We love it when our guests say, "you know the Whitsundays, we're not fussed where we go", so we hoisted Lady Katherine's sails and off we went to wherever the breeze would take us.
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| Capturing the sailing action on board Lady Katherine |
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| Never too young to start helming |
First stop, Cid Harbour, for a choice of two bushwalks: the easy to moderate 3 kilometre return Dugong-Sawmill Track, or the difficult Whitsunday Peak.
It was an early rise for the 'roof of the Whitsundays' walk, starting with a dinghy drop off to Sawmill Beach on the rising tide. Climbing 490 metres, the Whitsunday Peak track carves through diverse vegetation, from rainforest gullies to windblown heaths, finishing with spectacular views from the top.
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| Sensible walking shoes are a must to enjoy the steep rocky climb to the top. |
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| Cid Harbour view from Whitsunday Peak |
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| Windswept grasstrees atop Whitsunday Peak |
From Sawmill Beach, access to Dugong Beach via the walking track entails crossing Sawmill Creek, and getting wet feet if the tide is high.Winding through towering hoop pines and stands of giant rainforest trees and solitaire palms, this is a pretty walk suitable for all ages.
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| The majestic hoop pine is a distinct icon of the Whitsunday islands. The species dates back some 200 million years. |
It was time to up-anchor, hoist sails, and find some good snorkelling sites. The coral along Cairn Beach on the Northern end of Whitsunday Island suffered very little damage from Cyclone Debbie, so there was plenty to see on the falling tide. False Nara, Caves Cove and north Stonehaven, all off Hook Island, are also relatively unscathed with fabulous bomboras and a healthy combination of hard and soft corals, fish life and turtles.
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| Cairn Beach, Whitsunday Islands National Park |
A Whitsunday sailing adventure is not complete without some dinghy exploration up mangrove creeks and secluded beaches. Nara, Macona and Gulnare Inlets are perfect for this activity.
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| Our own private beach |
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| Noodling around in the dinghy |
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| Mangroves abound in the Whitsundays - they provide breeding grounds for reef fish and sharks |
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37 million years of volcanic activity over 100 million years ago has shaped the Whitsunday landscape, leaving interesting bedrock colours and formations.
Our last stop for this trip was Langford Island, to see the trial inter-tidal sculptures along the spit, and walk the new short trail to the lookout.
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| Underwater art trail soon to be a permanent fixture throughout the Whitsunday Islands |
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| View of Langford Spit, and a Whitsunday Bottle Tree (Brachychiton compactus) |
Three days and three nights exploring the Whitsundays Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is a world away from anywhere else, with only the tides dictating where you go and what you do. It's hard to return to civilisation, but we can visit anytime as it's right on our doorstep. As for our guests? Well, they've booked in for next year so they can once again enjoy this pristine environment. "Everyday an absolute pleasure", was the feedback. We think so too.
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| Lady Katherine on anchor, Macona Inlet |
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