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Australia - Reef & Red Rocks

July - August 2019
We are going back down under! The plan is to visit and hike in national parks, learn about aboriginal culture and rock art at Uluru/Ayers Rock and in the Northern Territory, and to scuba and snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef! Read more
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  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 14

    Loy's Country: Six Generation Thinking

    August 6, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    After another night in the swags observing the Milky Way, Southern Cross and shooting stars, we awoke at dawn to climb a nearby dune hill to take in the splendor of the desert on our last day in the Outback. Small animal tracks were imprinted in the sand from their overnight forays.

    During breakfast clean-up, Loy, the traditional indigenous owner of the land we camped on, came by for a chat with us about her culture. Her family has lived on this land for 40,000 years, and they’ve dated some of the cave art on her ‘country’ (as they call their land) to 7-15,000 years old. Loy straddles two worlds, coming from European pioneer ancestors on one side and indigenous ancestors on the other. Growing up, she divided her time between the city and her family’s ancestral lands. She attended university, sometimes drives a 3-trailer hauling truck and spends as much time as she can on her ancestral lands. She is the designated spokesperson for her family clan in legal or government matters concerning their land.

    As we sat around the morning campfire with Loy, we talked about modern day struggles of indigenous people and traditional ways in which they lived and managed ‘country.’ She says that her people consider six generations when making decisions about country — three in the past and three in the future. She talked about individuals’ totems — hers is the witchetty grub, which is also used in healing. Her family’s creation story involves the rainbow serpent, which formed the rivers and carved through mountains.

    We had a walk around her land where Loy showed us plants traditionally (and still) used for food and medicine. She also took us to a cave with symbols depicting food to be found at the nearby waterhole.

    Loy was really approachable and passionate about sharing knowledge about her people. Our time with her was definitely the high point of this trip!

    Leaving the Outback and arriving in the town of Alice Springs, we said farewell to Adam and our fellow travelers.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 16

    Alice Springs

    August 8, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    After showering off the red sand and laundering it from our clothing and shaking it out of our backpacks and shoes, we were more presentable for ‘the city.’ Alice Springs is a two-story town with a small central district.

    In the morning we rented bikes and rode out to the Alice Springs Desert Park, not because we needed to see more desert, but because they have a nocturnal house. We were guided Around the house by an aboriginal ranger, and saw bilby and mala—both small burrowing marsupials. There were large stick insects (8-10 inches long), ghost bats, and thorny devil. Outside, we saw colorful birds and a few sleepy Red Kangaroos.

    The Royal Flying Doctor Service has a museum and dispatch center here to serve remote populations all over the country. We visited and learned about its origins and current mission.

    We stopped in a fabric shop and picked out some projects for when we get back home.

    Later, we met up with some of our Outback travelers who were still in town for dinner.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 18

    Daintree Rainforest

    August 10, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Yesterday we flew to the coast, and as soon as we got out of the plane, felt like our skin must be soaking up all the moisture in the air after a week in the desert. It’s not overly humid or warm at this time of year, though. Cairns is the launching point for many Great Barrier Reef tours, but for us, it was our meeting point with Nance and Sande for our next few weeks. We set off for a stay in the Daintree Rainforest for a few days.

    The Daintree is the world’s oldest rainforest—older than the Amazon by 50 million years. It is also considered the most diverse in plant and animal life. We are lodging at Lync-Haven, a campground and motel with animal sanctuary. In the morning, we saw wallabies hopping about on the grass, and in the reception/cafe/shop we watched a python and other reptiles in boxes. Outdoors on the dining patio were a couple of red cockatoos that would squawk obnoxiously whenever a server went by with food.

    Our first destination for the day was to the Daintree Discovery Centre, where we walked on aerial walkways in the forest canopy. They had a good audio tour to point out some of the plants and help us understand the rainforest. We saw blue Ulysses butterflies (photo courtesy of the signs in the center), a few birds and lots of stag-horn ferns and similar ferns attached to the high branches.

    In the afternoon, we went zip lining in the rainforest with Jungle Surfing. They have a great setup — we sailed in pairs, relatively gently from platform to platform. At each stop, the guide would give us some information about the rainforest. We learned that the reason we aren’t seeing many flowers is because many of the trees and plants developed in the age before flowers developed, and don’t need flowers to reproduce.

