Great Barrier Reef

Our first full day in Australia included trips out to the Great Barrier Reef.  My sister opted for a half hour trip out to the Low Isles (#34 & #35) while my trip went much further out (top of photo)

My trip had three stops - #6 Anybody's, #13 Halloween and #17 Playground.

My sister's trip with Calypso Cruises left bright and early at 7:15 am from the Crystalbrook Marina.

The Low Isles is a small coral cay consisting of two islands located roughly 15 miles east of Port Douglas.  Low Island is a small, round island with thick tropical vegetation.  On the island are a lighthouse, a small research station, and lodging for the island custodians.  Woody Island is larger but uninhabited by human because it mostly consists of mangroves.  This is home to many nesting birds and is protected with limited human interaction.  The islands are surrounded by a tropical reef. 

My sister enjoyed a trip on a boat with glass viewing ports on the bottom so she could see the reef. 

She also enjoyed some time on Low Island.  Click to enlarge for reading. 

What island trip would be complete without some beach time.

 

My trip started at 8:15 from the same harbor.  

Everybody was checked in and given fins and a snorkel mask.  We would told not to wear shoes but I had been dealing with some planter fasciitis and was allowed to keep my water shoes on. 

The boat had three levels but I made my home on the second level and never ventured to the top deck.  

There was also a seating area on the bow.

The bottom deck was where all the action happened.  We entered the water from the steps that ran across the back of the boat.  Boat personnel kept a close eye out when everyone exited the boat.  I even saw one free dive down about 30' to a scuba diver. 

All the scuba gear was in the middle of the bottom deck.  I had initially planned to scuba but my cardiologist said no.   Below are some videos and photos I took while snorkeling.  Double click to run videos. 

One of the places we visited had giant clams, the largest living bivalve mollusk with an average lifespan of around 100 years. They can weigh up to 550 pounds.  They display a wide variety of colors which are created by a contrast between algae inside the clam and the clam’s natural pigment.

Sorry I didn't take the time to learn how to properly take photos underwater as these photos don't begin to show the colors I saw. 

Lazy Lizard Motor Inn

Thirty-three plus hours, three flights and a bus ride after starting the trip, we finally arrived at our first lodging, the Lazy Lizard Motor Inn in Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia.  It had been two days since we had left Oregon.  We lost a day to the International Dateline.

Of course we came in and dropped our luggage before deciding to take photos of the room. A twin bed and a double bed.  Most of our lodgings during this trip had climate control like this room.  The unit mounted on the wall provided both heating and air-conditioning.  All we cared about here was the air-conditioning as the temp was in the 80's with high humidity.

A couch is a nice addition to any motel room. 

Every lodging we had during this trip had a small refrigerator.  This was one of the larger ones.  Maybe a quarter of our rooms had microwaves.  This one was well stocked with cutlery, dishes, dish soap and dish towels. 

The window opened to dense foliage.

It had a separate tub over which hung a retractable clothesline which we used for our bathing suits. 

I prefer the shower separately like this one. 

Flying to Australia

The first day, we flew from Oregon to San Francisco to catch our international flight to Sydney.  The boarding areas were two levels high and there are some interesting art installations above the gate stations.  For this photo we were looking down at this particular artwork. 

We had Premium Plus seats on United for this 15+ hour flight.  There were leg rests that deployed from the seat and the seats reclined for at least 6".  As we were on the bulkhead, our TV's deployed from between our seats. More on that later.  The meals were an upgrade from the Economy fare and we had real flatware to eat it with.  Food was plentiful with two main meals and snacks in between if you weren't sleeping.

When we got on the plane, each seat was provided with an approximately 18" square pillow, a blanket and a comfort kit.  It contained a pair of socks, a face mask, lip balm, lotion, earplugs, a toothbrush and toothpaste.

That little container of toothpaste was so cute.  Here's a size comparison between a regular toothpaste container, the size you get from the dentist and the one from the kit. Only about the size of my little finger. 

OK, we couldn't get the tv to fully deploy.  I twisted on the top part to get the screen to face me but I was unsuccessful.  I didn't want to break it.  The flight attendant just gave it a hard twist and it swiveled right around.  In this photo you can also see the headphones and slippers that were provided.  Since we were on the bulkhead, I could get up and not disturb my sister while she was sleeping. 

Shots of the screen containing the travel information. 

Coming into Sydney. 

Lots of different airlines lined up. 

At Sydney we had to go from the international terminal to the domestic terminal via bus as we were continuing on to Cairns. 

Our flight to Cairns was via Jetstar, an Australian low-cost airline. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by a competing low-cost airline.  So Quantas brand is a full-service airline, and Jetstar is its low-cost counterpart.  Jetstar even weighed our carry-on items since there was a limit on its weight also. 

 

Oregon Pre-trip Sightseeing

My sister and I went on a trip to Australia and New Zealand.  But before we took off, she flew to Oregon to stay with us.   One day we took a walk on the Sutton Creek Trail in a National Forest Service area just north of Florence.

While she was at my house we completed a few puzzles. 

The day before we started our flights to Australia, we traveled north along Hwy 101 to see some of this area's beautiful sites.  We stopped at the Bob Creek wayside where the tide was very low.

This exposed some of the sea life that clings to the rocks.

We also stopped at the Cape Perpetua Lookout, the highest lookout on the Oregon Coast.  You can see more information on this in the previous post.

We went as far north as Depoe Bay and walked along the seawall.  We did see a whale in the bay while many whale watching boats could be seen further out in the ocean.

Despite being such a small harbor, there is a Coast Guard substation there and their boats are stored in this shelter. 

The Heceta Head Lighthouse viewpoint is always a scenic stop along the coast north of Florence. 

Hwy 101 leaves the coast just north of Florence and this is one of the final viewpoints before it does. 

Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

The Cape Perpetua Scenic Area just north of Florence, Oregon