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After our Fraser Island advenutre, we arrived back in Hervey Bay to be told that most of the buses going up to Airlie Beach (where we had a boat trip booked to go on the Whitsunday's) were cancelled due to heavy rain and flooding! The bus driver was not sure he could make it with some of the roads been closed and we might get stranded, but been the all adventue girls we are.... we risked it!
After the overnight bus, we safely arrived in Airlie beach and good news, our boat trip was not cancelled and we had head so much about these paradise islands that we were very giddy kippers.
Ah, the Whitsunday islands.. we have attached a picture of what the islands look like in the lovely hot sunshine. We are sure you will agree that they are very close to paradise.
This was our boat - Condor. It has won every major title and it is a great boat.
Ok so we've set the scene, perfect boat, perfect location.... what have we possibly got to complain about you may ask.
Well, it has been raining on the east coast. It is their wet season but they have not had bad weather here in the wet season for 4 years. Until the Yorkshire representatives arrived that is.
The first day looked promising, we were all out on deck in our bikin's, the wind in our hair and there were only a few showers. It stopped raining for two hours so we took full advantage by going for a snorkle on the great barrier reef - it was pretty spectacular I must admit. The underwater photos are posted on the photo section, thanks to the lovely girlies who bought us the cameras as going away prezzies! For all you jokers who are going to take the mickey out of our sexy suits, they are compulsory to stop you getting stung by the stingers!
That night we stopped up on deck, had some good food and a few beers and were entertained in our little group by Willow, one of the deck hands, with his naff jokes and Bertie who was from near Halifax.. small world!
The skipper couldn't stop anywhere on the second day to let us swim or snorkle cause the weather was too bad and he was afraid he would loose us! so they decided to take us to this resort on one of the islands, so we could get warm and dry for a few hours... this was a big mistake.
After 3 hours of enjoying the hot tub and the hot chocolate in the bar, we looked outside and were shocked that there was some kind of storm going on.... and it was confirmed that there was a cyclone on the way!!!
We had to head back to the boat (nobody wanted to go back!) but unfortunatley to get back on the big boat, we had to go on the 8 man dingy with a very dodgey engine. The first group headed off in the dark, with tourches and cagooles. The group then reappeared one hour later, explaining the dinghy had got tangled with some other boats and three swedish lads from the group had been bobbing about trying to untangle it for the past hour!!
Anyway by this point people were saying they were not going back to the boat etc but the deck hand basically told everyone to stop pratting about and we would just go back in someone elses boat. We then had to hang onto the pier with 80km hour winds while they sorted the boats out...oh and there was a power cut on the island and someone dropped the only torch in the water! what a night.
Once back on ship 3 hours later than planned we had a few beers and our tea that was by that time quite well done.
Just after midnight we had the scare of our life as the radio started "Mayday Mayday Mayday"! Panic was over everyones faces what with hearing about the cyclone that was on its way. It was a small boat that had lost its engine and its anchor and was heading for the rocks - we all sat there for 2 hours listening to the radio conversation between him and the lifeboat (which was at least an hour away - apparently the rescue people work 9-5 monday to friday which is really handy!) The bloke on the boat seemed to be getting drunker as the call went on as at first we thought the boat was called Doris, but then changed to taurus!
The following morning was very boring compared to the rest as we headed back to shore for late morning.
Met up with the skipper and everyone on the boat for a night out to get over the trauma of our trip. Had a few jugs in Beaches bar before heading to Moroccos- where we bumped into Becky and Emily (the girls we met and surfers and keep meeting all the way). Moved onto a club- had a great night.
The following day we were still swaying- from the boat not the alcohol! In fact that continued for about a week. Spent the day chilling by the lagoon as the weather had miraculously improved and went out for tea with Becky and Emily.
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