A day on the GBR

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Geo: -16.4838, 145.467

We were up early to get everything packed because as soon as we got back from our day trip to the Great Barrier Reef we needed to set off straight away for Cairns in order to return the car, get it checked over and get to the airport in time for the only flight back to Brisbane that evening. The journey time from Port Douglas to the car hire drop off is 1½ hrs so allowing for 1hr for having the vehicle checked any traffic problems and the trip from the car hire to the airport we should make it with 1/2 an hr to spare before the gate closes on the last flight out, tight I know but I'm reasonably confident we can make it.

Our day trip is aboard Quicksilver's wave piercing catamaran to their activity platform on the Agincourt Reef some 72 Km out to the very outer edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, adjacent to the Coral Sea trench, these ribbon reefs are recognised as the most pristine eco-systems in the reef's environment. After a buffet lunch Michelle and I got fitted out with our stinger suits for some snorkelling on the reef whilst Linda took the kids on the submersible which they all enjoyed within minutes Jake was at home naming all the different fish before the guide. When the trip finished, the elderly couple seated behind Linda said how much they'd enjoyed the trip and especially Jake's knowledge of all the fish and they were surprised just how well informed he was.

Having finished their submersible trip it was time for them to join us snorkelling we got the kids kitted out but when we got to the edge of the pontoon they just couldn't do it, they're both swimmers but the thought of not being able to touch the bottom was just too much and reluctantly they had to go back on board so Linda took them to the underwater observatory.

After a while I finished my snorkelling session and left Michelle to it whilst I got changed, when she got out of the water the sides of her feet were badly blistered caused by her fins but she said she couldn't return to the pontoon as she was swimming and snorkelling with a turtle, what a magical experience.

On the way back the kids expressed their disappointment that the couldn't go swimming or snorkelling but that they'd had a great time anyway.

As I said we knew the journey back was going to be tight but we hadn't counted on the series of events that unfolded.

We were a little late leaving the reef and then we had to battle the tide meaning we got back 20 mins late nothing to worry about ordinarily but it was eating in to our safety margin already. A quick stop off at the dive shop to collect the items we'd purchased before boarding the catamaran and we were off, ah time to relax barring a major road accident we'd still be OK.

15 mins into the return journey I had that stomach churning feeling that we'd left something behind, but I'd checked every room, under all the beds, all the cupboards and draws. STOP THE CAR I realised I hadn't seen the laptop; as soon as we stopped I jumped outside took everything out of the very full boot, no laptop!!!

Michelle did a quick u turn and we made our way back to the apartment, whilst I rang ahead and explained the situation. The receptionist said nothing had been handed in but they'd recheck with the cleaners, it's not looking good I thought, do we abandon it and make for the airport or not? I decided it was all or nothing so we continued. When we arrived at the apartment I met the manageress who confirmed that nothing was found but I was welcome to check, which I quickly did, nothing. Trying to remember the last time I used it I went into the lounge searched high and low, it was the low that made the difference as I found it under the base of a set of draws it was just high enough off the floor for the laptop to have been inadvertently shoved or knocked underneath.

Having thanked the surprised manageress we turned tail for the dash back to Cairns now the best part of 40 mins behind schedule, what a journey it was good job I wasn't driving I sat there as the time ticked by working out what limited options we had.

1. Go hell for leather ignore every speed limit and pay the fines when we finally got home that's of course assuming I don't get pulled over ( I'd need to drive as Michelle could lose her job if she did it and got fined )

2. Drive straight to the airport, get the family on the plane I'd then return the car and catch the next flight at goodness know what cost the next day to say nothing of having to find accommodation for the night.

3. Continue as we are and hope for a miracle.

Amidst all this I'm trying to keep calm for the sake of the kids as they're so quick to pick up if there's anything wrong. Try as I might I can't stop looking discreetly (I think) at my watch and calculating the narrowing window of time available it's so so close now. I said to Michelle forget the refuelling for the hire company they can do it and I'll pay the extortionate uplift just go straight to the depot. After a while we reached Cairns and Michelle and I were glued to the sat nav for directions when Linda said we've just passed the depot I looked at the sat nav that said we've got another mile yet that must have been a different branch I said (what an idiot) as we blindly followed the sat nav and turned into a commercial centre loading bay WTF! Slowly it dawned on me the sat nav is way off so after a quick u turn we back tracked and passed the depot on the opposite side of the road whilst Linda never said it I had " I told you " it was nevertheless ringing in my ears. At the next set of lights there was a no u turn sign, ignore that I said and true to form she did and we pulled into the check in bay at speed I rushed into the office whilst everyone else bundled out and unloaded the car.

In the office there were three customers in front discussing their rental pick-ups. I'm mentally begging them to get a move on when this guy appears behind the counter and said I've checked the vehicle over it's fine but you haven't filled it up I said I know just bill me and explained our position and with that he whisked us off to the airport, brilliant we're now well behind schedule and have only five minutes to the gate closing for our flight. We ran in scanned our passports which produced our tickets for entry to airside where we were met with chaos, Unbelievably there had been a security alert earlier on and everything had been closed down for a couple of hours and things were only now returning to normal, we went to our gate and waited as if nothing had happened. phew!

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