The Whitsunday Coast is home to a large tract of rain forest. I found it remarkably similar to every forest I’ve ever been in, but it did have some really big trees which are thought to be around 1000 years old. The only wildlife I saw was a scrub turkey, a few birds, and a lizard or two.
To rest after chasing fish around, I tried to document the amazing variety of plants (and plant-like animals) that lay along the ocean floor.
When you watch documentaries about the Great Barrier Reef there are fish everywhere. Schools of fish crash together and brightly colored fish hide behind every corner. It was perhaps my greatest surprise that the Great Barrier Reef was exactly like in documentaries.
Here is just a sampling of the fish that stayed still long enough for me to photograph.
The ocean floor is full of valleys and hills that form some wonderful landscapes. Schools cling to the side of these valleys and hills adding an extra level of interest. Best of all, the landscapes don’t move, which is a relief after chasing shy fish.
The Abel Point Marina and surrounding waters at Arlie Beach were a source of many beautiful pictures during my trip. I got rides into and out of town with my wonderful hosts Jonkie and Suzette. They work at the Marina, so I spent a lot of time in and around the Marina particularly at sunset
The last day of my vacation I was determined to take a scenic flight of the Whitsunday Coast. The only aviator who had a slot free was an old gruffy Aussie who did acrobatic stunts in a bi-plane. I opted for the scenic flight, but at the end he threw in a few flips and rolls for fun.
In between loud obscenities and gasping for air I was able to shoot a short clip of the acrobatics.
During the more relaxing half of the flight I shot some stills.
The Whitehaven Beach (above and below) which is supposedly has the purest sand of any beach in the world. Looks like a man and a horse to me.
A brief foreword: Downtown Brisbane is called the “City” and is surrounded on 3 sides by the Brisbane River. I live and go to school just across this river to the south in South Bank. Here is a map.
Last night was Brisbane’s Riverfire celebration. Fireworks are launched from the bridges around the city and from several of the tall buildings. I was invited by a friend to view the fireworks from an apartment complex. Since the fireworks are over the downtown area and most of the large buildings in Brisbane are in the downtown area, this tall complex across the river was possibly the best place to view Riverfire! We had Pina Coladas, German beer and watched the show. I’ve seen some good fireworks in my day, but this takes the cake.
Yet another experience I would have loved to have experienced with Anita, my beautiful girlfriend, or with my friends and family.
The pictures pretty much say it all. Of note: The first image shows a very bright streak. Riverfire begins with two F-15 fighter jets buzzing the crowd and then ascending in a perfectly vertical line. They fly with after-burners blazing, and they are loud as hell. The camera was exposing for 5 seconds, hence the single bright point of light becomes a streak.
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In 10th grade I used an English assignment “Take a major risk and write about it” as an excuse to go skydiving. At that time I went static-line, which is to say a rope attached to the plane automatically pulled my rip-cord.
This week I returned to the sky, jumping tandem from 14,000 ft. I was in free fall for about a minute, of which I remember only the sensation of my cheeks flapping. It is easily the most intense sensation I have ever felt. Not that such things can be quantified, but I’d say it was three times as crazy as going down the first hill of millennium Force at Cedar Point near my home in Ohio.
The plane was a rickety old thing. I am not exaggerating when I say the trip up felt less secure than the trip down! I guess nothing terrible could have happened after we were at 2,000 ft, if the plane started going down we would have just jumped. Nevertheless I was worried the whole way up!
My flat-mate Milosz (”Me-Losh”) from Norway came along. I loved sky diving, but his reaction made mine look darn-right ordinary. He smiled like a girl who recieved a pony for Christmas.
After the jump are snapshots Milosz took of the day. They are not in chronological order, but the one with the cheeks pulled is taken afterwards and shows how I felt in free fall.
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