Lizard, Australia Travel Journals & Blogs

Traveler Sailing Melanesia to Africa
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- May 22, 2023, 10:51am
- 🌬 26 °C
- Altitude: 1,230 ft
- Australia Queensland Cook Shire Lizard Lizard Island National Park -14.666392, 145.46374514°39’59” S 145°27’49” E
Day 43
Lizzard Island
May 22, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 26 °C
Der Lizzard Island Nationalpark ist bekannt für seine guten Schnorchel und Tauchspots, an dem in einem kleinem Areal die vielfältige und artenreiche Unterwasserwelt des Barriereriffs entdeckt werden kann.

Zur besseren Übersicht wo sich die Riffe in der Watsons Bay befinden besteigen wir am Vormittag den markanten Berg der Insel mit dem Cooks Lookout in 376m Höhe. Der anfangs steile Aufstieg über Felspassagen und später schattige Weg durch Eukalyptus- und Akazienwälder belohnt mit einem Rundblick bis ans australische Festland und der Außenkante des Great Barriereriffs. Im dichten Unterholz raschelt es mehrmals und einmal entdecken wir eine große Landechse bei ihrem Sonnenbad.

Nach dem Abstieg ein kurzes Mittagsschläfchen und danach gehts in die ausgemachten Riffe zum Schnorcheln.
Das Wasser ist glasklar, die Sonneneinstrahlung lässt die Korallen und Fische in besten Farben strahlen und etliche Meeresschildkröten fressen in den Seegraswiesen im seichten Gewässer.

Die Angst vor Krokodilen, Haien und Quallen erlischt vollständig an diesem Tag und alle genießen das ausgiebige Schwimmen und Schnorcheln an der Nordostküste Australiens.
Jakob zieht etliche Bahnen mit dem Wing Foil durch die Bucht.

Abends schauen wir gemeinsam den Klassiker Meuterei auf der Bounty im Bordkino und der zunehmende Mond gibt uns einen Vorgeschmack auf die morgige längere Etappe bis in die Lloyd Bay südlich von Lockhart River.
Auf dem Weg werden wir das Barriereriff verlassen und nachts östlich in gutem Abstand nach Norden segeln. Dadurch reduzieren wir unser Risiko nachts in den zahlreichen Riffen und Untiefen auf Grund zu laufen.

