Kayaking to glory - cleaving through the Barrier Reef
On his desert island, Robinson Crusoe had made a Kayak (the
English call it canoe) so big that he couldn't pull it to the
sea. Thankfully, today we have lighter versions made of
fiberglass, polyethylene, Kevlar, carbon fibre, Royalex or
hand-built systems like the 'skin-on-frame' varieties. Today,
kayaking is an immensely popular sporting and entertainment
activity, and is catching up fast around the world. And Great
Barrier Reef allows one of the most exotic and fantastic
kayaking trips in the whole world. The world's largest coral
reef, the Great Barrier Reef stretches over 2000 kilometers,
hugging the Queensland coast of Australia throughout. It is so
big that it is even visible from space! Called the largest
living animal, the coral reef and the coral islands are actually
the living bodies and dead shells and deposits of billions of
corals - in the whole Great Barrier system, there are 900
islands and 3000 coral reefs. While the Europeans first came to
know of the Reef as late as 1770 when Captain Cook ran aground
it, Indigenous Australians knew about it from the beginning. The
corals of the reefs provide a huge natural breakwater, making
sure the water is rather calmer that it would have been before
the birth of the reef. This has been a godsend for kayaking.
While whitewater kayaking is much more tumultuous, most of the
tourists trying their hands at sea kayaking at the Reef are
either new to it, or only modestly experienced. Therefore, the
relatively placid water makes for easier kayaking and fewer
capsizing (and less disturbing of corals). The waters allow the
kayaks to be relatively more flat bottomed, allowing for better
floatation stability. But even if you tumble, don't worry, don't
worry even if you don't know the 'eskimo roll'. The kayak would
stay afloat. Besides the guides and helpers from the kayak
company would be nearby. The kayaking opportunities are many
around the Cairns, Palm Cove area. From Palm Cove, one can
paddle around the resort Island of Double Island. One can also
take a walk on the private beaches, provided the touring company
has asked permission for this. A holiday destination for the
rich and the famous, Double Island has better attractions in the
form of dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and other marine life.
Other parts of the island include beautiful tropical gardens,
where you can have a relish of delightful tropical fruits, or
have a nice cup of coffee or tea. One can get stunning views of
the coast, Cape Tribulation and Daintree from this location. But
perhaps the greatest charm of kayaking on the Great Barrier Reef
is the close proximity with the corals. The millions shades of
colors, the bewildering shapes, the swaying tips of live corals
and the surprising encounters with flighty fish shoals (with god
knows how many millions fishes in them!) are unique experiences.
As you sink in a pleasant sunset from the water, you might feel
like never returning. Some try a compromise - there are some
liveaboards where you can stay for a few days if you don't feel
like leaving! The Great Barrier Reef is a fragile environment,
and is heavily regulated. One must make sure that the ecological
balance and the sanctity of the reef is maintained so that you
and I may enjoy this heavenly gift for all time to come. The
reef is a huge stretch of wonder and can be accessed from
anywhere. But the best access point is probably from Cairns
area, another charming place around 25 minutes from Palm Cove
that can keep you busy with sights, sounds and activities for a
fortnight. Visitors to Cairns, or the nearby Trinity Beach, can
stay at the Amaroo
resort (situated on the Trinity beach itself) a luxury beach
apartmentwhich mesmerizes with ocean view family suites.