Silent Night..................

---

How is everyone back in sunny England? Have been a bit slack in keeping up with the news from over here but i've just been so busy? You know generally chilling out........ It really is time consuming doing nothing!

Since my last entry i have made it to Byron Bay but in between i stopped at Airlie beach after Mission beach. After arriving i soon realized i should've been a bit more organized and booked something to do before i got there! So swiftly booked up a yachting trip out to the Whitsundays - White haven Beach! This place is a sight to behold! After a bit of relaxing on the beach in the morning and coming across some cool looking crabs we hopped back on the yacht to sail round to our first snorkel site. Before we get in we have to don the stinger suits..... it's not stinger season but better be safe than sorry ey! When we decide to move location the skipper informs us that the motor that brings up the anchor is broke! Nice! So a couple of us haul it up by hand and then jump back in to rinse off the rust water!

We sail round to the next site and have a little race with the boomerang, (another local yacht) this is great fun. Experiencing proper ocean sailing with the skipper (Foxie) at the wheel and the deckie (Tom) on the ropes we are going as quick as the wind will allow. We tack - to build up speed i think- jumping from one side of the boat to the other as you have to sit on the high side when the yacht is sailing properly otherwise you end up in the water! Don't forget to duck though or you'll get cracked on the noggun by the boom!

We win the race! Or at least that's what Foxie tells us? the other boat shot off in a different direction.

We get to coral gardens (2nd snorkel site) just as the sun is setting so we jump out and snorkel along the coral till we run out of time jump into the little boat that takes us to the Silent night which has had to moor up at Hook island for the night due to the lack of an anchor. As most of the others have run out of drink on the first night we go over to Hook for a few drinks and a couple of games of pool. Funny little place, its an island resort totally on its own a few kms off the mainland.

The next morning we sail all the way back to the mainland and when i say we i mean the guests on the boat! We all get a go at being the skipper! One of the scariest feelings ever! Sailing along with the main mast no longer pointing up but at a 45 deg angle with one side of the yacht nearly in the water. We nearly got up to 10 knots which to be honest is definitely fast enough for me. I actually thought it was going to tip over at one point only to be told by Foxie that you don't worry until the mast is nearly touching the water!

Back on land again, and straight back to the hostel to shower and jump on the bus, 12hrs overnight, Hervey Bay home to the Fraser Island here i come!

Bye for now.

---