HEADING SOUTH AND TO THE REEF FOR TIM'S BIRTHDAY!!!

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The drive to Townville was a long one taking us through some beautiful scenery. We shared the driving and hit Townsville mid afternoon. We were getting pretty desperate for internet at this point and finding it was proving very difficult we hoped that a larger town would have a cafe. We drove right through but could not see one. Townsville itself is quite big and looked pretty exclusive in places. It was too big for what we like so even though the sun was shining we decided to head further south and find a quieter spot. After another hour or so of driving we came off the Bruce Highway and headed for a place called Kalamia. We did not know anything about the place but time was getting on and we needed to find somewhere to pitch up for the night. We couldnt see any signs for campsites but came across a small carpark area right next to the beach. We decided that it would be okay to stay as there were no signs to say we couldnt and so we set up right on the beach. This particular areas had dunes and the rolling banks were really pretty. The weather had stayed good and we enjoyed a few beers in the last couple of hours of the day while cooking dinner. The locals all seem to have quad bikes here as many came past us to head for the beach. Some with their kids and dogs others with fishing rods. The Aussie life is certainly an outdoors one and they were all really friendly to us. We had alovely evenign and an early night in the hope the weather would hold and we could set off to find a campsite the next day. Much to our disappointment we woke once again to rain. As much as you try to not let it bother you it just wasnt wehat we had expected and it does limit your activities for the day. We checked the map and the next spot marked off was a place called Airlie beach. It was much further south than we were and a good place recommended to us for the barrier reef trips. Once again we packed up and headed off for quite a long drive. It took around 5 hours to get there, we had driven most of the day in sunshine. As we drove onto the main beach promendade at around 1pm the sky was grey and overcast and there was quiote a chill in the air. At this point we are starting to think that we were cursed!!!! However Airlie is a really nice town and also had internet cafes. We found a campsite that was within our budget and Tim went and set the van up while I went to get the blog and e-mails updated. Internet prices are quite expensive in Oz and we had been surprised by the lack of internet cafes. It took 3 hours to get us somewhere near updated but it was a weight off my mind that we were not continually falling further and further behind!!!!

Airlie has a small beach and a manmade lagoon area. It is very pretty and the main street is lined with bars and cafes. The internet place we had used was also a tour centre so we stopped off and picked up some info. At this point we were dealt another blow as we were told that alot of the reef trips were not travelling due to the bad weather. Apparently the seas were quite rough and the only hope we had was to go on one of the inflatable raft boats rather than a proper sailing boat. The lady checked that the raft people had room and we went away to decided if we would risk going to the reef and the weather being bad. It was Tim's birthday the next day and we both decided it was worth chancing it so he could snorkel the reef on his birthday (no dives going ahead either). We booked for our trip and then headed back to camp for dinner and an early night.

The following morning started a little drizzly but after about a hour the sun started to shine. We were being picked up at 10am so we had breakfast and waited outside the site. The van arrived on time any there were a few others getting on too. By the time we got to the jetty the weather was really hotting up and it looked like we had made the right decision. Tims birthday got of to the right start and I was really pleased. There were two tours to choose from and we had chosen the Southern tour of the Whitsunday Islands. Alot of people had chosen the northern one so our boat was only three quarters full. We were told the ride out would be a little rough and the front seats were the roughest. Needless to say I chose for us to sit there. For the first 10 minutes this proved to be a thrill and a good laugh, then it started to rain. We were offered raincoats but we had said no to them as the rain hot we soon changed our mind. It pourned down lashing at our faces and legs at one point it was so bad that we couldnt open our eyes. This went on for around 20 minutes as we headed to the islands. Our first stop was supposed to be to some aboriginal caves but as the weather was so bad the crew knew the track would be dangerous to walk and just showed us some of the paintings/markings on the exterior rocks. This consisted of two leaf looking drawings which were not much to talk about. After that we headed further round the islands the weather was still really bad and was about to get worse, we could see the dense foggy weather right where we were heading and the captain simply told us to brqace ourselves as we had to go through it. It was another 20 minutes of rain pouring down on us - as we were at the front we had no cover at all and it was bloody cold!!!!!!! Fianlly we got through it and the crew decided that the normal snorkelling spot would not offer good visibility so took us to a shallower part of the island where the snorkelling would be better. We stopped at the area and put on our stinger suits (a thin sort of wet suit) I was so cold at this point. Tim and I got into the water first and it was actually warmer than being on the boat. I'm quite concious of dark water (as you know) and also swimming over rocks so this was going to be a challenge for me to say the least. Tim had taken me snorkelling in Phuket and I had panicked when we encountered rocks and got out of the water. I really did not want that to happen today especially as it was his birthday. The crew had given us noodle (floating devices) to tuck under our arms and help us to float as the sea was a bit choppy. We snorkelled off towards the reef, I was feeling qiyte nervous but Tim stuck by my side and after a hort swim we hit the reef. It was so close underneath us probably only a metre down from the surface. The colours of the coral ranged from red to pink to blue and the fish were in abundance. After the first 10 m inutes I was pretty comfortable and well into the fish. They are really colourful and pretty and all the picture sthat you see of snorkelling on the reef are true. It didnt even matter that it was bucketing down on us (not exactly what we had invisioned) it was truly awesome. We snorkelled for about an hour and just before we got out the crew threw soem fish food into the sea. The fish went wild and Tim and I were absolutely surrounded by them. He told me later that he expected me to freak out by it but I was so impressed by the fish I had forgotten to be scared!!! It was a really really good experience even if I was freezing by the time we got back onto the boat.

After the snorkel we headed of to Whitehaven beack which is listed in the top 10 beaches of the world. The weather had improved little and it was still raining. Unbelievably as we moored next to the beach the sun came out. The beach is beautiful I have never seen sand so white or so powedery soft, we thought Otres beach in cambodia was like talc but this is something else. Apparently it is 98% silica and heaven to get your toes stuck in!! We took out photos while the crew prepared lunch and headed back to the boat to eat. It was then that the heavens opened again and we decided to stay on the boat and eat. alot of people were just eating on the beach in the pouring rain!!! after lunch I think everyone was at aloss as what to do, it is not usual to be sat on the beach in the rain and everyone had headed back to the boat. The crew told us we had another hour before we left. We decided to make the most of it and grabbed one of the balls the crew had. We played fotty for a while teaming up with a Aussie from Bondi beach and a really nice French guy. The other tour had shown up by this time and a couple of the guys arranged a game of cricket. We all joined in with that (I was the only girl again) and had a really good laugh even though it rained most of the time. We headed back for Airlie beach and the sun came out for the last 20 minutes of the ride. The other tour had set off at the same time and there was some racing and showing off on the way back which was good fun.

We had a few things to get from town so after we were dropped off at the beach we headed into town. As it was Tim's birthday we had a couple of beers to celebrate. We then had a couple more and decided to eat out that night. It was a real treat after a week of the camper van activities and we had a lovely night. We spoke to some of the local guys in the bar that night and they told us not to expect any good weather in the next few days as it was officially cyclone season and it was quite normal for the weather to be as it was. They told us we needed to get out of the tropics. With that in mind we decided to head off again the next morning with no fixed destination just chasing the sun.

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Photos

Cooking tea at Kalamia beach
He's far more helpful camping than in a house!!!!!

Lizard on whitehaven beach
These things were huge at least half a metre in length