No News is Good News-Townsville to Airlie Beach

Shopping mall, Townsville

     Yes we did arrive safely back from Townsville at the beginning of October.

Strangler figs,Townsville

 On the way back we spent more time at places along the way and were lucky enough to have some good sailing winds and moonlit nights. Just south of Townsville along a spectacular stretch of rocky coast, we noticed military helicopters practicing their coastal approach skills over the cliffs and narrow beaches, finally lowflying and circling Two XS waving cheerily out the open sides.Further south at Cape Upstart we ventured deeper into the rocky bay, and while ashore met some locals who have built holiday homes amongst the rockpiles,arriving by boat to spend weekends and timeout from the mainland in this beautiful, isolated spot.
     They were intrigued with our sea-gypsy lifestyle,and Bodi’s seadog competence. Bowen is an interesting oldworld town, with streets so wide they have provided shady resting seats in the centre median area. Above the town department store, they are still proudly displaying the banner “Bowen welcomes Baz Luhrmann and cast”, referring to the movie filmed there earlier this year. All around town buildings are decorated with colourful murals depicting the town history and prominent early citizens.
   

 

Once back at Airlie,in very bumpy bay conditions, we welcomed aboard friends from Port, Ray and Ronda, to spend a week of island hopping.

Strong winds prevailed for the first few days but we managed to visit Hamilton Is. coincidentally meeting up with other Port friends,staying at the resort .In spite of difficult conditions, we visited bays around the islands we had not seen before, the highlight was at last entering Hill Inlet behind Whitehaven Beach,at high tide, with Two XS sitting high and dry in a puddle of water overnight,moving out again through the winding channel at high tide next day.Photo opportunities galore!!
     At the end of October, Airlie staged its Reef Festival,with many activities, including a great fireworks display on the foreshore only 200 metres from our back deck, street decorations and parties,sand modelling competition,and fashion parade including colourful locally designed stinger suits.A good idea as they are mostly in black and very unbecoming-but necessary.There was also a stall giving info.and displaying stingers in jars-and they are so tiny but lethal.

 

Picnic Bay, Magnetic Is.

Bodi admiring batfish, Magnetic Is.

  During November we went for a little trip north as far as Magnetic Island,

A swim at Maude's Bay, Magnetic Is.

 stopping over at many of the bays and islands on the way, scoring a feed of juicy oysters off the rocks near Jarrod McCracken’s proposed dream home-no wonder he’s in trouble with the authorities-we walked all around the huge site and saw the devastation clearing the site has caused to this superb coastal nature reserve.

    Gloucester Eco Resort welcomes passing boaties,so we went for a drink at their open air bar and stayed for a gourmet dinner of seafood,music provided by a band who was playing for a 50^th Birthday party at the restaurant,and later heard from Two Xs out in the bay.

    On our way back we called in at Hideaway Bay near Dingo Beach ,a very pretty spot with a bay full of tidal coral reef,and many interesting houses of modern design,mostly timber and glass.

    At another bay with no name (excellent beach no.3 in our guide book)not only did we all have good swims and beach walks,but we brought out Dad’s old net, set it across a tidal creek, catching a large fish.Our first catch except for the landing netted garfish at Tongue Bay.We were lucky with perfect weather and helpful winds on the way back to Airlie.

    Strong winds and frequent showers were not good conditions for cousin Geoff and Kathy setting out on their first rent-a yacht holiday here-but they bravely made the most of it and had many memorable experiences during their week aboard little “Ripple”. We managed to spend some good time with them catching up and swapping sailing stories.

    Since then we have been waiting for favourable winds to head south, have changed the car rego to Qld. And spent a high tide/low tide night at nearby Woodwark Bay beaching Two XS,cleaning off the Airlie Bay grime ready for a quick getaway.We are sad to be leaving Airlie, having enjoyed the last four months there and feeling almost locals.

    As this is the second attempt at this post,the first dogged by intermittent internet sabotage and frustration-the whole episode painstakingly finished-only to vanish before publishing, we have moved on considerably and are now on our way back south to avoid cyclone season.At the moment we are at Freshwater Bay sheltering from the strong S/E winds and rough seas-forecast for N/E winds not until Tuesday.We had made really good distance until yesterday, sailing 14 hours,covering 85 nms and all in daylight.But then the N/E changed.

    This is a remote lovely bay south of Port Clinton and about 40 nms north of Yeppoon-but it’s a military exercise area and large signs are all along the treeline forbidding entry-just as well Bodi can't read-he loves sniffing around the bush.There is no phone or internet access here but I hope to post this up as soon as we’re back in range insight of Yeppoon.

     An update on Ben and Bianca-her RAN contract has been extended to 12 months so they’ll be staying in Mataranka-Ben has grown a Moustache for Movember, and is working busily on website design.

   Marika and Khan in Canada again have liftie jobs and have bought a car to travel to the snowfields-main problem is finding accommodation near Fernie as it is not provided for staff as at Nakiska.

   Tigger has had to have vet treatment for a tick but is now resting comfortably at her Beechwood retirement home.

    Please wish for NE /N winds-anything but S/SE !

    PS.Sad news just received-Tigger was attacked by two more ticks and despite the vets best efforts did not recover-poor little pet had only one week to go to her 17^th birthday.