Paddle boarding

Paddle boarding, the art of standing on a board and paddle. It's great on the sea to catch a wave. Well, we're doing it on the Brisbane river with torrential rains. Even our guide has never been on the river with this much rain. It adds to the adventure.

We push each other in the water which is fun. There are big bull sharks in the Brisbane river so once in the water you better get out as soon as possible. Rob's mind is definitely concentrated on absolutely minimizing "water time". Before his body is submerged, his is already climbing back on his board.

Beautiful day on the water

Today we're diving with a charter 1770 undersea adventures, all organised by Emma. Their ship the Narcosis hasn't been out for quite a while as tourism in Australia has taken a hit. Our friend Don is working in Gladstone and only very intermediately goes out the reef. Emmanuelle has been nagging and pleading Don to go out and he agreed. The incredible thing is that the Day is superb. Don tells me that I have a great wife being able to pick such a great day 3 months out.

But our luck doesn't end there. The mantas are here and they are hungry. The full moon was just 3 days ago, so there is a lot of coral spawn in the water... Something that the Mantas eat. They come really close. Not only that, but we see a lot of pelagic fish, big sharks, large schools of fish, Eagle rays, sting rays everything. After the first dive Emmanuelle and I decide not to dive a second time as the snorkelling is as good as it gets.

Sky diving!

"Okay boys, we're here". Says Emmanuelle with a malicious smile. "You will be skydiving today." she says with an evil grin. These few words are enough to send shivers down my and Robin's spine.
The funny thing about skydiving is that you have to put all of your trust in guys who do everything not to be trustworthy. (They say they are hung-over and folded their chutes while drunk.)
In the plane Robin and I crack jokes, more to hide our nerves than anything else when suddenly. WHHHSSSHH... the door opens. I can see Rob's face turn blank and I'd bet a million that he can't remember what we were talking about. As Rob exits the plane I can see his slight worry turn to terror as he realises he was just hurled out of a perfectly good plane.


My turn.


As I fall down I am very much aware of everything around me. It is fantastic, what a rush! When the parachute opens I expect a jerk... which doesn't happen... Instead we are violently turning and still falling... another twist, this time clockwise. Bang! another twist and still falling. It feels like minutes and when I hear the dive master yell "WHOA!" I know something is wrong.
After a quick: "are we cool?" - "yeah Bro" - "Are you sure mate?" - "All good bro" we fly the chute left and right, couple of twists aaandd. Land! Whoa! I can see this addictive.
It turns out there was a twist in the parachute and in the Lines.