Welcome to Tangalooma, on Moreton Island!

Tangalooma was the largest land based whaling p

lace in the southern hemishpere until @1962. In a ten year period between 1952 and 1962, almost 6,300 humpback whales were caught and processed (ok - let's be honest, they were slaughtered). A blue whale was also among the victims during this time. Today, there are whale watching, not hunting, tours and just the building where the whales were processed remains. The building is now used for ping pong and other games so now it is a happy place!

It really is a beautiful place and is quite peaceful at this time of year. There are countless things to do here and we will take advantage of many of them, minus the water activities! The air temperatures get up to about 60+ degrees F and the wind has been ever present. It is the wind that has grounded the helicopters at times, prevented the whale watches, and made it all but impossible to hand feed the dolphins. They even had to offload passengers from an incoming ferry down the beach by the shipwreck because it was too rough to dock the boat at the pier. Passengers were put into an open topped cage, of sorts, and were lifted off the boat by a crane!

But, flexibility is key to the success of any adventure in life so we've found other things to do.

We all took the quads out on a guided tour of the sand dunes on the island. After a short safety introduction, we were all handed little white hairnets to put on prior to the helmets. I must say, they were quite a fashion statement! We were able to get some beautiful views of the water from a higher perspective and to test out our driving skills in the sand. So much fun!!! So much so that some went back out on a more in depth ride more suitable to their experience. All in all, a good time was had by all! I can understand why so many people love these things! (Special note to Anthony and Tim: Notice your mom's picture in the bottom right hand corner of the collage! She really did it!!! )

Needless to say, Mater felt right at home among his peers! He even found a quad more equal to his size! He's an adventurous little tow truck, for sure, and is having the time of his life, Liam!

We also took a walk down to the shipwreck at the end of the beach. The sun...and wind...were with us and it was a perfect time to take a leisurely walk along the beach and explore. Lots of starfish could be found among seaweed, wood, shells, jellyfish, sand seeds from the trees. ...Uh..oh! I will finish this later! It's almost time to go sand tobogganing! Stay tuned!

Ok - we're back from our sandy adventure! More about that later though...Our walk down the island beach on Wednesday was wonderful. Still pretty windy but perfectly sunny. We've been so fortunate to have avoided any rain while here. We came upon a "shipwreck" on our walk, designed using 15 different old ships to generate a man-made reef and a snorkeling and diving spot for tourists. It was near here where the ferry came in to offload passengers.

We went down by the dock to feed the pelicans but found pied cormorants instead! Now they don't feed these little buggers because they are very aggressive and they don't want to encourage them to go to humans for food. But, they patiently stayed with that hopeful look your dog might get when they know someone at the table might have a soft heart for them. The marine biologist was attempting to feed another bird, whose name escapes me but I will find out. These birds were like hawks and hovered around overhead waiting for the opportunity to eat that they knew was inevitable. In the meantime, the cormorants were getting a bit impatient. One hopped up on the railing and attempted to help himself to the fish in the hand of the staff. Quickly, she held the fish away and protected herself with a leg up! The bird reluctantly returned to the beach and continued to wait. She threw the fish up in the air and the unnamed bird swooped down and retrieved it much to the dismay of the cormorants. It was an interesting exercise in bird behavior!

We arre going to miss Tangalooma.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Before we left today, Debbie and Pete went out for a morning walk to visit the fauna in the area...meaning the bats! These creatures are as big as small cats and have a wing span of @6 feet and were responsible for Heather's messy encounter earlier. Debbie said she would have stayed longer if it weren't for Heather's experience! But, they got some good photos to share with you and they really say it all!

A more laid back day than we’ve had since our arrival. We left the hotel at @11:00 AM for our flight to Brisbane on our way to Tangalooma. We also left behind warmer temperatures as we head south, continuing on to Sydney at the end of the week. The ferry to Moreton Island was uneventful but we learned that the wind was the reaso

n they have cancelled the whale watch on both Wed. and Thursday. And windy it is! We experienced the effects of that as we arrived at the island during the docking of the ferry. The ferry was maneuvered up against the dock with much difficulty yet ultimate success. The gangplank was positioned and we were only able to leave the boat one at a time because it kept losing its somewhat tenuous connection to solid ground in the form of the dock! Upon arrival, we were treated with the feeding of the dolphins that return to the beach each evening. Walking on the dock from the ferry we could clearly see 8-10 dolphins riding the surf as people were standing in the water throwing fish to them. Usually the dolphins come right to the food source and they are hand fed but because of the high winds, it was impossible for people to get closer or the dolphins to come further in as they rode the waves created by the winds. Although high winds are expected to continue, we remain hopeful that we will be able to hand feed them before we leave. I like being in my room listening to the wind churn up the surf into white caps and waves as the palm trees whip back and forth on their trunks. Life is good!

