highplanesdrifters

UP NEXT Lizard Island, Australia The Lizard Island National Park consists of six islands some 33 kilometers off Cape Flattery and 93 kilometers northeast of Cooktown, of which Lizard Island is the largest. This is the only continental group of islands found near the outer barrier reef and Lizard has a height of 359 meters. Acacia and eucalypt, grassland as well as mangroves contrast with sparkling blue waters and rich reefs surrounding the island. Watson’s Bay on Lizard Island’s northwestern side has a beautiful beach and easy access to snorkel areas, as well as the possibility to start on trails leading to the top of the island and Cooks Look or to Mangrove Beach on the south side for views of the lagoon and surrounding reefs. Before Captain Cook came on the Endeavour exploring Australia’s east coast in 1770 and stepping ashore on Lizard Island to gain a bird’s-eye view of the reefs, the Dingaal Aboriginal people had used the island for ceremonial purposes and to collect shellfish, while later European and Asian visitors were looking for sea cucumbers. The name of the island goes back to Captain Cook remarking on the amount of yellow-spotted monitors seen ashore. Slightly more than 100 species of birds have been recorded, for some of which the neighboring Seabird Islets, Osprey, South and Palfrey are important. There is an airstrip with the northernmost resort on the Great Barrier Reef at the northwestern end and a world-renowned tropical marine research station at the southwestern side.

I envy your familiarity with these spectacular reefs. If you have any pics feel free to post. I'm sure everyone would love to see them. We are now circling Ribbons Reef in hope that the winds die down. Chances of that happening are slim and none. So...Sea Day it is.🫤

For those that haven't read Terry's post, do so! He does a much better job than I do!

Thanks for your kind wishes! We had a nice day in Cairns. But I can see how one could run out of things to do if not focused on the reef. We did think of going on the jet ski crocodile tour but ran out of time. 😃 Thinks were still rocking and rolling last night. Cabin contents flying around, including us. 🫨 Except for being docked at Cairns its been this way for the past few days. Lots of sea sick passengers. Things have calmed a bit this a.m., we have a following sea. Our briefing for this afternoons Ribbon Reef snorkel starts shortly. Stay tuned!😃

Cairns, Australia Lovely little tourist town. Jumping off point for the Great Barrier Reef and Rainforest. Having seen a lot of rainforest lately we took a pass on the excursion and explored the town. The day started out quite soggy but we donned our brellys and headed out to explore. The ship is docked in town and you spill out on to a well designed esplanade. It is lined with art, restaurants, shopping mall, and synthetic beach. I want to take these home! Ducking out of the rain we hit the Cairns museum. Great history lesson. getting hungry. Tha Fish - DENIED😬 The ships internet blocked their web site so we could not make a rez. Arrived when it opened only to find it booked. Very popular with large groups. Don't worry, our stop loss next door was delicious pizza. The ship was undergoing a massive inspection and hull scraping. Silversea set up a way station at a nearby hotel and we grabbed a nap by the pool. Refreshed off we went again. The rain had cleared, humidity gone. Just Heavenly! Silversea also offered dinner off the ship as kitchens were not set up yet. After our big lunch we chose something simpler. A massive brew pub next to the ship called Hemingways. A hip and groovy place. They let us in anyway.😃

UP NEXT Cairns, Australia Warmly welcoming you to the natural wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns is a treasure trove of rich tropical beauty and incredible sea life. Swathes of rainforest spread out to the north, where you can soar over the canopy in a cable car, before looking down over narrow channels of water plummeting down gorges and crocodile-filled waterways. The diverse lands of the Atherton Tableland lie to the west, but it's the crystal-clear waters - and life-filled reefs - of Cairns' remarkable underwater world that draws universal adulation. Priding itself as the Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, explore Cairns' constellation of colour, as you dive into the world's largest and most spectacular underwater universe. Cairns is huddled in amongst abundant swathes of rainforests, which give way to glorious crescents of golden beach. Kuranda - with its scenic railway and heritage market stalls - waits to be discovered, cloaked within the depths of the rainforest. Learn of the indigenous people of North Queensland during cultural performances, and hear the throaty reverberations of digeridoos, as you hear eternal stories handed down through time, from generation to generation. Back in Cairns, there's always time for a coffee or a beer, or a feast on fresh oysters with glasses of Cairns' white wines - boldly flavoured with mango and banana notes.

