Experiencing the Great Barrier Reef

Posted on by Thor

The boat out to the Great Barrier Reef left early. On the Reef Magic Cruise Ship I had a shady outside aft deck where I could keep my eyes on the horizon. The ocean was calm and so was my stomach. The boat took us to a large off shore platform called Marine World. From here you could choose to take a helicopter flight, a glass bottom boat, scuba diving, or our choice, snorkeling. I had thought ahead and put on my full body neoprene snorkel suit which keeps me warm and blocks sunburn. Rentals for flippers, snorkels and a mask were quite affordable. The water was warm enough so that some people went out without a protective layer, but they got burnt. I wondered why we weren’t warned against the use of liquid sun screen. Imagine all those chemicals diffusing in the water and sinking down towards the corals. I’m sure it can’t be good for this delicate Eco-system.

I used to have a 200 gallon in wall reef tank that I set up in my home. Getting the right balance of light, calcium, temperature and nutrients is difficult.  Some people have computer systems that keep all these levels in check, but I just checked the chemistry weekly while doing massive water changes. It was an amazing amount of work, yet worth it because in its prime, the tank was gorgeous. Then algae took hold and spread. At first I kept it in check with algae eating fish like Gobies but soon it was out of control. I did several large oil paintings of friends reef tanks and then dismantled my tank and patched the hole in the wall. I hung an oil painting where the tank used to be. This way I got to appreciate the beauty without the hard work of keeping it all alive.

Terry and I floated out on the water and stayed fairly close together. I made it my responsibility to follow her movements. The reef was unimaginably immense and gorgeous. I swam over a brain coral that was the size of a small house. Plate Corals giant open palms caught the sunlight while soft corals waved in the gentle currents. Everywhere I looked, I saw corals that I used to have in my tank, but here they were part of a large thriving community. Near the platform a grouper as large as me swam lazily by. Fish swam together in schools, darting in between coral structures. In several spots the coral grew so close to the surface of the water, that I had to suck my tummy in to keep from touching them as I floated over. Out near the edge of the roped off area, the reef suddenly dropped down creating a reef wall. Hundreds of feet down, I could see sting rays swimming on the sandy bottom. This was the environment I had tried to recreate with my tank, but the reality is so much more overwhelming. I could hear Trigger Fish chomping on corals and a Tang swam up to my mask to stare at me.

One part of the reef disturbed me. There was a mountain of dead Staghorn coral skeletons. When alive these corals are brightly colored. The dead skeletons were white. Clearly scuba divers must patrol this area of the reef each night after the tourists have left and they collect the dead corals and drop them in this pile. Hard skeleton corals like the Staghorns are the hardest to keep alive in a reef tank. A sudden spike in temperature can cause the delicate flesh to peel away from the skeleton. Despite the colorful beauty all over the reef, I began to notice signs of stress and decay. I recognized the signs because I was always trying to keep my corals healthy in my small Eco-system. Terry and I floated out on the reef as long as we could. I’m so happy I got to see this miracle of nature up close. It may not be there forever.

Back on the platform the staff set up an immense buffet lunch. People piled the food up on their plates like this was their last meal. I barely ate, instead drinking lots of water for fear of sea sickness on the boat ride back. I did get a bit dizzy in the hectic rush of removing the tight snorkeling suit. The platform pitched ever so gently. I’m proud to say I survived the boat ride back. I was starving when we got back to dry land. That night we went out to a wonderful seafood restaurant called Barnacle Bills (103 Esplanade, Cairns QLD 4870, Australia). It was expensive, but well worth it. I had a second glass of wine and loved the world on the walk back to Shangrila. Back at the hotel, I found out that a two inch strip of my forehead had gotten a bright red burn. There seems to have been a gap between the hood and the scuba mask. Exhausted, burnt and satiated, I blacked out, the second my head hit the pillow. Perhaps a vacation from all this vacationing is in order.

Reaching Shangrila in Cairns Australia.

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The Shangrila is a five star hotel right on the water in Cairns (Pier Point Road, Cairns QLD 4870, Australia). The room was spacious and well appointed with large photos of reef Corals decorating the walls. Terry went for a walk after we checked in, so I did a sketch from our balcony. As you can see, our view was of the expansive parking lot. I kept the sketch loose by putting watercolor washes down first and only adding line work where it was needed. I should work this way more often. In the distance I could see crowds of tourists walking the main street shopping and looking for restaurants.

