Whitsundays – Week 2 (12 July 2008)
Dear followers of the Erica Blog please don’t fret that every week you will have to endure a new post but these first few weeks in the Whitsundays have been just so full of many new experiences for Erica and her weekly rotating crew, that we invite you to sit back and enjoy the latest week with us!
Our daughter and one of her friends joined us in Airlie Beach on Saturday 5 July. After dinner with friends at the local yacht club we spent one more night in Abel Point Marina before setting sail for the islands once more. A brisk 20-25 knot sail out to Stonehaven Beach was followed by a walk and an enjoyable afternoon of swimming and snorkelling – we were entranced to see 20 relatively small sting rays scatter at the approach of our dinghy.
The famous Whitsunday “bullets” (sudden strong wind gusts) visited us at lunch time and there was a small swell in the bay to rock us to sleep at night. Next day we set off once more and picked up a mooring in Luncheon Bay, enabling us to take the dinghy around to Manta Ray Bay – one of the best snorkelling locations in the Whitsundays – we were not disappointed - It was like swimming in a large tropical fish tank (see photo) with a beautiful multi coloured coral garden backdrop. A fitting finale was our final 30 minute swim with a huge (1.5 metre) green and turquoise Maori Wrasse fish that was so friendly it almost kissed us. Exhilarated, we headed back to Erica and made our way to Tongue Bay for an overnight anchorage. We were delighted to meet up with “Rose” and her crew once more, and to go ashore for a small walk to the lookout where we enjoyed a scenic view (see photo) over Hill Inlet and along the length of Whitehaven Beach.
Despite a little rain, we anchored at Whitehaven Beach the next day and the girls enjoyed a long walk along pristine sand before we farewelled this beautiful location with its friendly unassuming turtles, helicopters, seaplanes and passing parade of boats of all shapes and sizes...
Then it was on to the famous Cid Harbour, anchoring overnight in the very calm Sawmill Bay and catching up with fellow cruisers, admiring the 120 ft. super yacht “Bristolian” anchored nearby, and marvelling at the spectacular sunset. Some of us became mountaineers the next day, walking and climbing to the peak of the rugged 434 metre, steep hillside, and being rewarded for our 2 hours of toil by the most magnificent sweeping panorama of the Whitsunday Islands (see photo) – it took our breath away...and along the way we had encountered a 1 metre monitor / goanna and a slithering brown snake! Our youngest crew member did the more genteel 2 km beach and rock walk to Dugong Beach before retiring to read onboard Erica and await our triumphant return.
Sailing off to Border Island the next morning we again enjoyed a brisk 25 Knot sail but were disappointed that conditions did not favour snorkelling in this location. When a nearby charter boat started to drag anchor in our direction we were easily persuaded to return early to Cid Harbour for another beautifully calm night. Our friend free dived and harvested deliciously fresh plump oysters off the rocky shoreline for our enjoyment.
Friday was upon us before we knew it, and it was time for “Erica” to farewell “Rose” for now and to return to Abel Point Marina, to prepare for the next change of crew, visit downtown Airlie Beach and enjoy sundowners with the crews of “Imagin” and “Say No More”.
Dear followers of the Erica Blog please don’t fret that every week you will have to endure a new post but these first few weeks in the Whitsundays have been just so full of many new experiences for Erica and her weekly rotating crew, that we invite you to sit back and enjoy the latest week with us!
Our daughter and one of her friends joined us in Airlie Beach on Saturday 5 July. After dinner with friends at the local yacht club we spent one more night in Abel Point Marina before setting sail for the islands once more. A brisk 20-25 knot sail out to Stonehaven Beach was followed by a walk and an enjoyable afternoon of swimming and snorkelling – we were entranced to see 20 relatively small sting rays scatter at the approach of our dinghy.
The famous Whitsunday “bullets” (sudden strong wind gusts) visited us at lunch time and there was a small swell in the bay to rock us to sleep at night. Next day we set off once more and picked up a mooring in Luncheon Bay, enabling us to take the dinghy around to Manta Ray Bay – one of the best snorkelling locations in the Whitsundays – we were not disappointed - It was like swimming in a large tropical fish tank (see photo) with a beautiful multi coloured coral garden backdrop. A fitting finale was our final 30 minute swim with a huge (1.5 metre) green and turquoise Maori Wrasse fish that was so friendly it almost kissed us. Exhilarated, we headed back to Erica and made our way to Tongue Bay for an overnight anchorage. We were delighted to meet up with “Rose” and her crew once more, and to go ashore for a small walk to the lookout where we enjoyed a scenic view (see photo) over Hill Inlet and along the length of Whitehaven Beach.
Despite a little rain, we anchored at Whitehaven Beach the next day and the girls enjoyed a long walk along pristine sand before we farewelled this beautiful location with its friendly unassuming turtles, helicopters, seaplanes and passing parade of boats of all shapes and sizes...
Then it was on to the famous Cid Harbour, anchoring overnight in the very calm Sawmill Bay and catching up with fellow cruisers, admiring the 120 ft. super yacht “Bristolian” anchored nearby, and marvelling at the spectacular sunset. Some of us became mountaineers the next day, walking and climbing to the peak of the rugged 434 metre, steep hillside, and being rewarded for our 2 hours of toil by the most magnificent sweeping panorama of the Whitsunday Islands (see photo) – it took our breath away...and along the way we had encountered a 1 metre monitor / goanna and a slithering brown snake! Our youngest crew member did the more genteel 2 km beach and rock walk to Dugong Beach before retiring to read onboard Erica and await our triumphant return.
Sailing off to Border Island the next morning we again enjoyed a brisk 25 Knot sail but were disappointed that conditions did not favour snorkelling in this location. When a nearby charter boat started to drag anchor in our direction we were easily persuaded to return early to Cid Harbour for another beautifully calm night. Our friend free dived and harvested deliciously fresh plump oysters off the rocky shoreline for our enjoyment.
Friday was upon us before we knew it, and it was time for “Erica” to farewell “Rose” for now and to return to Abel Point Marina, to prepare for the next change of crew, visit downtown Airlie Beach and enjoy sundowners with the crews of “Imagin” and “Say No More”.
1 comment:
wow what a gorgeous sunset! awesome - you guys are just having a blast - nice work :)
travel safe
fi
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