I booked a one day scuba diving trip to the outer Islands, the usual short trip . The dive master was assessing the participants skills and reiterating dive rules and updating participants on the non verbal communication on the way out to the dive site; matching people to the dive gear and finding a sheltered calm spot for the most inexperienced novice .
We were dropped off in a small ancillary dive boat to drop down on a small reef. The visibility was 20 feet or so and the max depth was only 25 feet . Most coral grows in the upper layers . For those who have dived there was a mixture of soft corals waving in the surge along with a myriad of hard corals . I had a partner ( dive duddy ) who was struggling with her gear . Having trouble equalising the air pressure in her ears and seemed to have an ill fitting mask because the snot kept dribbling down her face . The dive leader took over her management which left me to swim alone without the hassle of watching out for her.
The dive lasts about 40 minutes to ensure the most energetic user of air still has enough to get them back to the surface . I surfaced with plenty of air left as the dive was shallow by my normal standards.
Novice divers were up-skilled on the boat while we were underwater . We ate lunch while they were taken into the shallows to begin their underwater adventure . They returned to the boat full of wonder and awe . I have seen much better coral and fish life on the outer reef and was kicking my self internally that I hadn't gone to the outer reef .
The second dive for the day was also very tame . We did get to dive through some underwater caverns . I went last and the silt had been well and truly disturbed when I went through . The visibility dropped down to a few feet in the cavern .
I thought we would get more bang for the buck if we hire a small boat and went out to the inner Island in the Whitsundays . The Boat hirer gave a quick lesson on how to fit a life jacket and showed me how to let off a flare, advising us to use the mobile phone for advice before doing so.
The four of us , Rachel , Scott, Bev and I set off to the Big Blue for a days picnic and snorkeling .
It is the stinger season> Jellyfish abound and are washed up against the shore at high tide. I was advised the safest time to snorkel was about 2 hrs after the tide had started going out . This would disperse them away from the coral reefs and from around the shore line.
Irikanji jellyfish are as small as a thumbnail but deadly. We purchased a Stinger suit .The Nylon oversuit comes with slippers ,a hood and gloves . It has been proven to protect from stings and tentacles .
It is a most effective sun screen too.
There are millions of fish visible through the clear water but they weren't hungry enough to nibble on our lines . We tried bread, bacon , chicken , and a small shell fish . They liked the shell fish and nibbled it away from around the hook. We all had turns at snorkeling with the suit on. Blue bottles were present and easily avoided so I hoped the reports were over exaggerated.
To see more of the reef I thought of a strategy of being towed thorough the water on a long rope behind our Hire boat .
I donned the black body cover of the stinger suit ensuring the hood covered my recently shaven head and directed Rachel where to tow me . It worked a treat. I covered about two kilometers in no time .
Stingrays , Snapper, Parrot fish all darted out of the way as I bulleted across the reef hydrodynamic like . Occasionally i spotted a Jelly fish drifting on the surface . I lead with my naked lips and chin and was able to swerve around the obstacle with a simple flick of my fins and roll of my body .
No wonder seals and dolphins can get up speed and a smile.
All of a sudden a heavy patch of the stingers . Jelly galore.
I felt a burning sensation under my nose as if I had been burnt by a red hot poker . The only part of me exposed to the water was my Bulbous Bow and although I made short work of signaling to the skipper that I was coming back on board, she towed me through another 50 meters of the jello soup before letting me back in. The treatment for a sting is to pour on vinegar to the affected site . My top lip was reddened and swollen for the rest of the day.
It is back to New Zealand tomorrow
I wonder what will happen next
Alvin
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Airlie Beach QLD
January 09 2007
I was heading for our tent which is under a tarpaulin, near the small creek. Gums and ferns abound . The birds were settling down for the night in the trees above me . Raucous screams form the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos filled the air . I was treading lightly in bare feet watching out for any cane toads,spiders and other creepy crawlies that may cross my path . The shadows were long the park lights were dim only illuminating corners of buildings and entrances to the dunnies and bridges ,
Rachel has two small wire haired fox terrier dogs . About a foot in length in total . I had them on a lead . Both mutts were straining to gain their freedom and dash off to explore the scrub and follow up on the rustling in the foliage on the edge of the track .
