Green Island

We had no need to rush this morning. Checkin for our cruise to Green Island was at 10 am and leaving sometime after 8:30 am would allow time to check the souvenir shop before getting to the cruise terminal. We rose when ready and ate a relaxed breakfast before preparing for the day.

On the way into Cairns we filled up with fuel at Smithfield where the RACQ app had found a better than most price. We found a park in the area near the cruise terminal, I paid at the meter, and we walked to find the souvenir store. Despite what their website had suggested they had nothing that met Dave’s requirements. We walked back to the cruise terminal, checked in, and waited to board.

Soon after 10:30 our loaded ferry was cruising toward Green Island. We arrived there a bit more than 30 minutes later. At the dive centre Majella and I picked up our goggles, snorkels, and flippers as included in the package we had bought on Wednesday. We added lycra suits for sun protection, obviating the need for the shirt I had bought in Port Douglas. It may find another use sometime. Peg and Dave had brought their own full face goggles and attached snorkels but picked up flippers and lycra suits.

We located the change rooms, suited up, rented lockers for gear we did not want or need at the beach, and headed for the beach. Majella and I got down to the water edge and managed to get our flippers on. In my case they were tighter than I would have preferred (despite claiming to be my shoe size) and any time I put my foot down sand rushed into every tiny space. Once I got out into deeper water and was able to hold a pontoon I was able to get the flippers off and back on without the sand – much more comfortable.

We had expected that bringing their own equipment meant that Peg and Dave were well experienced snorkelers who would leave us in their wake. Evidently one or both had problems with the mask not sealing well and filling with water. They spent most of their time near shore attempting to sort that out.

Majella and I found a couple of moored pontoons not far out and were able to move between them, alternately resting and snorkelling over an area of grey reef that was home to some interesting colourful fish. We saw some large fish, a couple of schools of smaller ones, an occasional turtle, and a mysterious spotted ‘fish’ mostly hidden under a rock.

We spent about an hour snorkelling with a trip back to shore to check on Peg and Dave about midway. Once we had enough we headed back to shore. By then Peg and Dave had abandoned snorkelling and changed. After a quick discussion they decided to see if they could get aboard the glass bottom boat at the other end of the resort.

There were seats available on the glass bottom boat at 1:30 pm so they booked those, grabbed a sandwich from a nearby counter, and headed for the boat. Once they had gone we went off to change and then came back to grab a sandwich and await their return. We sat near the end of the jetty to eat and Majella was surprised when a buff-banded rail, one of many we saw wandering around the resort area, snatched the last piece of her sandwich.

Fortunately the glass bottom boat was more successful than the snorkelling so Peg and Dave managed to see some coral reef and fish. When they returned Majella borrowed a laminated guide for the walk through the forest and we all set off to walk. The island is essentially flat and the trail was paved or otherwise surfaced so it was easy walking. Some of the numbers corresponding to the guide seemed to have gone missing but we did see some of the identified plants and some birds, including a few of the Torres Strait Island pigeons we could hear in the trees above us.

We finished our walk with time to spare before the return ferry trip. Luckily there was a shaded table at the bar. We bought drinks and relaxed until it was time to board.

The trip back to Cairns took a little longer than the trip out. I had allowed about 15 minutes less than what we really needed on our parking but luckily we got back to the car without collecting a fine.

On the way back to Clifton Beach our minds turned to dinner. We had exhausted what dinner food we had in the apartment. Someone suggested seafood, appropriate at the beach, and we agreed on cooked takeaway rather than food we would have to cook. I searched and found fish and chips shops at Palm Cove, the next suburb beyond Clifton Beach. We headed there.

Majella dropped three of us near the store and went off to park. Once our orders for fish and chips were ready I called her and she returned to collect us. A few minutes later we were back in the apartment enjoying our dinner with the last remnants of the wine.

After dinner we tidied and packed ready for an early departure in the morning.