Reef encounter

After appalling Brits abroad behaviour the first day, sea shirts were dutifully worn the following morning and we made sure we started to make use of what North Queensland had to offer and so we hit the reef.

Here is what we went on . Wavedancer it was called and although I felt like mooing again as we were initially "corralled" onto the boat. We managed to find our own little spot away from the other ninety odd passengers.



And this is where it took us. Low Isles. Why here? First of all it is on the Inner Reef so only an hour's boat ride to test Tina's delicate stomach. Second it was half the price of the outer reef which we are doing next week anyway, albeit 5 hours south of here. Third morbid curiousity was satisfied as this was the closest land mass to Batt Reef where Steve Irwin got himself stingrayed and hence it was here that he was brought to



And this is what we got dressed up in! Stinger season is just around the corner and so you can't be too careful. We had about one hour of snorkelling and one hour of trying to get these damn suits on and off!


When I say "we" had the suits I lied as our vanity ensured that Tina and I opted for the "I'd rather be killed by a jellyfish than wear one of those things" option. Of course without the suits we looked really cool!?



The snorkelling was excellent fun. "My best day in Australia" said Alex. Tina went off on a guided snorkelling tour and saw a Turtle. It was huge. Alex insists he saw a shark and woe betide anyone who tells him otherwise. As a family we went off shore about 80m to see a giant clam. Aside from this we saw coral and more coral. Hidden within were various pretty coloured fish who we found out all the names of and have since forgotten. Of course despite every single brochure showing pictures of clown fish; Nemo remained strangely elusive.

One other acheivement of the day is that Tina remained free of motion sickness although this pained smile would suggest otherwise.



Back home to Port Douglas in time for tea. Chicken Noodle cup a soup. It is all we can afford at this stage of the year.