"It's the final countdown!" was the song that was going through my head all through my last week on Heron. I enjoyed my time on the island a great deal and probably a lot more than I expected to, but to think that you're not going to have to get up and go to work is a great feeling that you can't help but be excited about.
On Wednesday I got my echocardiogram results through from the hospital and they were fine, so I could go scuba diving! It may have been too late to do the Open Water course, but at least I could go out for a dive in my remaining four days on Heron and enjoy the reef from a different perspective.
I planned to go diving on Thursday, but the boat was full because of the Easter rush (we were at 265 out of a max of 280 guests at one point), so Ben - my instructor - and I went the next morning.
Well, what can I say, it was amazing. Although I had a bit of problem sinking and staying at the bottom, even with no air in my BCD and with weights on, everything else went according to plan. I could equalise my ears (very important for diving) unlike my previous attempt at diving, and the whole experience was simply breathtaking. Snorkelling is one thing, but being submerged in this other world with huge turtles swimming past and a wall of coral beside you is something else. I found scuba diving a bit disorientating to begin with and let my instructor look after my air level and our direction, but I hope to go on and do a course somewhere else to get my license. I would have never even thought of going diving before I came to Heron, but now I've got the bug, I'll have to go again and take it a step further.
Saturday was my last day at work and even though it was a tough day, we got out at a reasonable time. I started to pack the next day and went through my paperwork to weed out all the stuff that I'd been carrying around for no particular reason. I went fishing that afternoon, but didn't catch anything that was both edible and to size, although it was an enjoyable trip.
Monday (the 24th) was my last day on the island, and one that I spent most of chasing around trying to get all the different managers to sign my exit form to say that I'd handed back all my resort property, cleaned my room and so on. I packed everything up, ready to live out of a bag again, and then said goodbye to everyone that was around. I went down to the bar with my roommate Steve for a final drink and then it was off down to the jetty to board my ferry to Gladstone.
I was glad to leave the island, but at the same time I'm extrememly pleased that I went to work there. I think I got the most out of the oppurtunity; I went on about ten fishing trips, numerous snorkels and made sure I got the odd dive in there too. There are people there who have literally done none of the activites, but I think they must be mad because you can't stop yourself (or at least I couldn't) when it's all so cheap or free. A lot of tourists spend a day or two on the reef, but I got to live there for three months. How cool is that?
Thursday, April 27, 2006
A first taste of the water
A first taste of the water
Originally uploaded by Toytown Mafia.
The Green Turtle hatchling reaches the sea
Heron Island week twelve
As the end of my time at Heron Island approached, work got just a little bit easier every day. Things were being fixed, I had more and more easier shifts and we had a good team of stewards. Outside of work, I had a pretty good week too. I had Thursday and Friday off, so went out fishing on Thursday afternoon. It wasn't as lively as it has been, but Cam (one of the boat staff) caught a leopard shark - as you can see - and even managed to get it up on to the rear of the boat and then lift it up for a photo (which unfortunately I don't have!). They're not something you'd exactly play with, but once out of the water they're usually stunned enough to move around safely. Of course, he pushed it back into the water for another day!
On the Friday, I went for a walk down to the beach to take some photos and as luck would have it, a lone green turtle hatchling was making its way down the beach. For it to be out in the middle of the day was rare enough, but this late in the season made it even more so. They're so cute and great fun to watch, even if one in a thousand survive to adulthood.
On the Friday, I went for a walk down to the beach to take some photos and as luck would have it, a lone green turtle hatchling was making its way down the beach. For it to be out in the middle of the day was rare enough, but this late in the season made it even more so. They're so cute and great fun to watch, even if one in a thousand survive to adulthood.
Heron Island week eleven
As my eleventh week on the island unfolded, work got a lot easier as one of our stewards had been dismissed a fortnight before (for not doing particularly intelligent things - I'll leave it at that!) and the two new stewards were really getting into their stride. We got out on time most nights and I also got a few 10-6.30 shifts, which are by far the easiest.
On Tuesday I went over to Gladstone in the afternoon on the ferry, as I had my echocardiogram heart scan the next day. I booked my flights to Sydney and went to the library once I was over there, then went to the hospital the next morning. The scan on Thursday was similar to the one that pregnant women have, with a triangular black and white ultrasound image on the screen of your heart. The doctor didn't comment on it at the time and just went about measuring this and that from various different angles. It took about half and hour I guess, but I would have to wait "up to two weeks" for hte results. Not a lot of use, but what can you do?
