Day 50 – South of Mackay, Australia – 12:11 am

I’m currently occupying a window seat on a 15 hour bus ride from Airlie Beach to Rainbow Beach.  My five days in Airlie Beach have come to a close and I departed last night at 7:15 PM.  For three of those five days, I, along with a handful of others, lived aboard the catamaran Tongarra, as she cruised through the Whitsunday Islands.  Rollie served as our captain and Richy as the deckhand.

After checking in at 7:30 am on Saturday morning, I packed up my belongings and filled a dry bag for my days aboard the Tongarra.  It contained my Nikkon DSLR, GoPro, a spare t-shirt, shorts and windbreaker. I donned swim trunks and a t-shirt, grabbed my hat and sunglasses and set off for the Tongarra, moored at Abel Point Marina.  I walked the 20 minutes from my hostel to the Marina and spotted the red hulled Tongarra.  She sat reflecting the glistening water off her hulls.

Those booked on the Tongarra trickled into the marina and awaited for a pre-cruise briefing by the deck boss.  Richy eventually walked up the gangway, introduced himself and Rollie, the captain for our voyage.  We walked toward the Tongarra and stepped aboard.  We dropped our belongings in a berth and proceeded to the bow.  As Rollie maneuvered the Tongarra past the breakwater, those onboard began to introduce themselves and discuss what awaited us over the coming days.  I immediately bonded with a young couple who lived in New Zealand, a Scot and a Frenchman.  The sun was shining and the Tongarra gently rocked from side to side as she entered Pioneer Bay.

Her sails remained furled as the wind was almost nonexistent.  Richy stepped forward and went over a couple house keeping issues. He explained our tentative schedule for the excursion including multiple snorkels and a visit to Whitehaven Beach.  On the forefront of everyone’s mind was the question of where we were all going to sleep.  By law, everyone needs a berth below deck.  However, Richy broke the news that we’d sleep on deck and a custom fitted, temporary roof would be pulled over the top to protect us from rain and wind.

We pulled into Hook Passage, dropped anchor and Rollie gave the command that it was time to swim.  One by one we climbed up to the diving platform and performed our best moves entering the water.  Back flips, front flips and cannon balls sent water spraying in all directions.  After 30 minutes or so of swimming we returned to the boat.  Richy lit the grill attached to the stern and filets of fish were soon placed atop.

Rollie and Richy urged us to call it a night at a decent hour as we had a busy agenda the following day.  Around 11:30 pm, I found my mattress atop the foredeck and rocked to sleep by the current under the Tongarra.  I woke the next morning around 6:00 am.  After a breakfast of cereal and yogurt we boarded the small dinghy attached to the Tongarra and set off for Whitehaven Beach.  After everyone on our vessel was at the landing spot, Rollie walked us to the lookout for our first views of this spectacular stretch of beach.  Sand the color of snow stretched in all directions and disappeared into emerald blue water.  According to Rollie, the sand is 98% pure silica, thus resulting in its white color.   Rollie then walked us down to the beach, pointed out a small shark swimming in the shallows and a stingray gliding across the ocean floor ten yards away.  He instructed us to meet at the lookout at 12:15 pm and then return as a group to the spot we exited the dingy earlier that morning.  For the remaining hours we swam, walked around and stood in awe at the natural beauty that enveloped us.

We returned to the Tongarra later that afternoon and polished off lunch as we motored to our first snorkeling spot in Manta Ray Bay.  We were provided stinger suits to combat jellyfish.  Much like a wetsuit, a stinger suit keeps you warm as well.  I happily stepped into my stinger suit and zipped it up. Next, I grabbed my snorkel and mask and boarded the dingy for the short ride to the reef.  I jumped in, adjusted my mask and snorkel and began to swim.  Parrotfish, zebrafish and the occasional Humphead Wrasse swam among us.  Their radiant colors glistened in the sunlight that broke the surface of the ocean.  After more than an hour in the water, I began to get cold and returned to the Tongarra.  As afternoon turned into evening, Richy prepared a pasta dinner accompanied by Italian bread.  Most refilled their plates with second helpings and sat down to relive the days events.  After a long day in the sun, the pasta dinner quenched my increasing hunger.  Rollie gathered everyone up front and laid out a large map in front of us.  He traced our route since leaving Airlie Beach and explained a bit about the history of the area.  That night we pulled out a deck of cards and passed the time playing a selection of games that entertained us for a couple of hours.

Monday morning I woke up around 6:30 am. We prepared for one final snorkel in Stone Haven.  The fish were not as bright or plentiful as Manta Ray Bay but the coral that lined the reef popped with greens, blues and purples unseen the day prior. As explained by Rollie, the reef in Manta Ray Bay is subjected to harsh winds from cyclones.  As a result, the coral is more susceptible to damage.  However, Stone Harbor sits protected from approaching storms and thus that section of reef has the opportunity to grow and take on exquisite colors.

After 45 minutes to an hour in the water, we returned to the boat and prepared for the motor back to Airlie Beach.  It gave all onboard an opportunity to reflect on the previous two days.  Around noon, we pulled unto the mooring and disembarked after a short speech by Richy.  He thanked us for our helpfulness and punctuality following the schedule he planned.  He hoped we all had a blast and bid us a fond farewell.

While the fish, coral and sparkling white sand made the trip a massive success, the friendships I formed provided as much of an impact.  Although we go our separate ways, I hope to keep in touch with them via social media and told them to contact me if they ever venture to the New York or Boston regions of the States.