Fishy Tales 31st May - 7th June

We were up early and made Rene and Lily ready for the trip back to the Whitsundays. It is getting quite cool over night now.  With light winds and beautiful sunshine, we motored out of the anchorage at Port Newry, past the chunky rock on the northern end of Outer Newry Island, known as The Wedding Cake and into Repulse Bay. The wind soon ran out and we motored the whole way to Whitehaven Beach. The ebb tide helped us all morning and we just managed to make it through Solway Passage before the tide turned. We were actually headed for Long Island Resort, but found out that it had closed since last year for renovations when we tried to radio them for a mooring. A helpful sole radioed back and told us the news.

 

 

The Wedding Cake  Outer Newry Island

Since the beginning of June we have had gorgeous weather, so we took advantage of it and explored Whitehaven Beach again and Hook and Hayman Islands. Whitehaven Beach looked very enticing for a long walk and Peter pulled up Lily ready to go ashore. Then I heard, 'Quick! Liz quick get up here!' in hushed tones. Under the boat was an enormous fish. He just stayed there resting next to the hull. We think he may have been a Queensland Groper. Anyway he wasn't going anywhere and after we'd had a good look at him we went ashore for our long walk. Two hours later when we arrived back at the boat the fish was still there, but he disappeared soon afterwards. Later Karin told us that when she and Paul visited Whitehaven Beach two years ago on a tourist boat, the people fed a huge fish near their boat. Must be a common occurrence, but what a thrill!

 

The big fish Whitehaven Beach

 

On the way to Cid Harbour for the night we pulled in to Cateran Bay on Border Island for lunch. This bay is full of coral and coral bommies.  Great for snorkelling. I love Cid Harbour. It is interesting as lots of people end up there and the walks are delightful. We hiked up Whitsunday Peak again and discovered some enterprising young people camped on the rock at the top. (You wouldn't want to sleep walk there!)

The weather forecast was still good so we decided to sail to Stonehaven, on Hook Island, and hopefully get a mooring for the night. This anchorage is very deep and anchoring is not always easy to achieve. We did find a mooring and spent the night enduring strong bullets of wind. I wouldn't like to be there in strong winds, safe enough but annoyingly uncomfortable.

Sunset at Stonehaven

 



In the morning we decided to motor to Blue Pearl Bay, on the northern end of Hayman Island. We were on our way before most people got going and arrived in Blue Pearl Bay to have the pick of the mooring buoys. The beaches beckoned, so we took Lily ashore and there discovered a well used track up the steep, stony hill.  We had not read about any tracks coming into the bay and were not dressed for a long walk, (bathers and thongs don't cut it!) but decided to explore a bit. In the end we walked to the top of the hill and on to Whitsunday Lookout. The views were stunning, especially over the Hayman Resort. There is very little vegetation on this end of the island and most of the trees have been dead for a long time. We wondered what had caused this devastation. It didn't look like fire.  Eventually we came across a walking tour and Peter asked what had caused the deserty landscape. Apparently a cyclone many years ago wrecked the forest and since then almost no rain has fallen so the bush has not recovered. Hayman is a very dry island anyway.

Don't look down now!

 

 



The climb up the goat track, winding back and forth along the steep, rocky hillside was scary in places. Vegetation conceals how steep the slopes are on other walks. In places the hillside plunged from the side of the path straight into the ocean below. Dizzying!!

Blue Pearl Bay

 

 



Pearl Bay is full of the most beautiful coral in crystal clear water. The day was sunny and there was millions of colourful fish floating around the dinghy. Peter went for a snorkel and said that he had to push huge fish out of the way as he swam. They seem to realise that they are not going to be harmed. This is a national park green zone - No Fishing. While we were having lunch some huge Batfish swam around the boat begging for food. We sacrificed one of our bread wraps to the Batfish. What a truly beautiful place this is.

Hayman Island resort from Whitsunday Lookout

 



We decided not to spend the night here as it is a bit exposed and we wanted to anchor in Nara Inlet on Hook Island. Many boats were anchored in this fiord like bay, but with plenty of room for personal space. We had a lovely quiet night with a huge moon shining it's silvery light down on the scene.

Now we are in Abell Point Marina for five nights. It is supposed to be windy, but so far this has not eventuated. It probably will when we leave. Peter found a large, spotty, fish here having a great time eating the green scummy weed off Rene's waterline. We told it to keep up the good work and we might not have to antifoul the bottom for a bit longer.  We are leaving here on Tuesday and will begin to make our way back to Magnetic Island and Townsville ready for my departure to WA for a few weeks.

Peter on the 'Goat Track'  Blue Pearl Bay  Hayman Island