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Enderby Island teems with albatross, assorted penguins, petrels, parakeets, gulls, shags and skuas, and its treeless meadows are ablaze with distinctive flowering plants, particularly the subantarctic megaherbs like Bulbinella, with its striking yellow flowers. These are the world’s southernmost plants, evolution pushed to its limits in this punishing environment.

An easy walk on Campbell Island climbs away from Perseverance Harbour, following a wooden boardwalk across hillsides carpeted with tussocks, to reach a high saddle. Many southern royal albatross, snow white, spread across the windswept slopes, hunkered down on their nests to mind an egg whilst their partner is out foraging.

One evening we pass two distant naval frigates travelling in convoy. New Zealand’s governor general, a cabinet minister and a gaggle of scientists are bound for Campbell Island to inaugurate a national bicentennial research program.

Not so fast, chaps. Next day, HMNZS Otago breaks down in “a remote subantarctic fiord” – yes, that’s Perseverance Harbour – and the dignitaries must await transfer to the escort frigate. It’s twenty seconds of fame for a lonely, austerely-beautiful corner of New Zealand’s southernmost islands.

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Stepping ashore at Sandy Bay, a windswept beach on this remote subantarctic island, we are the alien invaders, inspected and quizzed by fearless creatures which waddle up to greet us when not preoccupied with their own courtship and nesting rituals. Amidst these thousands of webbed feet lie dozens of corpulent elephant seals, strewn about like sacks of wadding, stretching and yawning as they moult.

At 54 degrees south latitude, a mere speck in the Southern Ocean, Macquarie lies halfway from Australia to the Antarctic continent, the only island on earth formed by rocks forced up from the ocean’s floor, and near-new in geological terms.

This is not the dry, icy expanse of the Antarctic continent – officially, it is Tasmanian territory – but it is a challenging and inhospitable outpost whose only human habitation is an Australian Antarctic research base.Visitors usually join an expedition cruise, often en route to Antarctic waters.

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If Koh Samui’s powder sand beaches and secluded bays dotted with sun-bleached rock formations are not enough then there are jungle covered mountains concealing waterfalls and cool rock pools, exotic butterflies, wild orchids and gigantic ferns. Millions of swaying coconut palms are indeed a cordial greeting, but the centrepiece of this 80-island archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand offers much more. 

The allure of the pocket-sized island of Koh Samui is strong, but more temptations await in Thailand's far north west, in the province of Chiang Rai. This highly fertile area has a history as a leading opium producer. The Thai Government, in a concerted move to  stop the practice, has curtailed poppy cultivation and instituted programs to teach hill tribe people new ways to earn their livelihoods  The scheme has worked well. An increasing number of tourists arrive each year, lured by the legacy of the region’s notorious past, its true scenic beauty and the distinct hill tribes of northern Thailand. 

Standing on the Thai soil of a steep hill overlooking this small outpost at the very apex of the Golden Triangle I gazed out and over the mighty Mekong.  On my left was mysterious Myanmar.  On my right was even more enigmatic Laos.  I had finally reached the edge of the Kingdom.

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Fraser Island has one of eastern Australia’s purest populations of wild dingoes, which, with the influx of tourists, are losing their natural fear of humans. Scavenging for food scraps has become increasingly troublesome behaviour for these cunning carnivores. Nearby, others had also noticed the dingo, amused as it idly sniffed through piles of belongings on the beach. Abruptly the dingo snatched a string bag in its teeth, bounded up the beach and disappeared into the bush with it.

“Hey that’s my bag,” one of the girls further out in the lake cried out in a German accent, while others in the group  laughingly captured the dingo’s fleeing rear end on their cameras. “It’s got my passport in it!” she shrieked, as she bolted up the beach, waving her arms in pursuit of the fleet footed dingo.

Retreating to the comfort of Kingfisher Bay Lodge many hours later, my feet resemble bleeding stumps inside my inadequate shoes. Though these wounds will heal in time, I can’t help thinking of the troubles in store for a German tourist trying to explain to disbelieving authorities that a dingo stole her passport. Sounds suspiciously like the old ‘dog ate my homework’ line. Guileful as they are, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if I saw one crafty dingo at the airport trying to board a plane to Berlin.

Looking for a humourous piece with a little tongue in cheek? Commission this piece by Fiona Harper which can run to around 600 - 800 words. Images are available.  www.pbase.com/fionaharper/fraserisland

At just eight years old, Jessica Watson's Mother, Julie, read her a book called Lionheart, the story of 18 year old Jesse Martin's record breaking solo voyage around the world. It was enough to set this young girl on the type of adventure most of us don't have the courage to even contemplate. After years of planning, 16 year old Jessica departed Sydney Harbour in October 2009, with the aim of sailing solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. And hopefully, smashing Jesse Martin's record.

More than 8000 miles into a journey that is estimated to be around 27,000 nautical miles, and after more than 60 days at sea alone, Jessica is confidently on track to round Cape Horn, the sailor's Everest.

With access to both Jessica Watson onboard her 34 foot yacht Ella's Pink Lady, as well her support team at home in Australia, Fiona Harper follows Jessica's progress.

This Personality Profile piece can run to around 1000 words. Images are available.

Contact Fiona Harper if you'd like to commission this article. Images are available.

www.fionaharper.com.au

Passing beneath the skyward reaching pylons of the Bolte Bridge and into Victoria Harbour with its waterfront promenade chock full of restaurants, bars and entertainment, as twilight falls upon the city backdrop, I quietly start swallowing my words. "Perhaps, after all, it is better to arrive", I ponder as we dock at Waterfront City Marina.  Amid the tinkling of wine glasses and the heady restaurant aromas wafting across the dock, Docklands throws open its arms in an exuberant welcome.

Contact Fiona Harper to commission this article. Images are available.

www.fionaharper.com.au

Cruising into Port Vila Harbour I’m reminded of those romantic South Pacific voyages I dreamt of as a teenager, having secured by chance a berth on a yacht through the Kimberleys. This tantalizing coastal passage introduced me to sailing, whetting my appetite for further adventures at sea. Reluctantly disembarking in Darwin, I left the yacht with my head filled with dreams to travel to far-flung exotic ports. The idyllic islands of the Pacific Ocean were then, as now, high on my ‘must see’ list. I wasn’t alone as it turned out. Pulitzer Prize winning novelist James Michener long before was also seduced by similar dreams, crafting his epic novel Tales of the South Pacific based on his experiences in Samoa and Vanuatu......

Contact Fiona Harper to commission this article, or others along a similar theme from this yachting enthusiast.