Jackson Family Vacation

February 6, 2005

Photos

Well, the Jackson’s celebrated our world championships
victory at the “Altitudes” restaurant in Sydney the day after
the event, which kicked off our first 10 day vacation, ever. It is on
the 37th floor overlooking the harbor and we got a table right at the
floor to ceiling widow. Great dinner. In the morning we left for Cairns
which is the gateway into the tropics about 1000 miles north of Sydney.
This is where the Great Barrier Reef can be accessed by boat in just over
2 hours. Our first trip was on a sailing cat called “Passions of
Paradise”. It took us about two and a half hours to get to the outer
reef, well beyond Green Island. Dane and I got set up for scuba diving
while the girls went snorkeling. There are no words to describe what it
is like when you first dive into the absolutely crystal clear water on
the reef of reefs, the Great Barrier Reef. It is like the best you see
on TV, thinking that it must take months to film such a thing. Well, you
dive under and BAM, more fish just going about their business than you
can imagine. Giant Clams, Sea Turtles, sharks, Clown fish swimming among
the anemone, etc. etc. We spent about two hours in the water at Paradise
Reef, before moving to another reef that was close to a very small (500
sq.ft.) white sand island. This is in the middle of the ocean, with no
land in site, very cool. This time Emily dove with Dane and I for a while
but decided to snorkel after a while. We spent a few hours on this reef
as well. I liked going around to the giant clams and petting them until
they jerked shut. (they scare you everytime because you never know when
it is coming) You could put your whole head in them (but I am guessing
you would die unless they let you go.)

We had a great lunch and I ended up snorkeling and
free diving after that. I can finally put my breath holding ability to
work for me diving an average of one minute at a time is very cool.

The next day we took a helicopter out to a floating
landing dock and met up with a motor boat and dove on a much deeper reef.
No scuba this time, just free diving and snorkeling. This time we saw
really big fish. Huge angle fish, and we got to watch a parrot fish that
was about 50 pounds, peck at and eventually destroy a fiddler crab (or
some type of crab in a curly shell). Even I could here it peck at and
then wait for some movement, like a leg to come out and then peck again,
breaking the shell until it finally pulled the whole thing out and ate
it. We were about 2 feet from it. I got to swim around holding Kristine
and the kids hands snorkeling. It was a great family activity, very relaxed
and more to see that you could imagine. I got to dive really deep this
time seeing just how far I could go. I am guessing 60 or 80 feet, where
it is still plenty light but much colder and it is a long swim back up.
I think a few more days of this and I would be quite comfortable spending
more time under water.

Today we took a scenic train up to Kuranda (hippie
paradise). We checked out the rainforest (like a true tourist) and took
a cable car back down (one hour ride over the canopy). We got to play
with tropical birds, hold a Kowala Bear and do some shopping. I got a
crocodile belt, kangaroo hat, and Kristine got a nice Opal ring and earings.
The only thing I am missing is a Kowala Bear Fur coat, ha, just kidding.

Tomorrow we leave for Ayers Rock in the desert. Then
home! I am ready to go home! I am glad we are doing all of this stuff
because we know that we will never fly back here and go to Ayers Rock,
etc. So if we really want to see Australia, now is the time.

🙂 EJ