Page 44 - Port Douglas Magazine 39

ODI ET AMO

Encounters of the Minke Kind

WORDS and IMAGES by Federico Facchin The Daintree rainforest is the oldest rainforest in the world, and just a few nautical
miles off the coast you can find the legendary reefs that, all together, build another
incredible ecosystem: the Great Barrier Reef. These two ecosystems have been
AT SEA fighting each other for millennia. Every ice age seizes water into ice caps, lowering
sea levels, and leaving space for the forest to expand onto new land.
We left the harbour on a sunny Thursday morning, and The interglacial period then melts it again, clearing the way for the marine
just 10 minutes later it is pouring down with rain. A thick troops to take over. In other words, we are now sailing on top of what, about 10
fog blinds the boat, reminding me of the whale-watching thousand years ago, was thriving land, covered with lush vegetation and perhaps
cultivated by the Indigenous people of Australia (shall we reconsider the legend
expeditions I used to lead a few years ago on the other of Atlantis?). Both ecosystems are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list
side of the planet when I was living in Iceland. and are home to a countless variety of creatures, most of which can only be found
Winter is coming in Queensland Australia, and the here. But today I’m on board hoping to see some seasonal visitors. A boat sails
next to us, we wave at the passengers and they wave back. There’s something
weather has been quite moody lately. about being at sea. On land you would find it funky if a group of strangers waved
After all, I do live next to a rainforest now. at you, but perhaps at sea, where we wonder and explore, we are brought all
together, closer, like peas in a pod.
46 Port Douglas Magazine & Travel Planner