Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hey everyone, finally have another chance to update!
Well, thinking back to the beginning of the Tall Ships Sailing....The first day wasn't fantastic, as we both got so so seasick! We also got incredibly sunburnt that first day, as we were too seasick to put sunscreen on...We went to Whithaven Beach that day, which was okay until it started to pour with rain--rainy season in the rainforest is quite wet.
That evening there was a beautiful sunset, as there was everynight, and an amazing sky of stars which we watched on the top/roof of the boat, and then on afterwards (once we had anchored). The next day was really good--we went snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef for the first time, although I was scared as the crew said all the fish were poisonous!!
The next day we went on a bush walk, where we saw a python! Quite scary.
After that we pretty much repeated the last 3 days, but it was still really good. We went to a different part of Whitehaven Beach, where it didn't rain and we got even more sunburnt! The sand there is pure white, as it's 99.98% quartz...The food wasn't as fantastic as the first 3 days (we did two 3 day tours back to back), but still really good, and it was so nice to be fed! The second time we went snorkelling was amazing, as we went out a lot further, and saw loads of coral and a lot more fish, schools of smaller fish, big fish, everything. I was still quite scared though, as someone said they touched the top of a jellyfish by accident (it was jellyfish season and we were all decked up with stinger suits, but of course our hands and feet were still exposed), and the night before when we were anchored, the light of the boat attracted hundreds of small fish...which attracted the squid (which we saw eat the fish), which attracted this massive fish that ate the squid! It was pretty amazing as the water was so clear you could see right into it, and see the ink trails that the squid left when they were eaten! The whole experience was really cool. On the last day we had one last bush walk to some aboriginal caves.
In a nutshell, the boat was really cool. We couldn't do loads of sailing because of the wind not doing what we wanted, but it was amazing when we did--I help hoist the sails on the last day (the fore stay sail)! The boat was 100 years old--built in 1902, captured in both World Wars, sunk twice to the bottom of the ocean, and loads more amazing history that I can't even remember. I got an anklet thing at the end, something that sailors would traditionally wear, that was burned together so it can stay on for up to 10 years! Anyway, the boat was called the Solway Lass, and we were with Southern Cross Adventures/Tall Ships Sailing if you want information. There was also a professional photographer on the boat taking photos the last 3 days; I'm not sure if there are any of me as I haven't checked yet, but there are a couple of Adam, and good photographs anyway)--the link to his photos is www.rickmonk.com, and the Solway Lass section is called "Sailing the Whitsundays"...I didn't take loads of photos as my camera needed charging, but hopefully I'll add the photos I do have once we get to Perth in a couple weeks time...
After the boat (missed the food, but glad to be on dry land, and be allowed more than a 2 minute shower!), we were in Airlie Beach for the 2nd night (after staying there before the Solway Lass). Airlie Beach was great--it had a man made lagoon, loads of food, and a Rip Curl store where I spent more money than I have... On the transfer to the Airport, we saw a wild kangaroo, which was the first one we had seen! It was staring at the bus in a nearby field, and I tried to take a few pictures but I think it hopped away before I got a chance. Airlie Beach (Proserpine) Airport was the smallest airport I've ever seen--there were two gates, both outside...Luckily it wasn't raining!
So we flew to Brisbane for a night, weren't really there for very long, and then the next day took a bus down to Byron Bay. Again, we weren't there very long again, enough for it to start the next massive storm that has only left now that we've gotten to Sydney. We ate at Dominoes again, we can get a large cheese pizza and a really nice chocolate ooze cake thing for only AUS$10! Cheap food is quite exciting...
The next day we started our 4 day Learn to Surf Pass...after getting soaked running to the bus stop in the morning, I was lucky enough to sit under a leak on the bus, so I got soaked with cold water the Whole Way there (about 4 hours...). Our first lesson was about 20mins after we got there, so majorly rushed lunch, and such hard work!! It rained and was very windy the whole time, which made the currents really strong and the waves massive. Because of this I wasn't as good as I probably could've been, as I got wipeout several times by the waves before I even got on the board. It was also really confusing as we had to keep switching groups--tjhe first night we stayed with the Oz Experience (the bus we took down there) people, but they only had one night there, so we were moved, but it was all confusing and we didn't know what we were doing etc etc....By the 3rd (and last) lesson on the 3rd day though (each one was about 2-3 hours), I was loving it!! It took me longer to stand up than everyone else, but I refused to stand up if I thought I wasn't balanced enough as if I wiped out in deep water I wasn't sure where it would take me (getting out to the waves was so difficult, it took me about 20 minutes, even though we were only surfing waves that had broken). So I started by just kneeling (which was fun anyway!), and by the end of the second lesson I could surf with one foot forward, and by the end (unless the waves were particularly nasty), I managed to surf standing all the way to the shore (mainly I was pleased as I never wiped out!!)!!
I really really hope I can do it again sometime, particularly at Spot X (Arrawarra Beach, between Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour) where we did it, as the instructors were awesome, the food was excellent, and the weather...well we got excited when we saw blue sky. Which was once. We spent too much money again, and got a package that included a really nice Mojo (the company at "Spot X") hoodie, a bag, a surf certificate, and a CD of photos. It was really a shame as they usually have photos of everyone surfing, but because of the weather they couldn't get many at all, and so there aren't any of us except a couple on land. Oh well, I have a certificate so I still have proof....I can't move my arms very well because of the hard work surfing, and my legs are bruised, but I'd still go out there again!
We had a fun day yesterday, getting the Oz Experience bus down to Sydney, which took 8.5 hours. Woo. But we survived, and we have a day off today which is nice. Tomorrow we start nice and early again, 7 10, to take the bus down to Melbourne. We have 2 overnight stops on the way--I'm not too sure where or what we do, but basically after doing a variety of things we'll be in Melbourne in 3 days. We have 2 days in Melbourne, the first of which we're doing the Penguin Parade Tour with Autopia Tours, where we first go to a wildlife camp, cuddle a wombat (apparently), have dinner, and then see all the penguins come to shore at night! I'm really looking forward to that. We then have another day off before getting the bus to Adelaide (again doing...stuff, getting us there in 3 days). We have two days there, the first of which we go to Kangaroo Island, which to be honest I can't remember much about, and then the next day we swim with dolphins!
I'm exhausted just thinking about all this--I'm sure my writing has taken a nose dive, haven't eaten yet and that's very important!
I think that's all I have to say for now--having a great time!!!!
Cristina
- comments