Cook quickly rose through the ranks obtaining the rank of Master which was the highest non-commissioned rank achievable. It was as a Master that he produced his highly valuable maps during the Siege of Quebec that first brought him to the attention of the British Admiralty. During the early 1760s, he surveyed the jagged coastline of Newfoundland gaining a mastery of the skill of practical surveying under the most adverse conditions. His appointment as Captain of the major expedition into the South Seas was a remarkable achievement, as very few men ever managed to rise from seaman to commander and in addition, such high class appointments were usually ridden with bribery and corruption and granted to those with influence. Cook chose a Whitby built collier named the Endeavour, the type of ship that he knew so well. It was stoutly built, well capable of withstanding the pounding sea, could hold a glut of provisions and could be managed by a small crew if necessary. It sailed from Plymouth on 26 August 1768 with a rather large crew of ninety-four. It made its way around Cape Horn and anchored in Tahiti on 13 April 1769 where the observations for the transit of Venus were to be made, however they did not prove to be as conclusive or accurate as had been hoped. It was an idyllic sojourn on the island with the crew and islanders striking up a camaraderie. The Endeavour then continued on to New Zealand, where Cook mapped the entire coastline, remarkably making only some minor errors, in fact the maps used today are little different.

Cook then sailed onto the south-eastern coast of Australia anchoring in Botany Bay, naming it after the rich specimens which the botanists of the expedition had gathered there. It was here that Cook’s crew made first contact with an Aboriginal tribe before heading northwards as far as Possession Island, declaring the entire explored coastline as British. They returned to England via the Cape of Good Hope landing on 12 July 1771. Cook was promoted from Master to Commander and was once again commissioned by the Royal Society to search for the mythical Terra Australis. His first voyage had proved that New Zealand was not connected to a larger landmass and although he had charted the eastern coast of Australia, it was not considered to be what they were looking for, as it was thought to lie much further south. He took two Whitby colliers for his second voyage, Resolution and Adventure, the expedition circumnavigated the globe at a very high southern latitude. Cook almost encountered the mainland of Antarctica but turned northwards back towards Tahiti. Cook’s third and last voyage was to find the North-West Passage, believed to link the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Once again he took the Resolution and another Whitby collier named Discovery. The expedition made landfalls at South Africa, Tasmania, New Zealand, Tahiti, Canada, Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. Sadly however, Cook became involved in a confrontation with a party of Hawaiian islanders in which he was stabbed to death on 14 February 1779. His voyages paved the way for British colonisation of New Zealand and Australia and the advances in surveying and mapping that were garnered, reinforced the Royal Navy’s place as the naval superpower of the time.

Beachcombing and birdwatching, swimming and snorkelling, reef walks and relaxing in your hammock are what Wilson Island is about during the day. Wining, dining and socialising take place later in the communal Longhouse.

The only way you can get to Wilson Island is via Heron Island.

Wilson island could well be described as the ultimate castaway experience as you will realise shortly.

The accommodation and all the principles of Wilson Island are based on eco principles which are firmly adhered to!

Take a look at photographs at http://www.worldwidevacationspots.com/articles/14/1/Wilson-Island-Great-Barrier-Reef/Page1.html

Wilson Island as previously stated in on the Great Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast, and quite frankly it is difficult to imagine anything more attractive, although the three day Wilson Island Package was about long enough.

Beauty, there is in abundance, but like most of us, I have been spoiled by the 21st century luxuries that we now associate with dream islands, such as luxury bathrooms, mains electricity, to name but two!!

Compensations are an unrivalled natural beauty, beautifully clean and clear water, wonderful coral, and tropical fish to snorkel and see easily.

It is however a castaway experience with six permanent tents. The six tents have been designed to combine simplicity and comfort. Based on a modern beachcombing theme, the tents have raised timber floors, king-sized beds and a private decking with uninterrupted reef views. You will be supplied with everything you need apart from en-suite bathroom, but you will need the complete insect screening, and repellent.

The views from the tents are quite breathtaking.

All electricity is I believe by solar power, and batteries, so none of your electrical appliances will work, and the fresh water is rainwater, so all drinking water is bottled.

A separate building houses six showers and dressing area (one designated for each tent), along with toilet and vanity areas. This I’m afraid took be back to my youth hostelling/camping days which I had left behind long ago.

Entertainment and food are not forgotten; each evening begins with sunset pre-dinner drinks and canapés on the beach. The main course is a candle-lit three-course buffet meal with wine, served in the resort’s entertainment building, the Longhouse.

After dinner, guests can join an evening star-gazing walk or even a beach walk to observe the turtles nesting.

A popular activity for early risers is a walk to an area of the island known as the ‘Flintstone Chairs’. These naturally carved coral chairs offer a spectacular view of the colourful Wilson Island sunrise.

