Just another day in Paradise....

Monday 6^th November

So today, we walked down to Port Airlie at 6.00 am to catch the Sea Quest catamaran for a trip to The Whitsunday Islands and most particularly the iconic Whitehaven Beach. The Whitsunday Islands were so named because, yes you've guessed it, Captain James Cook sailed by on the Endeavour on Whit Sunday in 1770.

Back in March, cyclone Debbie swept through this area and devastated Hayman Island and Daydream Island, so they are both closed. Such a shame as we had visited both before and they were lovely. Hamilton Island also suffered and you could see how the vegetation had been ripped away and some of the buildings were still being repaired or replaced.

Whitehaven Beach which is a National Park has also suffered loss of some vegetation, but it still remains a tourist attraction and is beautiful. 

                          

We were required to wear the “stinger suits”, not the latest thing in fashion, but supposedly to prevent us from being stung by the deadly urukandji jellyfish, which are just coming into season here. 

The water was crystal clear and turquoise and very warm. We had a couple of hours on the beach before returning via Hamilton Island to Airlie Beach.

Back at camp, we had our customary swim and at 4.00 pm went to see the birds being fed. This was all very well as the rainbow lorikeets were beautiful, but they did take advantage and I had two land on my head, one on my shoulder while two were eating off my hand! It was rather like a scene from a Hitchcock film!

Highlight of the day: The catamaran trip and Whitehaven Beach

Sunday 5^th November

Today is rest day – no driving allowed. We spent a pleasant morning by the pool and then walked into Airlie Beach and spent a pleasant afternoon at the lagoon. 

                     

This was followed by a pleasant Happy Hour at Magnum's Bar with a jug of ice cold beer for 10 AUD.

What was very surreal here was the atmosphere in the bar. It was full of trendy young backpackers in brief shorts (with a few grey nomads here and there) but the music that was playing was the same that I had heard over 10 years ago in another bar in Andorra where the trendy young people were kitted out in apres ski wear. It just struck me as amusing.

Highlight of the day: swimming in the lagoon