I’m definitely not one of those people who loves to fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks. It doesn’t lull me into a sense of peace, but rather amps me up like the energy of the waves is pushing me on to do things. So it took me some time to fall asleep last night, possibly partly also due to finishing reading The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. Amazingly, however, I slept through dawn and woke up at about 7:30.

We got picked up around 10am and heard the story of how Narelle was woken during the night by the Christmas ornament falling down, a light feathery touch across her forehead, and the weight of a rat running across the bottom of her bed (and over her legs). They’d gone to sleep with only the flyscreen closed and a sizeable gap for the rat to get through. It scurried out when they put the light on. There’s nothing like living out among nature…

Daniel Roux Cave

Our first site for the day was Daniel Roux Cave, which was near the settlement, a 45-minute drive that’s normally shorter when the roads are all open. A friend of Justin’s had recommended the cave but Parks have now deemed it unsafe unless you go with a guide who has a permit. Despite the instructions we’d been sent on how to get there, I don’t think we would have found it without Jess taking us.

We were kitted out with helmets and torches and set off through the jungle, going up to the start of the rocky part. We clambered over rocks, holding on to strangler fig vines (fearful that a golden orb weaver would drop from above), and reached a very narrow metal ladder that took us over a large boulder.

This ladder is looking like it’s seen better days. I didn’t notice on the way up, but I sure did on the way down, that the metal supports that bolt the ladder to the rock have all been partially eaten through. The ladder doesn’t wobble so it’s safe, but it’s an unwelcome observation as you’re going down and the drop to your right is long enough to cause injury if you fell.

Despite my reservations about this ladder, I made it up, one slow rung at a time, and from there on it was fairly easy going. The mouth of the cave is big so no need to get on hands and knees to wiggle through (at which point I would have called it quits). There’s a giant mound of swiftlet guano about halfway in and we could hear the swiftlets in their nests above.

We continued into the big chamber where there were stalactites and stalagmites. Water dropped down the calcium carbonate and created interesting formations. We turned off the lights for a while and communed with the near-darkness, then head out. 

There is much more to the cave system (and there are lots of caves all over the island) but I was happy with the small amount we got to do. I’ve no need to test the limits of my claustrophobia.

Snorkelling to the Max

After the cave, we had lunch at a Flying Fish Cove, then got ready for our snorkelling boat trip. The water was perfect, no rough seas, clear water, heaven. We went east along the coast to find a good spot, eventually settling on the garbage disposal site. There’s a concrete ledge where trucks used to tip the rubbish into the sea so you can go “treasure hunting” here. I saw big schools of yellow fish and black fish and lots of fish swimming on their own. The coral is stunning. The snorkeling is amazing. 

We went west next, going out to a spot where the drop off reaches a kilometre. It was here that we saw two golden bosun sitting on the surface of the water. The birds are much bigger than I expected, having seen them up close.

Second site was at Middle Beach, a small beach that can only be accessed from the sea. It’s got a small cave leading off it, but while most people went to the beach, I stayed in the water. Again saw lots of fish, including butterflyfish, angelfish, and cornetfish. Heaps of coral too, and when I took a moment to look out at the whole expanse, the scene was so beautiful. 

I swam around for a while then went back to the boat but as people were still over on the beach I went swimming again. I looked at the drop off, which was spectacular. The coral stops and the ocean begins, this deep blue water where you can’t see the bottom. It was while doing this second swim that I thought I should look up, and out of the deep came an oceanic manta ray. Bingo!

I swam with it a ways then told the people on the boat and then I kept swimming along the coast. On and on and on as Jasper (that’s the ray’s name now because I said so) lazily glided through the water. The boat collected the others and brought them out to swim with Jasper for a while and then they turned and dove and disappeared into the deep blue sea. I’m not sure how long they stayed with me but it felt like ages.

We then went for a third dive where there were some giant trevally, big, mean, succulent looking fish. It also looks like a well known fishing spot as other boats appeared and cast lines. We didn’t stay long, which was good as I didn’t want to see one get caught.

And that was our snorkeling afternoon. I could really do with another day out on the water at least, which bodes well for a return trip to Christmas Island in the future. Who knows? I might see a whale shark.