Red feet, blue beaks. Quite the flying aerobatic squadron. 😃

@TLCOhio Here ya go Terry. We had a show all afternoon outside our window from these red footed boobies. Word is they were hunting flying fish. Here's an immature taken a few years ago at Bird Island, Tikehau Tahiti VID_22360721_021113_092.mp4

WITCH HUNT The things you learn when you travel.😳 Sorcery killings have been occurring in Papua New Guinea for centuries. For a period of time, their law even legalized the killings. In 1971, the Papua New Guinea government passed the Sorcery Act. This law made sorcery an illegal and criminalized act. It also made sorcery a legal defense when it came to murder trials. The act affirmed that magic is a real, plausible belief in their culture, which can be punishable by death. Between 1980 and 2012, sorcery killings resulted in only 19 charges of murders or willful murders. Then in 2013, the Sorcery Act was repealed (the part about sorcery as an acceptable murder defense). Witchcraft practitioners were (and are) still imposed with the death penalty — although, there have been no executions since 1954. Great article if you want to go down the rabbit hole. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/473550/sorcery-violence-and-the-struggle-for-development-in-the-pacific

Samurai Island, Puapa New Guinea A tiny island off PNGs southeastern peninsula. A famous trading port destroyed in WWII. Once the Capital of the Province. In 1968 due to overcrowding the administration and most residents were moved to Alotau. Now a bit of an eerie ghost town. We had 10 minutes before the skies opened up and began the daylong deluge. We didn't have the energy to snorkel although we heard it was quite interesting along the abandoned jetty. Even the dancers were a no show. I don't blame them. It was an utterly fascinating day, albiet a short and very wet one. This summed up the day. Waiting for the zodiac. Vestiges of the past, empty warehouses and abandoned roads. Blasting from somewhere in the distance was Dolly Parton singing Islands in the Stream. How very bizarre. NO CREDIT! Trinket examples. Most shells are a no no as Australia customs are very strict. Even many of the wood carvings are subject to confiscation do to the possible invasive species inhabitants. Lemme tell ya about that hot shower.😃

Nemo in a tank! Very jealous. Pics? A few more of the Anemone. Not the best pics. But variety This light olive green was 5 feet across. Hope you have a big tank!

Dobu Island, Papua New Guinea We have liftoff. A quick village visit which we now call SDS - Song, Dance, and Souvenirs. Then off to the snorkel platform in the pouring rain. In spite of the less than ideal light we had a great time. Lots of wild and wonderful. The welcome committee. Almost looks like a posh eco resort. Song and dance. This guy must be a bit of a legend. Ladies were packed in and lots of cat calls when he made his moves. Important tribal pieces on display. Chef Pias competition. Into the abyss. The Wild and Wonderful. Blue buddies and just 4 arms. We counted at least 5 different types of Anemone and Clown Fish. The Anemone is the white cluster just below the Clown. Just like a Queen Annes Lace. A hidden star This slug was 3 feet long. Crazy cool.

UP NEXT...or is it? Dobu is a small island in the D’Entrecasteaux Group next to Fergusson Island and Normanby Island. The island was formerly feared because of black magic and the local “witch” doctors cursing the healthy or treating the sick. An anthropological study was done by Reo Fortune in the 1930s which resulted in the book “The Island of Sorcerers”. The island is also part of the famous Kula ring. Participants in the exchange system pride themselves with mwali and soulava (armbands and necklaces) that are given and received still today and it is interesting to see how the traditional objects have been adorned with modern paraphernalia. A stroll through the main village on the northwestern tip will show the school and church and trails leading along the shore passing traditionally thatched houses and gardens. We are meant to have a top notch snorkel this afternoon. But...... Stay tuned.

