"It's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature..."

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Anyone in my age category or older will remember the old margarine commercial from the sixties where some unfortunate human tricks Mother Nature into believing the cracker she is eating is covered in butter. Upon discovering the deception, she immediately punishes the mortal and utters her famous line from the title of this entry.

The reason I have chosen this particular theme is because I am now in the Queensland state of Australia...specifically having visited Brisbane and currently staying in Cairns, home of the Great Barrier Reef. You may remember at Christmas time of how the floods had devasted the city of Brisbane. Just two weeks ago, a cyclone, the size of Europe paid a visit to this lovely city and although they were spared, the after effects of the monster storm are equally evident. My travel book tried with all its might to discourage me from visiting Queensland because in this top half northern section of the country, their summers are known as the "wet season". Located just below the Tropic of Capricorn, the climate is semi-tropical and trust me, during these steamy and sultry nights, I'm doing my best not to wander around the streets talking like a Southern Belle and uttering the phrase, "I've always relied on the kindness of strangers!"

I'm glad I didn't listen however. Because Queensland is breathtaking. With beaches stretching for miles and miles with such charming names as the "Gold Coast", the "Sunshine Coast", and tropical forests aplenty, and creatures that are oh so exotic...I really know I'm "not in Kansas anymore". Which brings me back to my point about Mother Nature. Although she has the power to destroy...this was evident when I walked around Brisbane and saw one section of their funky and eclectic parkland area totally under reconstruction...she also has the power to show us an abundance of amazing gifts. We will never control her and I guess when we try, in the end...we fail. And as was evident this summer in Queensland, she has to "remind" us of her power every so often. Not very reassuring for people who lost their homes or more importantly their lives, but a reminder nonetheless.

When I sailed out this morning to see the Great Barrier Reef I was waiting for the ocean to be a piercing blue colour...any poster or brochure about this remarkable site clearly demonstrates this fact. However, when I arrived at the boat terminal, and saw the sign, "Due to the recent Cyclone Yasi, all glass bottom boat tours and submersibles will be cancelled". I couldn't quite figure out why but when we got out to the reef my question was answered.

The water is a jade green colour. And when I went snorkelling, everything had a tinge of this glorious, but shocking colour. According to our reef expert, the cyclone was a mix of freshwater and ocean water and as a result, for the time being, everything had this jade colour. Disappointment? Never! It was still glorious and hopefully my underwater pictures will attest to this fact. It was like being in an "Wizard of Oz Emerald City" underwater world! My "Finding Nemo" experience was wonderful with so many different fish swimming by me...oblivous to my struggles with a camera, flippers and my snorkel gear! Sea turtles lazily swam by the boat. An array of brightly coloured fish lit my path when I was lost in the coral and at one point, a barracuda, a metre in length swam by me looking for the bread crumbs one of the crew members had tossed overboard.

While visiting a semi-tropical rainforest on the isolate "Fraser Island", I found plants that existed during the Jurassic period and trees that towered like giants. "Skyscrapers" of the forest, you could find many different creatures living on one of the levels and enjoying their "condo living" quite nicely with the steamy air and constant stream of moisture. Australia is an incredible country and is the most geographical and climatically diverse continent on the planet. Let the pictures continue my story and remember to find a way to thank Mother Nature for the gifts she has given us! Louis Armstrong said it best..."what a wonderful world!".

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Comments

[Jude]

"It's Not Nice To Fool Mother Nature"...
I've always marvelled at the underwater life. Years ago I went snorkelling in Mexico in this lovely clear water and explored & watched all sorts of beautifully coloured tropical fish swim around me, through me lol arms, legs, amazing!! Made me wonder about "Diving" and exploring ship wrecks etc. There was a club in Belleville that I was tempted to join but chickened out haha You certainly had a fantastic adventure today. And wow look at you Kevin Cousteau ! And a jelly fish stung you oooooh..... Your pictures are amazing Kevin! Thought of you last nite at FAM BAM