Damn … got the layout wrong! Thats what happens when you are chasing internet … here’s Take Two! (Ignore the last email post.)
Yes, it was busy on board with six of us! But a special time too. We enjoyed watching the Tigers winning the GF while at Hamilton Island and those that didn’t, they visited the pool on what was a hot and sticky two days. We also celebrated Tim’s birthday with dinner out at our favourite Whitsunday/Hamilton Island restaurant, Coco Chu.
The “crew” … One Tree Hill, Hamilton Island
After our goodbye to Abbey and Nathan, we took advantage of some rare northerly winds and snuck in to Waite Bay, Hazelwood Island, for the night. The drone was out fairly quickly (as was the dinghy) and we jumped in for an inaugural snorkel with Kaycee. Tim has grown up with dinghies so even at the ripe old age of 31, he still enjoys a ‘hoon’ around. Our new (and lighter) dinghy motor hasn’t impressed him with it’s lesser power but it’s all about ‘us’ now. I was very much looking forward to his drone visiting. It adds another dimension to the photography up here. Hmmm …. there’s an idea!
But what we didn’t realise was we were going to have a resident DJ on board! Kaycee played the tunes with her expansive and themed playlists, and came up with a new name for the captain, “Capt’n Hotbutt”! He might like to think it was about his good looks and amazing physique … but it wasn’t! He warmed up the new fridge when sitting on it!!
I mentioned earlier our two partners not being boaties, let alone yachties. Well, Nathan survived the rigors of sailing life and so did Kaycee. No sea sickness at all and she seemed to settle in to the cruisy life pretty easily. Especially when it came to the game Sequence. I’ve lost count on how may games and rematches we played. Only to say that mother and son took the honours!
We visited the usual spots … Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet Lookout (yet again, but we never tire of this amazing view … and checkout my favourite quirky pic below), Cid Harbour for the Whitsunday Peak walk, Butterfly Bay and Blue Pearl Bay on Hayman Island for a last snorkel on.
We had a lovely few days of calm weather around Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. We anchored off Hill Inlet for a swim, then a dinghy ride in to Hill Inlet. Tim got the drone out for some great pics.
A last day visit to Blue Pearl Bay proved to be a hit. While the coral was damaged profusely by Cyclone Debbie, the fish life here did not disappoint. With a little help from some fish-food we took along, we were quickly surrounded by Sergeant Majors, Fusiliers and Stripeys. Kaycee wasn’t so sure about all this attention! Ha … Tim and I just took photos!
A split-shot … not perfect but subject below the water was a winner!
And the chaos below …
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- Think he needs a dentist?!
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- Kaycee wasn’t overly keen on the attention we were given.
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- The Fusiliers were not shy when there was food around.
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- There may not have been any coral at BP Bay but there were plenty of large colourful Parrotfish.
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- A great opportunity for a split shot pic … but just a tad too choppy!
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- A Stripey nosing in o my photo
So, we have had a big two weeks. Two lots of family visits with two new sailors joining us on board. Both seemed to adapt very quickly to the cruising life – reading, swimming and snorkeling, and of course the eating and drinking. They were on holidays! It is always lovely when our kids visit but this time round it was fun introducing our cruising life to the new crew.
Cid Harbour drone photos, launched from and safely landed on The Bossa …
Tim is with us for another week. We will be off to the outer reef early tomorrow morning.
Then we venture south!
Phew! That was a speedy post.