A women loomed out of the darkness. " Hallo Alvin " she called in a distinctive north Queensland ascent . I was taken aback . Only Rachel and Scott knew i was in the camp and I had just left them at their caravan. The dogs strained forward pulling to greet the women . She bent down and showered affection on the bigger of the two dogs . It was then i remembered that Rachel had called one of her dogs after their grandfather.
The Whitsunday Islands are about midway up the barrier reef on the coast of Queensland . Rachel is currently gardening on the resort of Hamilton Island . Rules are you cant have dogs on the island so it is a daily ferry boat ride to work from the mainland . We poke around the resort on the day we arrived . A massive tourist complex. Golf cart are the main mode of transport, they sneak up on you silently. The landscape is spectacular with palms and eucalyptus set out in all their glory.
About 20 years ago we had camped at Airley Beach when the children were 5 and 7 . at that time we had arrive when the weather was extremely hot. these first few days have been tolerable . up to 30 degrees C in the late afternoon. The camp pool is a very popular spot at that time . Our park had a mandatory pool and a great way to meet fellow travellers. Day time temps have been up in the high 30s and humidity sweltering at times.
Tomorrow , Rachels day leave commences for a week . We plan to hire a boat for the day and find a spot to snorkel and swim. This time of the year the poisonous jelly fish are about so I will have to hire 'Stinger Suits' which will also help keep me from cooking in the relentless sun . I have also booked a scuba diving trip out to the reef . I well remember the remarkable reef life and the myriad of reef fish.
We arrive into NZ back in early December, took a week to get over jet lag and meet up with family and friends . My daughter, Tamra, is guiding on Fox Glacier. At time she is able to put family and friend on a Heli-Hike to fill the helicopter seats. Bev had the first opportunity . donning crampons and a walking pole she climbed around the ice crevices and arches. Two hours soon pass and the flight out swoop you over the Ice face back to civilization.
We spent Xmas at Fox glacier with Chris and Tamra and reunited with the Tucks who had returned home form all parts of the world . Colin is in Malaysia doing mineral exploration surveys using helicopters , Poppy just finished her African O/E travelling down from Kenya to Cape Town, overland . Lewis returned from Canada where he is flying Helicopters for a logging process in Northern Vancouver island. Plenty of stories and adventures where shared.
I was thinking that all was going well with our travels and return to base until....... Our forest block manager, Mike Rooney and I decided to tidy up the front fence of the property . This necessitated the realignment of the fence and the digging of several post holes for strainers . My hands are too soft for heavy manual work so we opted for the hire of a small digger to tidy the fence line and dig the strainer post holes.
After much deliberation I said "Dig here Mike" several bucket fulls where removed in short order . We were both peering into the hole and spotted a cable protruding form each side of the newly excavated hole . Bugger, we had ripped up the Telephone Cables. This meant all the phones up the valley were off the air. Guilt and embarrassment made me slink over to a neighbours to inform them of my mis-adventure. The bill for repairs is yet to arrive.
Bev and I have instigated some repairs to the properties in Hokitika . New windows have been ordered and yards and general tidy up undertaken . The painter has 30% of the external repaint done and new floor coverings will go in when we get back for our 18 days in Aussie.
Well better go and get my 'stinger suit' and do some snorkeling around the rocks
I wonder what will happen next
Alvin & Bev
I was heading for our tent which is under a tarpaulin, near the small creek. Gums and ferns abound . The birds were settling down for the night in the trees above me . Raucous screams form the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos filled the air . I was treading lightly in bare feet watching out for any cane toads,spiders and other creepy crawlies that may cross my path . The shadows were long the park lights were dim only illuminating corners of buildings and entrances to the dunnies and bridges ,
Rachel has two small wire haired fox terrier dogs . About a foot in length in total . I had them on a lead . Both mutts were straining to gain their freedom and dash off to explore the scrub and follow up on the rustling in the foliage on the edge of the track .
A women loomed out of the darkness. " Hallo Alvin " she called in a distinctive north Queensland ascent . I was taken aback . Only Rachel and Scott knew i was in the camp and I had just left them at their caravan. The dogs strained forward pulling to greet the women . She bent down and showered affection on the bigger of the two dogs . It was then i remembered that Rachel had called one of her dogs after their grandfather.
