From the Trainee Ewan Kepple 19-23/03/06

We came in to Townsville running away from the Cyclone Larry. We fellas left the boat and went for a big walk to find McDonalds and look around.

That night, when the cyclone was coming, we had takeaway pizza then left Ini to look after the boat and all went to the hotel. We were all in the hotel together all cosy while all the wind and rain and the sea was like a washing machine outside. We watched the cyclone on TV.

Then the next day one of the scientists from ReefHQ got us into the Aquarium and we had a look at all the different kinds of species of fish. We were happy to be in the Aquarium because it was pouring down rain.

On Tuesday we went around town for a walk catching up with some junk food that we had missed because Jayne only cooks really good food on the boat. Then we went to the movies but first of all before the movie started we were playing the games at the cinema. That night we went to Jo's (Johanna Johnson) house for a barbeque and a couple of drinks.

On Wednesday we a bit of a talk with the media. In the morning I was talking on the radio station 4K1G. It was my first time talking on the radio because I never did it before. It was a bit of a challenge for me but I done well. Then the media came and lots of people came, plus the channel Seven news. A couple of the other boys talked on the TV, and later I was talking on ABC radio.

In the afternoon, us fellas went to the cultural centre, and then we went for a walk and then we went to the Imax movie, Island of Sharks, and it was really freaky. It was different than normal movies. The screen was really big and went all around us. It was really great, never seen such a thing in my life.

Later we went again to the Aquarium, I liked the fella who was explaining to us about all the things in the tank. He was actually talking to us when he was scuba diving inside the tank and the lady was talking to him on a microphone. He was pretty scared of the Potato Cod. He was also scratching the turtle down.

We left on Wednesday night back to sea. In the morning I went diving and saw heaps of damage in the reef what cyclone Larry did. It was a mess. We also done some diving theory and we are almost ready for our exam. Then I will be a qualified diver !! Yeeeehooooooo !!

Talk to you soon,

From Ewan.