After our superb experience at Lady Musgrave we were thirsty for more time on the Great Barrier Reef. We moved further north crossing the Tropic of Capricorn and made our way to Airlie Beach, gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsundays are an island chain belonging to the Great Barrier Marine Reserve, but these islands couldn’t be more different from Lady Musgrave. They’re what’s known as mainland islands - that is to say that they are connected to the continent of Australia underwater. During the last ice age they were a high forested mountain range connected to the now Conway National Park on the mainland. When the sea levels rose the low valleys were flooded leaving just the tips of the mountains exposed above the water, creating a perfect island paradise for us to enjoy. In addition, we’d reached an a latitude far enough north that the outer GBR had begun to temper the fierce swells of the open ocean, making passage to and between the islands a sanctuary against sea sickness and a popular place to set sail.
 |
| A few of the Whitsunday Islands from the mainland |
The first half of our day trip was spent snorkeling in the northern bays of Hook Island. The first stop was Maureen's Cove where the experience was similar to that of Lady Musgrave minus the turtles. There was tons of beautiful coral and loads of fish life, but it was at the second site that we got our unique and exciting experience. In Manta Ray Bay, the sea life was a little…larger. OK, a lot larger. When we pulled into the bay the skipper through some bait into the water and we all watched as a school of giant bat fish shot up to the surface in a blur to grab some grub. With the second toss of the bait, an even more giant man-sized Maori Wrasse fish arrived to grab his share. Soon we were all off into the water splashing about with plenty of shouts as the fish deftly darted between us to grab the pellets being thrown into the water by the skipper. The fish certainly weren’t bashful, often times coming well within arms reach as you watched halfway between elation and discomfort (we’re talking fish the size of your torso or bigger).
 |
| Kayleigh Fish |
 |
| Bat Fish |
 |
| The only photo I was able to grab of the Maori Wrasse |
 |
| Bat Fish going for some bait |
With the excitement behind us we made our way to the namesake of the islands, Whitsunday Island. Whitsunday Island is the largest island in the chain and is almost entirely national park. The east coast of the island is home to Whitehaven Beach which is reputed by many to be one of the ten best beaches on Earth. It was here that we were to spend the remainder of our day, on pristine white sand and gently lapping waves. Just before lunch we made our way up the short walk to the Hill Inlet Lookout where we were greeted with a view so beautiful it didn’t seem that it could be real. I’m still not sure I even believe it. See for yourself.
 |
| Disembarking into bliss |
 |
| Whitehaven Beach |
 |
| Hill Inlet from the lookout - Yes, it actually does look like that |
It isn’t often that anything lives up to the hype built up around it, especially when it’s claiming something as extraordinary as “one of the top ten beaches on Earth”, but in this case I’d say that it does. It’s easily one of the best beaches I’ve ever seen, ranking up there with Hanalei Bay on Kauai. Beauty? In spades. Clean? Pristine. Sand? As close to velvet as ground rock can get, and with an ocean perfect for swimming. To make the package even better, you can camp on the beach for only $5pp per night! Needless to say, I’d come back in a heartbeat.
Just for some added value I’ll tell you about a few off the beaten track gems in the region. Cedar Creek Falls is a beautiful waterfall well worth the time it takes to get there. If you’re into cliff diving, its a great spot for it with easy access to the top of the ~12m (36ft) falls and a deep plunge pool below. After apprehensively watching a few people take the plunge I finally decided I had to do it. Even if cliff diving isn’t your thing, the plunge pool is a wonderful place for a swim in the hot tropical weather.
 |
| Cedar Creek Falls |
Lastly, the township of Bowen is about an hour north of Airlie Beach and boasts some beautiful beaches worth a visit. Unlike done-up Airlie Beach which has no beaches of its own and seems overrun with young gap year backpackers, Bowen is an unassuming place where you can relax at a beach alongside real Australians. Specifically, the Edgecumbe Heights Recreation Reserve is where the noteworthy beaches are hiding. We spent the better part of a day enjoying Horseshoe Bay. A nice cafe backs up against the beach and some nice walking trails head up onto the headland for some sweeping lookouts. What else could you possibly need?
 |
| Horseshoe Bay |
 |
| The coastline near Bowen |
No comments:
Post a Comment