Mission Beach

We arrived at Sanctuary Cove eco-retreat at Mission Beach in mid-afternoon.  After we checked in and headed to our room, we were blocked by a cassowary (named Clive)standing on the path! They are quite imposing and unusual to look at.  We took another path and let him have his space. This place is neat - we are staying in a little screen hut on a platform in the rainforest.  We upgraded to one with an outdoor bathroom. - REALLY outdoors, like just out on a little deck beside us with only the rainforest on the other sides!   We walked down to the carpark and went into town to pick up a few groceries. The walks up and down are very steep - a good workout!   We had dinner at the restaurant and a game of scrabble on the deck overlooking the forest and the bay.  We had an early night in the wet tropical rainforest with creatures of all sorts lulling you to sleep.

A cassowary on the way in to the Eco retreat at Mission beach

The view from the deck

Clive blocking the path to our room.

The path down to the carpark and beach.

Our little hut!

A leaf insect - not in our hut!

Home, sweet home - there were weatherproof curtains to block wind or rain, neither of which we had.

Our bathroom.

Deck at the lodge/dining room

June 28 (Friday)
I watched the sun rise over Bingil Bay in front of our hut, then read out in the sunshine on the deck while Boyd slept late. The insects quieted and the birds started at 6:19. Interesting bird calls though, not the crows and corellas of home. I think I heard a cassowary (or some other very large bird) stomping around in the forest in front of us, but I couldn't see anything through the tangle of vines and undergrowth. We had breakfast on the deck of the main lodge, then read and lazed about there for the morning. Walked down to Brookes Beach in the afternoon and spent a bit of time there, then picked up our laundry from the car, showered, did laundry, ate lunch on the deck, had naps and read on our little deck.   We had another delicious dinner and 3 games of backgammon, which I won 2-1.
What an exhausting day! We booked another night here.

Brookes Beach at the foot of our hill.

 

June 29 (Saturday)
Watched the sunrise from the bed and lazed about. Had a massage (very good one, too) at 10, then Boyd and I headed down to the shops to pick up some picnic food and a knife.   We went to Mission Beach and had a picnic on the sand, then he dozed while I walked along the shore - it is a long beach of hard packed sand so the walking was easy and the water was warm on my feet.   Because the reef is close here, there are no big waves or strong currents. We went to Brooke's Beach for a while on the way home - until the beach was in late afternoon shade - then headed up the steep hill.   We took the path to the pool and saw another cassowary near the pool!   Then, when I was taking photos in the lodge, Stuart the cassowary stopped just outside for a drink. You'd think they were common at the rate we are seeing them!   Dinner and another set of backgammon - Boyd won tonight.

These signs are put up when cassowaries are seen in the area.

Mission Beach

June 30 (Sunday)

Heard bats and growling/snapping in the night - maybe possums arguing with each other.   After breakfast, we packed up and got a ride back down to the parking lot. We drove to Mission Beach and went for a run -48 minutes - down the beach and back. It was lovely! 

A rhino-like beetle we saw along the way (about 3 inches long!)

Driving North from Airie Beach

After our adventure at sea around the Whitsunday Islands and a good night's sleep, we picked up our rental car and headed north.  The drive was very rural.  We stopped in at Bowen for a picnic lunch and a walk on the wharf.   This town was "Darwin" for the movie Australia.    We went out to one of the lovely little beaches for a few pictures before hitting the road again. There lots of roadworks so our progress was very, very slow!   We passed sugar cane fields and cane trains galore - something new for us!  We are staying right on the Strand in Townsville.  We went for a nice long walk along it and dinner at a little Indian restaurant in the evening.

In the morning we sent ecards off to the birthday girls, then we drove up to Castle Hill (just metres shy of being a mountain) for views over the town and the islands. After leaving Townsville we drove up to Mission Beach, stopping at dozens of roadworks and at the Frosty Mango for a mango smoothie and ice cream cone. Saw a cassowary by the side of the road on our way to Sanctuary Resort!!!! 


