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2008 Mar - Back to index |
The new diving gear worked perfectly! After a quick test dive on South-West Wall it was time to go for the real thing and dive the Sandpipe with half a dozen other divers. It certainly was no disappointment: among other things, we encountered a school of fifty or more giant trevallies, completely fearless and each almost one meter long. You could easily swim into the school without them so much as moving a fin to escape you.
The only minus of the dive site was the constant noise of speedboats hustling above. Well, that and the fishermen - during the ascent, I had to remove a fishhook from the fin of my fellow diver, while some poor dude standing on the nearby concrete pier imagined he had made a truly hemingway-esque catch...
Nerima Gardens are a little slice of Japan in the middle of Ipswich.
The Bald Creek rivulet runs on top of a gigantic granite slab, barely making a mark on it as years go by, while Underground Creek provides opportunities for some soft core rock climbing.
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Girraween National Park is located on the Granite Belt, southwest of Brissy. The stumps of ancient mountains in the park are not entirely unlike their more famous cousin in the middle of the continent, Uluru. The neighbourhood is also known for some nice wineries and cideries, one of which produces, to my astonishment, grappa. They even promised to deliver some to their stall at the Powerhouse Farmer's Market on demand. Australia is a civilized country, after all!
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After encountering this wriggling community in the forest, I spent the following night expecting to wake up any moment in a tent fully covered with caterpillars. I will be assimilated!
It took a while to locate this little hooter, but finally it gave itself up.
Went snorkeling at the mouth of Tweed River and it was a bit of a revelation. Despite being in the middle of a city the site had good visibility, fifteen meters or so, and the rocky bottom was cluttered with critters including catfish, pufferfish, baby angelfish and stripeys. They claim that octopi and various rays are common in there as well. -Ok, it isn't exactly Belize Blue Hole, but let's face the facts: you can't fly to Belize for the weekend, and for the cost of one boat dive you can do five shore dives round here. Ended up ordering a scuba regulator from the States the very same evening, and by the time I'm writing this, UPS has already delivered the gear.
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Soundtrack of my life Canon in D Johann Pachelbel |
To my great honour, I was asked to be bridesmaid at the wedding of my old colleague Arsi and his bride Sherry, while Arsi's colleague Matt was best man. The ceremony in the Gold Creek Chapel was short and sweet, and the joyride around Canberra landmarks in the 1934 Packard (below in front of the facade of Australian War Memorial) was absolutely lovely. So now I've attended (different) weddings as best man, bride, and bridesmaid. Three down, one to go.
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