Great Barrier Reef, Australia -October 28, 2000

Position: Great Barrier Reef, Australia -October 28, 2000

With Seaquell moored at Hamilton Island on the south end of the Great Barrier Reef we have been exploring a small part of the reef and land travelling to other parts of the continent. Seaquell has been based at Airly Beach and Hamilton Island. This is the home of Peter Verdon, our captain, where he has grown up. This leaves us very comfortable cruising through the reef since he knows this area so well. He has taken us to some fabulous parts of the reef.

The reefs are in very shallow water during low tide with endless coral and sea life for snorkelling and diving. There is an inner and outer reef, allowing the inner reefs to have calm warm waters. Some areas are over populated with tourists. People are taken to the reefs on boats that have 200-300 passengers, moored to a large entertainment barge that is anchored on the edge of the reef. There they are equipped with snorkel or dive equipment to spend the day. There are also helicopter pads to dive from. We were fortunate to be able to go to other areas that our captain knew where special brilliant and unpopulated under water sites were located.

The reef starts just above Brisbane and extends more than 1,000miles, 50 miles wide, all the way to New Guinea. This is deep water with more than 50% shallow reefs. The edge of the reefs have walls 200' or more in depth.

Travelling through the continent we stopped at Sydney, Brisbane, The Gold Coast, Cairns, Melbourne, and Tasmania. In Melbourne we toured the Great Ocean Road on the southern coast of Australia with is spectacular rugged coastline. The sea and wind have carved 200' formations out of the sandstone. They are given names such as the 12 Apostles, London Bridge, Razorbacks, Island Arch and other visionary names. It is made easy to walk this area with well-maintained walkways, stairs to the sea and large lookouts. Spectacular viewing. Cairns also has tourist trips to visit the reefs of its area. It is the home of some of the Aboriginal tribes containing much history and artwork. There is a rainforest, swamp rides to view the alligators and other water life. All enjoyed.

Tasmania was one of the highlights of our travels. It is a separate island 300 miles south of the mainland. It was started as a prison for England. Many of the original settlers were prisoners that England wanted to get rid of. Port Arthur was the site of the first prison now a historic site well preserved. Prisoners were cruelly treated with most of them never getting released until old age. The island has developed, and presently has resources and industry. It is a beautiful island with mountains, large wilderness areas with no roads, many lakes, and a great country for back packers, fishing, and snow sports. Each Saturday in Hobart they have a large street market attended by many locals that do their weekly shopping. The spring flowers were beautiful, local farm goods fresh and delicious, especially the mangos, berries and cherries. There were all types of stands for local handmade items artworks and numerous sidewalk cafes. It was their Spring so we found it very colourful and the people hospitable.

One of the notable happenings in Hobart is the Sydney to Hobart race. The race ends up in this beautiful harbour that turns the town into an exciting celebration. Their harbour is deep allowing even larger cruise ships to anchor near their town centre. There is mining, sea life farms, and the home of Incat that builds large 300' aluminium catamaran ferries that are in service worldwide. We thank Rex and Julie Kearney and Kerry Stunne, friends we met in Sydney, for a tour of the Incat factory. We also thank them for encouraging us to visit their island. It is definitely a place to return.

We are leaving Seaquell in the Hamilton Island area under the care of Peter and Gabby and the crew as we return to the states for several weeks.

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