May 15, Cairns

We spent a lot of time with Pat at the info center. She had been to New Orleans and had fallen under the influence of Hurricanes. We asked about free camping areas here, but its frowned upon. Pat said that in her younger days she and her husband backpacked in Australia. They would sneak into hotels that had common bathrooms and take showers there. We've heard of backpackers who do that in campgrounds.

She set us up for a cruise this afternoon and a gondola and train ride tomorrow.

After lunch we went on a catamaran to Green Island. It's part of the Great Barrier Reef, but is an island with reef around it. We took a semi-submersible submarine around the reef to see fish and coral. Then we took a glass bottomed boat around the reef. We saw lots of fish, some colorful blue and yellow ones, some brilliant blue little ones and even saw a Nemo clown fish. Then we had time to go out in the water for a bit. It was really nice and very shallow with a sandy bottom, just lovely. Then it was time to come back to Cairns and find a campground. We found one close to the gondola for tomorrow morning.

Pictures - Catamaran, Green Island, Samson in the Coral Sea, Coral, Fish, Fish being fed, Cairns