Quite honestly this is a beautiful place, but there really is very little to do, apart from wonderful snorkelling, and scuba diving. It is a bit rustic for my taste but in fairness that is what is part of the initial appeal.

Two last things, the wines are very good, and there are no children under the age of sixteen.

The Great Barrier Reef is fun for all ages and group sizes. Sample luxurious resorts or stay in a more adventurous setting such as tent accommodations. Whatever you are looking for on your Australia vacation, A helicopter or seaplane ride is a once in a lifetime experience as you can get a birds eye view of the reef as well as marine life.

Thirty species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded as well as six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed. Bring your family or friends to check out Humpback whale season which last from June until September. Sea Turtles lay their eggs on the beach and their young can be spotted from November through May. In the Southern Hemisphere, November is the equivalent of May in the Northern Hemisphere so prepare appropriately for summer weather. Salt water crocodiles live in and around the mangrove and salt marshes and approximately over 120 shark, stingray, skates or chimera species live on the reef.

If you have the budget you can actually stay on the Reef at either Lizard or Hayman Island. Lizard Island is a luxury tropical resort with two dozen secluded beaches along with a comprehensive Pavilion Day Spa. Hotel staff can even prepare a picnic basked, arrange for snorkeling equipment, and even arrange for you to take a trip in a glass bottom boat perfect for viewing the reef and the sea creatures below. Spend the whole day but bring an underwater camera so that you can share your experience with those less fortunate souls back at home as well as save memories for years to come.

In order to arrive at your resort destination, you will need to coordinate with your resort which airport or helicopter service is most appropriate. Also keep in mind that you may not be allowed to bring very much along with you. 15 kilograms is a good estimate as to how much luggage you may bring. Because of the remoteness of some of your travel, be prepared to bring only what you are willing to carry.

This reef is regarded as one of the wonders of the world and was declared as a World Heritage in 1981. It is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. Being so huge, magnificent dive spots and beautiful marine life and sceneries abound.

The Great Barrier is more than 300,000 sq km in size and consists of more than 3000 reefs. Deciding where to dive in this huge diving destination can be a gigantic headache. Then again, that is a happy problem because of the many wonderful choices you have.

One of the greatest dangers to the reef, especially to the corals is the Crown of Thorns starfish. This starfish eat corals and have ravenous appetites. Vast stretches of underwater life had on many occasions been destroyed by the Crown of Thorns starfish. Do not try to save the reef by cutting up the starfish. It will not die that way, instead it multiplies just like viruses splitting themselves up to multiply their numbers.

Wreck diving is a favorite scuba diving activity. Amongst the many wrecks are Captain James Cook’s ship “Endeavour”. Another famous wreck is that of the HMS Pandora, which met its fate in 1791. There are about 30 shipwreck sites, most of them are opened to wreck divers.

More than 2 million people visit the reef every year spending about a billion US dollars collectively making tourism as the main pillar of the eastern Australia economy. Since tourism dollar is very important, it is vital for the Australian economy to protect the reef from destruction hence it is protected in many ways. As a form of protection, fishing is restricted in some areas and animals such as dolphins, whales, dugong (a seal look alike animal sometimes mistaken for mermaids) are protected.

For the more adventurous divers, there are dives to view shark feedings, especially the ferocious man eater, The Great White Shark. Divers are put into the water in steel cages to view these man eating sharks closed up. For non divers, there are island hopping cruises as well as whale watching cruises to enjoy the Great Barrier Reef.

The reef system is both composed of and supported by billions of tiny organisms known as coral polyps. Much of the reef is also protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and through these protection efforts, many of the vulnerable and endangered species that make the reef their home and are in fact endemic to the reef system are protected as well.

Among these animals are thirty known species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, six species of sea turtles, salt water crocodiles, the Irikandiji jellyfish, the giant clams, and various fish species. These animals call the reef their home year round, so be on the lookout it may be the only time that you will ever be able to seem them outside of a marine theme park.

Each of the islands on the Reef are unique, and more information about all of them can be found by contacting both your travel agent, and the Great Barrier Reef Visitors Bureau. Your Australia vacation is not complete without an exclusive tour of the reef and the chance to come face to face with tropical fish and a cruise of the reef for more exclusive site seeing opportunities.

On Hamilton Island, there are many aviation tour venue options, including sea plane, helicopter, and airplane tours. The nearby Whitsunday islands are known for their sparkling, clear waters, pristine beaches, and unparalleled natural beauty. A sea kayaking excursion is the perfect way to experience the Whitsunday islands, and can consist of a simple day trip, an overnight trip, a night trip, and any combination of these options.

The Great Barrier Reef is a beautiful and important wonder of the natural world, and one that everyone should experience in his or her lifetime. The abundant animals, beautiful beaches, clear water, and dazzling coral reefs are second to none, and with so many islands to choose from, you are guaranteed to never run out of things to do on your next Australian vacation. Anyone that has ever visited this destination, says it is a once in a lifetime experience.