Day 37: HMS Vomit Comet
We boarded the “Spirit of 1770” – or as we call it, the HMS Vomit Comet – out to Lady Musgrave Island (really a coral cay). WARNING: there will be many references to vomit in this entry – so if the subject makes you queazy (or you’re about to eat) you may wish to skip this one.
We saw this picture of Lady Musgrave Island and her surrounding reef and decided we had to go. [We did not take this picture, it’s the one in the brochures and booking office.]
We went to Agnes Water next to the Town of 1770 – where Captian Cook first stepped foot on Australia (no extra points for guessing which year). These towns are not on the standard tourist trail, so it is much more low key. This is the longest place we have stayed on the trip. They will be on the standard trail soon. The roads were only paved in the past couple of years.
Knowing that the winds were to be 20 knots Kelly put on a fresh patch and Marcus took a dramamine (although he’s never been seasick in his life). Our first clue that this was going to be a long ride were the two fancy vomit bags in front of each chair and a long winded explaination on how to use them. As soon as we got out of the protected estuary the boat started catching major air as it corkscrewed – pitching and yawing and long drops to the troughs below. It wasn’t long before the puking commenced. (No, Kelly wasn’t first.)
It was a fun rollercoaster ride for the first few minutes, but the next two hours were a bit rough. Kelly made it about half way but the patch was no match for these long freefalls after each swell. Marcus lasted a little bit longer. He wouldn’t have minded the rice and beans coming out of his mouth and nose if they had been tastier the night before. Marcus smugly snapped this photo to capture the mood on board. Little did he know he had three more puking sessions to go.
Try to find:
* Kelly with her second vomit sack at the ready.
* Lady in pink praying for mercy.
* Guy searching longingly for a new bag.
* Crew member collecting full bags and handing out new ones.
* Smug guy who thinks he’s done but has three more to go.
[Now that we’re on solid soil, we just can not stop laughing at this picture!]
In the patch versus dramamine comparision: motion-sick-prone female with patch vomits twice. Male who’s never been seasick in his life with dramamine pukes four times.
We finally made it to the lagoon. The calm waters were a sweet site to see.
We rode a glass bottom boat to the island seeing some green sea turtles on the way. We took a guided walk across the island and saw lots of docile birds including wedge tailed shearwaters, noddies and terns. There were supposed to be boobies on the island too, but the boobies were feeling modest and didn’t show (much to Marcus’ disappointment).
Then we snorkelled off the island. The coral here was more colorful and vibrant than Hardy Reef. Tons of sea cucumbers, loads of fish, turtles, blue spotted lagoon rays, huge black spiney urchins, and lots more.
Sea cucumbers lounging close to shore.
After lunch we went snorkelling in another area further out in the lagoon. In an spot called “the aquarium” there were schools of small but very colorful fish. The entire time the white coral sandy bottom was visible, 20 to 30 feet below. It was amazing snorkelling and worth the sacrafices of breakfast and last night’s dinner to get there.
Tags: Australia
Kelly & Marcus
April 18th, 2005 at 6:01 am
Hoprfully the ride back was less eventful! Marc. was this experience
anything like “I never get sunburned!” or “It isn’t mosquito
season!” ???
I’m sure that you are fully recovered and off to the next adventure!
Hugs xoxox
April 18th, 2005 at 8:32 am
Don’t you guys know that chumming is illegal in those waters!? 😉
April 18th, 2005 at 8:43 am
Who said “A picture is worth a thousand hurls?”
Worthy of the K&M Photo Hall of Fame.
April 18th, 2005 at 11:03 am
Nothing to do with travel: Marcus, the blackbody source you ordered from Boston Electronics showed up the very week that Meyer’s old one blew its guts. Where do you get such good timing?!
P.S. – Nice hair!
April 18th, 2005 at 11:09 am
Don’t feel bad, every time we got underway when I was in the navy I was sick for about 2 days.
April 18th, 2005 at 5:52 pm
I, on the otherhand, have never hurled in my life… (Yeah, that’s the ticket!)
April 20th, 2005 at 2:40 am
Just carrying on the noble Runyan tradition of chummin’ it up. The good thing is it attracted a lot of fish. 😉
Hey Tom! You know that’s why they used to pay me the big bucks – ability to predict the future and all. 🙂
April 20th, 2005 at 11:08 am
I kept reading despite your warning. I just pitched the rest of my lunch into the trash can. Very funny from a vomit-phobe.
Have fun!
April 22nd, 2005 at 10:34 am
hahah.. that picture is great; the one of you guys in the heart of the vomit comet ride. Looks like you guys were havin lots of fun in that picture :\ Your stomachs got a good workout I’m sure… abs of steel after it was all over.
Keep the pictures coming and have more fun. Watch out for sea urchins.
April 22nd, 2005 at 11:07 am
Kelly, got some cassini work waiting for you…
Naah, just kidding.
People are still asking me where you went.
I tell ’em that you went and joined Interpol.
Okay seriously, your pics look great. We’re all jealous at work. Magdy says he doesn’t want to look at your blog too much cause it makes him jealous.
Have you and Marcus had to go against your vegetarinism yet? Had to try that Kangaroo or that cute little Koala, huh?
April 23rd, 2005 at 1:59 am
Our stomachs did get a workout – it was as better than one of those electric abs machines.
I recall playing Where in the World is Carmen San Diego and wanting to join Interpol one day… but guns and fear of death will probably keep me away.
I find it funny that you write that “we’re all jealous at work” on the HMS Vomit Comet entry… trust me – I would have much rather been at JPL during those two hours!!!
We were offered kangaroo, dolphin, camel, and platypus, but only the first one was real.
Food related: pumpkin is frequently served on pizza, bell pepper is called capsicum, and cantelope is called rock melon.
April 25th, 2005 at 2:31 pm
heard Bruce Lee used those electric ab workout contraptions…
Did you get to see a Platypus yet? That would be cool.
Pumpkin? Caps-a-hoo? Rock Melon? Are you on Earth?
April 27th, 2005 at 1:51 am
No platypus yet, though we tried at the wrong time of day at one river.
But we did see some cool things on Day 46.
The pumpkin was good. And we just heard about pumpkin gnocchi which would be awesome to try.
On Earth? Things are a bit strange down under…