The Whitsunday Islands are about midway up the barrier reef on the coast of Queensland . Rachel is currently gardening on the resort of Hamilton Island . Rules are you cant have dogs on the island so it is a daily ferry boat ride to work from the mainland . We poke around the resort on the day we arrived . A massive tourist complex. Golf cart are the main mode of transport, they sneak up on you silently. The landscape is spectacular with palms and eucalyptus set out in all their glory.
About 20 years ago we had camped at Airley Beach when the children were 5 and 7 . at that time we had arrive when the weather was extremely hot. these first few days have been tolerable . up to 30 degrees C in the late afternoon. The camp pool is a very popular spot at that time . Our park had a mandatory pool and a great way to meet fellow travellers. Day time temps have been up in the high 30s and humidity sweltering at times.
Tomorrow , Rachels day leave commences for a week . We plan to hire a boat for the day and find a spot to snorkel and swim. This time of the year the poisonous jelly fish are about so I will have to hire 'Stinger Suits' which will also help keep me from cooking in the relentless sun . I have also booked a scuba diving trip out to the reef . I well remember the remarkable reef life and the myriad of reef fish.
We arrive into NZ back in early December, took a week to get over jet lag and meet up with family and friends . My daughter, Tamra, is guiding on Fox Glacier. At time she is able to put family and friend on a Heli-Hike to fill the helicopter seats. Bev had the first opportunity . donning crampons and a walking pole she climbed around the ice crevices and arches. Two hours soon pass and the flight out swoop you over the Ice face back to civilization.
We spent Xmas at Fox glacier with Chris and Tamra and reunited with the Tucks who had returned home form all parts of the world . Colin is in Malaysia doing mineral exploration surveys using helicopters , Poppy just finished her African O/E travelling down from Kenya to Cape Town, overland . Lewis returned from Canada where he is flying Helicopters for a logging process in Northern Vancouver island. Plenty of stories and adventures where shared.
I was thinking that all was going well with our travels and return to base until....... Our forest block manager, Mike Rooney and I decided to tidy up the front fence of the property . This necessitated the realignment of the fence and the digging of several post holes for strainers . My hands are too soft for heavy manual work so we opted for the hire of a small digger to tidy the fence line and dig the strainer post holes.
After much deliberation I said "Dig here Mike" several bucket fulls where removed in short order . We were both peering into the hole and spotted a cable protruding form each side of the newly excavated hole . Bugger, we had ripped up the Telephone Cables. This meant all the phones up the valley were off the air. Guilt and embarrassment made me slink over to a neighbours to inform them of my mis-adventure. The bill for repairs is yet to arrive.
Bev and I have instigated some repairs to the properties in Hokitika . New windows have been ordered and yards and general tidy up undertaken . The painter has 30% of the external repaint done and new floor coverings will go in when we get back for our 18 days in Aussie.
Well better go and get my 'stinger suit' and do some snorkeling around the rocks
I wonder what will happen next
Alvin & Bev
Saturday, October 7, 2006
POLAND Krakow
Salt Murals carved fro the Solid Salt Walls
The Catherdral of Salt, All underground" How much to the Salt Mines ? " I had approached an unmarked Taxi sitting at the rank waiting for customers "50 zloty" he said ." Can you do it for 40 ? " I asked . "Get in" , was the reply.
He charged through the back streets like a man possessed . Approaching a busy intersection 10 cars were banked up in front of us . The taxi driver / Polish madman, pulled out onto the oncoming traffic and charged to the head of the Que. He paused only briefly to indicate the cross flowing traffic that he was going across and with a sound of a multitude of car horns we entered the main road to the Salt Mines.
The hair raising ride continued at for a further 25 minutes . He nonchalantly pointed to sights of interest to the left and right . His English was "Very Little "My fixed gaze was forward watching out for road hazards and potential rapid decelerations.
He pulled up outside the Ticket Office at the salt mine . Officials in full police uniforms were soon at his door speaking incomprehensibly in animated volume in the native tongue . I waited my chance to asked " How much " he raised two fingers. I added on a further fifty percent for the tip and passed over 30 zloty extracted myself smartly and disappeared into the crowd to recuperate.
