The Whitsunday Islands

After a long drive we arrived in Airlie beach and headed for the information centre to book up trips for the two days of our stay here. I wanted to have a look around the islands and Andy was keen to fish. The weather has been a bit iffy around here with high winds making the sea a bit rough. For that reason it was suggested that we use a company called Ocean Rafting to get out to the islands. Ocean Rafing run large ex lifeboat, rib style boats which can crash over large waves and are popular with young thrill seekers!

At the boarding desk they suggested that people who were old or had bad backs or necks shouldn't travel today due to the large waves. Luckily we don't fall into either category, so off we went with all the other back packers! However, we were at least 30 years older than all of the other passengers, probably nearer 40 years older than most!

On the way out, there was a 3 metre swell and winds of 60km/hr. An exhilarating, but somewhat drenching experience. First stop was for a spot of snorkelling. Saw quite a few different types of fish and some lovely coral, but unfortunately the visibility was reduced as a result of the rough seas. So on we went to another Island for a short bush trek with glorious views.

Had lunch on Whitehaven beach which is 7km long and consists of beautiful white sand. Time then to move on and have a quick look at some of the other islands including Hamilton Island, where George Harrison once lived.

The trip back was just as exhilarating, however the winds had dropped a bit so they decided to do a few tricks. First we did some wake riding - crossing the wake of the boat in front at high speed.  Then a few wheelie spins just before getting back to port! It was really good fun.