Cruising down at the Wharf

Hi ... it's me.

That person who apparently blogs in this little space.

It seems that a little boy who came into our lives has reduced my wish to write posts, 

either that or it is my lack of getting out and about like I used to. Maybe it is really my sheer laziness and reliance on facebook and instagram browsing instead of doing more useful things or even more enjoyable things, like blogging.

A couple of weeks ago we headed into the city for a doctors appointment followed by meeting Mr Sparky for breakfast. Sometimes it seems like we never see him and like our Little Possum never gets to see his daddy. Anyway, after breakfast bub and I headed off on a walk first to visit a daycare Mum's shop and then down to the wharf because CRUISE SHIP and there is nothing like a walk along the water to relax.

I used to spend so much time down here because of work, and because I wanted to. Now that we've moved south side it takes a bit more effort and organisation, both of which I seem to lack at the moment.

It was a gorgeous day to be close to the water and it was sunny. We'd been having a far amount of cloudy weather at the time. The sun is back now and giving us firm hints of the Summer to come.

There were plenty of other people around, probably more because of the cruise ship than anything.

There was even some wedding photography happening. A pretty awesome backdrop really.

I really should start making more of an effort to get out and about a bit more. Mind you it isn't like I don't with Possum's swimming lessons and Mums group, but it isn't quite the same.

Hopefully I get some catch ups from the last few months for you to enjoy. Don't hold your breath waiting though. Those hanging out on instagram probably have more of an idea of what I've been up to recently. But its okay .. "I'll be back." (Bet you read that in an Arnie voice 😜 ... you did now)

The Queen on a rainy day

You've gotta love the dramatising of the media.

You would think, the way they are going on, that the whole of Far North QLD is going to be washed off the map.

Things have certainly gotten very wet over the last day or so, and cooler. It is about time, I tell you.

We've been put on flood watch and I don't deny that in the typically high rain areas that things would be getting rather wet but it really isn't anything new, it happens every year. Someone did have to be rescued from a river but honestly, flooded, forget it. What were they doing, sitting on the causeway waiting for the water? I know, serious stuff, luckily he was rescued, but the stupidity. By the way, they drove into flood water. This was part way up the Cape (Cape York).You need to understand that these areas flood, every year. They are low creek and river crossings and water comes up fast and often goes away just as fast. The Cape (the pointy bit at the top of Australia) gets cut off from further south, like Cairns, all the time. Come to think of it Cairns gets cut off from further south, every year. Up there is still very much a remote area.

They've even put emergency services on alert. I think that was more for when they thought there would be a cyclone. A category 1 cyclone. Locals wouldn't really even blink an eye at that, just a bit of wind and rain. Well, the local I live with wouldn't. 

 For now though, the cyclone thing isn't happening, unless that low moves its butt away from the coastline, so we just get a tropical low playing around up in the Gulf (Gulf of Carpentaria). See what we like to do with the names of places. 

So, I believe we are in for another wet day. I'm glad I don't have to be out on the road during peak hours. It seems that people forget how to drive, properly, when it rains. It rains a lot here, normally. I do have to go out for another interview though. I can't believe that the majority of the jobs I've applied for recently are calling up to organised a chat. I've spent three years waiting for replies. Maybe it is my turn. Even Mr Sparky is flabbergasted (I just wanted to use that word).

 So by now, if you haven't gotten too carried away with my very exciting life, you are probably wondering about the ship photos.

That, out there, hovering off the coast of Yorkeys Knob, is Queen Mary II.

She doesn't look all that big, out there, coated by rain but she is the largest ocean liner ever built. She apparently was also the longest passenger ship but Freedom of the Seas has that distinction. She is now about 13 years old. In boat years that is middle aged.

Yorkeys is where the big cruise ships get to hang out because Trinity Inlet is too shallow to take them. Instead passengers get to do ship to shore and catch buses to various locations around Cairns. When my Aunt and Uncle came up this is where I met them.

After going around to the boat ramp side of the Knob for a look I headed to the beach side. There were a few people who did the quick stop and shoot (with a camera) thing before racing back to the car. Maybe they thought they would shrink in the rain.

I got sidetracked from the ship but an interesting little fellow who kept taking off and landing in the trees above me. A cute little Rainbow Bee Eater. I know their call well so it is easy to know when they are around. They sound almost cricket like. This one caught himself a good little feast before heading off. Maybe he was headed to the meeting outside Cairns Central. When I dropped in there on the way home there were so many flying around. Something I thought was a bit funny, we are talking the middle of the city here.

One thing that did make QM2 look big was the ship to shore boats coming up beside it. There was the ones that belong to the ship (maybe just one) and then local companies send the boats the use for the reef. This time it was Reef Magic and Silver Swift (two different companies).

The beach was looking rather rainswept and dreary but there were a few people out enjoying it.

I actually quite like the beach in the rain. Maybe it is because it is usually pretty quiet.