After arriving in our rooms we waited for our luggage so we could dig out our warmer clothing and jackets for the walk to dinner. Dinner was delectable and it was plentiful! Mouthwatering platters of tender steaks, snapper, and chicken kebabs were among heaping plates of salads, including Greek salad, coleslaw, tomatoes and crushed garlic, greens, beets, etc. and it was all good! We also had samosas which were fried sheets of dough stuffed with cheese/maybe?…vegetables?…but they were delicious, as well! I, myself, am wondering why I did not take pictures! Maybe tomorrow?!

On our ferry trip to Tangalooma there were 4 adults and one child making the trip, as well. They were Chinese and it did not appear that any of the adults were the 2 year old’s parent. But the love and care they had for this child was evident, especially one of the men. Typical of the age, this little girl was very busy and nonstop yet the patience and acceptance for this child’s behavior was unending. She was happily exploring as she , periodically stopped to hug this man, whom she obviously trusted and loved as he smiled and hugged her back encouraging her to sit quietly. His efforts were largely unsuccessful yet he continued to smile and treat her with gentle hugs and whispers and joy. I loved watching this exchange between the generations .

It promises to be quite windy again tomorrow so we will have to see what activities we will choose. Apparently there is a cyclone hitting the south island of New Zealand that is expected to work its way east and then make groundfall again further north on the coast. Maybe the winds are part of that storm system? No rain, just wind…let’s see what tomorrow brings.

Oh...Mater is amazing, making friends everywhere he goes! These are four guards at the security check-in at the airport in Cairns, as we prepared to leave for Brisbane. The guard on the left, Ian, recognized Mater "straight away"! Since they could not decide who was going to hold him, they came up with this very cooperative plan. Mater could not have been happier! :)

Anja!

I must apologize for not introducing Anja, our most lovely tour guide! She is friendly and efficient, thoroughly professional and lots of fun. We are extremely fortunate she is with us!

The Great Barrier Reef

Monday, July 18, 2011

After much anticipation and excitement, we cruised tothe Great Barrier Reef, a trip of almost 2 hours. It was largely a sunny day with intermittent periods of dark clouds which seemed to threaten the planned activities once we arrived. B

ut the clouds did not prevail and the day was mostly sunny with blue skies. The water was very choppy and unpredictable resulting in the boat having to stay close to the shore when possible to avoid more swells than necessary. This choppy and irregular up and down motion did not sit well with some of the boat‘s passengers. As the ride continued, it became apparent that some of our group would not have an easy day! But, giving much credit to their determination and fortitude, they did not miss out on an adventure of a life time! They went snorkeling…a number of times…despite the overwhelmingly unsettled stomach, headaches, and general malaise they were experiencing. A hearty and respectful“Congratulations!” goes out to them!

The fascination with the reef and the wildlife that takes up residence there spans all generations! There were infants and toddlers to senior citizens on this trip. We spent the day on the reef snorkeling, on the glass bottomed boat, relaxing in the sun, and scuba diving and generally enjoying the opportunity to be part of the largest living organism on the planet.

Between the salt water, the sun, and the activities it was an exhausting day and the trip back to Cairns provided a much needed chance to rest and sleep. I decided to preserve the dignity of our group by not taking photos of them in this state but couldn’t resist including photos of people we did not know. Aaahhhh…the human condition!

Mater continues to make friends and is thoroughly enjoying himself! He hung out with Pete on the deck of the boat and met Mitch and Mike from Melbourne, who were envious of his travels!

Lest I forget to report Ken's encounter with a creature of the briny deep. While mindi

ng his own business (which is questionable, at best!) Ken reports that he was "attacked" by a fish who bit him and he has the scars to prove it...and here they are! You be the judge! :)

We ended our day having dinner in various restaurants, including Outback Jack’s. Our waitress was from Canada and was pleased to have our table because we were from the states. The food was delicious, including the crocodile skewers, we returned to the hotel after a long day as we prepared to continue our adventure tomorrow in Tangalooma.

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Sunday, July 17, 2011

Djirri Nyurra! G'Day from the Tjapukai! Today we took the Kuranda Scenic Railway up to Kuranda where we did some shopping and exploring. Kuranda Railway Station was built in 1915. But, it was the promise of gold in 1873 that inspired the need for a reliable supply route to the sea. Christie Palmerston took on the task. Construction on the railroad began in 1886. 1,500 hundred men at a time worked on the project overcoming challenges such as mysterious diseases, dense jungle, deadly creatures, and impassable swamps, to name a few. But victorious they were completing the route with 15 tunnels, 55 bridges, and 98 curves!