After the sketch was done, I flicked on the TV and found a fascinating program that showcases artists who explain their painting process. It was a fabulous show and I got to watch a painting develop from start to finish. I don’t know why there isn’t a show like this in the states. I guess the audience might be consider a bit limited but I thought it was an awesome show. Another program featured four portrait artists who were all assigned a commission to paint a military veteran’s portrait. Only one artists work would win the grand prize and hang in a British museum. With high stakes, it was fascinating to see how each artist handled the commission. There was yet another show that featured a convicted forger teaching artists how to paint like John Singer Sargent. I was transfixed. We need programs like this in the states. The arts are so revered and appropriated in Australia.

Shangrila was our home base for a day trip to snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef. After my bout of sea sickness while whale watching, I did research online to find ways to avoid it happening again. One remedy suggested saltines the day before, so I got a box of saltines and popped some Dramamines and drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow would be a long day.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for April 18th and 19th.

Posted on by Thor

Saturday April 18, 2015 

9:30am to 6pm Free. Bar Camp Orlando 2015. Church Street Exchange Building (NOT The Cheyenne saloon, but across the street).  If you want a T-shirt and a speaking slot I highly recommend you come early (as in before 11 AM).  We always seem to run out of both as the day progresses.

If you plan to present with slides, please bring the proper VGA adapter for your laptop and do not depend on / expect any wifi.  Also please try to ensure your talk does not go too far beyond the 20 minute mark.  Each talk slot will be on the hour and half hour, allowing for a little time for questions (5 minutess) and for foot traffic (5 minutes).

The board will open for talk sign ups at 9:30 AM and the first talks will start at 10 AM.

The venue’s this year will be Canvs, the Iron Yard, and maybe a few other spaces.. depending.

If you want to help setup (which mostly means unload chairs), feel free to come hang out around 9 AM. Here is the Schedule for Saturday (right off the website)

9:30 am Doors open, people can sign up for talks on the big whiteboard.

10:00 am Talks start. There are three rooms for presentations, and each presentation will have 25 minutes and they will be spaced out. We recommend that you limit your talks to about 20 minutes to allow 5 minutes for discussion (and in case you run long).

12:00 pm Lunch, we take an hour break.

1:00 pm Talks resume.

6:00 pm Bar Camp ends and the after-party starts!

3pm to 7pm Free. Cruisin’ Downtown DeLand Car Show! East Indiana Ave Downtown DeLand, Deland FL. Classic cars & rods.  Live DJ, giveaways, shopping & dining. Fun for the family! Every 3rd Saturday night! INFO: & for showing your car 386-738-0649

http://mainstreetdeland.org

7:30pm to 9:30pm Free. Nuclear Bubble Wrap, Marc with a C, and The Gekkos. The Geek Easy 114 S Semoran Blvd Suite 6, Winter Park, Florida. Nuclear Bubble Wrap is an alternative rock band from Nashville, TN that will be performing a special acoustic style show in Orlando, FL alongside hometown favorites Marc With a C and The Gekkos!!!

If you’re looking for something to do and want to experience something new and amazing then look no further! Come on out and have a good time! COSTUMES ARE ENCOURAGED and there is NO COVER CHARGE!!

We’ll also be working once again with FishToaster and streaming the event on our Twitch.TV.

Do us a solid and share the event if you support indie music and building a killer local event scene!



Sunday April 19, 2015

1pm to 3pm Free. Yoga. Lake Eola Park, 195 N Rosalind Ave, Orlando, FL. Weekly on the East lawn of Lake Eola.

5pm to 9pm Free but get a bite or two. Orlando Food Truck Bazaar. Orlando Fashion Square, 3201 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL.

9pm to 11pm. Free. Comedy Open Mic. Austin’s Coffee, 929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL. Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.

Flying from Ayers Rock to Sydney and back up to Cairns Australia.

