Snorkeling in the Whitsunday’s

Or, go directly to the Track Us page and you will find the same “Comment” section at the bottom of the page.  I haven’t written much about our snorkeling here.

With friends and family on board we have been keen to show them the good snorkeling spots.

We have just spent a day in Blue Pearl Bay, Hayman Island, with our son Tim.  While the weather hasn’t been great over the last 10 days, he was still keen, so in 25-30 knot winds (very strong), we sailed to Blue Pearl via Butterfly Bay (another snorkeling spot).

Great snorkeling in trying conditions but by following the 2 hours before high tide ‘rule’ we actually saw great coral and more fish than we had seen elsewhere.  The trick is to snorkel for a long time … you see so much more.  Funny thing that!

Tim has a GoPro camera, so he was right in to photographing and videoing his underwater exploits.  Check out his pics and video.

(Make sure you read our BPB story below after our photos.)

Stinger suits aren’t that flattering are they?

Parrot fish at Blue Pearl Bay

Parrot fish

My new ‘turtle’ mask!

Tim playing with his GoPro

Damaged coral

Me! I need a haircut!!

Work this one out!

Now for our ‘infamous’ Blue Pearl Bay story …

This is a story our family revisits when we snorkel and certainly when we visit BPB.  Always with a laugh!

We were sailing Champagne Charlie (Magnum 8.5) some years back when Tim and Abbey were young teenagers.  In those days we’d snorkel from our rubber duck (dinghy).  We’d enter the water with fins and masks on and ‘tow’ the dinghy along with us.  This was to avoid damaging the coral below with the anchor.  These days I look for snorkeling close to The Bossa as watching me trying to clamber back in to the dinghy is not a pretty sight, nor am I that successful!

So with mask, snorkel and flippers (now called fins) all in place, Neville decided to do a Lloyd Bridges (Sea Hunt TV series from way back when).  That is, he reverse somersaulted in to the water from the dinghy’s side. In those days (we sound so old), there were no stinger suits, just bathers.  And for men, those bathers were speedos.  So in his brand new, never worn before, speedos, Neville did his Lloyd Bridges reverse somersault water entry. Well … he tried.  His speedos got caught on the dinghy’s oar socket. With mask and fortunately snorkel in place, he was hanging upside down, head in the water and flippers in the air thrashing about. Abbey and I could not stop laughing, tears rolling down our cheeks.  Fortunately we did realize eventually that dad was well and truly stuck … and struggling to breathe.  We untangled him (between laughter) and Neville continued to snorkel in is brand new, very torn and mangled speedos!

… and here I am still chuckling as I write this post!!

PS.  A few people have asked about how they can comment on my ramblings … if you click the title of the post you are reading, it will take you directly to that particular post’s page and at the bottom of the page you will find a “Comment” section. Or, go directly to the Track Us page and you will find the same “Comment” section at the bottom of the page.  Very clumsy I know.  Will talk to my techno guru!

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