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Published: December 15th 2006
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Suprisingly for a camp site in a spider's equivalent of Clare in a shoe shop we avoided getting bitten or attacked by the little blighters during the night. Our Tent probably resembled NORAD due to the amount of zips and blockers Clare
secured during the course of the evening.
We haven't encountered any Red Back Spiders yet - they are proper evil - but we have now seen a Funnel Web (will easily kill you if it bites you), a few Huntsman (big Tarantula's but not too dangerous) and a whole load of Golden Orbs (will do you a bit of damage). The thing is they hang all over the place - and you can easily find yourself walking into a web and shitting yourself for the next 30 seconds.
They also seem to like to sleep under seats, under tables and especially under toilet seats. Last nights trips to the toilet for everyone were quite amusing after a few beers!
This morning we were woken by the Kookaburra's at about 5! They area also nicknamed the Laughing Jackals - although we think they sound more like a team of Chimps with hysterics.
I got up
pretty early - so headed down to the beach at 7 for a cold swim in the sea. It was brilliant - the best way to wake me up and start the day! Breakfast was camp fire pancakes, and then we set off to Snorkel the wrecks. Only after I managed to find a Huntsman about the size of my hand - and a huge 75cm long lizard! I'll try and post some pics - it just takes ages wherever we are to upload images!
The wrecks were located only a few hundred metres down the beack from our camp site. They are actually at the point where the Catamaran literally slides up the beach to drop off or collect all the 4x4's each day! There are 15 boats sunk in total - part of the local governments initiative to build artificial reefs in the area. Kitted up in Wet Suits and gloves to avoid ripping ourselves up on all the twisted and rusty metal, we spent nearly 2 hours snorkelling around. They range in depth from a good few metres to breaking the surface. Only in a couple of places does the depth reach 10 - 12metres. As it wasn't quite high tide the current was reasonably stong, and we therefore had to swim fairly hard in a few places. The fish life was great though - more akin to the life on the Northern Reef than what we had seen in the colder channel on Stradbroke days earlier. We saw Angel Fish, Parrot Fish, loads of Trumpet Fish and many more I haven't a clue what they are all called! One area in particular that was good was a sheltered rectangular loading bay of one of the boats - kind of like a huge natural aquarium we could swim in! I also found a large flat fish buried in the sand, which at first I thought was a ray. I duck dived down and managed to get him to move away at high speed! Towards the end of the swim some of the group felt pretty tired and sea sick, so they headed back leaving just myself, the tour guide and 2 Irish lads. I found a wicked bridge part of a ship and gangway which reckoned I could get through, so duck dived down through it - along an old corridor of the ship and resurfaced back on the starboard side through 2 old door ways. It was great and I'd certainly like to do more genuine Wreck diving now!
After a shower back at base camp and a bite to eat we headed this afternoon down to the West Beach and the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon is a natural fresh water pool in the island, and we swam for a couple of hours before it was time to head off to grab the 3.30 ferry. The Germans in the group had been panicking for some time that we wouldn't make it, but we were having so much fun we didn't really care - and Ally our hippy tour guide seemed to be giving off the impression that she wouldn't mind if she'd be marooned on the island another day either!
Unbelieveably just after she'd mentioned we'd be fine so long as no one was bogged back up the track we'd just driven down we came across a cheap Asian 4x4 buried in the sand! The idiot hadn't a clue - and so in a panic that we'd easily miss the ferry if we didn't get involved we all piled out the Land Cruiser and started digging him out, shoving wood under the wheels and pushing like hell as he reversed. We did it, and then had to break Ally's cross island rally driving record to make the Ferry. We literally were the last vehicle to get on the Ferry, at exactly 3.30 as it started pulling away. How the hell we made it no one knows. I don't think Ally could quite believe we'd made it or the crowd of people on the back of the ferry watching us ragging it down the beach shouting and waving out the windows of the 4x4! As we'd driven through the island at high speed and with no horn working on the car I'd had to hang out of the front window and shout "get out of the f*c%ing road" at the top of my voice at 2 seperate couple's of backpackers walking. I think we'd frightened the lives out of them as we flew past in a cloud of dust each time!
It was the most exhilarating 2 day trip we've had yet - and I had such an amazing time - Clare too if you ignore the existence of the spiders! the people of Brisbane are so lucky having both Stradbroke and Moreton just an hour away! If you are reading this and researching the area - go to www.MoretonBayEscapes.com.au
We are back in Brisbane now, and a Chinese takeaway later, ready for bed and the collection of our new wheels tomorrow morning.
Bon Soir,
Dan
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bexter
non-member comment
ello ello ello
Now then folkies! This all sounds absolutely fantastic. You see programmes on tv where they are actually diving around wrecks, but never can believe how fab it must be to take a peek - Now I can believe it and completely understand why it must be so amazing. Clare, I have to say that i think you've been very brave with all the spiders. I don't mind them back home, but even I would have been scared with all that lot around. For once I probably wouldn't have minded the gentlemen leaving the toilet seat up so that no spiders to creep in underneath! You really know how to scare Mum G as well don't you. Clare, when's the bit where you get to hold one? On another note, it sounds like it's a good job that there aren't any coppers around the island, or speed cameras for that matter. however, do you reckon buzz could get a job out there? Just imagine all the ticketing he could do if everyone had Ally as their tour guide and was late for the ferry! Pleased you're having such a fab time and look forward to further tales of scary creatures and hold-on-to-your-hat journeys. PS - Enjoy the hire vehicle. xxxxxx