We had a lovely departure from Samoa and a long flight into Cairns with a 1 ½ hour bus ride to Port Douglas. The whole Northeast is a rain forest and hot and humid. We were housed in a large and lovely condo development with a 2 bedroom condo with washer/dryer and hot tub and barbie on the roof. Early the next morning we departed for a 1 ½ hour boat trip to the reef. We were immediately over the side for the first of 2 dives. There were beautiful coral heads and fish. We saw a large turtle and ray swim by, held several lovely flat worms and handled see cucumbers. We also tickled giant clams to make them close. They were so large you could look into
all of their inner workings. At the end of both dives we met up with our friend pictured with this blog. He was about 4 feet long and probably 50 pounds. I got eyeball to eyeball with him and he would swim by and let you stroke him. There were a lot of red tangs around as well and they were more interested in nipping fingers.We returned that evening for a lovely dinner at a local seafood restaurant and said goodbye to our Dartmouth lecturer in a celebration that is typical for Dartmouth grads. The next morning we were off to Cambodia and I will save that for later, since we are currently on a very short flight to China so my editing and writing will have to wait.
Dave
4 comments:
So its the "barbie" now. How well we adapt.
Say "hello" to the misquitoes in southeast Asia for me. We are old friends.
Hugh
Such fun to read your comments and learn all you are learning!! Have been down and out with one of those bugs of a life time so to speak, but today I think I might make it out of the house!!!
Keep up the blogging!
Georgia
You were lucky. When we took Quicksilver catamaran out to the reef they told us we were not to touch anything under penalty of God only knows what. But it is beautiful, quite so! Did you get the buffet lunch on board, too? And did you notice the giant shadow of the great white shark who was trolling for Dartmouth meat? Love the pics.
The amazing fish that you had a personal connection with is a terminal male bumphead Napoleon Wrasse. They are enoromous and usually very friendly as this one was. It sounds that the tang must have been used to being feed by people.
Great photos!
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