Posted on by Thor

Australia is larger than the United States. If Ayers Rock were about where Kansas City is, then Cairns would be a flight to NYC. However, we had to fly south to Sydney which would be the equivalent of a flight to Orlando and then we caught a second plane to fly up to Cairns (NYC distance). What could have been a short hop over flight, ended up taking most of the day. I can’t complain too much however since there was plenty of time to sketch in the airport.

Cairns is a beautiful coastal town but by the time we got there, it was dark and we were getting punchy. Finding the Lilybank Bed and Breakfast (75 Kamerunga Rd, Stratford QLD 4870) while driving the rental at night was stressful.  We searched for house numbers but they weren’t illuminated. I knew we must have passed the place not to far back, so I parked the car on the street and started walking the neighborhood. I figured I would see house numbers better on foot. Terry was furious, calling for directions. We both found the place about the same time.

I loved this Bed and Breakfast and would have liked to spend more time there. The Queenslander-style property had old fashioned wood slated windows and it looked like it belonged in the outback. There was a lily pond built inside the patio and the proprietress pointed out a large bull frog that hides in different foliage each day. She was searching for a koi fish , which I thought I saw, but then I realized it was light reflecting off one of the windows on the water’s surface. There was a nice pool outside but we never stayed long enough to relax beside it.

Over breakfast she told us a story about “Naughty Ned.” Ned was married, but had a wandering eye. It seems he couldn’t keep himself from flirting and having affairs. His wife left him but they remained friends. He had an odd hobby in that he loved to collect bees. This was strange because he was allergic to bees. Ned took the usual precautions with the bee keepers suit and smoker. He purchased several hives from a neighbor and his former wife helped in the move. For some reason the bees left the hive and congregated way up in a tree. In a fit, Ned climbed the tree with a saw and decided that cutting the branch would get the bees down. He wasn’t wearing his bee suit and he was stung hundreds of times. lt wasn’t a great idea. His wife rushed off to get his epi shot but her panic, she pricked herself with the needle. As she searched for a second shot, Ned died. I’m not sure what the moral of the story is. Perhaps, don’t be naughty, or better yet don’t collect bees if you are allergic to them.

The Kulpi Mutitjulu Cave was filled with cave paintings.

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Terry and I hiked around the base of Uluru quite a bit. The Kulpi Mutitjulu Cave was filled with faint cave paintings. Young aboriginal boys would be brought to this cave where they watched their fathers hunt. When they were old enough to become men, they would come here alone and live off the land. A short hike up the trail is the only natural water hole for miles. I don’t understand where the water comes from since it never seems to rain. A large snake flashed across the trail startling both Terry and myself. Life seems surprising in the outback and yet the area is filled with hints of its dream time creation.

The physical features of Uluru are of great cultural significance to the Anangu traditional owners. The caves and rock formations on the trail relate to the activities of Minyma Kuniya (Woma Python Woman) and Wati Liru (Poisonous Snake Man) during the creation time….

“Minyma Kuniya the woma python woman
came from the east near Erldunda. A bad feeling grew in her
stomach–something was wrong. She had to go to Uluru. Kuniya created inma (ceremony) to
connect her eggs together. She carried them to Uluru in a ring around
her neck and placed them at Kuniya Piti. Meanwhile, Kuniya’s nephew arrived on
the other side of Uluru. He was being chased by a war party of Liru
(poisonous snake) men from out near Kata Tjuta. He had broken the law in their land and they were sent to punish him. The Liru men threw spears at Kuniya’s nephew. One pierced his thigh and many others hit the side of Uluru. One Liru warrior, Wati Liru, was left
to care for the injured python man. But he did not do his duty and left
the injured man on his own. Minyma Kuniya realised that her nephew had been injured and was not being cared for properly. She raced to Mutitjulu Waterhole and
saw Wati Liru high up on the cliff. She called out to him about her
nephew, but he only laughed. Minyma Kuniya placed her wana (digging
stick) upright in the ground in front of her. Kneeling down, she picked
up handfuls of sand and threw it over her body, singing and making
herself stronger. She was creating inma (ceremony) to help her confront Wati Liru. Kuniya moved towards Liru singing and dancing akuta–a dance step used by women ready to fight. Kuniya hit him once over the head with her wana. He fell down but got back up. She hit him a second time and killed him. Kuniya then went and found her injured nephew. She picked him up, dusted him off and carried him to Mutitjulu Waterhole. She created inma and combined their
two spirits into one. They became Wanampi, the rainbow serpent, who
lives in and protects the waterhole today.”