Salt was like gold before the days of freezers . All food was preserved with the mineral for the winter months. 10 km East of Krakow are the historic underground chambers, shafts and caverns decorated with sculptures and carvings. It's the only site in the world where mining has continued since the Middle Ages. In the old times mining and resultant excavations could be shown only to members of the upper classes. The magnificent chapel made out of salt, captivating underground lakes traces of mining works were impressive . The ambient temperature was around 14 degree c. They now mine tourist, Tours are well organised and our English speaking guide was very informative.
Down the pit were examples of horse drawn wagons and winching gear along with extensive mining equipment which helped to understand the back braking work of the salt miners. The story of snow White and the Seven Dwarfs originated inspired by the exploits of the Salt Miners. The underground mine was thronged with tourists and delays occurred waiting for the antiquated lift system to raise us back to fresh air.
Krakow is Poland's third largest City and the countries most popular tourist attraction . The old town is squeezed into the parameter walls. 800 meters wide 1200 long The main market square is in the middle and the main buildings are easy to locate from here . Horse drawn carriages line the market square touting to take tourist for a trot around the sights . The clip clop of horse shoes on cobbles added to the ambient noise of street musicians , acrobats , flower vendors and market traders.
The city emerged unscathed for WW2 . Stunning Medieval and renaissance architecture abounds . Massive Gothic churches and a hotch potch Royal castle. We only had three days and picked the eyes out of the Museums. Art galleries and Churches . Too much to see in too little time.
The history of Krakow dates back to the 7th century. Established on a bend in the river on a small up thrust of land, it was the seat of power for royalty and church through the centuries.
We visited the university where Copernicus had his observatory and realised the earth and planets revolved round the sun. Map making always fascinates me and I have a better understanding of the process following a visit to the university museum which houses the oldest existing globe.
Bev booked a Studio unit close to the train station . This was a great choice as we could wander back rest and recover a couple of times each day. Fellow travellers were quick with tips and 'Must See's' . They spoke in detail about the concentration / death camps nearby.
My taxi driver had flashed me through Krakow's Jewish ghetto on my way to the salt mines . I was holding on for dear life not able to glace out to look for fragments of the old wall that still survive as a chilling reminder of a past that is really not that long ago at all. ( 60 years ) Whilst a few Jews managed to escape from the ghetto (Roman Polanski is a well known example) most were transported from here to the death camps nearby at Auschwitz. I had visited Dachau Death camp, in Germany, a few years ago and was definitely not in need of a dose of depression.
The flight from Stanstead, via Ryanair only takes 90 Minutes to Krakow . Security at either end is a problem, up to three hours . They took my toothpaste and deodorant this time . I wished them a merry Xmas.
We are off to New Zealand and Aussie for December and January
I wonder what will happen next
Alvin
Tuesday, August 1, 2006
LONDON Covent Garden Juggler
Subject: Covent Garden Juggler
After a matinee show we emerged from the theatre into the crowd and drifted towards Convent Garden. Street where performers and musicians were in full swing .
One mime artist was preparing his show . He had arranged small children on a broad step to give himself a clear demarcation of his imaginary stage.
Ngaire and Bev settled down on this step watching the antics of the performer.
I was carring Ngaire's back pack, partly to carry the weight and also for security as pick pockets work the crowd while
people are distracted watching the show.
I wandered on a little and found a place, behind the virtual stage, where I could lean my back against a pillar which would offer some protection from thieves.
He was a clever artist drawing the children into his act . I could see directly into his suitcase.
Amoungst the theatrical props he had to keep his audience entertained I spotted juggling balls and wondered at his skills . I watched closely as he knelt down behind the case with the upturned lid masking his actions to most of the assembly .
He emerged from hiding having slipped on a fake severed arm . He was yelling out in pain and drawing a humorous response form the crown with his antics .
Before I knew it he was at my side . He grabbed me in the crutch taking hold of my family jewels. He held me with such force that I dare not move for fear of increasing the pain. He kept up a high volume of screaming noise and maintained his grip for what seemed like minutes, in reality it was probably 15 seconds.
To the crowd it would have looked as if the severed arm and hand was simply resting across my front . On the contrary it was masking his grip on my genitalia.
He moved off as quick as he arrived . The crowd was having a great hoot at my expense . I looked over to Bev and Ngaire who were unaware of my predicament and laughing heartily that I had become a street juggle with two balls, in Convent Garden.
I wonder what will happen next
Alvin
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