The life of a scuba instructor on the GBR

 In my job as scuba instructor on Seastar I get to go out to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) almost every day. Off course that is great and I’m enjoying every minute of it. And yes, you can already feel it coming there is a but. The only thing I do is introductory dives with first time divers. I’m especially fond of Chinese or Indian guests who can’t swim, but all sign up for scuba. They’re not comfortable on top of the water let alone under the water. And most Chinese guests can hardly understand me or have trouble following instructions. I absolutely love those days (these last sentences are covered with sarcasm if you haven’t understood that already). But sometimes the day is just perfect and I get reminded why I love this job and diving so much.

Last Thursday I had only one person sighed up for scuba. He was absolutely perfect in the water. It was like having a certified divers with me. To be honest, I’ve seen certified divers that weren’t even close to this guy’s skills in the water. We did the first dive at Mickelmas Cay, which was nice but nothing special. And a second dive at Hastings reef. This dive was off the hook. It is by far the most enjoyable and one of the best dives I’ve done in Australia.

It was a calm day and the visibility was endless. We slowly went down the mooring line to a sandy patch in around 8 meters of water. We swam by this huge anemone occupied by some orange anemone fish. I come her more often to show my students and then turn back to go a shallow area called the ‘fish bowl’. Not today. I spotted a narrow trench and decided to check it out. It turned out to be a wicked swim through. High walls on either side covered in lunar and plate corals. The soft elephant ear coral lined the edges at the top. It was so narrow I could barely fit through. My student swam through like a seasoned pro and absolutely loved it. The trench led to a wall an about 15 meter high wall which we followed for a while.
Once in a while I turned on my back to looked up to just marvel at the site of a big rock outcropping sticking out above us. The sun beating down on the clear light blue water, showing the silhouette of feather stars and sea fans.
The wall ran wasn’t straight. It ran in and out. Creating little grottos and dead end trenches. The ever colorful parrot fish, bird wrasse and angel fish patrolling there territories. Butterfly fish and foxface rabbit fish cruising the reef in pairs as couples in love strolling through a beautiful park. The bigger sweet lips and red bass hiding underneath big plate corals, looking at us wearily.

I can go on for pages and pages using adjective after adjective and still not capture the beauty and serenity that emits from the reef. You’re in wonderland and in that moment there is nothing else in the world but you and a weightless world of unparalleled diversity, ingenuity and wonder. It was a short dive but absolutely amazing. More please…

Diving the Great Barrier Reef

I arrived in Cairns 3 weeks before I got a job as a scuba instructor on one of the boats that go out to the reef. Australia is an expensive country and the money I had in my bank account evaporated as the little puddles of water on the Cairns Esplanade under the tropical North Queensland sun.

Since I had no income I had to prevent spending money and started working for my accommodation in one of the hostels. I got free breakfast (2 slices of toast), free dinner (a $3 crappy pasta) and a free room at Nomads Serpents bar hostel in exchange for 21 hours of work a week. 3 hours a day I cleaned rooms. “Housekeeping”, I would say before entering a room full of smelly backpackers, cursing me because 11 in the morning was still too early for them to be woken by a upbeat Dutchie.

I did have a good time in Nomads serpents. I met loads of new people and the facilities where not too bad. But I wouldn’t stay there again. The manager was horrible. Only 22 years old she was power tripping like crazy. Erin was super strict, rude and more often than not flat out unprofessional. You can’t be uptight if you run a backpackers hostel and 90% of your staff consists out of travelling youngsters.

Well enough about that. With only $75 dollars left in my bank account and despair reaching for my throat I got the call. At the time I was having an interview for some shitty job I didn’t want but needed urgently. It was Pete from Seastar Cruises, if I still needed a job and would come on a trail day. Finally going past all the dive shops and dive boats in town every other day paid off. He told me I needed a dive medical and an in Australia recognized first aid. The later pissed me off a bit since I am a First Aid instructor and the course I had to take and pay $225 for was the exact same one I am authorized to teach. There was no way around it so I got everything done in the 2 days after I got the call and went for my trail. I passed with flying colours and three days later I was part of the crew.
Seastar is a somewhat smaller boat compared to other operators in town. With a maximum of 35 people on board it is not too crowded and makes sure there is still that personal feel to the whole trip. We go out to Michaelmas Cay (http://www.seastarcruises.com.au/where-we-go/michaelmas-cay) and Hastings reef (http://www.seastarcruises.com.au/where-we-go/hastings-reef). Two beautiful sites which offer a completely different underwater experience. I am the only instructor on board and doing introductory dives is pretty much my job description. I get a decent day rate but also get a commission on every dive I sell on board. My very first day I made $275 dollars while having the time of my life discovering the Great Barrier Reef. Species of fish and corals I’ve never seen before. Coral heads almost as big as the boat I came on. (Toto where not in Curacao anymore).

