20:20.8S 148:57E Hamilton Islands / Airlie Beach

Babe!
Paul & Trish Ducker
Thu 1 Aug 2013 15:16

Hi Folks,

 

Having to leave Babe in Mackay we were still determined to join in best we could, so with the rest of the fleet sailing up to Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays and the family due to join us we decided to rent a 3-bed apartment in Hammo, with great views out to sea and a garden for Jude (and us) to play in. As it turned out the garden was visited by a gaggle/pack/troop of Kangeroos (or whatever the collective terms is!).

 

In terms of getting there I decided to cadge a lift with Ian on Yantina, so at least got a little sailing in, whilst Trish was still with the girls and flew up from Gold coast.

 

Anyway Hamilton Island is a wonder – very expensive and also has the world’s best hotel on it (Qualia) – with rooms starting at $1,500 per night! It also has no cars and instead you can hire a electric buggy to go round in – fortunately one came with the apartment, so daily squabbles about how was going to drive, and with plenty of hills around it makes for a load of fun!

 

Part of the stay at Hamilton was to attend the Oyster World Rally Hamilton Regatta, so Tish, Corn-dog and I again scrounged a lift with Yantina. Basically the race was to Whitehaven beach (bay), overnighter of drinking loads of rum and a race back to Hamiliton the next day – 2 classes of yachts <56 & >56. So first day / race was a little exciting, being forced into the judges boat, which just managed to get out the way. Wind was a little fickle and although we thought we’d got it Perusia took the outside line got better wind and just pipped us! Second race on way back was even worse – a little wind to start with, diminishing to 3-4 kts, so retired from the race to head back for a beer.

 

Overnight party was cool – sand on Whitehaven is like talc – it even squeaks when you walk on it – apparently the finest silica in the world, not that I’m doing a survey! Anyway plenty of rum – or maybe not as Ian decided to take a load back to Yantina for safe keeping, although it soon got plundered by the young un’s.

 

So back on Hammo we did a fair bit of exploring, including what must be the most expensive Fish and Chip super, discovering Moet Ice (er at $160 per bottle so forget about that next time!), Girls deciding to visit a show home on the front at $3m, including a motor yacht being thrown-in – dream-on girls, have a BBQ for the majority of the OWR at the apartment, which was great, especially when the Kangeroo’s appeared together with 100’s of fruit bats [incidentally when we were in Vanuatu a few of us went out for a meal and fruit bat was on the menu, so Nelius and one or two others ordered it, not expecting it to actually be a whole bad, including brains and fangs –yuk). We also had a great golf and carting session with Jack & Ollie from Proteus – very competitive but loads of fun, though only managed 3rd behind the two of them, although they had been there about 5 times  previously.

 

Down the water front with the family was amazing to be able to walk out about 200m at low tide, with the water only coming up to yer bum!

 

Anyway eventually was time for family to leave and sad as will be last time of seeing Lela/Ed/Jude/Rafferty for a while, although Kady joins Babe again in Darwin for the leg to Bali – gunna be messy I think!

 

Decided then to pop over to Airlie beach on the mainland (been on and off ferries there a few times to drive down to Mackay and check on the work. Also up to Bowen to get my teeth fixed, which fell apart and no amount of superglue would fix them). As it happened Airlie beach was having a festival, with a float procession through the main street and some famous Oz singer/rapper/dancer – both a bit of a wash-out really, but weather was great and Nelius managed to get some butong, which kept him happy for about a day.

 

Finally I had heard all this talk about watching out for ‘stingers’ – hadn’t got a clue unit I saw a sign next to a girl on the grass – picky attached!!

 

Have fun,

Next update soon

 

Luv,

Paul, Trish, Nelius

 

Photos:

a)      Cruising on the rally

b)      Beach sculpture Dragon

c)       Golfing

d)      Hammo Beach

e)      Karting team

f)       Regatta

g)      Watch out for the stingers!!

h)      Whitehaven beach

i)        Yantina and crew

j)        Cheeky love birds

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