Airly Beach
Trip Start
Nov 23, 2006
1
11
18
Trip End
May 25, 2007
Airly Beach, Townsville, Australia
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Thursday was our first day to discover what Airly beach had to offer. We met Ells's cousin and went for a few drinks then for a bite to eat at Nandos, little treat after all the noodles and not eating. We then walked around town looking at various whitsunday sailing trips. There everywhere and theres loads of different boats. We opted to sail on a racing boat. It was called Boomerang and is now used for 3-4 day sailing trips around the 74 whitsunday island, after retiring from its racing career. It was all booked up and we were leaving on friday at 2 pm. Thurday night is as good as a weekend in Airly so we brought some very cheap rose and prepared to go into town. Pretty good night for a thursday but not great preparation before getting on a racing yaht.
The morning was hectic, we had to take the van to a parking, get some food, take our valuables to the safe place, purchase some booze for the trip and try and soober up. We arrived at the marina late but they werent in a rush, typical aussies. Once we were on board the boat, one of the crew briefed us. Previously to this I had sprinted to and from the van several times. This resulted in me meeting 14 new people for the first time whilst looking like the sweatist man in the world, I was dripping. We unpacked, found our beds and went up to deck. On board our boat were a large group of Irish lads and one irish bird. Two swiss birds, one swiss bloke, one german bird (well fit but really boring, she never joined in the games, even when I asked). The rest was made up of english people. The boot sailed through the maze of island and we went snorkling by hook island.
The food on board was really good, better than what were used to. Later on in the evening we settled down and played some games, orhestrated by the english. Not everyone joined in but those who did loved it. I had to explain the card game shit head to 10 people which was a biy of a nightmare so we only played it once. The drinking game 'The boat comes into the harbour' was also introduced. I know its a big hit back home and it never dissapoints. The game was renamed, 'The Boomerang came into the Harbour'..... it went down well. Day two on the boat and we went to the most famous beach in the Whitsundays. White Haven beach is pure tiny grains of sand with a really good surrounding of Whitsunday islands. We had to wear stinger suits in the sea becuase of the amount of jelly fish and stinger things that can get you. We also needed to wear these when we went snorkling again along Hayman island. This snorkling was better than the first day. Many fish we have seen previously but not as large. At times we felt like a navy seal team bacuase you get on a little boat to get to the more remote snorkling bays, that and the black stinger suits made it more real. The lads thought my legs looked funny in the stinger suits. But if you look closely, elliots big arse is almost ripping the material, and there isnt enough material length for dans extrordinarally long arms. The night on the boat was one of the best nights weve had. Loads of games and drinks sat about on deck.
The weather still perfect and the sunsetting behind our boat. Some aussies from another boat tried to get involved with our fun, so all the english on the boat turned in the barmy army and scared them off. In the morning were up early again feeling pretty worse for wear the boat with only 1 and a half sails (it ripped the day before) made our way back to Airly beach marina. The other highlight of the trip was the 2 day on the beach. Dan and Ells were frliking in the sea when I come across there chatter. I realised that they were acatually arguing over who looks more like Mel B from the Spice girls.We said farewell to our crew and friends from Boomerang. A really enjoyable few days and well worth doing. To top it off we also saw some dolphins just in the spot we were snorkling in before sunset on the last night. The captain said it was "pretty rare round these parts". Were now back in Airly, bout to eat a subway then move on to Townsville up the coast, will put pics on soon. Look and Ells's and Dan's to see the pics of the last two trips, frazer island and whitsundays.
Townsville
Arrived here sunday to discover liverpool had been cheaten out of three points by scumy manunited. Townville is quite a nice little city by the east coast. It also have a decent waterfront created by a connecting river. Like most places in Australia not alot happens here mid week. It a good spot for diving and in the middle of the great barrier reef. Sunday night we arrived played some tennis, watched some 24 on the DVD player and went to bed recovering from the previous days on our whitsunday sailing trip. Monday was much the same, explored town and dan and ells booked two scuba dives for the following days. This gave me the chance to save some money and spend some qaulity time with myself. Today I woke up drove the boys to the marina in shiela then cruzed back to our camp site down the road, had a long shower, charged my camera whilst making beans on toast then casually made my way into town. I may book a day of fishing tomorrow while the kids do their second dive. Be nice to get some adult time in before they return. Nothing beats chilling out in front of the open sea chatting to my fishing buddies about previous catches.