Michealmas Cay is a relatively shallow (7 meters) sandy area with big ‘bommies’ covered in hard and soft corals. Blue spotted stingrays hide out under the sand, little ‘Nemo’ anemone fish look at you wearily when you point them out to the guests. Big bat fish and Giant Trevally hide underneath the boat as soon as we arrive. Sea plumes, spaghetti coral and other soft corals wave gently in the currents. Epaullete sharks hide underneath rock outcroppings and green and hawksbill turtles come say hello. It is an amazing world and a bit weird taking students under in a world where everything is as new to me as it is to them.

Hastings reef is on the ‘outer reef’. In the distance you can see waves breaking where the continental shelve drops down to 1000 meters+. This site is a bit deeper than Michaelmas and has a beautiful wall to dive along. Schools of Hump head parrot fish big enough to ride patrol the shallower parts, white tip reef sharks take of as soon as they catch a glimpse of you. Moorish Idols, unicorn fish and big Maori wrasse bring the colour to the reef. It is absolute delight to call this my office.

After the dive I start cleaning up, chat with customers or drive the glass bottom boat over the reef I just up close and personal.

I feel I still know too little about the marine life in the GBR and can’t wait to learn about these new species or just to learn the different names they use here for the same fish I know from the Caribbean. I plan on staying here for a few months so enough time to get educated.

Life is heading the right direction again. No more hostels infested with Germans, no more sharing rooms, no more shoes or jeans. I’ve got a cool job, live in a cool house filled with other divers, make good money and call the Great Barrier Reef my office. Good times!

Cairns at first glance

To fall with the door into the house, which is a poorly translatable Dutch saying meaning: to get to the point. Cairns is quite a boring town. There is enough to do if you have some money or your own transportation, but for a nearly flat broke backpacker with just flip-flops as mode of transport like me it can be a bit dull.

Daytrips are the entertainment of choice of you want to keep yourself busy. And there are loads of them. Come visit the Atherton tablelands, do a crocodile sighting tour, come deep sea fishing, bungy jumping, zoom the dome, skydiving. Just do it! Awesome deals right here! Reef trips, scuba diving, maxi yacht sailing, booze cruises, Green Island, Fitzroy Island, Lizard Island. Come do it now!! Touters try to lure you in, signs with the latest deals shout at you as you walk past, flyers seduce you with bright colors and Photoshop enhanced pictures. It is definitely tourism that reigns here in Cairns. And if tourism is king then capitalism is queen.

All the big car brands have a shop here. Big showrooms displaying cars polished to perfection. Every fast food chain is present. Souvenir shops which are mainly focused on the Asian tourists, selling the exact same stuff as their neighbor. Bright letters on the window in English and Japanese promote stuffed koala bears, boomerangs and knock off Uggs. Night stores with ridiculous prices run by Indians named Manjit or Leo, tattoo shops all over town. Yes, you have arrived in Cairns. Tourism Central of ‘far north’ Queensland.

All this, off course, is made possible by the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Cairns is ‘THE’ place to depart from in order to see this wonder of nature. Every morning a small fleet of tour operators set out to spend the day on the reef. Pristine blue waters, an abundance of marine life and hopefully the sun on your back make for a great experience. If you really want to experience the GBR there is the option to go on a live aboard trip. 3 days and 2 night will be spend on the reef. The destination will be the more untouched outer reef, which boasts clearer waters and bigger marine life. This is the trip of choice for the avid scuba diver or for people who would like to get their scuba certification on the most famous reef in the world.

All this you can do during the day. At night the souvenir shops and travel stores close their doors and the clubs and pubs open theirs. There is party pretty much every night. Pub crawls, karaoke nights, 2-4-1 deals, $7 jugs of beer, Wet T-shirt competition, Mr & Mrs Backpacker contest. Bring your friend, make a friend! Have a good time! Get drunk. Get laid. Get some kebab!

