Whitsunday Islands
We're in Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef and have just booked ourselves on an outrageously expensive 3 day 2 night Sailing and Diving Adventure. I'm so excited!
Well, it's easy to get a cheap deal to go sailing around, but because we knew we wanted to get some proper diving in as well as not stumble about drunkenly on a party boat with 200 other people (no kidding, it's true!), we upgraded on ye ole boat and got the Kiana.
And very pretty she is too! Crewed by three and 12 of us passengers - almost all of them girls bar Phil and a fun Finnish bloke named Mikko! So the boys kept getting a bit of an eyeful of all these girls sunbathing on deck with little bikinis on. :-D
There were lots of German girls on the boat too which was great as my German was getting a bit rusty - tee hee - and we all got on really well with each other. Our cabin was tiny!!! It six of us in a cabin the size of a normal toilet - so funny and we had a double bunk at the bottom with a single bunk on top on both sides of the room. We all had to clamber over each other to get anywhere and that's without our luggage! Mind you, we were told not to bring anything really, so that wasn't too much of a problem.
Day 1 was fantastic! We sailed out and the wind was good so we made good time to the Outer Barrier Reef where we went for a dive straight away. Wow, it was great! The viz wasn't that great apparently, a bit of sediment and stuff, so the colours weren't as vibrant, but frankly after Vietnam, any viz above one metre is going to set my heart rate bouncing! Saw a ginourmous sea cucumber and got to stroke it, very funny and squishy! The water was warm but we had to be careful of the jellyfish, so we wore full body stinger suits and special hoods, so your exposure area was as minimal as possible.
We all looked very funny - it was six of us diving together and Scott, our guide. He was very funny and he took some pics of us down there, too. We did the dive off a dinghy and we all went in doing a backward roll so in the end we looked like some secret super SAS commando! Hooray!
We saw lots of different colour fish, angelfish, clownfish, rainbow fish, swear I saw a giant tuna - yum yum! - and those giant fish that have Angelina Jolie's lips, only in blue and they are very curious. I'll include a picture so you'll know what I mean - anyway, there was one that kept coming really close to us and so we got to stroke it - very soft and kind of squishy! We called him Gay Albert in the end. He really like Scott and kept coming up to him for a cuddle, so really that gives it away, doesn't it? ^^
Day 2 began by getting up really early and going for a dive straight away and this time, we saw a turtle and a shark! Yay! Hooray! I really wanted to see a turtle and I really wanted to see a shark - both were brilliant! The turtle was so cute, you just want to play with it, but you're not allowed of course. We just watched it and it's so graceful and pretty and looks so wise - amazing. The shark was not really interested in us - just kind of went by and was like "Yeah, whatever, LOSERS!"
So then, we went back to the boat and had lunch, went for some snorkelling on top and tow snorkelling and it all was great - well and then it was time to move on, and that's when it all went a bit awry... the weather kind of turned a bit and the tide was coming in and our boat is just a little sailboat trying to move against the tide... yes, so we were being tossed around quite mercilessly and the bow kept rising and slapping into the waves like some giant rollercoaster. This was great fun for about 30 seconds and then I got very very ill... in fact we all got a bit ill but I think I was probably the worst of them all - just my luck! I was clinging to the railing on the deck, trying to somehow rest my head and cover my ears - it seemed to help - and to hold on so I wouldn't get pitched all over the place, while trying not to throw up. I'd like to report that I did NOT throw up - for the whole five hours we spent in this condition.
I did however manage to bruise my arms, legs and my head in several places, as well as crick my neck and dig my nails into my palms permanently. Ouch. I also learnt that I'm very good at holding on to a rail and pole even whilst a) trying to fall asleep and b) sleeping - I guess my monkey gene is very much tuned up, so I never fell off my seat or lost my grip. At least something I guess.
