...more Whitsundays but this time with the kids!!

Low blood pressure and steady pulses in holiday mode!

 22nd Sept.

Headed into Hamilton Island to drop off Mel and Ahmet who were flying south after their time with us. Made our way to Grassy Island towards Gloucester Passage en route to Bowen to pick up Martyn Lindsay and Josh who would be tackling the gruelling 10 hour bus ride from Cairns to Bowen having flown from Auckland NZ. They arrived hot, hungover from bad sleep and ready for a cruise! Unfortunately Martyn was only with us for a week so we set off quickly to show him around as much as possible in the short time. Most of these following photos have been taken by Josh, Lindsay and Martyn.

Mum, Dad and the kids together at last L-R John Martyn Lindsay Miff and Josh is behind the camera.

First thing Martyn bought was a machete for the coconuts but it spreads butter too!

On the way from Bowen

Crab pot after Woodwark Bay

Our first night after leaving Bowen was at Woodwark Bay just north of Airlie Beach. Josh and Martyn headed out in the dinghy to set the pot in the mangroves. They collected it the next morning and found it completely twisted and bent. We discussed very large crabs, sharks and human interference but were not really convinced that it was anything like that that did the damage. Our friend Roy who knows a lot about things pertaining to water came up with the possibility that it may have been a croc that wrecked our pot...consequently the pot has stayed securely tied on the boat and we haven't ventured out with it since!

Dinner coming on board

This tuna fed 5 people for 4 meals.

John and I had tried fishing on several occasions on our journey when we thought we might like fresh fish for tea always without much luck. Martyn was on the boat for just a few hours and caught this tuna. He says you've got to get inside their heads and learn how they think...yeah...right! I have a feeling our friend Ahmet is of the same opinion!

This one was kissed and returned

A bit of discussion under the dodger in a deluge.

Time for contemplation while it rains(how did that body fit up there!)

Rain over...John about to take the plunge

Langford Island at high tide

Langford Island is a beautiful sand island that is mostly exposed at low tide. The snorkeling was fantastic and it is a favourite place for people to be dropped by chopper and left for the day. There is a sand spit that is cut off from the rest of the island at high tide by shallow water...your classic Whitsunday island (no palm trees though!).

Martyn enjoying Langford Island after the snows of New Zealand!

Martyn got this shot of a Green Turtle showing Lindsay how to swim while Josh watches closely-Langford Island

Martyn doesn't do anything 'normally'...

...neither does Lindsay!

Go pro shot! Martyn heading into the fish world.

Time to rest

Sorcerer from the mast.

Martyn had a great time putting the GoPro in all sorts of places. Putting it up the mast was something John and I had been thinking about doing but hadn't got around to yet. Extending it on the boat hook off the bow while sailing was great too.

Sorcerer with a reef in the genoa

Martyn relaxing at the helm

Lindsay catching up on some podcasts.

Lindsay posing...Martyn wondering

A good bed on a hot night

Lindsay, Martyn and Josh

Happy after our tummies are full of pikelets!

Josh at the top of the hill-Border Island looking south

Fish whisperer...think like a fish...think like a fish...

Josh engrossed in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

Josh Martyn and Lindsay heading to shore

This little shark was not kissed but returned anyway

Josh with another 2 days worth of meals for 4 people. Spotted Mackerel.

Rainbow over Cid Harbour

Machete was put to use by Martyn but alarm bells were ringing! He did take it ashore in the end!

Josh found a beautiful vine on the walk up Whitsunday Peak

Lindsay and Josh on summit of Whitsunday Peak

John, Lindsay and Miff-Whitsunday Peak summit

Lindsay in a fern and...

...Josh up a tree

On board entertainment

A balmy evening in the Whitsundays

Map of Whitsundays

After picking up the kids in Bowen, we headed through Gloucester Passage to Woodwark Bay in the Dryander National Park. We then headed north to Hayman Island then turned south to Hook Island, down the eastern side of Whitsunday Island to Shaw Island and back into Airlie Beach. Martyns trip was a little shorter without the Shaw Island section. This we did with Josh and Lindsay.

Hill Inlet-Whitehaven Beach


 

It doesn't get much better than this...L-R Martyn Josh Lindsay Miff John Black Island (Bali Hai) Whitsundays having a beer brewed by John on the boat.

Whitsundays

 29th August

We had a beautiful sail to Airlie Beach from Thomas Island, 6 hours and 20 minutes. The lady in the marina thought it was hilarious that there was another Sorcerer so she thought it would be great if we could be side by side. Our little lady looks quite small next to the other one! We washed and shopped and did some maintenance on the dinghy and left for Hook Island early afternoon the following day. We spent the next four days having a look around the islands before collecting our dear friends Ahmet and Mel who flew into Hamilton Island on the 5th August. The photos here are a small collection of the hundreds that we snapped over the time Ahmet and Mel were with us. It was an amazing time and we learnt so much from them about fish and coral.

We might be skinnier and smaller but we have more fun!!

View north from summit of Whitsunday Peak. A beautiful walk through tropical rainforest from Cid Harbour.

View south from summit of Whitsunday Peak

Whitsunday Peak fungi (photo Mel)

Ahmet and Mel at Whitehaven Beach Whitsundays

It didn't take them long to get into the swing of things!

A Remora-he was fondly kissed and returned to the ocean

Mel and Ahmet on Border Island

Orchids-Border Island

Looking East at Deloraine Island from Border Island

Looking South - Border Island

We hired a 35yr old car to do some food shopping-I watched the road through a hole in the floor!!

Nara Inlet interpretation site

Ngaro artwork in Nara Inlet

Watching sea eagles (photo Ahmet)

Amazing rock patterns Nara Inlet

Looking South-Whitehaven to Chance Bay

Fruit on the track to Chance Bay (photo Mel)

This next collection of photos were taken on and around the Whitsunday Islands including some of Bait Reef, 35nm off the coast.

On the way to Bait Reef

This Giant Trevally was one of many that surrounded the boat when we arrived at Bait Reef. After initially feeling nervous, to swim with these beautiful, gentle creatures was awesome. We dived off the boat and they followed us around while we snorkeled and took photos.

Mel and friends-Bait Reef

 Maori Wrasse, Giant Trevally and Bat Fish-Bait Reef

John and friend-Bait Reef

Green Turtle-Bait Reef (photo Ahmet)

Nemo's (Anenome-fish)-photo Ahmet/Mel

Sorcerer, Ahmet, Mel and Miff-Luncheon Bay

The beautiful Derwent Hunter is now a charter boat here. She was built in Cygnet, Tasmania in the 1940's

John instructing Ahmet on how to do a Turks Head!

The evening before Ahmet and Mel left we were watching a large Humpback whale lying motionless a couple of hundred yards from the boat and we had heard about two weeks earlier that there was one injured around the islands. I was busy looking up the GBRMPA(Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority) phone number to tell them that we may have sighted the injured one again and we suddenly got the shock of our lives! Out of the blue shot this wee creature, a baby Humpback with two adults in close proximity. We stopped our engine because we weren't sure what direction they were wanting to go and the baby just went crazy leaping and splashing all around the boat. The close up photos show its eyes were closed so we were wondering if it had just been born or maybe feeding. Any case, it was a wonderful thing to see and a lovely parting note for Ahmet and Mel.

Mum and Midwife, perhaps?

Mum not far away

Ahmet

Mel