The mountains to the south were barely visible.

Rain drops marked the sand and bounced on the water.

It certainly gave it that moody look.

This is called the wet season look. This is what the end of our summer and beginning of Autumn should be looking like. 

As much as we whinge about the constant rain and cloudy days when we want to see sunrises and sunsets and blue skies, it is all bluff. If we don't get this rain now then it would be a very dry year with not much rain happening throughout the middle of the year being normal. We need this wet time of year to keep the place green.

 Rainy days are perfect for being home with a good book or movie, don't you think.

So the main part of the weather is supposed to get to us here at around lunch time, so lets see how wet it gets. I am hoping the wetland/ creek overflow out the back fills up. Would be good to see that again.

8 days until I get the first of my visitors for Easter, 10 until the bulk of them arrive. I do hope ther weather is nice while they are here, otherwise I'll have to buy some more umbellas.

Turns out that man drove through 1meter of water (guessing depth) before getting stuck. Stupidity.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Links are to previous posts that show this time, place or thing.

Holy ... Ship

Huey, we have sunshine and blue sky!

A nice change for sure.

We also have higher temps but lower humidity.

The rain will be back soon enough and I'll enjoy it again, when it comes.

Yesterday morning, as I was just slipping back into the conscious world, Mr Sparky whispered "are you awake?" I think I mumbled "yeah" without managing to crack an eyelid. "Look at the sky," he said. And so look we did, just laying there is bed, watching it change colours.

That all just sounds a bit romantic really.

When his alarm reminded us that he needed to get up and ready I also plodded downstairs and grabbed my camera to capture the end of the pretty colours of the sunrise.

When Mr Sparky headed off to work, I headed out as well, knowing there was something of interest at the wharf.

Not the storm lilies, something bigger. Although they are all pretty in flower.

By the way, yes, that time is correct.

I've missed my port view from my old job and watching the comings and goings. I've also missed our relaxed BBQs down there.

Can you see what my something interesting and big was?

I had heard on the radio there was a cruise ship in and having not seen one in a while I thought it warranted a morning visit.

That, and that the wharf is always a nice place to wander with its heritage character. I believe the port was the first major part of town to be built really and it looks different today than it did back then, smaller as well I think.

The wharf sheds that have been preserved aren't really all that small but ships like these make them look tiny.

They started letting passengers off not that long after I got down there but other than that it was pretty quiet. It always is in the morning.

I love that in this area there are pieces of the old surrounded by the new. Just a little proof that things looked different in the past.

So after our wet start to the new year it seems we are getting a brief bit of sun before the rain comes back. I do find I need that big blue sky every now and again to counteract the grey. Vitamin D is always a plus too.

It is certainly feeling summery and the sun is a bit fierce. It is funny though that this exact same week last year had very similar weather. Hot, still and clear skies. 

Isn't it nice that facebook sends you reminders of the stuff from the past.

The water was so still and fairly clear too, for Trinity Inlet. Down at the marina I even saw some fish hanging around some object in the water. 

The stillness made for great reflections too. Reflections of boats, boats and more boats. There is just something about it.

It also worked well for reflecting the city.

I walked up a jetty that went along the front of the marina that I didn't really know existed. It made for a great view back to the city. A new sunrise or sunset spot to try out I think.

It also made for a pretty good view of lots of boats. Kind of pointing out the obvious there.

The cruise ship looked like part of the city, way at the back.

I wandered around to the Lagoon, looking for flowers really but loving how blue and tropical looking everything was.

I also wished I was dressed for swimming.

The rainbow shower trees are nearly done flowering. I'm glad I caught them. I love the variations in flower colour. Mr Sparky loves the pink shower trees, I think they are his favourite, and we also like the yellow. I can see us attempting to grow them in our one day garden.

The Esplanade still had its Happy New Year on but the Christmas tree nearby had started to be deconstructed. 

Also nearby is a raintree that is always decorated, slowly gaining more lanterns over the years.

Of cause on the return journey I had to pass that ship again.

How is the beginning of your year shaping up? I know many are coming down off their holiday cloud. I didn't really have holidays so things have just kept going on.

We have been attempting to make grown up decisions like weddings and babies and houses. Actually, we nearly bought a house, we are still on the fence a bit about it. Not buying a house, or some land but whether this one is what we want for now. You see we are in decision making time now. We need to work out whether to move or to commit to another year here and possibly buy a house as a future investment property or to wait and save, save, save some more to buy the rural property we dream of or to move and buy elsewhere or to do who knows what. I can tell you we are not the best decision makers around. This is kind of the fun stuff but they are big things after all. Some bigger than others. We need to make a leap, I can see that. It is just a matter of which way.

And let's just not talk about trying to set a date for a wedding and the up here, down there thing going on.

Well that was all a bit deep for the end of the post.

I hope you enjoyed coming along on my summery morning stroll and I hope my decision making spiel didn't hurt your brain too much.

 

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