Sailing the Whitsunday Islands

Trip Start Jan 03, 2008
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21
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Trip End Ongoing


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Where I stayed
Habibi boat

Flag of Australia  ,
Wednesday, April 2, 2008

One of the things that I wanted to do most in Australia was sail in the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsunday islands are comprised of 74 islands, only eight of which are inhabited. The islands are surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's seven natural wonders. My transportation was the Habibi boat, a 75 foot ketch yacht. The three day adventure began when we departed the harbour in Airlie beach. There were 25 people on board from all over the world. The boat had a three person crew who were extremely funny and friendly. They also happened to be amazing cooks which definitely was a nice treat.

The first day, we just cruised around the 74 islands and took in the sights. We stopped off in a harbour for the night and enjoyed a fabulous Australian barbeque. That night everyone sat on the deck drinking and getting to know one another. My roommates (one girl from Denmark and two from the Netherlands) and I shared the tiniest room known to man our yacht... the Habibi
our yacht... the Habibi
 . I think the whole room was smaller than a queen sized bed. But we were always on deck or in the water so it really didn't matter.

The next morning our wake up call was at 6 AM. We got up and had breakfast then we went to Whitehaven beach which is known as the #2 best beach in the world. We spent three hours there laying in the sun and taking in the breathtaking scenery. Next, we went to Manta Ray Bay where we snorkelled. It was one of the best things that I have ever done. I swam with sharks and fish that were longer than me. It was unbelievable. Also, the colors of the color and fish were just incredible. I think every shade of the rainbow was represented. I loved watching the coral. It moved as if it were dancing to the beat of the waves.

After snorkelling all day, I was so hungry. Luckily, it was Italian night. We had a great pasta with garlic bread. It really hit the spot. That night I went to bed a little early out of pure exhaustion. Plus, I knew that I would have another 6 AM wake up call. Our last day we went snorkelling one last time and said goodbye to the Great Barrier Reef. Overall, I loved the sailing trip and would do it again in a heartbeat.
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