    On our drive back to Lync-Haven near dusk, we rode alongside a cassowary who came out of the woods and was just trotting down the road. Cassowary sightings are hit or miss, so we were thrilled to see them on our first day!    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 19

    Mossman Gorge in the Daintree

    August 11, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 77 °F

    Today we took an Aboriginal-led walking tour of the Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest. Our guide , Jarrod, showed us some of their hunting tools—for example, the boomerang, which was not used for throwing, but more for striking and breaking an animal’s leg to disable it so it would be easier to catch with a spear. In more open lands, the returning boomerang might be used for knocking birds out of the sky. Jarrod, said it’s really very hard to be in the right place when the boomerang comes down.

    He also showed us how red and yellow ochre was used, along with black paste from wood ash, would be used on the body as markings to identify you as members of clans on your mother and father’s sides.

    After the tour, we hiked around the gorge area on our own and saw some of the strangler trees that Jarrod had showed us. They grow up around a tree and eventually strangle the life out of it—maybe over the course of 10-20 years. It was in the hollowed out trunks of the ‘host’ tree that Jarrod’s people would wrap their dead in the bark of the paperbark tree and bury them. Now, they aren’t permitted to do that. The rainforest is thick with vegetation, and a few birds were sighted, but no tree kangaroos, as we were hoping to find.

    No ice cream stop today, but a nice dinner and some stargazing back at Lync-Haven for our last night in the Daintree Rainforest.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 20

    Daintree River to the Coral Sea

    August 12, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 75 °F

    This morning we took a river cruise on the Daintree River. The feature of this river trip is to see the crocodiles that live along the banks. We did see a couple in the water and some sleepy crocs on the banks among the mangrove trees. The bumps on the crocodiles’ backs help them regulate their temperature, and their excellent circulatory system allows them to cut off blood flow to a limb, for example, if it is hurt and threatening the life of the crocodile. They can also target blood flow to their stomach to help them digest.

    Mangrove trees are interesting, too. They have four kinds of roots, some for support in the soft muddy banks and some for collecting nutrients. We liked the ‘snorkel roots’ that stick straight up out of the water. Living in potentially brackish water, but needing clear water, the mangrove can filter salts from the water, sending them to a ‘sacrificial’ leaf that turns yellow and falls off.

    At 4pm it was time to meet Coral Expeditions in Cairns for our Great Barrier Reef tour. We boarded a 40-passenger catamaran-style ship, with fairly roomy cabins with large windows and ensuite bath and shower—like having a moving motel room. It will be nice not to have to pack and unpack for a week.

    There are more Americans in this group of travelers than any of the other tours we’ve been on in Australia. There are nine certified divers (including us!) and another half dozen who will be getting dive instruction here on the ship. Everyone we’ve met so far has been friendly, and we’ve already made friends with some Kiwis. We sailed off for the evening under a spectacular sunset!    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 21

    Great Barrier Reef, Day 1

    August 13, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    After sailing all night, we arrived in Cooktown, on the Cape York peninsula., still part of the wet tropics. Like the Daintree, slightly south of here, it is very lush. The terrain reminds us a bit of Kauai, with its steep, tree-covered mountains surrounded by water.

    We got a little walking tour of Cooktown, where Captain Cook stopped to repair the “HM Bark Endeavour.” As good a navigator as Cook was, he underestimated the vastness of the reef and smashed a hole in his ship on the coral. Our trip leader, Dani, said that Cook’s maps are remarkably accurate, using much more rudimentary tools than now.

    In the late afternoon, we arrived at Lizard Island, where we could snorkel from the beach. The water temperature is a bit cool, but the clarity is spectacular. We saw plenty of fish, many that we’ve seen in Hawaii (parrot fish, moorish idols, wrasse, etc.), but the amazing array of coral formations and the giant clams were something we have not experienced. The clams almost look like they have a cozy fleece blanket around their ‘lips.’ Each clam’s markings are different, like fingerprints

    At sunset, we were taken back to the ship from the island in a 14-passenger glass bottom boat. Underwater photos are courtesy of Nance & Sande’s GoPro. The video of the nurse sharks was during a fish feed off the ship’s deck after dinner.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    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

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 23

    Ribbon Reef #3 & Escape Reef

    August 15, 2019 ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    This was a great day—Darryl was well enough to dive, and the three of us got to dive on our own with Robbie. At Ribbon Reef #3, we entered the water from the ship, rather than the beach, so entry was easier and we were immediately in clear water, instead of murky sandy water. The ship has an ‘elevator’ platform for us to ride down to water level from the deck. The crew help us with our gear, which can be heavy, and gives everyone assurance we are hooked up properly.

