John Cornhill

Whale watching wow For a long time we could only see a black 'log' on the surface some distance away then the boat moved closer to one and the huge Humpback jumped out of the water nearby like dolphins do then came right up to the boat and rose vertically out of the water I was looking into its eyes it was only 10 feet away then it went under the boat and swam close by for a while all with calf in close attendance brilliant amazing another real awsome. Met Brian and wife from Adelaide retired at 55 been travelling for 9 years. Told me birds on South Molle Island are Curlews and 'croc' I saw on Cape Trib beach was a Goanna a big lizard! oops. Back in Hervey Bay saw hundreds flying foxes at dusk in trees what a sight and noise.
Now still in Hervey Bay just back from 2 days on Frazer Island124km long, 5 to 27 km wide all sand except a few rock out crops near one end Lots of rain forest, some bush, internal lakes we swam in two Bus specially designed 'MAN' for driving on sand tracks very soft in places bumpy great ride driver Richo in Aus 33 years from Kings Langley knows Bovingdon well great guy. Met Pete a writer and Dave and Caroline on hol live in London, some german girls a dutch couple a french couple a great group. Stayed overnight in a camp site IN FOREST Richo did excellent bbq. lONG BEACHES AROUND ISLAND AND SAND 'DESERTS' and lakes inland. Saw Red Backed Eagle, White Bearded Eagle, Wagtails and nest Green parrot with red markings and a 15cm lizard with no legs poor thing very bright black and white colouring nearly trod on it got my camera out but selfishly it disappeared. Came accross exhausted Gannet type bird sitting on beach Richard stopped to check it out we got to within a few feet and it flew a few meteres into the sea so left it. Probably the dingos will have it for dinner. Didnt see a dingo but ither bus saw 2. Walked accross sand desert amazing experience trees of forest in the distance. Catfish in lake water warm to swim in maybe 26 degrees. The other lake had very low ph about 3. Also black stuff looks like rock but not it is compressed vegetation, a form of coal , just broke off in your hand. Also saw seams of iron/ferrous some of which were sticking vertically out of coal where the sea had eroded the coal before the iron. It looked man made but was entirely natural. Got stuck in sand once, Another time had to clear a tree fallen accross the track a real adventure! got to go, JohnJohn Cornhill