Scuba Diving and Baby Sea Turtles!

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Wow - what an amazing couple of days! We've been trippin' around in our campervan - what a wonderful way to see Australia! It's been a bit whacky getting used to driving on the right side of the car and left side of the road - but sleeping, eating, and motoring around in our "lil' Britz" has been awesome and a lot of fun!

We headed north to Byron Bay and stopped along the way in Evan's Head, an off the beaten path beach town. This is where we met Nora and Julie, awesome ladies, who took us the next day to an incredible "local's beach" - where we we had our first frolic in the wonderful aqua blue warm Australian waters! We checked out the tide pools, had some "stone therapy" (layed out on some warm stones), and walked along the beach. The highlight was spotting a pod of dolphins riding in the waves - very thrilling.

Next, we headed to Byron Bay where we loaded up in scuba gear and took a boat out to Julian Island to explore the Coral Reef. AMAZING!! Scuba diving was scary at first (breathing underwater with a tank and tons of gear takes a bit of getting used to, luckily we had a great guide and instructor) - it was truly a breathtaking experience, like being on another planet! - there was so much underwater marine life! Just as soon as we jumped off the boat and headed down, we saw two leopard sharks and a sea turtle. The fish were so colorful and abundant - our eyes couldn't see enough. The Coral Reef was absolutely UNREAL!

Last night, we headed further north to Bagara to Mon Repos Conservation Park to the Turtle Rookery. There, a park ranger took a group of us out after dark to see the baby sea turtles hatch, emerge from the sand, and scurry down the beach to the water. Yet, another thrilling experience!! Especially when the ranger invited us to help escort them down the beach - (turtles follow the light of the ocean) so formed a line down the beach to the water, with our flashlights inin hand, and down they came down - 86 baby turtles staight towards us, right between our legs (some bumping into my shoes as they went), then to the water where the waves grabbed them up.

As if this wasn't exciting enough, later we were invited to go back down on the beach with two others - to help some more turtles get to the sea. We were able to pick them up and we personally escorted a few straglers out to the ocean where we wished them a heart felt - "best of luck little guys!" They were SO CUTE!

These were two of the most amazing things I've ever experienced - truly!

Now we're headed to Birbie Island . . .

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Photos

Baby Sea Turtle
Saving one turtle at a time

Mon Repos Conservation Park, Turtle Rookery
About 15 baby Leatherback Sea Turtles beginning their own journey

"Local's Beach"
Enjoying Australia's pristine beaches

Map of Dive Area
Pre-Scuba Dive

Scuba Diving
Scuba Certificates - Post Scuba

Byron's Bay
Lil' Britz - Home Sweet Home

Mon Repos Conservation Park, Turtle Rookery
With thousands of miles to travel - we can at least make his journey to the waves a safe one.

Comments

[MOM]

Truly awesome
Whoa- I sounds like you two haven't wasted a minute since you got there. You are just doing exactly what you said you wanted to do! Love you - more later - I'm in DAllas and my ride is here - mom

[Mr. Fong]

g'day
Rockit down unda', m'ladies! Everything sounds amazing so far and I'm jealous in SanFran w/ the cold and all ;P Give Rachelle aka "the ice cream girl" a big hug for me and save some nice big embraces for Alison/Brad in Melbourne. Our hearts are with you from afar and we wish we were there with you. Pleez save ze turtlez!!

[Deb Hirt]

What an Adventure
Hey, Missi... I sent a comment a couple of days ago, but it wasn't posted, for some reason. So here goes again... It sounds like you two are having a wonderful time. I'm getting my vicarious kicks from hearing about your adventures. We're thrilled for you and Rachelle; and secretly envy you this adventure you are sharing. You both deserve to have a wonderful time. We know you will always cherish the memory of this trip, and never regret taking it. Of course, we think about you lots (and tell everyone--whose ear we can bend--about your current travels). We send you loads of love and wishes for more exciting experiences. Hugs and kisses, Deb, Dad, and Jon

[MOM]

Bring us back a PEGATINA
Yo Sis - I just thought of something cool! How about bringing us back a cool PEGATINA (Spanish for sticker) that would look neat with my bull pegatina from Spain on the back of my trunk? Like, a turtle pegatina, or dolphin, or kangaroo or kuala -- something that symbolizes your neat experience? I'd stick it opposite the bull pegatina! anyway, leaving for Houston tomorrow morning to do an in-service for teachers there on SAT. All my next 3 Saturday's are taken up with this job. You say life is good - so true! And at my age, there's another dimension --- Life is SHORT! So let's grab all the gusto we can while our hands can still do the grabbin'. Sooooo - grab me a pegatina! Love lots, Mom

[nora]

thinking of you both often
hi girls well what an adventure you two are having.there are many reminders of your brief but very enjoyable time here with us. we have finished catering at the surf club for the summer,at the moment I am staying at this beach apartment that a friend of mine has given to me while she is in the solomon islands (she arrived the day the tsunami hit) she is ok thankfully. I got here at shelley beach (about a half hour drive north of our house) the water was the warmest I have ever felt, maybe the solomon earthquake had something to do with that.the apartment is right on the beach it is truly very beautiful. julie is home busy working on the scienic painting she is doing for a theatre play however she is coming to stay for easter we have four days off as a public holiday.I am looking forward to that even though I love the time here alone to swim read play guitar walk on the beach a few times a day, it will be great for her and I to relax together. the whales will be going by here any day now so I will be great to watch them from here.well you guys I am so happy you have had an awesome and very safe trip. I only want to say this once ...you are both very welcome to come back anytime and stay (maybe one day you could bring your boys on an adventure), anyhow, cheers for now we loved your company and send you lots of love , peace and happiness xx nora. ps will get julie to write and say hi maybe over the weekend .....bye for now