We booked a 3 night trip to magnetic island, about 3 hours south of cairns. Trip included the ferry to the island & back,sea kayaking for an hour, and a days sorkel hire. On approach to the island it looked a bit like the place on jurrasic park 2 (or 3) when they anchor up on an island, beach all the way around with rain forest about 20 metres behind
covering the rest of the place. Go to the hostel which had a really nice open plan reception and bar with unobstructed view overlooking the beach. Rooms however turned out
to be a portacabin full of bunkbeds - we had 8 bed room, just enough length to squeeze in
2 sets of beds, and the width of 2 beds with about 1 metre between them, spacious didnt
come to mind!
Next day we set about sea kayaking, however a 3 metre saltwater croc had been spotted near the bay 3 days before. The bloke hiring out the kayaks said he wouldnt go in, and definatly not his kids - we had paid for it so damn it we were going. On top of the croc, we had to not get washed overboard by a fairly choppy sea, avoid packs of jelly fish, if in the sea and neither of them got us, there were certain sharks in the bay which may bite us too - but not kill us so thats ok.....on there were rocks we could also get smashed in to.
After a nerve recking hour we managed to survive.
Third day we got the snorkels and went off to explore the island, the snorkel rental/dive team had a similar view of the croc, diving is fine but snorkeling you lye on top of the water where a croc is more likely to attack therefore they wouldnt do it. But the official view taken by australian wildlife was that he hasnt been seen for a few days so he's not there. We headed off around the island and hiked through a bit of jungle, then through see
high water through mangroves - a crocs hiding place......hurried through that part. Sea very merkie so couldnt see much, plus this added to the fear of not seeing the b***** if he was coming towards you. So went to a different beach and sat waist high for a while just talking.
Saw a stingray and some puffa fish which was cool, as we left the water, on the beach we noticed some big signs with a person swimming - and a big red stripe through it, next to a picture of a crocodile. DO NOT SWIM IN THESE WATERS, crocodile recently spotted, we actually ended up in the bay he was spotted in - but we're still here so all is fine. Got some photos of us next to the sign too :-)
Back at the hostel, after swimming in croc infested waters, surviving a kayak trip avoiding sharks, jellyfish crocs and rocks - the bright hot thing in the sky got me instead, sun stroke. Didnt feel well at all, early to bed i went. Next day we had the ferry trip back to the main land which i wasnt looking forward too as still not feeling too good, but water pretty calm so didnt show eveyone my breakfast. This was it, final leg of the greyhound bus tour up to cairns for a few days, then off to New Zealand.