So this is the post my dads been too eager for! My poor mother doesn’t do well at sea and I think I’ve given my dad to many ideas with this trip…

We headed to Airlie beach, home of the Whitsunday Islands. Didn’t and still don’t know too much about it, other than its beautiful. One of the best places for crystal clear water and beautiful sand and plenty of islands to explore…

  
We stayed on a campsite that offers discount on your stay if you book a tour through them, seemed silly not to go with them, plus it’s somewhere safe to leave daisy for the day. 

We went and was surprised that most things were booked up for the next few days, one we were interested in had a offer on that you get a free transfer to any other island of your choice the next day, booked up for the next 5 days! So the one we were originally was shown and looked at was available so we went for that, the Derwent hunter, old traditional tall ship, which visits two of the furthest and quiets islands of the bunch, black island and Langford island.

So we started at 7!! Again not liking the early starts! Haha!

Weren’t allowed shoes on, had to surrender them before stepping on board, didn’t like that what if someone had a fungal infection? Ewwww!, but did make you feel like your part of the crew, the crew were lovely, so full of knowledge and super keen to get people involved, but never full on in your face , the right balance.

  
We were given cake pretty much as soon as we’d set off, chocolate cake and lots of it! worked well for us I had the top and Kieran had the bottom of the cake, he doesn’t like the icing , bonus for me! 
  
Sails up!..

   
   
Was a lovely steady sail to the island, first stop was black island, part of the deal with going snorkelling was you have to wear a stinger suit… No before you laugh to yourself I did not need a child’s one, but I did have xs flippers where as Kieran had xxl!!! Haha!!
   
They took us across to the island on the blow up boats, we ended up on the small one, 

 
Now time for the reef!! 

   
   
It really was cold, not hawaii! And we didn’t have suits on there!,  Kieran stayed in for a bit but got out, I carried on for a bit longer, using a swimming noodle to just float and watch everything go by…

   
    
    
 

      
Wasn’t as clear, especially when taking photos but still lonely to just float and watch, then I had to come out , my blubber wasn’t keeping me warm any more.

Next stop Langford island…

Which is just a 10 minuet away sail over, this at high tide pretty much is non existent just a peak, but when we got there a lovely long stretch of sand created a lovely walk way…

Instead of going in again we decided to go for a walk and have a look in the rock pools…

    
 

   

 

We found a really large snail and lots of hermit crabs that were on the move, we saw a sting ray and when we got back to the top to the others we saw a couple of whales having a play!! Looks so tiny in the distance compared to what we remember!…

 
   

We also was blessed with a turtle, but he was camera shy, stayed towards the bottom. 

We then headed back on the ship for a feast!! And what I like most of all…ladies first rule applied 😉

  
Then it was home time!! Gone so quick but such a lovely relaxed day… Few photos of the sail home…

   
    
 
The captain was cool and relaxed and even said that it was the calmest day he’d had for ages and that he was able to turn the engines off quite a few points.