At Sea & Great Barrier Reef - Port Douglas - March 4-5

Back at sea after our wonderful stop in Brisbane.  The ship re-crossed the Tropic of Capricorn, this time heading north, and entered the southernmost side of the Great Barrier Reef.  A Great Barrier Reef pilot is on board to help aid the Captain and officers negotiate the narrow and possibly hazardous passage.  Gazing off our deck, the sea looks the same.  We have choppy seas but no rolling waves – smooth sailing.  The Pilot explains what we are cruising through the Cumberland and Whitsunday Passages, which were traversed and named by Captain Cook in 1770.

Our lectures include the continued discussion on global warming by Professor Henry Hutchinson and a new lecture series about coral reefs by Professor Emeritus George Losey from the University of Hawaii.  Definitely we are becoming more knowledgeable on this cruise.  Hopefully all this information will stick to our brain cells.

The entertainment venues have included an amazing illusionist magician, Andy James, a classical concert pianist, Karl Lutchmayer, and a jazz concert by some of the ship’s talented musicians, the highlight of which is a petit-and-talented American trombonist named Andrea.

The gym is still busy in the morning but not as crazy as the last segment.  There now are some on the ship we see on the top deck in the morning doing Tai Chi.  While we are working out regularly, we miss our friends and their guidance and motivation at Your Fitness Instructor!  We can only hope we come back half as fit as before we left!  And we are missing the fun of open-road cycling but are pleased to have use of the excellent exercycles, elliptical trainers and the other equipment the ship offers.

There wasn’t a Maritime Church Service last week because we were in port.  We attend today and enjoy the service especially the hymns some old classics:  “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” and “Onward Christian Soldiers” followed by “There is a Green Hill Far Away” and everyone’s favorite –“ Eternal Father, Strong to Save,” the Maritime Hymn.

 


Sunrise Great Barrier Reef

Do we ever relax?  Yes, still reading books, working crosswords and playing scrabble on our iPads and of course – updating this blog!
 
We continued sailing through the night among the islands within the Great Barrier Reef area. As quoted from one of the handouts: “The area includes over 2600 individual reefs and about 300 islands being the largest complex of coral reefs in the world today and able to be seen from space.  It extends for over two thousand kilometers along the North Eastern coastline of Australia – approximately half the size of Texas. The most diverse ecosystem, it  is managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and has over 1500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, 4000 species of mollusks and innumerable species of worms, crustaceans and echinoderms.”  Oh, it is also on the World Heritage List since 1981.

Cat to the Reef

Look for the QE in the distance

To us, the weather, water and reef-snorkeling is an experience we will remember.  The trip is 1-1/2 hour ride on a huge motor-catamaran to a floating pontoon platform on one of the major reef systems.  They recommend anyone going in the water wear a lycra wet suit for two reasons:  you do not have to use sun screen, and it provides protection against jelly fish stings.  Sounds like a good idea to us!  We arrange for snorkeling with a marine biologist (Jim, wish you were here!) so that this person can explain to us what we are looking at.  It is a fantastic experience!   The water is turquoise blue and clearer than any water we’ve ever snorkeled.  Some of what we see:  coral – staghorn, brain, plate in huge quantities and size; a giant clam that the marine biologists gets to open for us; butterfly fish, clown fish (Nemo!), grouper, zebra fish, parrot fish, barramundi, blue tetras in the thousands.  An amazing sight!



Snorkelers

Back to our home on the ship and with everyone talking about how much they enjoyed the trip.  The ship sails away for 5 (yes, 5!) days at sea to our next port – Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

Platform for diving/snorkeling



Cruise Muse:  We cannot find anything to complain about.  However, as we’ve said before people are people.  A few of us sitting together on the catamaran on the way back decide that we are on the ship long enough that there really should be passenger committees formed to handle the whiners – you know, the ‘complaint committee’, the ‘food committee,’ etc. 

Agincourt Reefs on Great Barrier Reef

Then this evening, Steve and I are walking the ship after dinner and we hear this woman calling out.  I walk over to her and she is obviously blind with her arm on her husband, who I determine is also suffering from major macular degeneration (but still thinks he can see enough).  The woman (of course who isn’t embarrassed to ask) asks us if we can point them in the direction of the theatre.  I lead them to the main hallway that is a straight shot to the theatre.  They say they are fine and thank us.  However, later, I see them looking lost and confused again in a crowded area near the casino which is just before the theatre. (Isaiah 6:8) I go to them and say, here I am again.  The woman says where are we?  She knew that they weren’t at the theatre but with all the people she almost thought she was.  Can you imagine, two blind people on a huge ship, on their own walking around, going to events AND NOT COMPLAINING!  What a counterpoint for the complainers for this day for us, and what a blessing this courageous, loving and accepting couple is!

 

We are having an unadulterated, no-whining blast!  With 5 days at sea ahead of us, we will be blogging every couple of days and mostly about our activities on board the ship.

Thanks for joining us in our travels.  We are blessed.