serving behind the bar. It was quite easy work and the crew were a good laugh. The trial went well, I would start the next day. The boat I'd be working on (Kangaroo Explorer) was permanently based out at the reef, with the day boat transferring passengers daily. (Some stayed for a couple of days, others for 3 or 4.) I arrived to several people being seasick (it was pretty rough weather), including the other hostess, so wasn't a great start to the job. Everything was quite caotic and unorganized. Survived the 1st day though. At 10:15pm, we were closing the bar and doing some paperwork, there was a loud thud as our mooring line snapped (it was apparently 40 knot winds) and we'd ended up on the reef, where we were then stuck for the night. The crew tried to get us off but the engine had been damamged and wasn't working. They got in the dinghy and tried pushing the side of the boat off, also unsuccessfully. Everyone (the crew) was up til 3am that night, sending divers down to check out the damage, and trying to get the boat off the reef. Apparently it's a $200,000 fine for damaging the reef. (It was common knowledge by the time we'd got back to Cairns and it made the news the following day.) We didn't get much sleep that night, it was really noisy with the boat scraping along, particularly in the crew cabin as we were in the hull on the side that was stuck. (It sounded like it was ripping a hole in the side of the boat.) In the morning all the passengers and our belongings got transferred into the dinghy and onto the dayboat. I thought the whole experience was quite fun, the water was still choppy so we powered through the waves getting splashed. Unfortunately in the process though, my plastic bag of stuff (laptop, phone, camera and ipod) got ripped and everything got wet, so now none of it works. The experience didn't seem quite so fun anymore! (Have backed all my photos up on kodak gallery as I've been going along though at least I haven't lost them😊 The boat was towed back to the docks for repair and wouldn't be back in the water for 3 to 4 weeks. Bye bye job!

Spent the rest of the week lazing by the lagoon and having bbq's by the seafront, and the evenings going to parties with free pizza and drinks (not much else to do in Cairns). Couple of nights ago I also bumped into a girl that was on my first surfing trip back in Sydney. Still can't believe what a small place Oz is.

Have now finally had my first proper timtam experience too. (Timtams are like penguins). You bite off opposite corners, dip them in tea and then suck the tea through the timtam. Amazing!

My last evening in Cairns was spent (with a girl I met whilst working on the boat) having another bbq and then a late night swim in the lagoon (it's open 'til 10pm) star gazing. A perfect way to end Cairns. (The evenings are always much more enjoyable than during the day. It's too hot here at the moment (39 degrees) so spend most of the time in the shade). Tonight I'm fliying to Melbourne, where at some point I'll meet Meagan and do the Great Ocean Road. Can't wait to get away from the humidity of Cairns and go back to the beach again. No more stingers!

---