So after flying out from Brisbane and over the flooded zones, I arrived on the cloudless and hot Hamilton Island (in the Whit Sundays). I caught a ferry from there to Airlie Beach and could only think about the cyclone that had hit last year. After seeing the edge of flooded area from the air, I was a bit pensive about the disasters that seem to constantly hit the region. That said, however, Airlie Beach was now as vibrant and open as ever, and it was like visiting a totally new place. I did think a bit about all the brilliant people who I’d net along the way just a year ago, and remember the fun I’d had from here on upwards with the various groups. Thankfully I’m still in touch with many of them, and hopefully will continue to be so for a very long time to come. As for this visit, it was more of a convenient stop to get back on course with the Greyhounds and continue on up the east coast away from the harm and devastation of the floods. I partied the night away and ended up stopping out far later than planned.
With just a few hours sleep to my credit, and a roaring headache, I got onboard the bus and went up to Ayr to dive the S.S.Yongala, one of the top ten wreck dives in the world. It’s a deep dive in small places as the wreck sits about 20km off shore, and is at a depth of 30m at its deepest. Here I had the best dives I have ever done! Even on descent I saw cod fish as big as my leg and reef sharks in abundance. A huge school of giant barracuda swam past, all hanging around for a good nosey at us, and all that was before I’d made it to the graveyard of the wreckage! I have never seen so many fish in such a small space, but most were huge! The seventh most poisonous snake in the world is a familiar underwater denizen there, and giant Queensland groupers bigger than me are very common. I was lucky enough to see all the above, but most impressively was a giant turtle who seemed not to take an interest in divers approaching him/her to a touching distance. The turtle was about two thirds my height in length and was incredibly social; in actual fact most of the marine life are more intrigued by the divers than scared by them. It certainly is one to be seen to be believed. The features of the ship are still clearly distinguishable, and we found intact lanterns, toilets, and a bathtub. It kind of brings it home that no survivors from the 122 passengers and crew onboard at the time the cyclone brought it to an abrupt end almost 100 years ago, and most of the human remains are still actually in there somewhere! It’s a fascinating dive and the first one ever that I will make sure to do again someday. With dive master training available to me for just lending a hand with upkeep of the ship and house, maybe I’ve found a future travel option – especially as no working visa will actually be required to do it! Hmmm Manchester first I think then take it from there.
Onto Mission Beach to finally tick another one of the growing bucket list and complete the skydive the weather prevented me from doing last year (this time I wouldn’t be the picker on Blind Date and so paying the full price).
Oh My God! Chucking myself out of a plane at 14,000ft, defenseless to the gravitation acceleration has to be up there with the best things I’ve ever done in my life! With sixty seconds of free fall, followed by a much gentler, parachute aided descent gave me the adrenaline rush that everyone who opts to do such a thing craves, and time to take in the vast and exquisite views of the entire area, from the beach lined coast right over to the rugged, lesser noted mountainous inland of Queensland. The whole experience was just incredible, and I loved it! I was actually the first out of the plane, but that way I had to show the confidence and guts for the others to follow. I quickly realised what a good actor I actually am, as I appear to be quite unmoved by the heights, and have a huge smile and excitement blazed across my air-strained face; if truth be told though, I was shitting a brick! Dangling over the edge and looking down without seeing anyone falling was a seriously nerving experience. With little choice otherwise though, Andy (my tandem instructor) flung us out and Earth-bound. It’s a first, and possible a last time I will ever gratefully and acceptingly have a man to be so intimately tightly bound to me! I would recommend it to anyone, hey, even a 101 year old man did it last year! I have 70 years to go until I can have any chance of leveling that record; here’s to hoping.
As the trip now approaches the end stage *big sigh (crowd encouragement and participation “Awww”* I have a liveaboard and 11 dives to do on the GBR (2 at night), and then a few days to party it up a bit before I fly to Singapore to re-meet some of my very best travelling friends, who are now considered some of my very best friends in life – hell how many countries is it now for me, Andre, Naj, Sarj, and Abu?? Loads I believe, spread over 3 continents as well! Awesome, long my it continue *uh hum, South America remember guys ;-) * It then approaches home time for me via Hong Kong and Macau (where another adrenaline-fueled effort is scheduled, the World’s Biggest Bungy no less! I’m nuts! Mum and Dad, you probably shouldn’t have read this on this occasion – soz.
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