    Ribbon Reef #3 is a bommie, which means it is kind of a pillar of coral surrounded by sand (an oasis in the desert for marine life). We found a ‘Nemo’ among the anemone, more giant clams, and saw lots of parrot fish and fabulous coral formations.

    The afternoon dive at Escape Reef was another boat dive, with just we three (always with Robbie). Escape Reef has finger-like protrusions of reef, allowing for some very protected areas and slightly warmer water in some sections. More great sea life and colorful coral! We are much more comfortable with diving now, and can focus more on our surroundings than on our gear. Sande is having a great time snorkeling, and we usually go out for a snorkel after diving. The light is better at the top, so colors are more true, but with diving you can get closer to things of interest. The first few photos are taken from a dive website for our reefs, since we don’t have a chance to get such good lighting.

    We’ve been enjoying the company of a South Island New Zealand couple in their 70s, and we teamed up with them for the after-dinner trivia quiz. Lots of questions about the plant and sea life, and Captain Cook—things that Dani has been teaching us along the way. We didn’t win, but made a good showing.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 24

    Cairns & Sudbury Cay

    August 16, 2019 ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Today was the end of the 4-night portion of this trip and the start of the 3-night portion. We sailed to Cairns overnight and said farewell to most of the passengers we’d been traveling with on the Great Barrier Reef.

    Those of us who were staying on had a couple of hours off the ship before sailing on with a new group of travelers doing a 3-night voyage. We were met at the wharf by a volunteer for the Cairns Museum, who walked us to the museum and showed us around for about 45-minutes. They opened the museum just for us at 8:30 am—so nice! It was an excellent museum with displays on the early days of Cairns (aboriginal times), to its gold rush days, to its early days as a tourist destination.

    Soon it was time to embark on our next sea adventures. We arrived at Sudbury Cay after lunch, where we 3 dive buddies joined a new couple. A cay is a floating sand island, meaning it can move around. The sand accumulates in one spot due to winds and currents.

    The two newcomers were having a lot of trouble with the dive, so we three waited in the sand on the bottom and tried to distract ourselves with watching the fish activity at a nearby coral formation. Not the best dive experience, but we did see a tiny sea urchin that floats upside down, and a fish standing up on its front fins on the sandy bottom, like it was doing push-ups. we also saw a pair of clownfish (Nemos, but with different markings).

    After the dive ended, we took off for the reef with our snorkel gear to watch more fish. In the evening, Chef Patty served a delicious seafood buffet. All the food has been tasty, but not decadent.    Read more

  • Diane and DarrylAustralia - Reef & Red Rocks
    Day 25

    Hinchenbrook Island Mangroves & Hiking

    August 17, 2019 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    Today was a day out of the water, but still on the water. Saltwater crocodiles are in these waters, so it was not a day for swimming. Dani took us on the glass bottom boat and talked to us about the mangrove forest as we motored through a channel of Hinchenbrook Island. The island is a national park and rainforest that is part of the Daintree.

    The water was so smooth and mirror-like, you could almost forget it could be a deadly place. We actually didn’t seem any crocs, but we saw a beautiful sea eagle (yay for bringing the binoculars!), some egrets, and a grey heron. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest of the crocodiles (over 5.5 meters long)—and they can live to over 100 years. We also heard about a mud skipper fish that holds water in its gills and can walk across the mud.

    Next, we sailed to Dunk Island to hike through the rainforest to the summit of Mount Kootaloo. A lookout point offers a view of the reef and its islands from above. Near the lookout are the ruins of a radar station built during World War II.

    Finally, we were treated to drinks on the beach at sunset on tiny Purtaboi Island. Another great day!    Read more

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