We busted a move and drove nearly 12 hours straight, about 1000 kms to reach the lower Great Barrier Reef, actually where the reef comes the closest to the shore.Taking all of the variables into consideration, we decided to get as far north as we wanted to go in one shot, then start working our way back down to Sydney - get all the northerly driving done in a day, partly while the kids slept.
This time of year is tricky on the East Coast of Australia. The further north you go the heat and humidity get unbearable AND then there is the jellyfish problem. Blue bottles are tiny jellyfish (like the size of a tangerine) with bright blue tentacles (we’ve actually only seen them dried up on the beach), that roll in every now and again. It hurts when you get stung but the sting won’t kill you. Above Rockhampton you run into serious “stinger” problems. You can’t swim in the ocean by Cairns because of the “stingers”- this meaning Box Jellyfish, and these can kill you. So, based on this very important fact we’ve halted our journey north at Rockhampton and are very pleased with our decision so far. We ‘ve played in the warm ocean water for hours on end with no worries... and I really like that.
Blue Bottle jellyfish, washed up on the beach. Thankfully, none of us have met up with one in the water.
I don't ever even want to see a Box jellyfish in real life.
1 comment:
Hey, I came across your blog because I write about Australian tourism. The industry is a tough time at the moment, so I am writing an article saying we need to be honest about when to go etc.
http://www.thetourismnews.com/
What I found most amusing about your blog was the sign: flood the water in vinegar etc... nope, first step in first aid everywhere is get help! Der!
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