Mount Cook
Schnorcheln
MeutereiRead more
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Traveler Oceania & Asia 2019
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- Feb 12, 2019, 6:51pm
- ⛅ 30 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- Australia Queensland Cook Shire Lizard Anchor Bay -14.667742, 145.4472214°40’4” S 145°26’50” E
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Day 1
Hats off to the Jelly Fish!
February 12, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C
Today was our first full day here on Lizard Island. The weather was perfect and after a substantial breakfast we set up on the beach outside our villa for some serious sunbathing. The last time we were in Australia Tracy bought an Ecuadorian sun hat (at a considerable cost!) and promptly took it to Portugal, where it remains. Tracy decided she needed another sun hat and unfortunately (for Ken) the boutique was open and she found one! After a pleasant morning lying on the beach Ken decided to go for a swim and snorkel. We were advised by the resort to wear a “stinger suit” and after seeing a number of jelly fish on the beach and in the sea Ken agreed to wear the suit! Getting in and out of the suit would have made a hilarious video but, fortunately for Ken, Tracy could not stop laughing long enough to get the camera out!Read more
Traveler Looks like a pool and surrounding that's just right for you Tracy.. Pristine end perfect, the bluest sky completes the picture.
2/12/19Reply
Traveler Great photo. Looking good in the hat Tracy
2/12/19Reply
Traveler Can se you picked another crowded beach , enjoy the solitude,, very pretty.
2/12/19Reply
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Traveler Oceania & Asia 2019
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- Feb 14, 2019, 2:45pm
- ⛅ 31 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- Australia Queensland Cook Shire Lizard Anchor Bay -14.66774, 145.44722514°40’4” S 145°26’50” E
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Day 3
Ken's Valentines Picnic with the birds
February 14, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
Today is the 14th February, the most romantic day of the year, and Tracy set Ken the task of coming up with something special! After much discussion with the staff here at Lizard Ken came up with concept of a little boat trip and then a picnic on one of Lizard’s many secret beaches. The original plan was for Ken to pilot the boat out to the secluded beach but once Tracy saw the amount of booze we were taking she sensibly insisted we got someone else to take us out and back! The seagulls here are clearly used to picnickers and they followed Ken around like dogs looking for scraps! We saw our first lizard today. These are not as big as the ones in the Philippines but it was still fun to find one.Read more
Traveler Wow that boat looks fun, how wonderful your own private beach for a romantic picnic... Sounds great..
2/14/19Reply
Traveler Great photo. The sea and sky the backdrop look surreal..
2/14/19Reply
Traveler Looks perfect Tracy in fact that beach looks like you have hoovered it before your go on your trip, as you do .. Enjoy
2/14/19Reply
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Traveler Oceania & Asia 2019
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- Feb 15, 2019, 1:18pm
- ⛅ 29 °C
- Altitude: 11 m
- Australia Queensland Cook Shire Lizard Anchor Bay -14.667684, 145.44729514°40’4” S 145°26’50” E
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Day 4
Revisitation of the Reef
February 15, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
In 2015 we were on a different island here on the Great Barrier Reef, called Orpheus. On that trip we went out on a boat to snorkel the Reef and yesterday we repeated the trip. We actually sit on the Reef here at Lizard but we sailed out about 30 minutes away to find a favoured spot. There were 5 other guests on the boat and it turned out all the others were scuba diving and as Tracy was sunbathing on the front of the boat ....only Ken was snorkelling! The good news was Ken was accompanied by the official resort camera man and two other guides, so had plenty of “fish spotters” pointing out lots of fish he would have missed. It was a great trip revealing sharks, rays, giant eels and a host of fish. We are arrived back weary but full of fish stories!Read more
Traveler All sounds a bit fishy to me but very exciting too,,
2/16/19Reply
Traveler Just a few more days on Lizard island now. Bet you will be sorry to leave it..
2/16/19Reply
Traveler Not pulling the “helpless” card is he Tracy. It always works for me..
2/16/19Reply
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Traveler Australia
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- Dec 15, 2016, 8:00am
- ⛅ 26 °C
- Altitude: 1 m
- Australia Queensland Cook Shire Lizard Anchor Bay -14.666203, 145.44844114°39’58” S 145°26’54” E
Day 8
Lizard island
December 15, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
We got on a flight in a small aircraft from Cairns to Lizard island, where Spirit of Freedom, our live aboard dive boat awaited us in a pretty idyllic setting. The sight of the reefs made me incredibly excited of what we are going to experience.

{Issy}Read more
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Diane and Darryl Australia - Reef & Red Rocks
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- Aug 14, 2019
- ☁️ 75 °F
- Altitude: 46 ft
- Australia Queensland Cook Shire Lizard Watson's Beach -14.663517, 145.45368914°39’49” S 145°27’13” E
Day 22
Lizard Island & Ribbon Reef #9
August 14, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F
The morning started early with a hike up to the summit of Lizard Island to Cook’s Lookout. Captain Cook climbed up here to get away from his broken ship troubles and to scout a way out of the Reef. He found a good way, but hadn’t brought navigation tools to mark the route. So he ended up missing his planned route out, once the ship was repaired, yet still slipped through safely elsewhere. The hike up was strenuous , but the views at the top and the emerging flowering plants were well worth it!

After a ‘second breakfast’ (like Hobbits!) the divers suited up and went out with the dive master, Robbie. Darryl was under the weather and sat out the dive, and Diane’s air tank valve sprung a leak after 10 minutes, ending her dive. There was still plenty of air, and we were in shallow water, so not a big concern. Diane switched to snorkeling , while Nance continued the dive with the other diver in our group.

Around lunchtime we set sail for another part of the Reef, called the Ribbon reefs. Darryl wanted more time to get over his cold, so Diane and Nance went with a family of 3 and dive master Robbie. Again, there were many coral formations to see, and some royal blue sea stars with long arms. We were down at around 35 feet for about half an hour. We felt like we were still working on our technique and getting used to the sensation of breathing underwater for extended periods.

Overall, temperatures have been pretty comfortable both day and night—probably in the low 70s—a little less wind would be nice. Sometimes the sailing is a little rough, but Dramamine has been working for all of us. The nights have been too cloudy to do any more stargazing. The other passengers are friendly and the crew are great.Read more
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