The Reef and the Whitsunday Islands

K: After leaving the far north of Queensland, we traveled south, first to Mission Beach, and then to Airlie Beach. Both areas are still in the wet tropics, and we are here during the wet season. Unfortunately, Cyclone Olga was hovering nearby during our time in Mission Beach. We stayed in a fabulous hotel in the hills of Mission Beach, overlooking the South Pacific Ocean. We took a couple of great beach walks but were unable to kayak or head out to the Great Barrier Reef.

We headed further south to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. Fortunately, Olga had dispersed and we have had three great days of weather. Day One was a trip to the outer Great Barrier Reef, one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World. The reef was about 100 miles offshore. We selected a company that has a permanent pontoon moored at the reef which offers snorkeling, diving, helicopter rides, and a small semi-submersible vessel for reef viewing.

When we boarded the boat, we were warned that the seas were pretty rough due to the remnants of Olga. (Getting very tired of Olga at this point.) My first clue should have been the crew members selling sea sickness medicine. My second clue should have been the crew passing out ice chips and cool, wet compresses. My third clue was grabbing the barf bag! Well, there is a first time for everything. And, yes, I did purchase the motion sickness pills for the return journey, which was much more pleasant.

The snorkeling was truly amazing -- many types of coral in a variety of colors. The coral is just massive. We also saw lots of fish, from small, translucent "minnows" in large schools, to the ginormous and elusive wrasse which is bright blue and green. Truly a great day in the water of the Reef.

Jellies = all sorts of stinging dangers	Great Barrier Reef Pontoon
Karen, modeling fashionable stinger suit and snorkeling gear	Hanging on the ocean raft
Snorkel babe	Whitehaven Beach, 4th most photographed spot in Oz
Our Ocean Rafting boat Wild Thing	Classic image of the Whitsunday Islands
Whitsundays	Sailing and relaxing
Flooded road delayed us for 3 hours	Beautiful
Wonderful Mission Beach resort Elandra	Mission Beach

V:If anyone gets to Australia, you must get to the Whitsunday Islands. Absolutely beautiful, breathtaking scenery!

After being delayed for three hours by a flooded river on the ONLY highway from Mission Beach to Airlie Beach, we were pleased that Airlie Beach is such a great base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands.

The Great Barrier Reef pontoon experience was great for snorkeling, and I must add that I took a few rides down the twisting slide into the water--big splash! The stinger suits are about 1mm thick, similar to a skisuit worn by cross-country ski racers. They are designed to do two things--prevent stings from those nasty little jellies, and provide some sun protection.

The ocean rafting trip was a blast, as the gonzo captain zoomed over the waves, bouncing the boat to a couple of snorkeling sites in the Whitsundays. The best spot we stopped at was Whitehaven Beach, with the best sand I've ever been on. Fine, white, perfect little granules do not get hot under your feet, so you can walk forever on the beach. It was great to just relax in the water. Some small sharks were spotted in the shallows.

We spent our last day in the Whitsundays taking a ferry from Airlie to Daydream Island, and then kayaked from Daydream to several other islands, paddling with some sea turtles along the way. The Whitsundays were fantastic!