PORT DOUGLAS
Trip Start
Jan 02, 2007
1
18
56
Trip End
Apr 09, 2007
QUEENSLAND,
Australia
Sunday, January 28, 2007
I got up at 07.00 on Sunday morning and headed down to the harbour to board the Haba boat that was taking me out on the reef for the second time in three days! I couldn't have picked a better day to go diving (well, Pete couldn't have - he organised it!). On a boat with the capacity for about 80 passangers, there were only 15 today and I was the only diver! But hold on - it gets better! Not only did I have the whole reef to myself with no other divers getting in the way, the dive master with me was a marine biologist so he knew exactly where to look for all the good stuff.
I rented myself a digital camera for the day and in one day, had three dives that were definitely up there with the best since I took up the sport 10 years ago. The amount of life down there was just amazing - Black Tip Sharks, a massive Bull Ray, loads of huge Puffer Fish and Grouper and more coral than I'd ever imagined I'd see! There was one thing that I can't remember the name of that the marine biologist guy was almost crying about when we got to the surface - some sort of a creature (I have 'yellow yoke' written in my notes) that was laying eggs and was extremely rare to see. I have loads of photos of whatever it was, so I'll look it up when I get home.
Back on dry land I met Pete and we headed down to the marina where, every evening, they feed this massive Grouper that hangs out under the deck of one of the restaurants. I'd say between that Grouper and the Bull Ray on the reef, I'd seen two of the biggest fish I'd ever seen in the flesh. Later we went for a few scoops in the Courthouse hotel and for dinner in 'Salsa', a restaurant owned by one of Pete's buddies. I was giving out to Pete later saying that, because the food was so good there, I haven't enjoyed a meal since.
On Monday, I confirmed arrangements to pick up a campervan in Cairns the following day and that evening we headed back to 'Salsa' for some more amazing food to finish my visit to Port Douglas in style.
Port hasn't seen the last of me I tells ya!
Comments
yey
glad you caught the bug bro...we'll be back together sometime. The hairs were standing on the back of my neck reding about your dive and remembering our snorkeling day on the reef last year...BLISS!