ESCAPE TO FITZROY ISLAND

 

On  Great Barrier Reef , 45 minutes by boat from Cairns. Photos by  Jane, Leeanne  

FISHERMAN'S PARADISE

 Perched  on  foreshore  rocks  so  close  to  the sea  that   king-tides  lap  at   the   lounge   is   the  so  called "Blue  House " at   Cockle  Bay  , Magnetic  Island  , with  spectacular   marine   and  mainland  views .. 

The above early  painting shows the building in its prime location on the water's edge , before it became  blue . The   following illustration is from  a  newspaper cutting  stating  fisherman  A. J.  "Berg " Morris   had  built  the  hut  by 1942. Following  its sale in 1958 , a lease was obtained over  three perches , there  being additions  and  improvements .

The lounge (below ),fishing rods visible outside  on the deck plus  filleting facilities ,  provides    panoramic  views   night  and  day  of    Townville ,  passing  yachts,  small  boats  and  ferries .

  

Townsville by  night . Simone photograph. 

 It   made  an  ideal  location  for  Yvonne Carlos ,of  Melbourne , to celebrate her  80th birthday  with   family  members   from  Tasmania  and  the  island, plus the Queen of the Jungle .Plans to  fly in a  Mexican mariachi band for  the birthday bash , naturally , had  to  be  cancelled .

 . 

Tide out .

High tide . Simone.

SPECTACULAR STORM

 

Council  workers  had  a big  task  cleaning up  after  a  violent electrical  storm swept  through Townsville and  Magnetic  Island   on  Monday  night. Out and about after  the blow, our Shipping Reporter  photographed  damage to  trees (top)  in  the  Anzac  Memorial Park   and  surrounds.  Some of  the litter in the Coral Sea Battle   Memorial  area  is  visible  above  . Still evident after  weeks , was   broken glass  under the  anchor off the aircraft carrier  USS Coral Sea , marking the  50th anniversary of the  battle  , presented to the city  by  America ,fallen  palm fronds  nearby .

Unfortunately ,the  extensive lightning  and ground shaking thunder  did not  cause   the  prominent   drunken  CBD  clocks to start   ticking .  It was noticed , however,  that  the  Adani mining company  sign atop a high city  building , had been replaced  by  its  new  company name , Bravus, without the  media  apparently  noticing .  

There were massive cloud  formations over Cleveland Bay , providing  dramatic  backdrops to the  port and the CBD , naturally  captured  by  our  drifting  waterfront  roundsman .   

Townville's sugar shaker building (above )  seemed  to  be spilling over  due to  the  massive  cloud   build  up   out  at  sea . 

GHOST FLEET ACIVITY

 Shipping  Reporter  exclusive 

Arrival  in  Townsville  of  the cattle boat  Ganado  Express the morning after the   fierce  overnight   storm  provided   photo  opportunities .   

  

A short distance away from all  this  action  was  the serene setting  of  the   mast  of  the  latest  yacht to  sink, months ago , without much media attention.

Busily working on the waterfront was  the bulk carrier  La Sillonias ,  part of a 164  year old  French  shipping  company . It was the   subject  of  a  2015   article by Ian Lewis  in TradeWinds,the  global shipping news  service,   headed  Sun King starts reign  on the Seine  , about  Edouard  Louis  Dreyfus   taking  over  as  president of  the   company from  his  father . 

The  bulk carrier  La Sillonias  and  Victor Hugo are mentioned in the write up  .  Shows  you what  great stories  float  in  and  out  of Townsville in the Ghost  Fleet  without the  media  becoming  aware .       

STORM CLOUDS DARWIN

Nightcliff  Jetty . Nuttall  Photo .

 

WATCH OUT FOR TEDDY BEARS AS WELL

 If  you venture  down to  the  woods  at   Humpty Doo ,  in  the  Northern Territory's  Top End, you will  find  the  close  to  nature  kinders  holding    a distinctive   picnic  with  a  wriggling  prop-a  large carpet snake   .Actually , it was a birthday party for a seven year girl  down at Fred's Pass where the Snake Man attended  with  several serpents and some birds . 

 

LEAPING LIZARDS

 Lizards are evident   inside  the house  and  scattered about the yard .  Six are  regularly spotted prowling about  the  back veranda , two shown below in the  potplant stand  

A small lizard who waves his tail like a whip  has been seen running away from a   larger  one , taking  cover  under  a  leaf at  times .  

Others seen on the premises  include one minus part of its  tail , another  intact  in  that region .

Inside, two  tiny   geckos  have  been  sighted ,one  near  a yoghurt container  in  the  kitchen , below .

And what appears to be one of their parents  makes  an appearance at night , sprinting from  picture   to   picture  in  the   television  area.