As good as it gets! Feb 2008

From The Office

A big hello from Wavelength here in Port Douglas!

We get lots of questions about the weather and Great Barrier Reef conditions during wet season...so here is some information for the curious cats.

SO FAR February is looking to be a marvellous month weather wise, we are currently blessed with 10 knot or under winds...for those not in the know, this is as good as it gets! Glassy conditions, no swell and fantastic visibility.

The crew have been cheerfully taking movies on their mobile phones to send to me in the office- just so I know what I am missing out on! Thanks SOOO much.

Here is what it was like yesterday.

Visibility is also spectacular- averaging 25 to 30 meters.

We have also been getting a little bit of rain overnight, but the last couple of days no rain and clear blue sunny skies.

It is only early days yet, traditionally February and March are our wettest months... but it is not all bad news. When it rains, our favorite photographer grabs his cameraas and heads out for photos. Coral flouresce under UV light. ACT (according to Fluffy) when there is bright sun, there is more infra red light. When there is cloud there is more UV light. Hence on a "dull rainy day" the coral actually glow and make for much better photographic opportunities.

Boat Crew

A couple of crew members have returned to us here at Wavelength after working on other local boats.

We are very happy to have Bretto our favorite kite surfer dude back at the helm.

We also have one of our favorite biologists and photographers back with us... Chris Jones.

He will be replacing the almost irreplaceable Nicki Rumney, who is off to travel Mexico for a year.

Now Nicki if you must dive with the HUMBOLDT SQUID in the Gulf of Mexico at least make sure that you wear the chain mail suit!

Some of our old crew are off having adventures delivering a yacht.

Geoff and White Pete have also got a blog going, tales of their adventures make for interesting reading, so be sure to check it out. Last time we heard from Geoff he was in the Southern Ocean chasing illegal Patagonian Toothfish Fishermen with customs, so he really has changed the pace of his life.

General News

I found a quote from our fearless leader Steve Simpson the other day. It was taken from an interview about ecotourism in the Sydney Morning Herald. It got me thinking about why Wavelength is such a unique product... it is the ethic that comes from the top.

"My basic philosophy is that by taking people out to the reef, telling them about the reef and our concerns for the reef; they actually become aware of the issues and go and talk to other people. The more people know about it, the more they are likely to put their hands up and rant and rave about it. If it is locked away and untouched, no one really knows or cares about it"

Nice one Steve!

Fanmail

Finally from the office some fan mail... I love letters like these!

To the Staff:
We have lived in the Port Douglas area for 22 years, and in that time we have been out on The Wavelength many, many times. During these past years we have also been on most of the boats out of Port Douglas, many out of Cairns, even Townsville and the Whitsunday's. I can honestly say not one of them compares to the Wavelength.Starting with the booking office,
the quality of the sites you visit and the time you get to spend there, the on board staff from the Capitan, Marine Biologist, deck hands, the great lunch.
It is just a wonderful, unforgettable experience. As we have in the past, we will continue to recommend the Wavelength to any and everyone. Thank you for many memorable experiences
Anita and Mike McGoldrick

That about wraps it up from us here at the office, bear with us if this blog isnt perfect... it is our first one!

We will be adding a few more entries with photos and sightings of note in the near future...so stay tuned!

Cheers

Office Crew