12 JUNE 2022
‘We are going to snorkel at Frankland Island…da da…da…da da…di…di…di…’ I sang on the way to our destination, um…which is a lake on top of a mountain…(?!!!) that leads to the wonderous sea. The sea, of course, leads to the fantastic Frankland Islands.
ABOUT THE FRANKLAND ISLANDS AND THE ONE AND ONLY TRIP TO THERE:
The Frankland Islands are a pristine archipelago of five islands within the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Surrounded by healthy fringing reefs, they offer unparalleled snorkeling and diving. Hard and soft corals, giant clams, tropical fish, turtles, octopus and other marine life flourish there, while dugongs, manta rays and whales are regular visitors.
With terrain ranging from sandy beaches lined with coastal grasses, pandanus and coconuts, to mangroves and dense rainforest, the islands are home to abundant birdlife.
The Frankland islands have a special significance for the Mandingalby Yindinji and Gungandji Aboriginal people who fished, hunted and gathered food on these islands and the adjacent sea country.
The Mulgrave River (ABOUT THE FRANKLAND ISLANDS AND THE ONE AND ONLY TRIP TO THERE):
The Mulgrave River is a river you need to pass in order to get to the Frankland Islands.
The Mulgrave River, lined with rainforests and mangroves, makes it a fascinating start to an adventure on and around the Frankland Islands. As the cruise winds its way out to sea, keep an eye on the river banks for brightly colored birds.
ABOUT THE TRIP (ABOUT THE FRANKLAND ISLANDS AND THE ONE AND ONLY TRIP TO THERE):
The trip includes guided snorkel safaris, a semi-sub tour, a nature walk, and, of course, lunch!
Back to the story:
I wore the weirdest combination of clothes which included a black swimsuit underneath, followed by a white long-sleeved shirt and a normal T-shirt. On top of that was a special swimming jacket that keeps swimmers warm when swimming. Next up was the top layer which was a purple waterproof coat. I felt nervous as it was my first time snorkeling in the deep sea.
We went to the semi-sub first. We had to descend the stairs to get to the submerged part of the semi-sub. In the semi-sub, there were many windows lined vertically on the two sides to see corals out of. There were many different types of fishes and corals in the sea. My father pointed out some types of fishes, like the parrot fish.
We went on a guided snorkel safari next. We boarded a boat on the shore to put on our snorkeling equipment. After that, when the boat was a couple of hundred meters away from the shore, we started to jump off the boat one after another. My father went first, followed by me, then my mother. At first, I did not want to submerge my head underwater as the currents and waves were so strong. I thought, “Would it be worse under the sea? Will I drown? Will water enter my snorkel tube and mask???!!!”
Luckily, that did not happen. I took a DEEP breath and lowered my head. The corals were all extremely beautiful.
There were bright red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple corals, like a rainbow under the sea. (Here is something to help you remember the colors of the rainbow; Rude Octopus Yelled Greedily, “Behold, Pangolin.”/ Richard Of York Gave Battled In Vain./ Rachel Of Yemen Gave Birth In Vain.) That was the trick to make me feel like I should stay underwater watching these wonderful corals forever.
There were many fishes like the parrot fish and the yellow tang fish. It was brilliant! Soon, it was time to get back to shore to have lunch. Lunch was delicious. It was kind of like a BUFFET on the beach.
After lunch, we began our lovely island walk (treasure hunt, a version of island walk for children, for me!). We saw lots of creatures like clams, crabs and sea cucumbers during the treasure hunt. At times, we even got to hold some of the creatures!
Towards the end of the treasure hunt, we found a treasure box behind a thick bush! We each grabbed a piece of treasure and exchanged it for goodie bags. Thereafter, I waded in the sea and took one last photo before we headed off to the ferry. It was a fabulous trip to the Frankland Islands.
Thanks for your blog, nice to read. Do not stop.