So after said five hours, we pulled into a sheltered spot, where we all quickly chirped up - everyone except the crew was feeling unwell - and we had our dinner and pretty much went straight to bed. Day 3 began with pretty bad weather - it rained almost non stop, but we still went to Whitehaven Beach and took pics and went on a little hike to see the views. It really is a stunning place - unbelievable really. The beach is beautiful and the sand it amazing. We all went for a swim in our stinger suits again - no points for looking cool - and had a bit of a play, when it was time to go back to the boat and yes, you guessed it, start our way home in high winds and pretty bad conditions.
This time, I knew what to do, though by that time I had not a single shred of dry clothing on me, so I huddled into a towel, got my head into position and clung on, as we got tossed around on the big bad sea! Wow! The waves were pretty high and came at us sideways all the way through so we went up and down and up and down at strange angles and we all got thoroughly wet (unintentionally). Again, everyone except the crew was seasick, but none of us threw up - Hooray! - and we slowly chugged our way back into Airlie Beach.
When we got back, I was ready to do a Pope and kiss some kind of earth / jetty, but in the end I didn't bother - I won't go back on a sailboat ever again! Unless it's on the Britannia with the Queen on a special invite and I couldn't turn HM down. Oh yeah, and I think I'll give a really big cruise ship a go or anything with stabilisers. Thing is, I've been on boats before and never got sick, but then again, I was never in such bad weather before either. I shan't be a sailor or a pirate, that's for sure.
But really, it was a great trip and I did enjoy it loads and Phill did too of course! We got fed so well on the boat, it was a bit unreal, we had breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus mid morning snacks and afternoon snacks and pre-dinner snacks with cookies inbetween. Don't know where we put it all - though I didn't eat much on Day 2 and 3, it was nice to know it was there and at least Phill got to eat it all!
And another bit of exciting news, while we were out in the Barrier Reef, we saw Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman with his family and kids go for a dive. Well, that's what we were told was in the dinghy and we tried to get as close as poss without being rude. Then some of the girls on the boat shouted "Nicole!" and she turned around and to be fair, it really looked like her from the back and the split second she turned around. So that was exciting.
We spent the evening getting rid of the dried seawater from our clothes and bodies and then hit the pub for some beers and food. Hooray!
Well, it's easy to get a cheap deal to go sailing around, but because we knew we wanted to get some proper diving in as well as not stumble about drunkenly on a party boat with 200 other people (no kidding, it's true!), we upgraded on ye ole boat and got the Kiana.
And very pretty she is too! Crewed by three and 12 of us passengers - almost all of them girls bar Phil and a fun Finnish bloke named Mikko! So the boys kept getting a bit of an eyeful of all these girls sunbathing on deck with little bikinis on. :-D
There were lots of German girls on the boat too which was great as my German was getting a bit rusty - tee hee - and we all got on really well with each other. Our cabin was tiny!!! It six of us in a cabin the size of a normal toilet - so funny and we had a double bunk at the bottom with a single bunk on top on both sides of the room. We all had to clamber over each other to get anywhere and that's without our luggage! Mind you, we were told not to bring anything really, so that wasn't too much of a problem.
Day 1 was fantastic! We sailed out and the wind was good so we made good time to the Outer Barrier Reef where we went for a dive straight away. Wow, it was great! The viz wasn't that great apparently, a bit of sediment and stuff, so the colours weren't as vibrant, but frankly after Vietnam, any viz above one metre is going to set my heart rate bouncing! Saw a ginourmous sea cucumber and got to stroke it, very funny and squishy! The water was warm but we had to be careful of the jellyfish, so we wore full body stinger suits and special hoods, so your exposure area was as minimal as possible.
We all looked very funny - it was six of us diving together and Scott, our guide. He was very funny and he took some pics of us down there, too. We did the dive off a dinghy and we all went in doing a backward roll so in the end we looked like some secret super SAS commando! Hooray!
