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Published: January 26th 2006
Scuba diving for the first time
Me preparing for my new role as the next Bond girlYou can play dot-to-dot with my mozzy bites and the actual inside of my ears are peeling, which is a unique and lovely experience. My fault for not applying enough insect repellent and sunscreen, respectively, but it has in no way detracted from the amazing last couple of days I had in Northern Queensland. First, diving on the Great Barrier Reef. An undescribably surreal experience, so I am not even going to try, except to say that I saw giant clams, starfish, all sorts of sea cucumbers (remember those little bad boys, Gill, Wenders and Orla??!), hundreds of multicoloured fish including clownfish and one large black scary looking one that isn't at all scary - a Great Crevally. I stroked a sea turtle too. But the most exhilariting moment was coming within 5 metres of a Black Tip Reef Shark (2 metres approx. in length, which is sizeable according to the dive instructor). I can tell you, I very nearly had to change my bikini...
I didn't think much could top that, however, I stayed in the Cape Tribulation area for a couple of days - in the middle of a 200 million year old rainforest, and the only place
Yep, I actually got in the water
The colour really was that blue, and water temp was between 28-30 degrees on Earth where the rainforest meets the sea. It was fascinating. For you science geeks like myself: 11/19 species of angiosperm (first flowering plants) matching fossil records have been found here (and this is what dates the forest to one of the oldest in the world). I randomly met an evolutionary biologist from the US at the hostel I was staying in and found out tons of interesting facts relating to the secondary sexual characteristics of male fruit flies. He had also recently classified a new genus of fruit fly mite in the area, so it was pretty cool chatting to him.
I walked in the rainforest close to Myall and Cape Tribulation beach. Cape Trib was so named by Captain Cook as it was here where he had some trials and, er, tribulations, after wrecking Endeavour on the coral. He named nearby Mount Sorrow too, so I suppose he didn't really enjoy the place. However, I did! I got very wet, it is called the Wet Tropics after all, but it was brilliant.
I am now in Airlie Beach, a bum-numbing 11 hour coach journey south of Cairns and will be setting off on the racing yacht,
Michaelmas Cay
Bird sanctuary and turtle nesting ground British Defender, around the Whitsunday Islands tomorrow.
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kes
non-member comment
very envious
Oh Liz biz sounds amazing and i am really enjoying your news. what fantastic experiences from fruit bats to soiled bikinis! i think if i had come face to face with that sharky my bikini would definately have been changed! i am sure the giant turtle has been enriched emotionally by the tender Southey stroke! take care lots of love and thoughts kes.XX