The Golden Sea at Rainbow

Golden Sea, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

The storm clouds reflected from above made the sea golden.
It was an amazing sight

Bluebottle on the beach

Bluebottle on the beach, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

http://www.australianfauna.com/bluebottlejellyfish.php

In Australia and New Zealand, this jellyfish is known as the blue bottle, due to its colour and shape when strewn on a beach. Elsewhere in the world it is known as the "Portuguese Man o War" as it is said to look like a Portuguese battleship with a sail.

This jellyfish is actually made up of zooids. The blue bottle is not a single organism, but made up of a number of zooids. Each zooid has a specific role and together they function as if it were an animal. For example a number of zooids will make up the stinging tentacles, others will make up the feeding tentacles, etcetera.




The blue bottle feeds on small fish and other small ocean creatures. They envelope their prey with their tentacles, where a poison is released thus paralysing its prey before being consumed. The tentacles adhere extremely well to their prey. If a tentacle is put under the microscope you will see that it looks like a long string of barbed hooks, which explains the ability of the tentacle to attach.

If a tentacle attaches itself to a human, it releases a poison (through the use of nematocysts), and if you continue to rub the skin after the tentacle has been removed more poison or venom will be released. If you are stung, it is best to wash the area without touching. A cold pack should be used to relieve the pain. If stung, please consult a doctor immediately. No fatalities have ever been reported within Australia or New Zealand from the sting of a blue bottle.

The blue bottles colour can range from a blue to a pink hue, with a transluscent body. The float or body of the blue bottle measures between 3 to 15 cms. The tentacles can range in length from 15 cms up to 10 metres!.

Carlo Sandblow at Rainbow Beach

Sandblow 3, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

This was a wonderful experience.
You can walk here along the beach at low tide from the Surf Club.

I parked at the end of Cooloola Drive, walked through a beautiful treed bush walk, up steps and down steps to the Sandblow. It looked like the desert...white, shining and very beautiful.

I walked down to the edge...it took about 20 minutes...
It was a calm and cloudy day. With wind blowing sand it would not be as easy to walk and enjoy.

http://www.rainbow-beach.org/content/view/79/243/http://www.rainbow-beach.org/content/view/79/243/

Carlo Sand Blow was named by Captain Cook after one of his deck crew named Carlo. The unique moonscape sand mass covers over 15 hectares and overlooks the towering colored sands. From the Rainbow Beach water tower at the top of Cooloola Drive, a walking track passes through woodlands to the expansive natural sand blow.

It’s an excellent spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. The 360 degree views are spectacular, to the East has magnificent views of the ocean where one can often see the migrating whales from August to October. To the S.E. is Double Island Point and the cliffs of colored sand. Fraser Island and Inskip Point are to the North, while Tin Can Bay and the Great Sandy Straits lie to the West.

CARLO SAND BLOW ON FOOT
A bush walk up to Carlo Sand Blow is a must. Drive to the reservoir at the top of Cooloola Drive. The Blow is an easy 600m walk from the car park. Spectacular views of the Colored Sands, Double Island Point and Tin Can Bay are a bonus for your efforts.

When the thermals are right, you will often see Hang Gliders taking off and landing at this beautiful piece of Nature’s sculpture.

 

 

Fraser Island on the Barge

Going to Fraser Island on the Barge, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

http://www.fraserislandbarge.com.au/

I went to see the Barges and find out about going across to Fraser Island. The Road was closed to 2WD, and after parking my vehicle in the parking area, I walked the sandy road to the beach where three barges waited for vehicles.
I asked about costs and was told $90 for a car and $45 for a motor bike, and then he smiled and said, free if you want a ride across.
So I happily waited for the barge to collect 4 motorbikes and some cars, and went across to see Fraser Island.

The Barges stop on the beach at the southernmost tip of the island, and vehicles drive off and away to Eurong over the white soft sands. I waited with the barge until it was time to return to Inskip.

Sea gulls dived into the water after fish. I walked in the sand and the water and enjoyed the beautiful island. The sand was as fine as silk, and is said to be great for cleaning jewelery with. The water was blue as blue. There is no camping on the beach at this point. One needs to go to Eurong and follow the hiking tracks from there.

Next trip I will bring my camping things and camp on the Island.

Manta Ray - Fraser Island Barges

Manta Ray Barge is a locally owned Fraser Island Barge service.

Manta Ray operate two Fraser Island Barges daily from 6.00am to 5.30pm.

The trip to Fraser Island from Inskip Point Rainbow Beach takes approximately 10 minutes and with two barges operating there is virtually no waiting.

The Manta Ray Fraser Island Barge service was started approximately ten years ago and continues to be owned and run by local operators. Initially set up to break a crippling monopoly of eleven years the Manta Ray Fraser Island Barge Service continues to keep the prices to and from Fraser Island to an affordable level so that everyone can enjoy its beauty. Like every small company we care for our customers

The Manta Ray Fraser Island Barge service is a small locally owned and independent Australian company and believe every Australian and also the overseas visitor should be able to enjoy the Fraser Island experience.

So, the next time you travel to Fraser Island, support the local Manta Ray Fraser Island Barge Service.
Just remember the Green and Gold which is the color of the Barges and the staff clothing

 

 

Goanna in tree

Goanna in tree, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

A Huge goanna was on the tree.
He did not move all the time I watched him. He sat in the same spot silent and watchful, perfectly camouflaged in the trunk.

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/goanna.htm

A goanna is a kind of lizard. Goannas are covered in scales.
Goannas eat lizards, the eggs of snakes and lizards,and small animals.
Goannas climb trees, swim, run fast, and can stand on their back legs.

When white people first came to Australia they saw large reptiles they thought were a kind of iguana, and called them 'goanna'. The goanna is in fact not an iguana, but a species of monitor lizard.

The goanna is about 160 cm long altogether. Its head and body measure about 70 cm. Its body is flattened, it has strong legs with long toes and claws. It has a long neck. It can give a fierce blow with its long tail. It has a tongue rather like a snake's, which it flicks in and out.

 

 

Rainbow Beach,... Inskip Camping Grounds

Perfect Peace, originally uploaded by Ladymaggic.

http://www.rainbow-beach.org/

I arrived at Rainbow Beach around 6pm, and got the Camping permit from the IGA store. I drove to Inskip, a distance of about 12 kms from town along a deserted road, and as it was starting to get dark, turned into the first Camping spot. There was a tent on the left and a Caravan on the right overlooking the water, and I thought that is where I needed to be, right by the sea.

I turned right, and immediately sank into soft sand and got the wheels bogged.
A lady using a phone in a car offered to push me out, but then I saw a couple at a campfire, and asked him to help.
They dug into the harder sand, and pushed and after a few tries they pushed me out and told me to stay on the bark path. As it was now dark, I parked on the bark for the night.

The sea was just opposite and all nigth you heard the waves breaking on the shore.
At Dawn, me and the camera went walking along the beach. It was beautiful. The sand soft and the waves wonderful along my feet. I was intending a swim, but I saw the blue bottles on the beach, and walked carefully after that.

There were many bluebottles on the sand and a few huge brown jelly fish called 'snotties' by the locals.

Then the black clouds came and with it the rain.