Crocodylus Resort
9/13/00
Wednesday 8:15 AM
Take me back to the islands, mon.
Good time, that Snapper Island. Didn’t think I was going to enjoy myself once I got back here, but i managed to. Got back, checked in, & showered. Then I checked my email. Nothing from Marc. I don’t get it. Got an email from Dad, though. The gist was, “In God we trust. Everyone else pays cash”. This is just crazy.
Yea, crazy. Just as crazy as what I just did. Briefly spoke with two girls last night from the States, studying in Sydney, of course. The one girl, from Tampa, is black. So I just went over & asked her if she had experienced any prejudice over here. She hasn’t, but before I could explain & discuss such awkward & personal question, her bus showed up. Stupid American.
Well I’m back to feeling on top of my game. Same story as last. I got away from the backpacker scene & into my element. I was in much higher spirits last night. Had a couple of beers with Simon & the other two (I should know their names by now!), then I had to serve dinner. Ah, the chance to take center stage in front of a captive audience. It was easy, peasy then dishes. I just had to shout numbers, throw some plates around, and collect the dirties. Got a meal, dessert, and a beer. Gravy.
Met some kids up here for twelve days of “community service.” They get to hang out up here & plant a tree. Between the Aussie “community service” & their skiing, surfing, bowling, and other such “outdoor” classes, I have decided I schooled in the wrong part of the world. Their teachers were pretty cool, & I talked with them for a time. The kids were playing Cheat, the card game. Now, I told them, in America, it’s called Bull Shit! Yes, another group of the world’s youth corrupted. Damn Yank.
Also spoke with two more Dutch girls about Heineken and the American reputation. They’re all just jealous, pretty much.
There were two other kids who could have been members of the Cove Team Posse. I think they were German, but they were wooed by my performance at dinner. They were continually asking me for salt & pepper. Then they came over while I was eating and offered me their last two packets. They had no money, they said, so they were eating it for dinner. They were giggling a lot, too. I haven’t seen them yet this morning. Perhaps they ate so much salt they have been mummified.
Yesterday was nice & lazy. After pancakes & jam for brekky, we motored up the island and climbed up a ridge. Very nice view. The short hike took us from rainforest to wind-blown scrub. There was a vine at the summit, orange, and with no apparent vegetative parts. It did have an enclosed seed, and I believe it may have been parasitic. Quite interesting.
We climbed down & went for a snorkel. Nothing too exciting. The coral covers the entire sea floor, but only rarely builds up vertically. I think that is why there is a lack of fish and other wildlife. No sand bottom for the bottom dwellers, no shelter for the fish, etc. Just a theory.
Afterwards we lazed on the beach, packed up, and headed out. We had the wind at our back so the paddling was easier. Well, it went faster, anyway. We went around the first point and over to Shipwreck Bay. There we had lunch on the beach. An elderly couple used to live there, but they both died, and a cyclone destroyed the house. The boat house still stands and is used by hippie tramps or the like. The sprinklers in the lawn still work as well.
From there we went back to black rock. Simon went in for some “crayfish”, and we snorkeled. However, it was fairly deep and not too clear, so it sucked. Back in the kayaks, and into Cow Bay. Nice day.
Today I had to decide if I was going to the reef or the rainforest. What a decision! But since I’ve seen some reef, sailed around the cays, and all that once before, (and since this is cheaper) I’m going out to the rainforest Environmental Centre. The bus leaves in a half hour, so I suppose I should prepare.
Maybe tomorrow I’ll get my ass up early to go birding.
KC