Blue Planet Journey

Caroline checks out a snorkeling site on Vanuatu.  Swimmer, snorkeler, PADI rescue diver, and previously lifeguard certified, with Italian made Cressi mask, snorkel, and fins... she is prepared.   I really just want to comment on 2 things that relate to the Celebrity Solstice,  and perhaps most cruise ships.  The first is safety in a reef environment (snorkeling).   The second is a commitment to reef conservation. "National Geographic" gear The Celebrity Solstice shore excursion team promotes snorkeling gear sales.   I'm not sure who makes this equipment, but it is sold under a licensing agreement allowing for the "National Geographic" label to be attached (as if NG has any specialized experience in snorkeling gear... you won't find any real divers using it).  The insinuation is that, if National Geographic endorses this gear, the gear is quality, and you are going to have a great and safe time snorkeling.  Who needs, say,...

Our last stop in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) was Port Douglas , a small town of 3000 or so that caters to people looking to visit the GBR and the beaches.  It's also near the location of the death of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin , a television personality and conservationist who was one of my heroes.  His enthusiasm for nature was unparalleled.  Steve died when a sting ray barb pierced his heart, on September 4, 2006.  Rest in peace, Steve Irwin. Once again, Caroline and I decided to go inland via bicycle.  We rented fabulous Cannondale road bikes, but our butts had to get used to the stiffer frame and harder seats than the other bikes we've been renting.  Our goal was to get to Mossman Gorge , about 22 kilometers away. We started late (about 10:30 AM), partly because the tendering operation took about an hour.  It was already hot and humid, with the temperature hovering in the high 80s.  Given that a good bit of the cycling ...

This giant spider jumped up on Caroline's pedal when we stopped in the Cairns Botanic Gardens! Yes, we know that Cairns is a world-class tourist destination, with many beaches, catamarans that transport people to floating platforms in the Great Barrier Reef for snorkeling or diving, nearby Kuranda National Park , and more. We were not impressed with the snorkeling and diving on a previous trip .  It's not that the experience was bad, but rather that our expectations were much higher.  After all, the GBR is THE coral reef, right?  Well, at the spots we visited, we've seen better.  So we knew this time we were going to avoid the diving, and go inland.  But where to visit? Bicycles are a great way to travel.  You can cover much more ground than by walking (which I love), but you are still "in tune" with nature.  The sights, sounds, and smells in the outdoors are not masked or hidden by an air-conditioned car or bus.  You feel every b...

Sign next to golf course in Yorkeys  Knob . Over the past few days, we have been on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, just outside of Airlie Beach and Cairns. It has been warm, but not as blisteringly hot as in Sydney, where the temperature a couple of days ago was an astounding 117 degrees F !  Caroline and I are always being warned not to snorkel from shore, given that this is box jellyfish season and there are saltwater and freshwater crocs present.  There are signs everywhere, warning people to be careful. On a walk at Yorkeys Knob (our marina and a suburb of Cairns), we chatted with a lifeguard about stingers (and feral cats).  The lifeguard was adjusting a net surrounding a swimming beach that keeps the jellyfish out.  The high tide and full moon were making constant adjustment of the cables holding the net’s anchors in place a necessity.  While we were talking, we noticed a large log had either washed over or under the net, and Carolin...