Justin and I took a little holiday (from our holiday) with American Brian and Aussie Nikki - sailing the Whitsunday Islands and diving in the Great Barrier Reef - marking one of the most eye-opening and exhilarating experiences of my life - right up there with my first taste of a certain medicinal fungus in Goa. The Whitsundays are a group of 74 islands off the coast of Queensland, Australia, formed by volcanic activity 100 million years ago and discovered in 1770 by Captain James Cook. The islands also provided access to the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's Seven Natural Wonders and the largest coral reef system. Unfortunately, if global warming continues at its current rate, the reefs could be completely wiped out within 20 years, killing all the marine life that feeds off of it.
The Boat:There are countless sailing options to choose from - BYO (bring your own alcohol) backpacker party catamarans to luxury yachts with white glove service to DIY (do it yourself) sailboats for rent - definitely something for everyone. After briefly contemplating sailing ourselves and quickly realizing what a disaster that would be, we decided to go with a middle-of-the-road sailboat called the Kiana - one of the few that actually sailed out to the Great Barrier Reef. Kiana is a reputable and sturdy boat that can accommodate 14 passengers and 3 crew members with two bathrooms to share. Sleeping room is pretty tight especially for Giant Brian at 6 feet 5, but manageable for the rest of us even though there are no private cabins which are unnecessary on this type of trip anyway. The crew, consisting of Brent the skipper, Paul the dive instructor / cruise director who nicknamed us Team America, and Paul the chef who nicknamed me Princess, were beyond fabulous. Not only were they very knowledgeable, capable at their jobs and catered to all our needs, their friendliness and genuine excitement made the trip that much more special. The other passengers on board included the four of us; sonnet-writing Professor Rob from Florida State University who was in Melbourne to deliver speeches; Dan and Jo - couple from the UK working and travelling in Aus for a year (just like us); Melanie and Sven - couple from Sweden here on holiday; Ciera and Emily - two Irish sisters and their husbands Joe and Matt - all of whom are teachers on their 2-month summer break; and finally Karen - a freckly Swedish girl who took a liking to Brian and Justin.
Itinerary:Day 0: After a four hour flight from Melbourne to Hamilton Island, Australia's biggest island resort (and most expensive), we took our time enjoying the warmth of the sun and sand on the beach. We then took a ferry to Airlie Beach (backpacker central) where we spent the night before heading to the Marina at 8am the next morning.
Day 1: We checked in at the Marina, boarded Kiana, and after a safety briefing by Paul the cruise director, we set sail and made our way to the stunning White Haven beach, Australia's 4th most photographed destination (after Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Ayers Rock). The white sand is extremely fine with 98% silica and is used by NASA to build the Hubble telescope. If you attempt to smuggle some of this fairy dust sand with you, expect to be fined a hefty $10,000 fee by Customs. We spent a few hours splashing in the crystal blue water, playing Frisbee and football, and taking pictures before getting back onto our boat. We then anchored at Bait Reef just in time to enjoy the pink sunset and whale watching. After devouring a delicious gourmet meal under the full moon with the cool ocean breeze, we gathered for a slideshow of pictures taken by Paul during the day. Then everyone went to bed early for a 5:30 am wakeup call.
Day 2: Scuba diving was on the agenda at 7 am after breakfast. Brian, Justin, and I made up the first group of non-certified divers and dived down to 9 meters under water in our mandatory stinger suit and a separate wet suit. Water temperature was a cool 20 degrees C (68 F). Unfortunately Nikki couldn't join us due to her asthma so she had to settle for snorkelling. Then after our first dive, we motored on for a few hours until we reached the Great Barrier Reef. When we jumped back into the temperate water for snorkelling, a school of humpback whales were flapping their tails and breaching in and out of the ocean just 100 meters away from where we were! Instead of snorkelling with our heads in the water, we couldn't stop watching the whales for about 20 minutes with our jaws open. When we finally started snorkelling, we were mesmerized by a melange of the most vibrant coral and fishes we've ever seen. Back on the boat, I found Paul’s camera lying around so I took the opportunity and had Justin moon the camera. After yet another gorgeous sunset which turned the sky orange and pink and watching some more whales flapping about, we had a hearty meal with fellow adventurers, reminisced about all the fabulous water creatures we saw, and gathered for our nightly slideshow which unfortunately did not include Justin’s full moon but everyone had a good laugh.
Day 3: The 5:30 wakeup call on our last day was less brutal, waking up to the soothing voice of Hawaiian musician Iz singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. I immediately sprang out of bed and got ready for snorkelling after breakfast. It was even more amazing on the second day because the higher tide enabled us to swim right on top of the colourful coral reef. On our way back to the boat, Nikki and I unexpectedly saw a giant turtle swimming gracefully in the water. We were so excited but didn't want to scare the little guy so we swam with our arms up and down on our sides the way turtles do (as we were told to do so the turtle would think we are one of them). After an eventful morning, we had to prepare for our four-hour long journey back to Airlie Beach port. The clouds also started to form and hide the sun, making it a little chillier on our return sail. As we settled our bills and said our goodbyes, we were saddened to leave the world’s most amazing aquarium and be back on land again. Later that night we met with the Irishmen and the Swedish couple for drinks at Beaches, a local pub.
Day 4: We stayed overnight at Airlie Beach and caught the first ferry back to Hamilton Beach where we flew out of. It was grey and raining all morning which made it easier to say goodbye to paradise. Other than having the worst flight with annoying toddlers screaming the entire way, we made it safely home to Melbourne by 4 pm.
Here are a few tips on what to pack and the cost if you are interested in taking one of the most awesome and fantastic trips imaginable!
What to Pack:
- Small duffel bag - carry-on hard luggage with wheels are not allowed
- Camera, sunscreen and sunglasses
- Bathing suit, T-shirts and shorts
- Towel and toiletries - not provided on boat
- Flip flops - don't bother bringing an extra pair of shoes because everyone has to surrender their footwear at the beginning of the trip and walk barefoot on the boat
- Dramamine - MUST TAKE AN HOUR BEFORE YOU SET SAIL!!! Motion of the ocean can really get the best of you if your stomach is weak like mine but Dramamine worked like a charm
- 3-day 2-night on the Kiana sailboat (book direct on their website rather than through a travel agency for cheaper fares): $469 per person (includes lodging on boat, all meals, one free dive and unlimited snorkelling) + $15 (stinger suit rental) + $65 (each additional dive)
- Marine Park Fee: $45 per person (mandatory fee for all divers)
- Flight on Jetstar from Melbourne to Hamilton Island: $190 roundtrip
- Fantasea ferry from Hamilton Island to Airlie Beach: $90 roundtrip
- Accommodation on Airlie Beach - 2 nights at Airlie Apartments: $180/night for 2BR
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