WHITSUNDAY ISLANDS 22ND FEBRUARY

WITSUNDAY ISLAND TRIP 22ND FEBRUARY

Up early this morning at the unearthly hour of 5.50am as we are being picked up for our sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands at 7, quick breakfast-luckily I prepared fruit last night and some fruit toast and just make it downstairs for 6.55 after packing bags and applying liberal amounts of factor 50.

The Providence is owned by a couple:

 Lindsay and Grant bought Providence V in 2005, having discovered her in the Whitsundays, while they were on their honeymoon in 2003. 

Providence V is an 62 ft American bluenose, a replica and half the size of a Grand Banks fishing boat which plied the waters off Maine in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1992 she starred in a Hollywood movie called "Survive the Savage Seas" after being spotted overhead by a Hollywood scout in a chopper. 

Our 2 crew members today are Grant the Skipper and Joe. We sail for about 2 hours then stop for hot

 drinks and cake, serving coffee and tea whilst sailing is no easy task this is all left to Joe who does a great job and also talks about the Whitsundays and the fish we will see. We arrive at the Whitsundays and walk to the viewing point oh my it is amazing that picture postcard view of the ocean and the ever changing canvas of colours. Jim has a quick swim of course but I am saving the whole palaver of getting into a stinger suit for later. The sand here at Whitehaven beach is 98% silica it is incredibly soft and squeaks when you walk on it.

We see a huge spider and a lizard eating a snake which is enough wildlife for me then we head back to our boat for lunch and sail to where we can snorkel:

First we have to get into the stinger suits which is challenging and second we have to get into the dinghy which just involves a bit of dexterity - all good and Joe takes us to a good spot to snorkel.  Jim rolls off the boat like he is in episode of Jacques Cousteau leaving me to try and get in gracefully which obviously didn't happen - I surface spluttering trying to grab my snorkel!! 

Snorkelling  went fairly well not like at Port Douglas as it was a bit murky in places and then I panicked a bit about what might be hiding.  One lady has already been hauled back into the boat so I shout to Joe that I want to get back in and this is when my worst fears are realised when due to lack of upper arm strength I have to be hauled back into the boat - note to oneself do not ever do this again unless it is from a big boat with a platform!!

All in all a lovely day apart from the fact that for the rest of the evening I appear to be swaying everywhere it's such a weird feeling I feel like I am back on the boat.