AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

On a recent holiday to Vanuatu, I discovered snorkelling... on my last two days unfortunately and this is my favourite photo taken on the last day. Stunning rainbows as well as a sweet, blue fish.  

I had previously only gone snorkelling once, under protest, as I'm not a strong swimmer. That was out from Green Island on the Barrier Reef. I didn't enjoy that first time and don't recall seeing anything as I was too busy trying not to drown or choke on the water that kept getting into the snorkel. I couldn't get back to the boat fast enough.  This trip changed all that so I'll be looking out for holiday deals to tropical reef locations...

Where we were in Vanuatu, the reefs were close to shore in fairly quiet, clear water so I didn't feel out of my depth and was able to work out the breathing without feeling like I was going to die. 

My daughter had lent me her underwater camera and I was keen to see what, if anything, was under the surface. Sometimes it was hard to get a good shot with the current buffeting me around (lots of blurred photos), while concentrating on staying afloat as well but on the whole I'm happy with what I got. Wow! Wow! Wow! Here you can see bits of food in the water which was attracting lots of fish to our location. Annoyingly, sometimes though, the camera focussed on the food rather than the fish.

More rainbows and a brilliantly coloured fish.

[EDIT: lemon peel angel fish!] 

 Look at that face, he made me laugh out loud, underwater, luckily I didn't swallow any water...

 I was fascinated by these extremely colourful things. I got too close at one stage and they disappeared!

I've found out they're called Christmas Tree worms (explains them pulling their heads in) or Spirobranchus giganteus and some did look just like tiny white Christmas trees. 

I noticed in the above photo that there was something else and still not sure what it is, but the close up shows the little stripey thing could be a very tiny fishling I guess. 

A lot of the fish I saw I couldn't find names for but this one is an orange finned anemone fish, what a cutie.

Even the clams came in stunning colours.

During a reef walk, not snorkelling, just out from our accommodation we saw lots of other things at low tide.  I hadn't realised sea slugs came in so many shapes and colours.  I didn't like the walk as everything crunched underfoot and I had the feeling we were killing off sea critters. The villagers who lived nearby are out there every low tide looking for various eats.  Our guide said even dugongs turn up at high tide but we didn't see any. 

These blue starfish were everywhere at low tide.  Loved the pattern of the water on this one. 

Little crab playing hide and seek. 

Photobombing was an occupational hazard. I was trying to photograph some of the coral (not an awful lot where I was) when this common reef fish swam into the shot. 

Another UFO (Unknown Fishy Object) swimming out of the pink coral. 

More coral...

This guy just appeared, possibly thought I had food and I was too close to him to get the full view (complete with fin of another photobomber) but his head is a vision isn't it? 

I don't think these shots do the colours justice but I think you get the idea. Imagine it 3 times more vivid!

Can't wait to go again...

SUNDAY BEACH & BUSH WALK...

It's a rainy day today and as it was Sunday which is my usual day to take a walk, I was reminded of this fabulous day a few weeks ago when my daughter and I headed out for some exercise. This shot is taken from the start of the the bush track from Sunshine Beach heading north to Alexandria Bay. The blues of the sky and the sea are glorious aren't they?

As we slogged along the coastal track, we stopped for a breather and were rewarded with the sight of some marine cuties.  I took about a hundred shots and have to confess that only about 10 showed the dolphins above the waterline. Nevertheless, I was thrilled with this one which was the best of them.

Once we reached A Bay, we took another breather.  I later heard it is a nude beach and I've since gone through all my photos and there might be one shot of a guy walking along the beach who could have been sans swimmers; but then, he could have been wearing beige shorts! But who cares about that when you can photograph a magnificent osprey??

 Along the way there was lots to focus on (besides my wobbly legs and laboured breathing).

 On our way back to Sunshine Beach, we could hear eagle calls above and I nearly fell over scrabbling for a break in the tree canopy to shoot it.  I believe it's a white bellied sea eagle (aptly named).  The next day we heard that a guy had to be rescued because he fell off the cliff at Sunshine Beach; perhaps he was trying to photograph the same birds...

As well as the white bellied sea eagle, gorgeous Mr Osprey was there... 

  ...and although they didn't exactly fight, I believe harsh words were exchanged as they played chicken before flying off!

WRECKS AND RUINS....

When I took this snap of the wreck of HMAS Gayundah at Redcliffe recently, it occurred to me that I had taken a few shots of various wrecks and ruins over the years.  Some had been posted and some hadn't, so I decided to group some together.

This shot shows part of the Tangalooma Wrecks which comprises 15 ships sunk to make a breakwall, which is popular with divers, boaties and birds.  I took the shot on a whale watching visit a couple of years ago.  

This old fishing shack on the Maroochy River is a favourite of mine.  I wonder how long it will be before it falls into the river forever? 

On my trip to Tasmania last year I saw lots of ruins at Port Arthur of course, but this ruin was on one of our stops along the Gordon River and is part of a house in a long forgotten penal colony along there.

Beautiful Arrowtown in New Zealand's south island has a large number of ruins.  The many varied types of miner's cottages are very interesting to see and explore.

Even bridges are left in ruins and I love this one, taken near Romsey in Victoria.  

A timber tinker at Mt Matheson, Scenic Rim is slowly rusting and rotting away along one of the old timber trails.

 I love the look of this weather worn dray which I saw at Hanging Rock Winery on another visit to Victoria. 

 And, lastly, a wreck and ruin of a tree at Hanging Rock which I named Lightning Jack. Sometimes, I know just how he must feel...

HERON IN, HERON OUT... EGRET-FULLY

 

One afternoon last week I went for a stroll along Maroochy River after work. A beautiful afternoon with little wind.  I was about to take a snap of this boat when I saw an egret flying in so managed to get a shot of him about to land.

Just as I was preparing to take another with him sitting on the boat, he took off so I scored another of him taking off.  I was very pleased with both photos. Egret-fully I don't live on the river so I could take extended visits.  One day...

If you look closely you can see a tiny fish in the beak of this white faced heron.

 

This particular day I saw a few herons. Here is another perched on the roof of a derelict fishing shack. The day before when I drove home beside the River, I had seen a black cormorant drying his feathers on the same roof but there was nowhere to park so I could get a shot.  Opportunity missed but this made up for it.

I think these strange fruit are herons too.  The setting sun is making their feathers look brown rather than grey.  

There are always a few pelicans around too, of an afternoon. This one is a very large boy.  I missed a shot of him flying unfortunately.  His wing span is amazing.

Here, you can see 3 perched on light poles on the Maroochy River Bridge. There were also some smaller birds I couldn't see very well on a few of the other poles. 

 This plover or masked lapwing seems to be eyeing off the soldier crabs that were marching around everywhere; although I didn't see him eat any.

I loved the different bands of colour on this photo of them. You can see the crabs highlighted on the edge of the water.

By far the most common bird around are the rainbow lorikeets; hundreds of them.

 They are so noisy as they fly in to roost, I imagine the locals get fed up with their screeching.... and their poop!

ON REFLECTION...

Recently, I stayed with friends in their boat moored at the bottom of their garden and this was the view from the back of the boat taken early one morning.  I love the 'which way is up?' feel to the photo.