The Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville is the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium. It is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. We visited this aquarium and had a behind the scenes look at a sea turtle hospital as well as all of the wonderful conservation work being done. We spent the night here and I didn’t think that I’d be able to sleep on the air mattress, but really it was no problem!
On Memorial Day I stopped in the park area next to the Lobster Shop that was displaying a traveling memorial by the Veteran’s for Peace dedicated to the men and women who have died in Iraq since March 2003. Despite the rainy weather people were respectful wandering through the display of headstones, considering the very real cost of war.
I was lucky to have a little time to myself to explore downtown Edmonds, which is a charming town. I walked down the hill to the ferry landing because I remember going there years ago when I still lived in Texas and seeing sea lions or seals. Let me tell you, it was pretty darn exciting to see something so exotic after the flat inland of Texas! I fell in love with the area.
Brackett’s Landing Park is adjacent to the ferry landing and per the informational sign George Brackett founded Edmonds in 1876. This park was dedicated to him in 1963. In 1970 a 27 acre underwater marine preserve and sanctuary was developed, one of the first on the West Coast. Information about the underwater park is located here http://www.edmondswa.gov/services/education/discovery-programs/edmonds-underwater-park.html The way I understand it, there are a bunch of underwater features, like sunken ships and they can be readily found by divers by following the lines attached to the buoys.
