Airlie Beach

Might recall from a previous posting that we came here without reservations for anywhere to stay. Worked out fine. Booked the first place that had a vacancy. 5 star. Well, maybe not 5. Maybe more like 2. In a 1960s cinderblock, corrugated tin, smelly kind of way. But cheap! Dawn says its not going to happen again. Oh well. Just think of all the money I saved!

Home away from home, away from home.

Anyway, Airlie Beach is hip little place. ½ of it is families with little kids and the other ½ backpackers. We are situated on the beach next to two very large salt-water lagoons. They filter out the stingers and sharks and all. Jammed with little Aussies. On the other side of the place is the main drag. Shops and bars. Lots of bars. So we sit between Disneyland on one side and spring break Daytona Beach on the other. It’s the end of the rugby season and entire teams get dropped off here by the busload. And they celebrate the end of the season pretty hard.

We have hiked one end of the place to the other. There is a nice boardwalk and some trails that go up into the hills. Flocks of wild Cockatoos that make a heck of a racket. There are several beaches and a couple of nice marinas. Lots of boats out on anchor. I’m envious.

Strangler Fig. Pretty awesome tree. As trees go.

 

View from way up the hill.

So we had to get out to the barrier reef to get in some sightseeing and snorkeling. And since Vivo is a dockominium stuck in Mackay we took a day sail on and old wooden tall ship. The Derwent Hunter. Pretty cool. Built in the 40s. Gaff rigged. Old tank of a vessel. Sailed out a couple of hours and went to a couple of snorkel spots. The water was WAY cold. We are spoiled snorkel snobs. We have been to so many places where the water is gin clear and warm.  Swim all day. Here we get out after about ½ hour with our teeth chattering. But it was a lovely time and we got to haul some lines. Very different sailing than what we are accustomed to on Vivo. No winches. All leverage and manpower.

Poor quality pic I nicked from their website.

Me in the Blue shirt, red hat.

Back to Mackay again. Windlass parts are still about two weeks out. Really want to get done with it and move on to New Zealand.

All for now.

M