I realize that after reading this, it doesn’t seem a very accurate conclusion to call Cairns a boring town. But yet again it still is. The daytrips are quite expensive and going out every single night is too costly and wreaks havoc on your body. There is no beach to chill at during the day, just mud flats with crocodile warning signs. The place to go enjoy the day without spending anything is the Esplanade. It is a very well maintained park that stretches the length of the bay form North Cairns all the way down to the city center. Bright green laws dotted with palm trees, giant fig trees and other tropical shrubbery. It includes a lagoon where you can cool of and swim, a skate park, beach volleyball courts. Muddy’s, one of the coolest public children’s playground I’ve seen and public BBQs every 500 meters or so. 

It is also the place to go and exercise. The Esplanade is about 3km long and makes for a perfect morning run. There are public exercise stations which turns the area into a big green public gym.

For me it is the best thing about Cairns so far. Before it becomes too hot, I go for a run along the water’s edge while taking in the beauty of the with rainforest covered hills on the other side if the bay. The sun just peering through the clouds, a thin slither of mist drifting low past the hill side, lighting up silver where the sun touches it. A range of birds foraging on the mud flats during low tide, little crabs running around looking for their own grub but avoiding the lighting fast strike of the white herons.

It can be quite peaceful and serene during those early hours. But it doesn’t last. As soon as King Tourism and Queen Capitalism wake up and take over, Cairns turns into the expensive boring town again. But the fact that you are in the tropics watching the ocean underneath a palm tree makes up for a lot and can make life very enjoyable and rich.

 

Waterfalls at the Atherton Tablelands

When travelling alone and staying at hostels in Australia it is always very easy to meet new people. And so I did when staying at the Globetrotter hostel in Cairns. They asked me if I wanted to join them on a road trip to the surrounding country of Cairns. With ‘them’ I mean a girl from France named Lea, one from Scotland named Keri, one from the USA named Julie and an English bloke called Rory.

We departed the following day in a rental car to discover the Atherton Tablelands, which holds the two highest mountains in Queensland and is known for its beautiful waterfalls, endless green rolling hills and lush rainforest covering the mountainside. With 5 people crammed into a small Hyundai Getz we set off to our first stop, The Boulders.

The name more or less explains what we were about to see. Giant Boulders with clear water flowing around them. It was too dangerous to swim there and we followed a walking trail from look out to look out to take in the beauty of the site. It looked a bit surreal. The way the water had shaped the rocks over years and years to a smooth surface. Rounds boulders stocking out, dimples carved away by the ever flowing water. Different colored layers made up the surface of the rock. Ranging from dark red to light brown. I reminded me vaguely of the manmade wild water rapids found in an old tropical waterpark called Tropicana only much bigger and without the plastic tinge to it.

We could immediately feel that we were in the rainforest. Off course the tropical vegetation gave it away but it was the humidity that was prominently present. I absolutely loved it. Nothing like some heavy sticky air to remind you that you’re not in Kansas anymore.

Josephine falls

We continued to what turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip, Josephine Falls. Underway we found that Australians use some pretty weird and macabre names for creeks and places. We passed a ‘Murder house winery’, slaughter house creek and a Butchers creek. While we were laughing about it we noticed a little town on the map called ‘Bones Knob’. I imagined that to be a pretty sexy place to live in where ’70 porn star moustaches are the facial hair of choice.  

Anyways, back to Josephine Falls. This place was absolutely amazing. Apparently everybody thinks so since a manmade concrete path led us to it. The waterfall is fed by cold water coming down from Mt. Bartle Frere, the tallest mountain of Queensland with its 1622 meters. The fall cascades down over several levels. Grinding down the mainly marble and basalt surface to a slippery slope before plunging in pool at the bottom only to repeat this again until the incline drops and turn the river into a rapid littered with boulders that disappears into the forest. The last pool isn’t fed by the water falling down but rather by a slope that doubles as a waterslide for the people who dare to brave the cool water. Surrounded by impenetrable rainforest this clearing is breathtaking with the sun peering through the canopy, glistening on the crystal clear water. We had lunch on a giant boulder with a flat top in the middle of the stream looking out over the waterfall. Soothed by the sound of the falling and flowing water.

After lunch I decided to check what beauty was hiding behind the corner as the stream bend to the left into the forest. Jumping from boulder to boulder I made my way down. The stream broadened a bit and forced me to follow the water’s edge, but I didn’t make it that far. Using branches of the trees lining the river to balance myself on the slippery rocks I felt something brushing up against my shoulder. I turned out to be a web of the weirdest spider I have ever seen. The little critter was about the size of my fingernail with what looked like a shield of bright red and yellow which stuck out on either end of its body. This encounter cured me of any other adventures endeavors for the moment and reminded me that I was in a tropical rainforest in a country where everything is either poisonous or venomous. I made my way back to my travel companions to regroup and move to our next destination.   