The ride up to Kuranda was awesome - a relaxing and scenic 45 minutes ascent through the Barron Gorge National Park, a World heritage area! Some of us went to the Butterfly Aviary which proved to be very interesting and informative, as well as full of gorgeous and independent butterflies! We did our best to catch some photos of Ulysses, the stunningly blue butterfly that is known for its elusiveness. Butterflies were landing on our heads, shoulders, hands, cameras, etc. Really beautiful little creatures. We ventured into the “nursery” where they painstakinglyremove eggs from leaves throughout the facility to provide an environment for them to reach their full potential in their short life! One of the “nurses” was taking little larva stage butterflies off of leaves and showed them to us. I swear they looked like little green gummy worms! Then she started to pet them and they lifted their little heads and looked around at us while wiggling their tiny yellow antennae. Babies in any form always get to me!

Kuranda is the result of the railroad construction and soon became a popular retreat. In the 1970’s, artisans and those pursuing an alternative lifestyle sought out refuge in Kuranda. Lots of little shops in Kuranda from those offering typical tourist chatkas those presentin

g art work created by local artists, including Aboriginal art, as well. It is an intriguing mix of art and crafts, indeed! There were many restaurants and cafes, along with wildlife attractions. In short, there were quiet a few opportunities to separate oneself from one’s money and separate we did!

I made friends with an Aborigine in native dress outside of the one store offering traditional crafts. He was smoking a cigarette, so naturally I asked him if he didn’t get the memo about smoking being dangerous to his health. He laughed and said that he did and was going to quit…again! We started a conversation about his culture and the pressures from the “outside” world, the one he was catering to in his loin cloth and body paint and flip flops! He said it was very difficult for the elders to, not only understand, but to compete with the influences of modern society that the younger generation was ultimately going to encounter and that his own grandparents feared that, when their generation passed on, the history and culture that directed their lives would be lost. This man was brought up amid those traditions and still spoke the language and practiced many of the ceremonies and beliefs of the oldest known culture in the world - that of his ancestors. He acknowledged that being exposed to the lifestyle and conduct of those outside of the aboriginal culture had influenced his acceptance of those changes but he was also very respectful and connected to his elders and the past - a man, like so many, stuck in limbo between his familial past and his future world. I think this must be so difficult for people in this position to be forced to choose between preserving what is a part of their heritage and moving on toward the future and what they perceive to be an improvement. I’m not sure that is really such a clear choice to make.

We took the gondola through the rainforest and the Barron River Gorge back to the bottom of the mountain and could see the hydroelectric plant - another reminder of “progress“. We were able to walk through the rainforest and glide over its canopy on our way down seeing more butterflies, cockatoos, and scrub turkey (or rainforest chickens, as we called them). When we reached the bottom, we headed over to Tjapukai Cultural Park.

Tjapukai helped us to understand a little more about the Aboriginal people. They are friendly and eager to teach us about their history, Dreamtime, and their culture. We threw boomerangs, hurled spears and learned about Aborigine warfare and medicine. What they have been able to extract from the rain forest to use for medicinal purposes is, quite frankly, remarkable. From roots to eat, fronds to weave, pouches to fill, weapons to make and medicine to cure, the aborigines have been able to utilize most of what Mother Nature has provided.

Tonight we participated in the fire ceremony at Tjapukai. We had our faces painted by the aborigines and, along with other visitors, we chanted and danced around the ceremonial firepit where they created fire with two sticks and some straw - quite impressive considering some of us have trouble lighting up our gas grills or adjusting a thermostat! :) We enjoyed a buffet dinner with fresh and delicious food, were treated to more dancing and didgeridoo playing and we returned home. It's off to the Great Barrier Reef tomorrow!

First and foremost, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my most handsome and loving grandson, Liam! He is 5 years old today, July 17th (USA time)! You have brought such joy into our lives and we love you "more than all the stars"!

More about Kuranda and Tjapukai later...but such important birthdays must come first!

Saturday, July 16, 2011 con't.

Some pictures in and around our hotel. We

are right along the water, the Coral Sea, where

there is a boardwalk called the Esplanade. It extends along the coastline of Cairns right

into a shopping district and a place they call the Lagoon, a shallow pool for the communit

y with fountains and metal sculptures and picnic areas and playgrounds. It is here they have concerts and events and just general socializing. Here is some of what we saw:

Anyone else see a giant three-toed foot in this mud...or maybe even Mickey?!

We have no idea who these people are but, hey...they looked happy and we thought we should all celebrate with them!

Retail therapy...

Bye for now! Tomorrow is Kuranda and Tjapukai Cultural Park..and who knows what else!