Lazing on a Whitsunday afternoon

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After Rainbow beach we spent a few days in Agnes Water, last chance for some surfing before the coastline tucks in behind the Great Barrier Reef and the surf dies away. Agnes and the Town of 1770 are quiet but very likeable. Onto Airlie Beach and the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands!

Possibly the most beautiful beach on the planet. Consistently voted in the top ten and according to the most recent polls number one, Whitehaven beach is something special. It's the highlight of the Whitsundays sailing trip. Mooring off the beach we came ashore on the tender and spent a lovely lazy few hours taking it all in. There's 8 kilometres of the whitest and softest white sand so plenty of room for everyone to have their own little piece. We took a lovely long walk, taking photos, feeling the sand between our toes and enjoying the sunshine.

On the SV Whitehaven we were blessed with a great crew and cool shipmates. There are plenty of options leaving from Airlie beach and we tried to pick one we thought would contain like minded people. There are party boats that we gave the swerve, and dive boats we thought too dive specific. The SV provided a nice mix of snorkelling and walking, fun and information, still with plenty of time to enjoy a couple of drinks in the evening. We took a bushwalk on Whitsunday island and the snorkelling at Hook island was great. Towers of coral home to thousands of colourful reef fish. At times we were all but surrounded in a cloud of yellow tailed fusiliers. A larger wrasse fish was mooching about, parrot fish busy munching on the coral, coral trout here and there. And, a couple of jelly fish!

There is a slight downside to this part of Queensland. You are into stinger country! Unfortunately owing to the jelly fish that reside in the water all along the Queensland coast north of Rockhampton, particularly Nov-May, a stinger suit is a necessity. The box jelly fish can cause you serious trouble, the smaller varieties can actually paralyse you in the water. No we didn't realise either! However, once in the stinger suit, which is actually just a lycra body stocking, you're good to go. And most boats provide them free of charge.

We had a great time sailing the Whitsundays on the SV Whitehaven. The food was reasonable, the crew responsible, the trip informative and entertaining. We learnt a bit about aboriginal culture, got to sail the ship, and made new friends. And the beach at Whitehaven is an absolute beaut! It was all very cool.

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Photos

Whitehaven Beach
Long stretches of powdery white sand, blue skies, turquoise sea.

Whitehaven Beach 1
No idea where I'm going but it doesn't really matter..

So happy am I that a handstand is in order
It does that to you, Whitehaven beach

Stinger Danger!
A must in every Queenslander's wardrobe, the stinger suit. Very attractive.