We followed the road that led all around Wooroonooran National park. (Try and say that quickly 5 times) to Millaa Millaa Falls. It took about an hour since everything in Australia is far away, but it was a beautiful drive. Endless green rolling hills on either side. Grazing cows and horses as little spots in the hillsides. Mt. Bartle Frere as background with its summit hidden in the clouds. A wide range of the color green, the one shade even brighter than the other.

As we cruised along we were overtaken by Jeep Wrangler rented by some hipsters. They didn’t keep enough distance between them and a big truck in front. Due to road works the truck had to brake and the Jeep almost folded itself around the back fender. The smell of burning rubber and brake pads greeted us accompanied by a big puff of smoke. It was a very close call. After this ‘almost’ accident the driver of the jeep decided to continue in the same fashion and overtook the truck in a corner while climbing a hill. We were all dumbstruck by that and dubbed the Jeep, ‘work truck’ since it was obviously full of tools (slang for dumbasses).

Millaa Millaa

Not long after our front row seat show of faces of (near) death we arrived at the circuit that led past three waterfalls. Millaa Millaa being the biggest and most well-known. The waterfall was about 15 meters high. The water plummeting down into a calm pond that drained into a small stream. You could swim up to it and enjoy a nice massage of falling cold water. The back of the waterfall I found especially interesting. Through all kinds of ways, listed on a tourist information sign which I don’t remember, straight columns of basalt, black at jet formed the wall behind the thin curtain of water.

Ellinjaa

Although MIllaa Millaa was supposed to be best one, I favored Ellinjaa Falls. The water didn’t fall from hat high but rather cascaded down over formerly jagged rock now rounded by the water. A big tree trunk that came down the waterfall, probably during the raining season, was stuck a shallower part right in the middle in front of the waterfall. This off course made for a perfect picture opportunity and we all had our little ‘Kodak moment’. The third fall was called Zillie Falls, but not as easily accessible as the others.

Since it was close to 4pm we pushed on and headed for Lake Eacham. A crater lake of 65 meters deep which made for a unique habitat. I found it the (true) highlight of our trip. Rainforest lined the entire lake up to the edge save for the manmade clearing used for sunbathing and picnics. There was a certain calm about the place. A true serenity. It was quiet except for the birds and sounds of the rainforest. A single pelican swam across the lake as a silhouette while the reflection of the sun formed a golden dagger on the water’s surface. I just sat there taking it in, writing in my journal trying to find the words that did the place and the energy it emitted justice. I still haven’t found them.

The sun was slowly descending towards the horizon and we had one more thing on our list we wanted to see before heading back to Cairns. Lea had already seen it and promised us that it was quite special. We went to look at a tree. And not just a tree, but a curtain fig tree. The roots of fig trees grow down from the branches to form trunks of their own and support the ever widening ‘roof’. This tree however fell over onto a neighboring tree and the roots had grown down as a curtain, hence the name. It was an enormous tree around 500 years old and definitely something special.

We took about 20 minutes to marvel at the sight of the forest giant and got back in the car for the last leg of the trip back to Cairns. Most roads so far had been straight so we were not prepared for the type of road that laid ahead. A 2 lane road winding down the mountain. Steep rock cliffs on the left and a green valley on the right the road twisted and turned constantly. Turn after turn at a pretty steep decline. It was called Gillies Highway and it felt we were on a rollercoaster ride that lasted for over 30 minutes. I was loads of fun although not everyone in the car felt that way. But after half an hour of snaking down the mountain everyone was glad that it was over. The rest of the ride home was very smooth and we just chatted about what an amazing day it had been.

We had driven about 300 km that day, had seen some amazing places and all that for just $20. Being backpackers and always on a budget, that made the already successful trip taste just a little bit sweeter.

Goodbye Byron Bay

When you visit a new country and you stay in one place for quite a while shortly after arrival that place becomes the ‘standard’ for the country you are in. Even though you know it’s a big country and other towns and cities will be completely different. It is a case of a first lasting impression. For me Byron Bay is now the ‘standard’ for Australia, my first impression of the land down under and it is a lasting one.

I find Byron a very mellow and pretty little town. The lush green cape sticking out into the Pacific Ocean, the milk white lighthouse standing out against the green hills and blue sky. Long golden beaches lining the bay, surfers having a field day at The Pass, ocean kayaks seeking out the dolphins, sun seekers strolling down the beach or working on their tan. The marine reserve ‘Julian Rocks’, dead smack in the middle where the bay meets the vastness of the ocean. All this framed by the peaks and rolling hills of the Great Dividing Range.

