The Town of 1770 and the Great Barrier Reef

It was the towns annual festival as we rolled into town. We spent the Friday Night at a Stand-Up Comedy show, the Saturday at a fete and the Sunday, out on the reef.
We got the comedy tickets by default as they had sold out but someone who had been out on the reef that day was feeling sick, so they had cancelled their tickets.It was a good night and I was relieved to find that there were no pom-bashing jokes. I spoke to a wonderful lady who had grown up on a ranch and had very little schooling because she was out rounding-up cows, mending fences and cooking meals for the ranch hands and shearers. We got home at 12pm on the shuttle, tired but happy.

The next day we left camp at 11am and headed for the field where we were to get the shuttle to the foreshore. There were rides and stalls. We found seats by a performance area and watched the belly dancers and some local musicians. I watched the 'Young Endeavour' sailors come ashore. They had crewed this replica ship around part of Australia's coastline under the guidance of the Australian Navy. It was now time to change crew. It was coincidental that they were there but very apt as this was a celebration of the year when Captain Cook had first landed in 1770 in his ship, The Endeavour. I took a ride on The Lark, a converted ex-army amphibious vessel that took us out across the sandbars in the bay, where we saw soldier crabs marching along a sandbar, and lots of local seabirds. The Lark was a boat in water and a vehicle on land. It took us a bit closer to the Young Endeavour, given by the English government to the Australian government. The local school children had acted out the landing too. It was a very enjoyable day in the sunshine.

Sunday saw us walking to the harbour at 7am in order to catch the boat that was taking us to the reef. Lee had noticed a flat tyre when we got up but there was nothing we could do about it until the next day. I just hoped that it would not spoil the experience.

It was a choppy 90 minute ride to the reef. We had taken Kwells so we were okay but it was a rough ride! We were glad to step on to the pontoon where we could have a ride to the island, a ride in a semi-submercible boat to view under the waves, snorkel on the reef or have a diving lesson.

The island was lying in azure, clear seas. We took the glass bottomed boat and turtles were coming up for air around us. Amazing! I took lots of photographs. It was possible to stay on the island overnight but I had not realised this, and we did not have a tent. It was a real desert island. That would have been something!I took pictures of the white beach, bleached driftwood and coral that created so many different patterns.

When we got back we had lunch. Lee went in the sub and I got ready to snorkel. It was wonderful to tip forward and view through the goggles for the first time. I went cross eyed when a humbug fish swam before my eyes and said, "Wow!" as the scene unfolded before my eyes. This, of course, filled my mouth with salt water! I spent some time just getting used to the scene, the flippers and working out what to do with my redundant hands. What an amazing experience. I did not see any nasties and stayed where the water was deepest to get a clear view. I was surprised to get so cold in these beautiful, pristine waters though.The breathing was surprisingly easy. I was elated as I swam back to the ship.

At 2pm we went on the last trip in the sub. Again we saw the rather endearing turtles. It was the perfect end to a fabulous day.

On the Monday morning we had to sort out the punctured tyre. After a futile effort the lady next door opened her bonnet, connected the lead and blew our tyre up with the charger in her 4x4 engine!!! She even offerred to follow us to the tyre place to make sure that we made it. By 10.15 it had been done and we were merrily on our way up the coast. A wedge tailed eagle lifted on the wind effortlessly and the sun shone. The roadsign said, 'Cairns 1,222 kms: Townsville 860 kms.I sat back as we were in for a long journey! I pondered the stories told to me by two different, 'Grey Nomads' of their unfortunate dogs.

One dog, part Dingo, had caught around 30 snakes!! I remarked that he must have been swift, to which the lady replied,"Aw no. He's been caught a couple of times. Had to take him to the vets for the anti-venom.I asked how she knew that he had been bitten by a snake and she told me that the back legs stop working! I asked, "Was he okay afterwards?"
She replied,"Aw yeah but he's recovering from a scuffle with a kangaroo. Had his thigh ripped open. Cost us $300." He must be a tough cookie.

The other story involved an older lady, now travelling with her remaining, little dog. Some time the previous year her husband had been cutting the overgrown grass on the plot next to them, that was up for sale, and he had remarked about seeing a brown snake, the dangerous ones!! The next day her elderly dog had gone out into the grass, for a wee, and was never seen again! Tough life!!!!