BIRDS We are fortunate to have the famous Peter Harrison of Apex on board. He is the preeminent sea bird expert. Any who have traveled with him are captivated by his stories and seduced by his enthusiasm and knowledge. It makes me want to be a birder. New Guinea is the birding hot spot these days. Some of the rarest birds can be spotted here. Some new to science, and some thought to be extinct. Becks petrel being one of them. Imagine after 70 years it just makes an appearance and stuns the birding world. @TLCOhio Photos of birds, again Terry, so sorry to disappoint. The birds are here but not in large numbers and often difficult to spot, at least for me. 😃 Many appear at a distance out at sea or a shadow at the top of the canopy. A cell phone camera and Go Pro are not enough to accomplish that mission. But I'll keep trying. Peter giving a lecture and telling the story about a Becks Petrel which was found under a life boat on one of his expeditions looking for Becks Petrel.

@TLCOhio So sorry Terry, no hot springs for us. What started out as a light drizzle as we boarded the zodiacs turned into steady rain by the time we reached shore. The entire zodiac in front of us went back to the ship. Faced with a 2 hour muddy slog to the hot springs we opted out. A quick lap around the village and back to dry clothes. I did a rain dance for this crowd which brought out roars of laughter. Hey, I'm easily amused. The village put some effort into a lovely welcome area.

For my peeps. You know who you are! Finally getting my sea drinking legs.

UP NEXT Dei Dei Hot Springs, Ferguson Island. Papua New Guinea Fergusson is one of the three biggest and mountainous islands in the Milne Bay Province and part of the D’Entrecasteaux Islands. On Fergusson’s south side are the famous Dei Dei geysers — natural hot springs that periodically erupt with vapour steam next to mud pools and a warm stream. The hot springs are still used by locals to cook food in palm frond and pandanus leaf baskets placed into the boiling hot water. Birds in the area include Eclectus Parrots Yellow-bellied Sunbirds and the endemic Curl-crested Manucode – a bird-of-paradise.

TUFI, PNG We skipped the welcome dances and had an indulgent lazy morning. Folks did say it was quite beautiful and dances were excellent. No regrets. With our newfound energy we went for the afternoon snorkel. The reef was quite bleached and overfished. Still a few interesting things to see. Some of the staghorn already coming back. Lots and lots of stars. Water is warm and we are happy. A tiny nemo. A giant powdered donut. These Giant Coral always remind me of a Star Trek set. Can't you see Spock shooting his phaser from behind one? A good beach for a laze about. The morning queue to sell produce. We are told that the ship isn't buying much now. Before we reach Australia most produce will be thrown overboard due to strict bio security laws.

AKA, let's see if we can pass this off on our unsuspecting chumps. Go get em Les!

Thanks for the great update on RCL. Having some problems on board with SS being cheap. Going to use this info! 😃

UP NEXT TUFI, PNG Tufi is located on the south-eastern peninsula of Cape Nelson in the Oro Province of Papua New Guinea. It is situated on a tropical fjord which is the work of ancient volcanic activities and was not shaped by ice as the descriptive name might lead you to believe. Surrounded by uncharted coral reefs the underwater world has attracted many divers wanting to see for themselves how the area earned the description of having more fish than water. Although Tufi has been the administrative centre of the region traditional ceremonies are still very important with natives wearing tapa cloth made from the bark of mulberry trees found in the local forest. Dance is predominant in the culture and performers sport fanciful headdresses decked with bird-of-paradise plumes and a rainbow of iridescent feathers. Tufi’s wide range of colourful birds and butterflies is well-known throughout Papua New Guinea boasting several ‘largest’ ‘biggest’ and ‘smallest’ records.

Jackpot! Chef Pia's German Lunch Food coma and a nap here I come.

Kuiawa, PNG We slipped off quickly for a free roam in the village and had it mostly to ourselves. Trinkets for sale, a friendly chat here and there, best part of the day. A man and his pigs. Charming fellow. Tough negotiator. The fisherman queue up every day hoping to catch Chef Pia's eye.

Kuiawa, PNG Off we go to their cricket field for the obligatory speeches. This included fifteen minutes of donation requests. There was a large basket brought out. Silversea staff were not happy. On to the hip-thrusting. Locals out in full force laughing up a storm That Whistle! 20230508_093253.mp4

Kuiawa, PNG The day started off with an entertaining, albeit very slow canoe race. A dance in the water by the little ones and their whistle happy leader. He's clearly seen The Music Man too many times. Good fun. 20230508_090144.mp4 20230508_090551.mp4