Cairns in Nov

[supernova1965]

How many IIS'ers are going to Cairns for the Eclipse and where are you all gathering would be a shame to travel all that way and not meet up:question:

[Jen]

:D yes im Staying at Palm Cove for 7 nights woohoooooo :D

But im not sure where im going to be to view this eclipse i would like to go where most IIS'ers are or we should set a location somewhere for all that would like to do so to meet at lunch time that would be so awsome :)
Have some lunch take some pics and meet some IIS peeps would be soooooo cool

Yes im very keen IS IT NOVEMBER YET :P :question:

:2thumbs:

[gary]

Party of six family members at Palm Cove for the week.

You will recognize us by our IIS eclipse eyewear.

[jjjnettie]

I know us IIS girls are going to meet up and have one hell of an astro party. :)

[mithrandir]

We'll be at Trinity Beach for 5 days. With IIS eclipse shades as in avatar.

[Liz]

oh yeah, for sure!!

Am staying at Mr Carbine, a bit of a way inland (hoping to avoid the cloud that will be in cairns .... maybe),but will definitely travel down the hill after the eclipse to catch iisers. :thumbsup:

Where are you Warren?

[supernova1965]

Don't know yet still trying to find somewhere probably in a tent. But I may know someone who know's some who has an apartment that will be empty.

[gary]

Hi Liz,

Ah yes, beautiful Mount Carbine ... where the weather is always perfect. :whistle:

[Omaroo]

Yep :) Taking the Landrover and finding a clear spot somewhere along the path and near the coast. Anyone else wanting to camp is welcome :)

[Jen]

:D:D:D yes we sure are JJJ :thumbsup:

:party::party::party:

[Forgey]

I wish I was going :(

[bojan]

I will be in Palm Cove...
The problem is, how to get there from Melbourne...

[AstralTraveller]

Flights are still available but they are filling up.

[AstralTraveller]

A group of us are going well inland and camping out. Not sure yet how many 'we' are nor exactly where but plans are firming up rapidly. Should have a pretty good idea in the next week or two.

[Liz]

Doh, thank you Gary :poke: :sunny:

[iceman]

I'll be in Palm Cove with the family too, from the 13th-20th.

I booked flights a few weeks ago. Was able to use my frequent flyers built up last year, but still cost $1300.

[ThunderChild]

I'll be in Palm Cove with the family also - from the 9th-14th.
Will take our HUGE camper trailer to the Palm Cove Caravan and Camp Ground...
made the booking last night - and now it's starting to feel real!!!!!!

I'm planning on walking out onto the beach from the campsite to just a bit south of the pier.

Might have to write some code that will show on my screen how many seconds remain until the eclipse....

[AstralTraveller]

You can still get in?? I'm surprised.



Just be aware that the eclipse occurs as the tide is coming in. Mostly the beaches up there are fully submerged at high tide ... and are often mud flats the rest of the time.




Seconds!!! :rofl::rofl:

[gary]

For the benefit of those who haven't been up to Cairns, this image that was taken
from a web cam at 3:15 pm today from the marina at Cairns looking east
across Trinity inlet demonstrates how the clouds can get hung up on the
surrounding mountains essentially forming its own microclimate.

In past years going up there, we have experienced quite a few times
that you can drive down from the Atherton Tablelands through heavy mist at
midday only to emerge at lower altitudes into a brilliant sunny day, over a distance
that is only a few km.

The Atherton Tablelands aren't littered with scattered remnant rainforest and waterfalls
without good reason.

With luck on the eclipse day, we will have nothing but blue skies. :thumbsup:

But as a rule of thumb, if the weather is iffy, you might want to plan to be on one
side of the ranges or the other.

Cairns Marina web cam here -
http://www.cairnsinfo.com/webcam.php

[erick]

Must book flights. But I plan to fly to Townsville, pick up a car for a driving holiday around the Region with my wife. Mt Carbine Caravan park for us (Hi Liz!).

Now who is going to nominate a location in Cairns - a park?? - where we can all gather from midday on Eclipse day and share horror stories about the cloud!

Come on, there has to be an Organiser out there?

[astroron]

I will be staying at Clifton Beach north of Cairns for five days:D
Going up by train /sleeper then hire car for the stay so should have plenty of time to catch up with everyone :D
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Analog6]

Well, I had planned for this for years but unfortunately have now been out of work for 27 months so it is out of the question, unless I have a windfall. If that unlikely thing happens, I'll drive up and camp somewhere, anywhere, so I can see it. The van has everything I need except a loo so it could, possibly, happen.

[Jeffkop]

Ahemmmmm .. people .. Palm Cove ISNT THAT big !!!
Me thinks its going to be mighty squishie seeing as everyone south of townsville north of hobart plans to stay there.

Think I will be relaxing just around the corner (Bucans Point) and setting up the camper trailer at Ellis Beach

[supernova1965]

I just looked up Bucans point and it seems it is a clothes optional beach:P:rofl:

[astroron]

:hi:Odille, maybe there will be someone on iceinspace in Northern NSW/ South East Queensland, who may want to go and could share costs, I am sure you could get some takers :)
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Jeffkop]

Yep Warren ... further North from Bucans the sun protection saying changes to ... Slip Slip Slip

[cathalferris]

All going to plan, I'll make to Cairns from Ireland to see the eclipse.. (and also to meet up with my GF who'll be travelling SE Asia for the last 5 months of this year)..

