May's Bay

Rubber ducky entry and exit is another skill to learn. My skills must be improving though as I successfully negotiated the beach without getting wet or injured. Unlike my Thai experience six months ago. The beach here is small and intimate, and very quickly passes onto mangroves which line the waters edge. These trees really are quite beautiful. The last time I was so up close and personal was a biology trip in high school. The root system is what makes them unique, enabling them to exist on the waterline, yet breath via their network of roots which form a latticework system of breathing points above the water line. As for the salt water, I'm can't quite remember how they deal with that, but given how healthy they look they cope magnificently. Having discussed the potential danger of cone shells I was aware that shell seeking was to be undertaken with care. That and the fact that many beaches within this area would be considered national parks or protected environments. That said, I only found one shell worth investigating, flipping it over to discover it was inhabited by a hermit crab. After he wiggled his claws at me, I gently placed him back in position and left him to his housework. It is the turtles in May's Bay that have most captured my attention. We have sighted a couple each day. They appear out of nowhere, take a breath or two on the surface and go again. Sometimes they reappear further across the bay as they seek food. One this afternoon came up close by our yacht, alerting me to her presence as she huffed out and took another breath of air. The sound so unusual I had to look - and there she was just watching me. An amazing experience. I took a photo on my iPhone, which looks more like the Loch Ness Monster than doing credit to this beautiful girl, but I knew if I left to get the camera, she would be on her way before I returned. I consider myself very lucky to have seen her so close, in her environment, not one of man's making. 13.7.13

Hamilton Island here I come

The big adventure has begun.  This girl is off sailing for the weekend, prior to heading to Mackay to deliver the Read for life: early childhood symposium on Tuesday.
Paul did the furry pickup without incident this morning.  I laughed to see Cinque's travelling companion - a Labrador.  His arch nemesis, although Charley looked like she had some age about her so hopefully he behaved himself.
So, an hour or so in the business lounge, iPad and book in hand saw me happily occupied until my flight to Hamilton Island.  We landed without incident, although the airstrip here must test the skill of the best pilot.  A narrow strip of land seemingly surrounded by ocean.  Once the descent begins I find it better not to look.
Frank met me, we collected my bags - one for work next week, one for pleasure and off we went.  Buggy to the marina, then loading gear onto our yacht.
Actually I think we "stowed" the gear.  There seems to be a specific language to boating and this land lubber has lots to learn.  Home for the next few days is a 44 foot Jeanaue - Miss Deveraux out of Hamilton Island.  Checking out all of the cabinets and hides holes to stow gear kept me entertained for some time.  Hopefully my full quota of bumped heads and banged elbows has been reached and the rest of the trip should be relatively uneventful.
We headed out of the marina late afternoon and by 3.00 had settled on our mooring for the night - May's Bay.  Accessed via a channel between Whitsunday Island and Cid Island, you go further around Daniell Point and on to the next cove.  Dugong Inlet off Daniell Point seems like a popular spot with 32 vessels seeking mooring for the night.  May's Bay had us and one other - a huge multi million dollar cruiser complete with wide screen television.  I'm not quite sure what the sailing protocol is, but I waved as the lady of the boat went out to tackle the anchor....who knows, we might get an invite for drinks one afternoon.
The movement of the yacht takes a bit of getting used to.  Above decks I am fine (well so far), even when we came through the entrance to Cid Harbour - known locally as "the washing machine".  The challenge I have is being below decks in the cabin.  I saw a plane go past, then another one, then a third....in opposite directions.  At the point confusion was about to reign, Frank put me out of my misery by showing me the "star" that I could see.....and each time our yacht moves in the water, we pass back and forth the sight line to the star. 
Best sighting of the afternoon though was a sea turtle - must have been May of May's Bay fame!
 

12.7.13