Why Townsville?

Next day we set off for Townsville and arrive in the rain, to a rather grey looking place with some rather run down looking shops and not a lot else. We pay through the nose to look round Reef HQ, the largest artificial reef in the world supposedly, we fortunately arrive just as a tour has started so get to see the fish being fed and get up close to sharks and turtles and even see the box jellyfish. Next day we’re greeted by brighter weather and the early morning exercise routine we started in Airlie of running for 20minutes continues (I try to convince myself I’m not dying despite feeling close to it at points, how unfit am I?). Early morning is 6:30am as any later and it is just too hot to run. Townsville doesn’t look much better in the sun, we visit a large out of town mall, (where a shop assistant asks about our travels and then asks “but why Townsville?”), then go back into town and book a trip for the following day out to the reef. I’ve decided not to do a dive course as I’d rather just spend the time snorkelling and exploring. We park up by the beach after seeing someone packing a parachute (they do tandems onto the beach here) and wander to the Irish pub for a Kilkenny and a Guiness. On the way back, who do we see “cooking a few shrimp on the Barbi”? Andy! He is just making tea before heading for the bus again to go further up North. These bbqs are a fantastic idea, the local councils provide them near nearly all the beaches so you can just bring along your food and cook it free of charge wherever you like.

Next day we head out on to the Great Barrier Reef, we’re fitted out with snorkels and fins again, but as stingers don’t get out this far we don’t need the suits. I’m sure one poor girl wished she was wearing one in the afternoon as a close encounter with a bluebottle, (that’s a Portuguese man-of-war to you and me), left her with burns all over her back and arms. I think I’d have been terrified that it was a box jellyfish and I was going to die.

Within minutes of being in the water a reef shark cruises on by, a definite highlight, but after being spoilt out on the whitsundays I’m a little disappointed after that. After lunch we go out in a semi-submersible, which was fairly farcical as you couldn’t see a thing. Back on the boat I persuaded a reluctant Rob to go back in for another snorkel and we almost immediately spot an enormous crayfish, followed then by a giant clam. Then Rob spots a shoal of cuttlefish or squid, when we swim towards them they change colour. The only thing I’ve not seen that I really wanted to was a turtle. Just as we are rounding back to the boat there it is right in front of me so I paddle off frantically after it getting faster and faster as it in turn gets faster to get away from me. As soon as I relax and slow down it slows right down too and we’re able to cruise along with it for a while before turning back in towards the boat just as they summon us all back onboard. Magic. I’m grinning like an idiot and have had a fantastic time.