Worst case scenario with everything booked out I'll bring a tent and sleeping bag, rent a car off the plane and drive up. I'm used to 600-800 mile/day driving across Europe, so it'll be interesting to do that tour with a light grab'n'go scope and a decent camera for my first taste of Southern skies.

Still in the polanning stages at the moment though I know I have got get my ass in gear if I want to get flights at a half-reasonable price, but I'll have 3 or more weeks to play with.

[AstralTraveller]

I'm not sure what you mean by 'drive up'? From where to where?

In any case, if you are arriving from Limerick the weather will be a bit of a change (I've been in Limerick in November) and can be a challenge. For Cairns expect low 30's with very high humidity. It's energy sapping. Inland is drier but expect 35-40. Water and exposure become real issues. You will drink 5l per day min. Walking in the heat of the day without adequate protection is dangerous. You will need a broad brimmed hat, long sleeve cotton shirt with collar and maybe even long cotton trousers. Jeans are way hot. Use plenty of sunscreen.

I don't know about international flights but domestic flights are filling up. Most accommodation seems to be booked out, including caravan parks inland.

[gary]

Hi Jeff,

You might want to carefully evaluate your choice of "just around the corner"
at Buchans Point from where to observe the eclipse.

Based on simulations of the sun position I did a couple of years ago, if you
are too far south on Ellis Beach, close to Buchans Point, then Buchans Point
headland itself is likely to obscure the early stages of the eclipse.

Keep in mind that you are north of the Tropic of Capricorn and the date is 14 Nov
and the eclipse starts at 05:45 AEST.
The sun will rise over the Coral Sea in the south-eastern sky.
The beach itself faces north-east.

Though the headland itself is only about 50m AMSL, it extends out from the
beach by about 300m plus a high tide of 2.5m to 3.5m will be coming in
which peaks a couple of hours after the eclipse ends. Waves average about
half a meter. The beach is moderately steep to steep. All eclipse goers
should be mindful that around 3am when you might be setting up your gear
near the water before the sun has risen, that the tide will low. Don't get
caught by a rising tide which will result in you having to scramble higher up
the beach to find a dry spot.

Though from a vantage point at the south end of Ellis Beach the sun should
be above the headland at totality, a better view might be afforded from a vantage
point more toward the northern end of the beach. This will then allow a
view of the sun as it comes up over the reef.

Having said that, I will leave it as an exercise for you to independently verify
and evaluate in case my own estimate is incorrect, but I hope you find
this heads-up beneficial. :thumbsup:

Whenever we drive that scenic stretch between Cairns and Port Douglas,
in the stretch between Buchans Point and Port Douglas,
finding a parking spot at any of the small car parks at the beaches along the way,
even in off-season, can be tricky. Likewise whenever there is a clearing to
get a view of the ocean from the road, finding somewhere safe to pull-over
is usually difficult. It's a drive where I often think the passengers have the
biggest advantage as at least they can crane their necks to get a glimpse
of the occasional view whilst the driver has to concentrate on the narrow and
sometimes winding road. Come eclipse day, one can anticipate considerably
more traffic on that stretch, all vying for very limited places to stop.

[bojan]

I just booked flight to Cairns and back.. See you all in Palm Cove :)

[Allan_L]

I just confirmed my booking at Mt Carbine Caravan Park.
Wanna get in early. Arriving friday 9th leaving friday 16th.
Looking forward to meeting lots of IISers.

Travelling alone :sadeyes: (my wife is happy the stars and stuff are there; but thats the end of it !!! ) in my little campervan.

Happy to convoy with anyone else travelling ??? :) :hi: :)

[Liz]

See you there Allan. :)

[supernova1965]

Just trying to get an overview of where the most people from IIS will be viewing from please report in so I can figure out where I will view from:thumbsup::thanx:

[Liz]

Seems to be a few at Palm Cove, not sure where the other groups are now, apart from a few up at Mt Carbine. :)

[supernova1965]

Hi Liz, How goes everything has your robo vac eaten you yet:P:rofl:

Is that viewing or staying at Palm Cove Liz?

[mithrandir]

Heather and I are headed for Trinity Beach.

[Liz]

Hmm ... not sure actually if the guys staying at Palm Cove will be viewing there???

[supernova1965]

Pam and I just booked in HERE (http://www.seecairns.com/budgetcabins.html) and they said all the coconut cabins are still available for the 13th of November I don't know about other days but we only booked for the 13th and we are going to have a holiday for a few weeks on the way up to cairns. So any that don't have accommodation should get onto them :thumbsup:

[bojan]

I will try.. not sure if it's possible, but they told me room windows are facing east..

[zardos123]

A group of 16 from maitland camera club and newcastle astronomical society going to Blue lagoon trinity beach just down the road from palm cove, i have been talking to a local tim curruthers, meet him at the malins a couple of years ago(an iis member) he recommends the oval at mt carbine as a plan b if cloudy on the coast. We will have a couple of keen twichers with us so at least one day of rainforrest bird photography will be planned as well:)
brad

[Allan_L]

For those of us staying at Mt Carbine van park, this sounds like good news ! :) Will have to suss it out. Thanks Brad.