Whitsunday Islands and the GBR (August 10, 2008)

Against our nature, Cara and I woke up early in order to gorge ourselves on the free (and, this time, delicious) breakfast buffet before making our way to the dock for our day-long cruise throughout the Whitsunday Islands (click on the link for photos). After a small miscommunication, which almost resulted in our missing the pontoon boat to our catamaran, we boarded the Chimera catamaran and grabbed a seat for the ride of a lifetime.

The Whitsundays are 74 separate islands that comprise the largest off-shore island chain on Australia’s coastline. They are also the closest point off the Queensland coast to the Great Barrier Reef and, as a result, are the perfect departure point for experiencing the reef’s diverse marine life through snorkeling and scuba diving.

Unfortunately, the temperature was cooler than average during our cruise but I didn’t let that stop me from experiencing all that the reef had to offer. Our first stop was Hook Island, where I slipped into a wetsuit, threw on a mask and flippers and headed out for my snorkeling adventure. The current was stronger than I had expected and caused cloudy conditions throughout the reef, but it was still easy to see the myriad of colorful fish and coral that lived beneath the surface. I was amazed at how the depth of the ocean changed drastically from spot to spot – at times, the coral was only two feet below the surface and then it would plunge to depths of more than 20 feet.

Shortly after getting back on board the catamaran, we had an unexpected emergency when a female member of the crew nearly severed her finger while pulling in rope from the pontoon boat. I felt like I was in some kind of disaster movie, as two volunteers cleaned up blood that had spilled on the boat’s floor (seriously, lots of blood), while a crewmember walked around, asking if there was a doctor on board. It looked and sounded bad – but twenty minutes later, she was smiling and waving her heavily bandaged hand as she was picked up by emergency services and flown to an Arlie Beach hospital to be stitched up.

Once we got back on track, we circumnavigated the uninhabited Whitsunday Island, the largest of the islands, and dropped anchor just off of Whitehaven Beach, described by many as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It was nothing short of spectacular – a mix of the whitest, finest sand and the clearest, sea-green water you’ve ever seen. The sand itself is 98% silica, which means you can clean your jewelry with it and, even better, it squeaks when you walk! Let’s just say it was tons of endless fun for someone as immature as me.

Our visit to Whitehaven ended way to soon and we got back on the catamaran, pausing along the way to admire the stingrays and sea turtles swimming in the pristine waters. The cruise back to Daydream was no disappointment, as we were treated to delicious barbecue, discussions about Aussie beer preferences (the metallic tasting but highly alcoholic VB:Victoria Bitter, or the smoother but less potent MB: Melbourne Bitter) with our new friends and fellow day-trippers from New Zealand, and multiple sightings of humpback whales breaching and frolicking in the warm waters.