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herbie


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Leaving Cooktown finally.
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Went out to Lizard Island for the day, To get out there is not as easy as the lady in the visitor centre made us to believe. But we ended up getting a ride out there from meeting a guy in the pub last night while having a meal. It really is a exclusive Island ,The resort it self is off limits to day trippers and campers and even the people who work in the research station.A room in the resort can cost over $1.200 per night.Only has up to 80 people at one time plus there is 80 staff to look after you.

We only went over to do some snorkelling,truly is one of those places where it is as close to Paradise as I recon there is. ..We were snorkelling in around giant Clams up to 2m in length they live amongst the soft/ hard coral.There was White tip reef Sharks and also a lot of different lizards on the land base.(Guess that is why Cook named it Lizard)The research station runs a volunteer program out there , minimum of 10 days free accommodation for 4hrs work per day.A few back packers were there doing volunteering and a few Kite surfers.

The time has arrived when we have to make tracks in the morning,heading towards Port Douglas for a day or two ,then onto Cairns. We travelled inland on the way up so going to hug the coast heading home for as far as we can.

Regards Herbie.

 

 

 

 



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bill12


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I used to work there ,many years ago. Did you go up to Cook's look.Its on the top of that 1200 ft hill that the end of Watson's bay .The reason the aborigines attacked her hut was that there is a bora ceremonial ring up on the hill , and women weren't allowed on the island. Cook saw the gaps in the Ribbon reefs from up there, to escape the maze of coral.Lovely island, everybody should go there once , if you can. Bill

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Duh


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Good feedback on the place Herbie, thanks for that, also your info Bill.  biggrin



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GaryKelly


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I'll start practicing with a drinking straw in the bathtub.

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bill12


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I haven't been there for a few years , but fishing wasn,t banned in some bays . Mind you, I was there before the marine Park was gazetted, so things could have changed. Used to skipper the resident game boat from the lodge, and do trips out to the outer reef, and the Cod hole.The Cod hole is an indentation in the top od no.10 Ribbon reef, 12 miles from Lizard, and home to 100kg potato cod, lots of them. You can feed them by hand, and even get your hand back,if you are careful.Great area, very windy at times,but beaut. Will go back, some day. Bill

just checked-you can fishthe eastern side of the island if you haveaboat as its pretty in accessable.



-- Edited by bill12 on Saturday 22nd of June 2013 05:23:18 AM

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herbie


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Hi Bill12, yep we went up to Cook's Look,368mt highest point on the Island and what a view.Well worth the effort, over some rather rocky parts and not good wearing thongs.

Being 30 odd ks from the coast it was great that there are no Crocs or stingers.

The other little bit of history that interested me was the remenant's of the Watsons cottage.

Fishing is also prohibited in waters surrounding the island.

They were telling us a lot of Marlin fishers gather around here during the Marlin fishing season Sep/Nov.

Will I be back ?? you betcha !!!

 



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