We found our boat, Billfish, at Marlin Marina, and met Rick (skipper, enormous, Aussie, voluble and very jolly) and Simon (first mate, English - from Sheffield many years ago, quiet and smiley). Then with us in the shade on the flybridge we motored our way the hour or so to Michaelmas Cay.
We left Cairns in sunshine, but on the way the sky got greyer and greyer, until when we moored up on a buoy off the reef, it was raining. So being English and indefatigable, we had a cup of tea to wait it out. And a short while later it went. So then we were in...
Masks, snorkels and flippers fitted (Jemima had a go on the boat and loved the snorkel); and over the side. The water was warm - 29 degrees; and we were welcomed in by huge triangular flat bat fish (half the size of Jemima) and big black fish-shaped Giant Trevallies (one of whom, Scar, recognises Rick and his boat and always comes to say hello, apparently). Jemima didn't get on with the mask in the water - it was slightly too big; so instead, with goggles on, armbands on, and hanging over a woggle, she was off! Big breath, head in, feet kicking, completely unphased by the enormous fish: "this is amazing!!!". She's always loved an aquarium, and now she was swimming in one.
So for me, the highlight moment of my birthday was Kevin and I holding each end of Jemima's woggle as we did a family snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef, pointing out the various and plentiful fish we could see to each other, with Jemima taking breath after breath and plunging her head in to see then squeaking with amazement. I only wish I could have got a photo of it, but I will remember it forever.
Then Rick joined us (like a seal, he was fairly ungainly on land (he had knackered his knees doing sport, apparently), but was completely at home in the water. He led us over the Reef, diving down to tickle giant clams to make them close; and pointing out fish including (rare apparently) a school of squid. Then when Jemima got tired he gave her a ride to shore, ploughing through the water with Jemima surfing along on his back. The sand was that crunchy white coral sand, and the Cay was low, flat, tree-less and covered in thousands of terns. Good, but not as good as below water. So we made our stately way back across the reef, gawping below as we went, for a well-earned lunch on the boat. (Jemima ate sweets (first time ever) and I had a full fat Coke (first time in years) so it really was a red letter day.)
Rick's tradition after lunch is to feed leftovers to the fish. So Jemima had enormous fun throwing in chicken wing bones (of which she'd scoffed three), and bread, and we watched the boiling sea below. Scar was fairly uninterested in the bread, but as soon as a wing was on its way, so was he, unbelievably fast. And the bat fish were so excited by half a baguette that they were part out of the water in their efforts to bag some. Then we had planned a post lunch swim, but sadly spotted jellyfish from the boat so decided not to risk it. Instead I was sent to the bow with a glass of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (thank you Rick) and a towel for a sunbathe while we cruised to see another island. The sunbathe became a drowsy snooze as I basked in the sunshine, rocking with the boat, blissfully happy, and feeling very, very lucky.
And then it was all over. A fond farewell to Billfish and her crew (Rick in particular was hugely impressed with Jemima's goggle snorkelling, and let her drive the boat on the way home); and back to the room for a quick rest before dinner.
We were all shattered. But an hour later, in our best outfits, we were on our way to the restaurant - ten minutes walk. And then the heavens opened. Cairns at this time of year gets tropical thunderstorms, and this was a goodie: we sheltered under a shop awning watching sheets of rain pound down. You could see people caught in it were soaked to the skin. Not a good look for dinner. And we were only three minutes walk away! We were stuck. Time ticked on; now we were late; the rain slackened slightly - so we made a run for it (Jemima managing to enjoy splashing in the puddles as we went). And we arrived, damp but thankfully not too bad (I fared best - bare arms wipe dry, and I had a cardigan over my head too; Kevin's thickish shirt took a while to dry out).
Dinner was a giant seafood platter, with champagne and then a NZ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. And dessert arrived with chocolate writing, sparklers and singing (and my parents joined in on FaceTime which was lovely).
And then that was it; a taxi through the rain home to bed, tired but very happy after a brilliant day. Thank you to everyone for the presents, cards and birthday wishes, and especially Kevin and Jemima for such a wonderful day. So far, so very good for 40.