On Tuesday I went over to Gladstone in the afternoon on the ferry, as I had my echocardiogram heart scan the next day. I booked my flights to Sydney and went to the library once I was over there, then went to the hospital the next morning. The scan on Thursday was similar to the one that pregnant women have, with a triangular black and white ultrasound image on the screen of your heart. The doctor didn't comment on it at the time and just went about measuring this and that from various different angles. It took about half and hour I guess, but I would have to wait "up to two weeks" for hte results. Not a lot of use, but what can you do?
In amongst the coral
In amongst the coral
Originally uploaded by Toytown Mafia.
I'm not sure what type of fish this is, but it looks similar to a boxfish.
Off for a snorkel
Off for a snorkel
Originally uploaded by Toytown Mafia.
Snorkelling out at the Protector on Heron Island
Heron Island week ten
My tenth week on Heron wasn't exactly the most eventful one, with mostly morning shifts and a single afternoon shift, but I did get to go out on the reef with an underwater camera. My (SLR) camera isn't very useful for using underwater because the cases you need are expensive and a lot bigger than those for smaller compacts. After asking around though, I found out that Mel - one of the waitresses I worked with - had a digital compact camera and the underwater case to go with it.
So on Thursday morning, Mel, Nikki (another waitress) and I went out for a snorkel around the Protector wreck with the camera and I went out again the next day to the reef edge, where the better coral is to be found. Even with a screen on the back of the camera, it's still extremely difficult to compose shots and I occasionally resorted to using the camera's video function to capture the reef instead. Amongst the countless blurry images, there are a few decent ones though and I hope they provide some idea of what it's like down there.
So on Thursday morning, Mel, Nikki (another waitress) and I went out for a snorkel around the Protector wreck with the camera and I went out again the next day to the reef edge, where the better coral is to be found. Even with a screen on the back of the camera, it's still extremely difficult to compose shots and I occasionally resorted to using the camera's video function to capture the reef instead. Amongst the countless blurry images, there are a few decent ones though and I hope they provide some idea of what it's like down there.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Heron Island week nine
Cyclone Larry hit the Northern Queensland coast as my ninth week on the island opened, reaching the highest catagory of five as it came inland. Two island resorts north of us - Dunk and Bedarra - which are owned by the same company as Heron were hit full on by the cyclone and had to be evacuated. They're still closed at the moment and won't re-open until June. We were lucky to be out of the main path of the storm and only had higher seas and wind speeds.
We had a new kitchen steward arrive on the Monday, then another on Wednesday. It wasn't the most ideal time to turn up though, with the list of things that were broken in the kitchen quickly mounting. At one point we didn't have any hot water or hoses that worked; things that we use just about all the time!
Thursday marked the completion of two months on Heron Island and also played host to a bit of a scare. A second cyclone, Wati, was out to sea and could have turned to hit us, but ended up travelling south east and missing Australia. It undoubtedly caused a bit of excitement though and something to discuss at breaks, even if it didn't end up being a serious threat.
I had Friday and Saturday off, so went fishing on the former and then didn't do much on the latter. Saturday is our busiest day, so it's quite unusual to get it off, so I had time to go to the staff BBQ for more than 30 mins and just enjoy the evening.
We had a new kitchen steward arrive on the Monday, then another on Wednesday. It wasn't the most ideal time to turn up though, with the list of things that were broken in the kitchen quickly mounting. At one point we didn't have any hot water or hoses that worked; things that we use just about all the time!
Thursday marked the completion of two months on Heron Island and also played host to a bit of a scare. A second cyclone, Wati, was out to sea and could have turned to hit us, but ended up travelling south east and missing Australia. It undoubtedly caused a bit of excitement though and something to discuss at breaks, even if it didn't end up being a serious threat.
I had Friday and Saturday off, so went fishing on the former and then didn't do much on the latter. Saturday is our busiest day, so it's quite unusual to get it off, so I had time to go to the staff BBQ for more than 30 mins and just enjoy the evening.
Protector at sunset
Protector at sunset
Originally uploaded by Toytown Mafia.
I think I've got another very similar photo, but I couldn't resist putting this one up as well.
Heron Island week eight
On Monday (March 13th, that is), I booked my dive medical, with the intention of being able to complete an Open Water scuba diving course before I left the island. You see, you can do a introductory 'Discover Scuba Diving' course without the medical, but if you want to be certified, you need to be checked out as you would for some jobs or other activities.
After working for the first two days of the week, I had Wednesday and Thursday off. I went to Gladstone to get the medical, at an occupational health specialist there. I passed everything that I needed to until the doctor said to me, "do you know that you have a heart murmur?" Needless to say, I was a bit surprised!