It seems that the beauty of the surroundings has its influence on the people. In general there is a very relaxed and respectful atmosphere in town. This sometimes changes over the weekend when people feel the urge to show their disability to hold their drink, but all in all it is a friendly place. Friends or even just random strangers chill in the park. Sharing drink, food and stories, making music and dance. The high hippie value of Byron Bay fuels this of course, but that is also what creates ‘the Byron Vibe’.

Live music is also a big part of creating that vibe and in Byron there is live music everywhere. And I mean absolutely everywhere. At the bar, on every corner of the street, when you enter the supermarket, when chilling at the beach. Some performers are definitely better than others, but they offer live music and a smile on your face none the less.

All this sounds amazing and it definitely aided in me having a great time in Byron Bay. But it’s always about the people. A pretty place with shitty people will still be a shitty place. Luckily I was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people that made this already beautiful place even a better one.

Maya, my friend from Holland, who helped me get settled into Byron and turned out to be one of my best buddies I could wish for. My adventure would never have started out this well if not for her.

Her flat mate Hannah, who likes to make me think I offended her, just for the fun of it. (In a good way)

Pierre, who turned out to have a very similar taste in and appreciation of music. And his girlfriend Emily, who speaks sarcasm like no other. And we usually end up in a weird conversation. Both of then made me laugh until I cried on several occasions, which are moments I’m always grateful for.

Juan and Catalina, who I’d met in Sydney for the first time and shared lots of good food (Juan is a chef) and laughs with.

Living at the dive shop for a few weeks was also great. The dynamics of the crew living upstairs was very interesting. Working, living and partying together. I picked up on some new drinking games and Aussie slang. I met some cool new people and will definitely be back there.

There are of course more people and interesting characters that contributed to an amazing stay in Byron Bay, but they are too many to list them all. If you are reading this, you know who you are.

The only downside was the season I’d arrived in, winter. During the day it was quite comfortable but at night it could be cold. The last week the temperature even dropped into the single digits. I’ll will definitely return to Byron Bay before I leave Australia. Like with so many people I have spoken to over the past 2 months, Byron did something to me. It has a certain attraction, a certain energy which conquered a place in my heart. I’ll just name it ‘the Byron Vibe’ and I dig it.

The Arts Factory Byron Bay

The arts factory is a kind of hostel in Byron Bay. I say a kind of hostel because it is different from any other hostel I’ve ever seen. The standard hostels I’ve encountered so far are simple concrete buildings. The space is used for a kitchen, a reception, TV-room and lots of dorm rooms where as many backpackers as possible can be accommodated.

The Arts Factory has this type of accommodation, but also a lot more. They have bungalow tents and even teepee tents where you can stay.

I had heard about this place quite a lot since I arrived in Byron Bay, but never got round to actually visiting the place. The reason being that it a little bit out of town. Well, last Saturday the day finally came. The Arts Factory had its 20 year anniversary and everyone in town was invited. They would have activities and live music but no bar, so it was BYO (Bring Your Own). Armed with a bottle of whisky in my backpack I headed out to see what this place was all about.

As walked up to the entrance it looked just like another hostel. They had a reception manned with staff armed with friendly smiles. Just beyond that there was a swimming pool lined by a 2 story U-shaped building. It looked very much like a cheap holiday apartment complex or motel. Nothing fancy and nothing out of the ordinary so far.

Lots of people where wandering around, drinking, laughing and chatting with each other. It was after I passed the reception and little restaurant (which is not typical for hostel) that I saw what made this place so famous.

Behind the building was a big open space. There was a square filled with picnic tables. Normally it would be used by the guest to have their breakfast, lunch and dinner, but now it was packed with people checking out the live music played on the stage.

There was a little area that doubled as dance floor right on front of it and behind it a big pond. For this occasion they had put up a giant floating ball which they projected artsy pictures on. It looked great, especially since the pond was lined with vegetation found in any tropical rain forest.

To the left of the stage was a big elevated area filled with sand. Some teepee tents sat on either side of it. Fire dancers using burning hula-hoops, flaming rods and chains where practicing around a big metal tub with a raging fire inside of it. There was hardly any artificial lighting and the big fire in combination with the fire dancers gave everything a warm orange glow.

