Awesome sailing in the Whitsundays

After a monster coach journey from Hervey Bay to Airlie Beach, we had a few spare days in Airlie to pass.  We spend one of those days hanging out by the 'lagoon', which is actually a big swimming pool built because you can't swim in the sea due to stingrays, jellyfish, sharks, etc.  I couldn't be bothered to do that every day so me and Leicester Dave booked ourselves up for a days sea fishing trip.

A massive monitor lizard

The trip was quality.  I had only had 2 hours sleep the night before due to some partying in Beaches Bar and every other bar/club in Airlie, but I still made it up.  Hardcore!  The trip was basically moving around different spots for 30 mins at a time.  We were the only 'Poms' on ship so we got a bit of a ribbing from those damn convicts.  If only England hadn't collapsed in Adelaide!!  Back to the fishing - I managed to catch 6 fish, although none were big enough to keep.  Dave only caught 2, and was a bit stressed about being the last to land one!  Some of the others caught big 'uns.  The trip was cool, and me and Dave are considering bookking on another trip in Cairns!  I had the night in that night to recover from the night before.  Our hostel is ok, some sound lads in our room and loads of rainbow-coloured parrots!

A reunion with Nitsun and Tal

Obviously the main reason to come to Airlie was to sail the Whitsundays, so that is what we did!  We left on Friday (me, Ad, Dan and Dave)  aboard a maxi yacht called Apollo, which one the Sydney-Hobart race in 1985.  The trip was awesome.  We did some snorkelling, seeing loads of cool fish.  We then went to Whitehaven beach, which is stunning.  It was there that I was in the water with 2 coral sharks.  They are only small so I don't think they could kill me!  There were also some cool sand monitors near by, which I found off the official track.  The sailing was cool too, as they let us do some of the sails and steering if we wished.  Obviously a few tins were sunk too, resulting in me sleeping on the deck overnight rather than in my bed!  I slept like a log for 4 hours, despite a bit of rain!  The weather was pretty crap overall so I made it to bed the next night, leaving Dan to sleep on the floor this time.  Sailing is dewfo something I want to have a go at when I get back; perhaps another hobby has been developed.  I might be meeting up with one of the girls from the crew, Sam, in Sydney in Jan to have a got on her boat.  She's got a 2-seater, and she's been racing since she was 5 (she's 20 now).  She's even in contention for the next Olympics.  It might not happen if she's still working up here, but it'd be cool if it does.

Captain Hampden

We got back today (Sunday 10th)  and I feel dizzy being on land.  Kinda weird!  We're meeting up with some of the other people from the boat tonight, but hopefully it won't turn into a big one as we leave for Cairns bright and early tomorrow.

Me & Dan working hard

Me, Ad, Dan and Dave

Whitehaven beach