This story teaches a traditional form of payback punishment–a spear to the thigh. the punisher must then look after the injured person until they are well enough to care for themselves. It also teaches about women’s intuition and that a woman may use force to protect her children. This is a powerful story, Kuniya is a powerful woman.” Physical signs remain evident in the rock of this ancient confrontation. Slowing down to sketch helped me stop and reflect by 0bserving the serpentine flow of the hills only interrupted by the burnt black trunks of trees and flowing sage.

The Ayers Rock Visitors Center offered insights into Aboriginal Art and Culture.

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We stopped at the Ayers Rock Visitors Center where I did one more sketch of the monolith. I loved catching the colors of this Martian landscape with black burnt twisted tree trunks spiraling up in knots from roots that clutched for moisture. There were a series of covered picnic tables. Charred dead wood is used to create curbs at the edge of the dirt trails. Amazingly two tourists from Germany were using a barbeque grill to cook lunch. Flies swarmed around their cooking meat and my head. I think the flies inspired brevity in my sketches. Either flies love my work, or they try to drink up the pigments.

Outside the visitors center, an Aboriginal woman sat  cross legged and painted a traditional dream time painting that consisted of thousands of dots covering the canvas. I was of course tempted to draw her, but I had already done this sketch. For my sanity and Terry’s I only do one sketch a day on vacation. Once it is done, I just relax and soak in the sights without even being tempted to shoot photos.

We kind of skipped quickly through the educational film to make our way to the cafe. What I craved was an ice cream cone and a Coke. Luckily I found both. That cold burn never tasted so good. Terry had been having an animated conversation with the sales girl and she asked me to show my sketch book. I responded with “think-q” to the compliments.

Manta means landscape in Pitjantjatjara.

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A dirt road circles all around Ayers Rock, or Uluru as the Aborigines refer to it. Angangu are the traditional caretakers of Uluru and Kata Tjuta and the surrounding landscape. In this sketch Kata Tjuta can be seen in the distance shrowded in blue mist. Like Uluru it juts up from the otherwise flat landscape. It is far more eroded than Uluru having multiple spires. These two monoliths has always been a special place for the Angangu. It isn’t only a rock, but it is a living place that creation beings have left their marks upon.

30 years ago Uluru was officially returned to aboriginal ownership. The ceremony, performed in the shadow of the immense rock, remains one
of the most significant moments in the Aboriginal land-rights movement. Under the terms of the handover agreement, the Anangu people leased
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to the Australian Parks and Wildlife
Service for 99 years, ensuring the public’s ongoing access, as well as
continued funds to the local community. In 2003 the Mititjulu Foundation was formed which raises funds for local Aboriginal communities. Guests at the Ayers Rock Resort can donate to this foundation and the resort matches contributions dollar for dollar. The projects funded include, renovations to a youth center, materials for local schools, a mountain bike program, sports and musical instruments and assistance for women’s health screenings.

At this roadside overlook, an elevated trail brings tourists out to several viewing platforms.  As I did this watercolor, flies gathered on the pages to suck up the moisture. I worked quickly to keep from going insane from all the buzzing. A local joked with me saying that the Australian salute was the act of whisking away flies from your face. I had on a mesh over my head, and flies walked on it inches from my face. Had I sketched one it would have looked like a monstrous giant. I liked the reddish tint that dusted my hiking boots as we walked the trails around Uluru.

Ayers Rock shares its magic.

Posted on by Thor

The rusty red road cut through the sage brush and an orange cloud rose up behind our rental as we drove to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to Ayers Rock. The plan was to wait for sunset when the golden hour would light up the rock a deep crimson. It was a cloudy day however and that crimson flash never appeared. Next to the road side parking lot people lined up along the barbed wire fence with their cameras poised in anticipation. Children played in the red dust. I noticed that tiny red stones would stick to the magnetic clasp on my art bag. I’m not sure if the photographer with the tripod ever got his picture.

