The rain is falling hard outside my hotel room window, the persistent patter of the drops were quite loud all through the night. It’s a cold winter day here in paradise. I’m currently sitting in bed on this Wednesday morning, still stuck on standby. The first blast was supposed to happen this afternoon, and it still may at around 3pm, but bad weather last night apparently has delayed the drilling. I’m getting cabin fever in my business class dungeon, hoping to get some actual work in before heading off to Cairns on Friday. I worked out all the kinks in the Cyclopes program, and updated the tidal information last night in preparation the blasting that may never commence. Yesterday was another standby day, and we took advantage of our free time with a drive up to Whitsundays, a ritzy Malibu like area about an hour’s drive from Mackay. Not much to see there expect Australia’s excessive campaign against the environment. Lot signs were posted all around what are now native gum tree forests, mud flats are soon to be filled in for more realastate, and huge harbors are being constructed to house the yachts of the rich and famous.
The water was a pristine turquoise blue, flat as a lake thanks to the Great Barrier Reef just offshore, which kills any kind of swell that tries to break its way through to the mainland. It was damn hot out, and the water looked pretty inviting, but one is advised not to be tempted in. Deadly box jellies drift in the currents and salt water crocs patrol to coastline. What’s the point of living next to a perfect beautiful lagoon if you can’t take a dip in it? Instead you’re restricted to a chlorine bath next to the perfect beautiful lagoon. I may as well be back in the Valley.
No waves, no swimming, and hotter than the muggy south-eastern US…I need to get out of the GBR. Southern Queensland here I come, just as soon as I finish standing by here.
That was then…this is tonight…
We had our first firework show this afternoon (more like a big mud slick), it was pushed back from noon when it was scheduled, to 5pm this evening. We arrived on site a few hours before the blast and sat at our respective platforms (myself and Rob and the south tower, Scott on the north, and Ian and Dev on the 2 boats) and watched the ocean for sightings (nothing seen of course expect for a massive drift log from the cyclone they had a few weeks ago most likely). The blast went off right on time at 1700 hours with 2 charges set 2 milliseconds apart. This will build to 24 charges at 2 milliseconds when they figure everything out. The entire trestle shut down about 10 minutes before the blast, which was nice since the conveyors are driven by some very loud electrical motors that reside right next to us. The siren sounded and……POP, it wasn’t very impressive, it was like standing a bit of distance away from a riffle blast. A plume of mud about 3 meters in circumference surfaced a minute or so later, and that was it. We waited around for 30 minutes to insure that nothing was exploded from the blast. Looking forward to the 24 gun salute when things start working at full capacity.
Australia Bird List: WhitSundays Additions
Great Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus guttatus
White-breasted Woodswallow Artamus leucorhynchus
Spectacled Monarch Symposiarchus trivirgatus
Dad says when the 24-gun salute happens should be interesting. Glad you got the equipment working as it should, but had not doubt you would. Enjoy your days off with care. Please see my email. We're going to see Louie on Sunday. Take care.
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