Sugar cane fields. The crush is in progress. (harvesting and crushing the cane to get the juice to make sugar from)

The jetty at Bowen

Townsville - pop 174,000 - from the top of Castle Hill

Nancy atop Castle Rock

Mango trees

Little cane train cars filled with harvested cane on its way to the sugar mill

The Solway Lass

During this school holiday we decided to head north to Cairns, QLD. Our first stop was Airlie Beach where we took a lovely 3 day cruise around the famous Whitsunday Islands of the Great Barrier reef aboard the tall ship, Solway Lass.  We flew to Airlie Beach in the a.m. after a typical  delay in Brisbane Airport.  After checking in, we spent the day puttering about Airlie and enjoying the sun. At 7 pm we headed out to the Solway Lass.  After leaving port we headed out to our overnight in the Hook Island passage where we had snacks and soup.  The 19 people on board seem like nice people.  The crew is:  Reggie - captain, Elliot - Bosun, Lauren, Brendan, Dave -cook, Tom -volunteer.  Our berth near the bow is TINY! For those of you who are interested, she was built 1902 in Holland of German Steel with timber decking as a sail powered cargo vessel and was originally named Stina. In 1905, she was sold and renamed "Adolf" and worked in and around the Baltic and North Sea. In 1915, she was seized as a prize of war by the British and used as a Q-Ship during WWI. At the end of WWI, she worked as a coal, produce and stone carrying vessel between Liverpool and Scottish Ports.  In 1924 she was sold to a Scottish firm near Solway Firth where she was renamed Solway Lass. When WWII broke out the Germans seized her as a prize of war where she was used to supply their armed forces.  During the war she hit a mine and was badly damaged, however the Germans repaired the hull because she was useful as a sail-powered icebreaker.  After WWII she served in the South Pacific as a cargo vessel.  In 1983, a Sydney Businessman purchased her in Fjii.  From 1983 to 1985 she was rebuilt and in 1988 took pride of place in the 1st Fleet re-enactment of the Tall Ships into Sydney Harbour.  Enough maritime history!

Airlie Beach

Our berth

The next morning we were up early for continental breakfast on deck, and the sails were hoisted for a sail to Whitehaven beach. Boyd and I rode in the bow net for part of the way. Very peaceful with the sails and no engine. Spent a few hours at Whitehaven Beach, known as one of the prettiest beaches in the world. It was lovely!   We swam/paddled about - cold - and walked the pure white sands. We went up to the lookout and saw the shifting white sands and turquoise waters below - just beautiful. Back to the boat for lunch and a sail back through Hook passage to South Molle Island where we dropped anchor for the night.


Breakfast

Deck of the Soloway Lass

We're off!

On the bowsprit

Relaxing in the bowsprit net

Whitehaven Beach

Whitehaven Beach

Looking good in lycra!  We wore stinger suits as protection against jellyfish (and the chilly water)

Whitehaven Beach

Whitehaven Beach

Whitehaven Beach

In the yard arms

Two - Six - Heave!  Pulling up the top sail

Sailor Nancy

Putting the sails up on a nice breezy day

Can't stop cleaning up!  Winding ropes on deck.

3 guitars on board had most people strumming.

 

On Monday we went on a bush walk up to the peak on South Molle Island with a spectacular view of the Whitsundays. The walk was lovely, through rainforest, grasslands, and lots of grass trees with flower spikes. After the walk and reboarding we sailed north to Hayman Island for some snorkeling at Blue Pearl Lagoon. There were TONNES of fish - including Elvis the huge potato cod - and lots to see - but the water was COLD despite being on the Great Barrier Reef!  After snorkeling, many (including Boyd) jumped off the rope swing on the boat afterwards. We anchored a little ways off Hook Island for the night.

Golden orb spider about the size of my hand.  We heard that their silk is so strong that a web can last for 2 years!

Grass tree flower spikes.

Looking down at our ship (third from the left) at South Molle.

The giant batfish - as big as a platter.

Sailor Boyd raising some sail or other

 

Modelling the lovely lycra stinger suit - all the rage in these waters.

Boyd getting ready to jump

 

They had a pirate tickle-trunk onboard which we took advantage of!

On the last morning several  people went SCUBA diving, so as we waited for them, Boyd went snorkeling again.  I went along in the boat and was dropped off at a lovely little coral beach to sit in the sun (and out of the wind) and read for a few hours.  After, Boyd swung on the rope swing again, and jumped off the bowsprit and the side of the boat.  

 

Many of the beaches are made up of bits of coral.

Boyd jumping from the bowsprit

and on the rope swing

 After lunch, we headed back to port (Airlie Beach), arriving about 4 p.m.. After goodbyes to our fellow passengers, we were dropped at our motel for the night. We unpacked and went for a run along the waterfront and the docks. Nice to stretch our legs again!  Tomorrow we head north for the next part of the adventure.