Reef, Rivers and Rainforests – September/October 2018 - Day 14 - Great Barrier Reef

[BONZO]

Day 14 – Friday 5th October 2018 – Great Barrier Reef

Reef, Rivers and Rainforests – September/October 2018

Link to trip report index – including pre trip report:
Here


We had set the alarm to get up very early this morning as today was our Great Barrier reef tour (with a company called Sailaway – Port Douglas) and we knew we wouldn’t have time for breakfast so just had a coffee and muffin in the room before setting off.

Outside, the smell of the bush fires was pervasive, not too strong to be nauseous but enough to remind or warn you that it was out there. There were no signs about the fires and the hotel staff didn’t appear to be particularly bothered, perhaps it was quite normal for this area.

Anyway, we waited in the lobby area with quite a few other guests who were all travelling out on other trips as various coaches and mini-busses turned up and collected people for the day. Eventually our mini bus turned up and a frantic looking woman whisked us away.

The lady driver drove very fast to other pick up points, her mobile phone constantly ringing and beeping all the way to the Marina at Port Douglas (she just had it on hands free – I think they were short of a driver so she helped out rather than being in the office). Once out of the minibus calmness returned, I hoped that the boat trip wasn’t going to be as bumpy!

Funnily enough, as we walked about the marina we found a number of other groups from the hotel here on another cruise. We checked in and signed the necessary disclaimer forms and walked out along the marina to our yacht for the day and wow, what a beautiful thing it was too!

We learnt that it was a French boat that had been sailed over all the way from France about 2 years ago to operate here. We had some tea, coffee, muffins and pastries whilst the crew briefed us about the day and then we chatted to our fellow passengers, only about 30 in total on this huge catamaran. Finally we had the safety briefing

we set sail and not long after we spotted a pod of dolphins! We could also see the forest fires back on the mainland

Our trip out was out to Low Island, about 16 miles north-east of Port Douglas and about 2 hectares in size and only about 15ft above sea level. Despite its diminutive size there is a weather station, an active lighthouse (named Low Isles Light) and the research station. We chose the location as one of the least popular spots of snorkelling on the reef and definitely not off a pontoon.

We anchored off the shoreline next to a much smaller glass-bottomed boat that would shuttle us to the island proper. Once on the island we split into three groups, strong swimmers, poor swimmers and those who just wanted to potter round the island in the boat.

We stronger swimmers set off, being escorted round the various areas of corals and luckily the tide was turning which meant little distance between us and the coral below.
It was amazing!

Brightly coloured fish pottered about and parrot fish munched their noisy way on the coral, recycling as they went (you get the picture). At one point we swam over a huge clam shell, at least 100 years old and still going strong, shimmering bright blue around its edges – quite surreal and spectacular.

Out across the reef, conservationists on paddle boards kept people in check and made sure they only swam in designated areas, really good idea.

After a while we got out and took a tour of the island and boy, was I glad to have taken my wet shoes with me as the sand was scorching hot. We wandered around the island, looking at the weather station, lighthouse (named Low Isles Light) and the research station. I’d be quite happy to move my office out here for a while!

When we returned back to the beach the tide had seriously gone out, leaving tops of the coral exposed and a couple of sea cucumbers and crabs stranded temporarily in the shallows.

At this time no snorkeling was allowed off the beach so we were shuttled back to the boat, making sure that all excess sand was deposited back on the beach.

Once on board lunch was served which was high quality and well presented, way above what I was expecting on a trip like this to be honest. It was a good buffet, with cold meats, prawns, lots of salads and breads and fruits for afterwards. Tea coffee and water was included but beer, wine and soft drinks were available for purchase if you wished.

Once lunch had finished those that wanted to were invited to snorkel off the back of the boat in the deeper water.

Alison went off and I hesitated as the water looked a bit choppy and those huge “killer” waves looked scary. Alison was doing well (she swims for a swimming club so is a much stronger swimmer than I am) so I ventured in but found things a bit heavy going for comfort. I turned back to the boat, said I was ok but asked for a noodle to help with my buoyancy. We saw huge fish swimming around us too.

After a while I tired of being bobbed around and went back to the boat for a while, leaving Alison happily swimming around. After a while most people made it back to the boat apart from a couple of hardy individuals.

Whilst waiting, some of the youngsters jumped off the back of the boat and Alison and I looked at each other and stepped up to the platform. Hand in hand and with me shouting “after 31 years of marriage it’s come to this” we took the leap of faith and probably made the biggest splash in the Southern Hemisphere – I was half expecting a Tsunami warning to go out!

Sadly, it was now time for us to go back to the marina but this time we were in full sail with no engine power as we glided through the waves and caught some rays on the upper deck – bliss.

We chatted to an Australian family about life in London and Melbourne as the son was taking up a position in the NHS later. It was nice to have a few tips about another city that’s on our list to do at some stage. We also spent some time talking to the crew – 2 were from England, one was from only about 30 miles from us! What a small world!

We arrived safely back at the marina and watched the captain very cleverly reverse into a parking bay, and took a couple more pictures before we disembarked.

only to find the mad lady driver who had escorted us on the way in was going to take us back! Time for some travel sickness tablets after buckling up hard in the back then! And it was not a hectic drive this time – obviously the morning’s panic was over!

Safely back at the resort we freshened up and headed back out to Port Douglas for our evening meal and this time we chose Hemingway's Brewery for food and drink. Us in a brewery on holiday? Well that’s never happened before ;-)

Lovely relaxed atmosphere and a great position right on the harbour we settled down for the evening. On the menu was their locally brewed beers as a flight along with a gin flight and a great range of food and snacks on offer. We settled on some tacos / fajita’s and I sampled some of the beers which were delicious.

Afterwards we drove home reflecting on what was a really special and fantastic day. After parking up in the hotel car park we walked up (and a steep up hill to the lobby it is too!)

and stopped for a couple of drinks in the bar

before calling it a night and crashing out.

Note: We didn’t realise just how big the GBR was – it’s the length of Italy!

A lot of people don’t class the Low Isles really ‘proper’ GBR, but for us we wanted a lovely day trip, with a nice lunch and not hours spent sailing (especially as we both get a bit sea sick) and Sailaway really met our expectations.

Transport count (running total!):

Flights: 5
Ferries/boats: 4
Trains: 11
Trams: 2
Tubes: 1
Ubers/Taxis: 3
Coaches/Buses/shuttles: 10
Step Count today: 4119
Total step count for the trip: 138353

[Melbatb]

It sounds like an amazing day!

Thanks for sharing your adventures!

[eleele]

What an awesome day, I'm 100% in agreement about wanting to move the office to that island!