Lady Elliot Island
September 30th 2007 22:52
The never-ending blue was suddenly interrupted by a tiny speck of white, which did not seem to grow much bigger as we flew closer. The wings of the plane dipped as we made a lazy arc in the sky, giving us a perfect aerial view of what can only be described as paradise. The white shore and surrounding reef stained the turquoise water like a drop of ink spreading across wet paper, slowly fading as it was swallowed by the depths. I was speechless… until I saw the runway!
A single brown line scarred the centre of the island, stretching from one end to the other. It looked like something one would expect to see in the wilds of Africa, in fact I half expected a giraffe to come ambling out of the trees which lined the rocky strip. History shows that goats were often left on islands in the Great Barrier Reef as a food source should any sailors become stranded. As a result the vegetation struggled to grow and it was only in the late 1960`s and early 1970’s when they were removed that native plants were able to flourish again.
Time stands still on Lady Elliot. There is something magical about the thought of being on an island in the middle of the ocean, of being surrounded by nothing and no one - no TV, no mobile phones, no cars- just time to relax and indulge in the splendours of Mother Nature. It is not nicknamed ‘The Lazy Lady’ for nothing - thirty-six hours there felt like a week in ‘civilization’.
The accommodation was fairly basic - a tented cabin with two bunk beds and a small table. Communal ablution blocks were only a short distance away and very clean. If you would like to make your stay a little more luxurious air conditioned cabins with private bathrooms and small kitchenettes are available right on the beach front. However, with a volleyball court, diving and snorkelling facilities, glass-bottom boat tours, beachfront bar and dining room, reef walks and much, much more you will find you won’t want to spend too much time in your room!
Just before sunset we rustled up some cocktails from the bar and made the short walk across to Sunset Beach, located on the Western side of the island. Not only is this the best place to watch the sun sink slowly below the waves, but during the day it provides an excellent snorkelling spot. Whilst we watched the sky transform from a brilliant blue to a gentle purple and sipped on our drinks a pod of whales decided to pay a visit, breaching close to the shore. The sunset was soon forgotten as everyone stopped to gaze in awe at the gentle giants lunging out of the water, slapping the surface with their sleek arms and playing with their young before disappearing off into the distance.
Evenings are rather quietly spent chatting over dinner with other guests and enjoying a drink at the bar with the option of partaking in evening events such as trivia nights, star gazing and guided island walks. No matter where your interests lie you will leave the island feeling relaxed and ready to take on the world.
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