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.