Flies came out in swarms. Tourists flicked them away  from their ears and face, but the flies would simply circle around and dive bomb into peoples ear canals. I wore a fine green mesh over my hat. The flies would crawl in front of my face, but they couldn’t get to me. I also put two erasers in my ears which kept the high pitched drone from pinching my nerves. Terry hiked down the line of tourists hoping to get a better view. Colors slowly faded to grey as night set in.

When my sketch was done I waited at the car for Terry to return from her hike. It began to rain very lightly. I stashed my art bag under the rental to keep it dry.  Next to me several tourists were cooking their dinner over a camping stove. Their VW Bus was converted into a makeshift camper. They were roughing it through the outback. I started to get concerned that Terry might have gotten lost. She eventually did show up in the darkness. We were one of the last cars to leave the lot.

When Terry and I got back to Sails in the Desert Resort, we relaxed over a fine meal at Ilkari Restaurant. We were told that the desert bar was complimentary, but we sampled the ice creams so often that a charge was added to our bill. All the food has to be driven hundreds of miles across the desert to this isolated resort so ice cream is a real luxury. Just having air conditioning is a luxury.

Flying to Ayers Rock, Australia.

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Ayers Rock is located far north of Melbourne in the midst of Australia‘s vast “outback” or desert. Flying within Australia is incredibly easy. There is no customs and no security check points. Australians have the innocence of not feeling that they are a target for terrorist attacks and thus there are no full body scans, no removing your shoes and belt. You just board your plane and enjoy the flight. There was a short delay. I joked with Terry as we boarded that they might have to hold the plane together with Duck Tape. Amazingly my tray table was Duck Taped to the seat in front of me. Scrawled on the Duck Tape with a sharpie, I was informed, “TRAY INOP DO NOT USE.” Flying over Australia is very different than flying over America. America is cut up into a definite grid with farms and cities sprawling  out in a checker board pattern. In Australia there was only an occasional road stretching off into the infinite distance. The entire country outside of the coastline seemed to be an endless expanse of rusty desert.

When the plane approached Ayers rock, it was the only landmark we had seen the whole flight. The size was hard to distinguish since it was unclear how high the plane was flying. The airport was a bit larger than a shed and the heat assaulted us when we walked off the plane onto the tarmac and then inside.  The only features inside the airport were the luggage claim area and a car rental counter. We rented a car so we could explore the area a bit. About a quarter of a mile from the airport was the only civilization in the area, the huge Ayers Rock Resort. We stayed at Sails in the Desert which was a very environmental friendly resort. Solar panels supplied the power and water was conserved. The bright yellow buildings glowed against the blood red desert. The central resort area seemed like an unlikely oasis with its pool and palm trees.

I ordered some room service and relaxed while Terry explored the resort. Flies are abundant in the outback. The best investment Terry made was in two nets that fit over our hats. I felt like a geek at first but without that net, I never could have sketched because flies know how to bug people by flying in their eyes and buzzing in their ears. Within a minute it is maddening. The next day we would head to the Rock.

Weekend Top 6 Picks for April 11th and 12th.

Posted on by Thor

Saturday April 11, 2015

8am to 2pm Free. Second Seconds. The Carousel Emporium 2000 Alden Road Orlando FL. Monthly antique Flea Market.

6pm to 8pm Free. Brewery Tour. Orlando Brewing, 1301 Atlanta Ave, Orlando, FL.

7pm to 9pm $5. Second Saturdays. 202 S Sanford Ave, Sanford, FL. Live music event featuring 2 stages, drink specials and more.

Sunday April 12, 2015

1pm to 3pm Free. Script Reading Workshop. Sleuths Mystery Dinner Show, 8267 International Drive, Orlando, FL. Read and workshop plays.

6pm to 8pm Free but get a drink or bite. SHUT YOUR FACE! Poetry Slam by Curtis Meyer! La Casa De La Paellas 10414 E Colonial Dr Orlando FL. The only current ongoing slam in Orlando officially certified by Poetry Slam Incorporated, IE. Send a team to Nats as well as poets to The Individual World Poetry Slam & Women of The World Poetry Slam! $50 to the winner! If you’ve never seen or been in a slam before, it’s definitely worth checking out!

INFO: curtisxmeyer@hotmail.com

9pm to 11pm Free. Comedy Open Mic. Austin’s Coffee, 929 W Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, FL. Free comedy show! Come out & laugh, or give it a try yourself.