A heart murmur is an additional 'swooshing' sound in the heart, where blood is leaking from one of the vales. There are holes in your heart when you're born, but sometimes they don't close up properly. To be sure, I was recommended to have an echocardiogram (a heart X-ray) which cost about $370! Even though the resort nurse couldn't hear the murmur when I asked her to listen for it, I thought I'd stay on the safe side of things and book the scan.
I finished up the week with three split shifts, to be followed by another two at the start of the next week. They're okay on their own or in pairs, but when you get that many in a row, your free time ends up being reduced to a mere three hours every day. Hardly ideal, but you've got to do it sometimes.
After working for the first two days of the week, I had Wednesday and Thursday off. I went to Gladstone to get the medical, at an occupational health specialist there. I passed everything that I needed to until the doctor said to me, "do you know that you have a heart murmur?" Needless to say, I was a bit surprised!
A heart murmur is an additional 'swooshing' sound in the heart, where blood is leaking from one of the vales. There are holes in your heart when you're born, but sometimes they don't close up properly. To be sure, I was recommended to have an echocardiogram (a heart X-ray) which cost about $370! Even though the resort nurse couldn't hear the murmur when I asked her to listen for it, I thought I'd stay on the safe side of things and book the scan.
I finished up the week with three split shifts, to be followed by another two at the start of the next week. They're okay on their own or in pairs, but when you get that many in a row, your free time ends up being reduced to a mere three hours every day. Hardly ideal, but you've got to do it sometimes.
Heron Island week seven
My seventh week on Heron begun with a day off, which I managed to fit both fishing and snorkelling into. On Monday morning I got on the snorkel boat out to the reef edge, where the coral and wildlife is more varied and colourful than on the reef flat (which you can get to by walking right off the beach). The sea was really flat and visibility good, so I had an enjoyable hour's snorkelling before returning for lunch. In the afternoon I went out on the fishing boat and although it was a bit quiter than usual, I caught a Coral Trout and cooked it on the BBQ that evening.
On Tuesday and Wednesday I worked the 3.30pm shift and then had the next day off. Thursday marked my mid-way point at Heron, with six and a half weeks done and the same to go. It was also my day off, which I didn't spend doing much apart from watching a couple of movies and going down to the beach to watch the sunset. My week then concluded with a 3.30 and then two split shifts.
On Tuesday and Wednesday I worked the 3.30pm shift and then had the next day off. Thursday marked my mid-way point at Heron, with six and a half weeks done and the same to go. It was also my day off, which I didn't spend doing much apart from watching a couple of movies and going down to the beach to watch the sunset. My week then concluded with a 3.30 and then two split shifts.
Heron Island week six
My sixth week on Heron Island began with a day off, which I used to go to Gladstone. I got the helicopter in the morning, which we get discounted rates for, so I had a full day in the town before having to return the next day on the boat. The flight over was pretty cool, although apart from the first five minutes all you could look at was the Coral Sea around you. It was definitely worth doing once though.
After checking into the backpackers, I went to the library and applied for membership. It seems like a good money-saving idea, considering the extortionate book prices over here. Anyway, I loaned out George Orwell's '1984' and 'A History of Britain' by Simon Schama.
After a rough crossing back over to the island on Tuesday, I worked in the afternoon and then did a split shift on Wednesday. Thursday saw the first real rain since I'd been on the island, bringing out the trousers and jumpers in people's wardrobes; a rare sight on the island!
Over the weekend I worked 7.30 shifts, and also finished the book '1984'. It may be nearly 60 years old, but it's just as relevant now as it was when it was written in 1949. It's one of the deepest and most powerful books I've read and it's one that you won't forget. Classics like these aren't the top of many people's lists because they're, well, classics, but they're also some of the best.
After checking into the backpackers, I went to the library and applied for membership. It seems like a good money-saving idea, considering the extortionate book prices over here. Anyway, I loaned out George Orwell's '1984' and 'A History of Britain' by Simon Schama.
After a rough crossing back over to the island on Tuesday, I worked in the afternoon and then did a split shift on Wednesday. Thursday saw the first real rain since I'd been on the island, bringing out the trousers and jumpers in people's wardrobes; a rare sight on the island!
Over the weekend I worked 7.30 shifts, and also finished the book '1984'. It may be nearly 60 years old, but it's just as relevant now as it was when it was written in 1949. It's one of the deepest and most powerful books I've read and it's one that you won't forget. Classics like these aren't the top of many people's lists because they're, well, classics, but they're also some of the best.
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