As I was wandering around, chatting with random people and sipping my whisky I followed a boardwalk to the back of the grounds. I led to a circle of big bungalow tents in the middle of the jungle. As I crossed a little creek there was a small abandoned row boat tied of on a tree. I all fit perfectly. The jungle, the little details, the types of accommodation, the people, the music. I asked myself, if you’re staying in a hostel, why stay anywhere else. The Arts Factory has a very high hippie value. Normally that is not really my style, but the laid back atmosphere and surroundings made it all belong. There were some interesting characters around and I won’t deny that the whisky had also something to do with my increased acceptance of long haired, long bearded, often smelly, dreadlock wearing, weed smoking bums.

I had lost the people I had come with about 30 minutes after arriving. They had left and apparently weren’t as much impressed by the whole thing as I was. Luckily I make friends easily. I found it quite surprising that I met quite a few people I knew. I’ve only been in Byron Bay for a little over 2 months. Apparently doing tax returns for most of them creates a connection.

The party ended a lot earlier than expected. At around 9.30 pm we were asked to move to the Buddha Bar next door. That was a bit of a bummer, but in the end it turned out perfectly. My whisky was finished and I suddenly remembered that my alarm was set for 6.30 am the next day to work at the dive shop. I said goodbye to some of my new found friends and headed home. During the 15 minute walk back to the dive shop I joked and chatted with loads of people going the other way. All under the impression the party was still in full swing. I didn’t want to be the party pooper so I didn’t say anything, pointed them in the right direction and wished them a good night.

I definitely had one and was glad I visited this cool and interesting place which The Arts Factory is without a doubt.

Whale Watching Byron Bay

There was hardly any wind and the ocean was flat like a mirror. It felt like we were about to launch the boat in a lake. The water was crystal clear and you could easily see to the bottom. I was deckhand one of the two boats of the http://www.byronbaydivecentre.com.au/ going out for a whale watching trip.
Normally we cruise around the bay first to check for dolphins and talk about what to expect on this trip, but not this day.

As soon as we were clear of the surf I spotted the first whale. The distinctive arched back and short stubby dorsal fin of a Humpback whale. Two of them right in the middle of the bay. In between the beach and a Julian Rocks, a rock formation where sea birds nest and Grey Nurse sharks come to mate during winter.

We drove the boat a bit closer to get a better look. The whales weren’t as much into us as we were in them and they dove down deep only to appear a couple of hundred meters away from us. This went on for about an hour. We would spot whales and head over to get a better view them, but they all seemed to keep eluding us.

About 2 hours into the trip the whales became more active. Until that time they were probably taking it easy like us as the clear blue sky and the calm dark blue waters of the ocean had a soothing and relaxing effect on everything and everyone.

The sound of the slapping of the pectoral fins on the surface could be heard clearly, but no one seemed to be able to pin point where it was coming from. Another thud closer by this time and then we saw it. A tall almost 5 meter long white fin sticking up out of the water and coming down with incredible force. Right next to it a smaller fin ding the same. A calf copying her mom and practicing this form of communication that the Humpbacks use.

Out of nowhere about a hundred meters behind our boat a beautiful big whale decided to show off. It was a full breach with only her tail still submerged. The rest of her almost 15 meter long, 40 ton heavy body was completely out of the water. She came down with a big splash as we watched in awe of this amazing spectacle. She showed off her jumping skills a few more time before she decide it was time to move on. This was already an exceptionally good whale watching trip, but the best was yet to come.

After about 2,5 hours when we were almost ready to head back to shore two of these friendly giants showed up right next to the boat. We turned off the engines and bobbed around on the waves while we were treated to a truly once in a lifetime experience.
One was just hanging around and staying close to his friend and maybe potential mate. The other was turning on her back, showing her white belly, hanging upside down right next to boat. With the weather and water conditions being perfect we could easily see her underwater acrobatics.

Once every few minutes she would come up to check us out. She would swim straight up and stick her mouth out of the water almost to her eyes. This is called ‘spy hopping’. Humpback whales have incredible good eye sight and can see just as well under water as at the surface.

She would flap her tail so close to the boat that could feel could feel the splash on our faces. And it resulted in ear to ear smiles with everyone on board. The spectacle lasted for about twenty minutes. The whales were done playing with us or just lost interest in these weird looking small animals floating around in little red boats.
The captain, who has done hundreds of these whale watching trips, said it was the best one he had ever done and I felt extremely lucky and fortunate to have experienced it. Seeing these enormous, gentle and intelligent animals up close and personal was fantastic. It gave me a smile that lasted the rest of the day and comes back every time I think of this wonder of an encounter.