We saw lots of different colour fish, angelfish, clownfish, rainbow fish, swear I saw a giant tuna - yum yum! - and those giant fish that have Angelina Jolie's lips, only in blue and they are very curious. I'll include a picture so you'll know what I mean - anyway, there was one that kept coming really close to us and so we got to stroke it - very soft and kind of squishy! We called him Gay Albert in the end. He really like Scott and kept coming up to him for a cuddle, so really that gives it away, doesn't it? ^^
Day 2 began by getting up really early and going for a dive straight away and this time, we saw a turtle and a shark! Yay! Hooray! I really wanted to see a turtle and I really wanted to see a shark - both were brilliant! The turtle was so cute, you just want to play with it, but you're not allowed of course. We just watched it and it's so graceful and pretty and looks so wise - amazing. The shark was not really interested in us - just kind of went by and was like "Yeah, whatever, LOSERS!"
So then, we went back to the boat and had lunch, went for some snorkelling on top and tow snorkelling and it all was great - well and then it was time to move on, and that's when it all went a bit awry... the weather kind of turned a bit and the tide was coming in and our boat is just a little sailboat trying to move against the tide... yes, so we were being tossed around quite mercilessly and the bow kept rising and slapping into the waves like some giant rollercoaster. This was great fun for about 30 seconds and then I got very very ill... in fact we all got a bit ill but I think I was probably the worst of them all - just my luck! I was clinging to the railing on the deck, trying to somehow rest my head and cover my ears - it seemed to help - and to hold on so I wouldn't get pitched all over the place, while trying not to throw up. I'd like to report that I did NOT throw up - for the whole five hours we spent in this condition.
I did however manage to bruise my arms, legs and my head in several places, as well as crick my neck and dig my nails into my palms permanently. Ouch. I also learnt that I'm very good at holding on to a rail and pole even whilst a) trying to fall asleep and b) sleeping - I guess my monkey gene is very much tuned up, so I never fell off my seat or lost my grip. At least something I guess.
So after said five hours, we pulled into a sheltered spot, where we all quickly chirped up - everyone except the crew was feeling unwell - and we had our dinner and pretty much went straight to bed. Day 3 began with pretty bad weather - it rained almost non stop, but we still went to Whitehaven Beach and took pics and went on a little hike to see the views. It really is a stunning place - unbelievable really. The beach is beautiful and the sand it amazing. We all went for a swim in our stinger suits again - no points for looking cool - and had a bit of a play, when it was time to go back to the boat and yes, you guessed it, start our way home in high winds and pretty bad conditions.
This time, I knew what to do, though by that time I had not a single shred of dry clothing on me, so I huddled into a towel, got my head into position and clung on, as we got tossed around on the big bad sea! Wow! The waves were pretty high and came at us sideways all the way through so we went up and down and up and down at strange angles and we all got thoroughly wet (unintentionally). Again, everyone except the crew was seasick, but none of us threw up - Hooray! - and we slowly chugged our way back into Airlie Beach.
When we got back, I was ready to do a Pope and kiss some kind of earth / jetty, but in the end I didn't bother - I won't go back on a sailboat ever again! Unless it's on the Britannia with the Queen on a special invite and I couldn't turn HM down. Oh yeah, and I think I'll give a really big cruise ship a go or anything with stabilisers. Thing is, I've been on boats before and never got sick, but then again, I was never in such bad weather before either. I shan't be a sailor or a pirate, that's for sure.
But really, it was a great trip and I did enjoy it loads and Phill did too of course! We got fed so well on the boat, it was a bit unreal, we had breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus mid morning snacks and afternoon snacks and pre-dinner snacks with cookies inbetween. Don't know where we put it all - though I didn't eat much on Day 2 and 3, it was nice to know it was there and at least Phill got to eat it all!
And another bit of exciting news, while we were out in the Barrier Reef, we saw Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman with his family and kids go for a dive. Well, that's what we were told was in the dinghy and we tried to get as close as poss without being rude. Then some of the girls on the boat shouted "Nicole!" and she turned around and to be fair, it really looked like her from the back and the split second she turned around. So that was exciting.
We spent the evening getting rid of the dried seawater from our clothes and bodies and then hit the pub for some beers and food. Hooray!
posted by Phil and Tanja @ 8:23 PM
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