Charlie is so cute... he feels he's getting too old for naps, but he zonked out in their car and then snoozed a bit more in the house. He was a tad shy, but soon started playing with his toys and watching his shows on TV. He's a cheese sandwich kind of guy (no crusts, please) and he ate well!
He has a smile to die for - the young ladies are in for quite the charmer in Charlie!
No pictures... sorry ladies! He needs his privacy at age 3.75 years!
9/12/2012 - We got up early, packed the car, and headed for Hervey Bay (Pronounced Harvey Bay). We left around 8:30, drove the speed limit, and arrived at the motel by 10:30.
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| Lee at the marina's nasty whale gun |
It was a fascinating blend of sun & clouds, winds, calm, whales from afar, and whales up close and frolicking with us.
09/13/2012 - Lady Elliott Island and the Great Barrier Reef. We hopped on the plane for the 45 minute flight...
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| In the plane |
Some views from above....
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| The Airstrip |
We did a walk about until snorkel time... between Lee and the waves are corals and creatures.
This is an island that was "mined" for guano in the late 1800's. They have replanted native trees and are eradicating non-native weeds... it's an on-going project.Its' lighthouse is now automated - as of the 1980's - and it is very tuned into conservation. It will be totally solar powered by 2020. It is excellent.
And then there is bird life...
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| a Buff Banded Rail |
Some of this guy's buddies hang around the dining area.
This one comes in to nest on the island. Don't know the exact name.
Below is a bird that nests and stays under the bushes... very vulnerable, but they are sturdy. Love their long, skinny, red tails.
And then we went snorkeling...
We never saw a Manta Ray, but the fish and turtles were all over.
We have no clue what these fish or coral are - other than colorful and beautiful!
We flew back late afternoon and saw a couple of whales during the flight.
The Lorikeets put on quite a show in the flowering trees outside the motel.
Nice way to end the day.
09/14/2012 - Frasier Island Tour... Driving anything on Frasier Island is dangerous so we left it to the experts. The bus picked us up around 7:30 and took us to the Barge (a car and passenger Ferry). The Barge area is nothing like the ferry terminals at home.
The captain had a barge kitty - what a cutie. Lee thinks its name would be Scrap... Sea Captain's Red Adorable Pussy!
Then we got on the newest bus... unfortunately it had an automatic transmission that our guide crabbed about. It didn't handle well in the sand - and sand was all he had to drive on. It also wasn't well set up for tourist viewing like the other buses. We still saw a lot.
Almost immediately we had to stop until a stuck vehicle and trailer got moved.
We got to Lake McKenzie and wandered for about 45 minutes. This lake is a perched water table and is fresh water. The lake has so much water that it runs down to the ocean in streams (like Eli Creek) we have to cross on the beach.
This is one of the tracks the bus uses - nice sand there and only sand.
We heard an odd bird call and Lee caught a picture of him. No clue what he is.
Then we piled onto the bus and went to the Central Station & Rain Forrest walk. What a variety of plants and trees.
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| Australian Kauri - somebody tied the stag horn fern to it |
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| One of the many huge types of Fig tree. |
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| Black Butt tree |
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| Anti-Dingo Food Storage Bin |
After our walk we were bused to the Eurong Resort for lunch. Then we drove onto the 75 mile Beach.
Apparently the people in the smaller SUV weren't thinking when they tried to go up and over... they had to be pulled out - the sand was falling onto their car. Eli Creek has a good flow here - not a place to do tricks with cars!
Eli Creek flows out from here...
The Maheno wreck - being taken back by the sea.
The Colored Sand Pinnacles...
This beach plane does 15 minute sight seeing trips up & down the beach... This is the rock separating the fresh water from the sea.
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