Hello all, it's been a while between posts - we've been to the Whitsundays, had Melissa's parents on board for a few excellent days, and stayed with our long time friends Katrina and Chris on Maggie Island. Reminy did her Open Water dive course in the almost zero visibility of Nelly Bay, but as she said, it was kind of cool wondering if she was going to lose her instructor in the murk and never be seen again. Currently Pandion is in the lee of Orpheus Island riding out some heavy rain and wind, the first wet weather we've seen since leaving Iluka. The boat is dry, the crew have colds, but there's ample fresh water for showers and time to catch up on chores. We'll head north tomorrow when the storms pass and check out Hinchinbrook, Dunk island and onwards to Cairns where Liss has to fly south for a workshop.
Sylvie and Budi finished their Lady Musgrave video. Lady Musgrave is in the Capricorn Bunker group off Gladstone in Central QLD. It is one of our favorite places;
A secure anchorage inside a natural lagoon, crystal clear water, good spearing, excellent snorkeling (among the best we have seen), whales, manta rays and a magical pisonia forest. Interesting fact, the stunning white coral sand beaches are largely made up of Parrot fish poop. The chew the coral and poop out 'sand'.
Faced with a week in a marina while Milo went off to work, I went
looking for Local Attractions and happily stumbled upon the Capricorn
Caves. For one enthusiastic caver it was the first time underground in
almost 2 decades and so totally worthwhile. As it turned out, we were
able to pick Miles up from the airport in Rocky and he joined us, in
body, if not in consciousness (three flights overnight,
Broome-Perth-Brisbane-Rocky).
Here is Sylvie's take on the day, as written in her journal. I've included her more endearing spelling errors.
"Yesterday
we went kaveing. We had to wear helmets. First we went to see the stuff
in the sand [inside the entrance cave]. Mindy [our guide] picked up a
handfool of sand it was random and there was heeps of tiny bones. Then
we went throw some tight squeezes, but they were not tight for me. After
that we saw some wobles [rock wallabies]. Then we went throw the whale.
First we went up its botm and in to the large intestins then
over the boob/nut crusher, it did not hurt for me, then out the
blowhole. After that we went to the bats. I do not rmember but she said
something like there could be esily over 50 thawsand bats and that was
not a big groop. Last we went on a dark tour throw the zigzag. I was
folowing the walls and I ran into a wall."
Here's Budi somewhere in the vicinity of the whale's large intestine.
The first time I tried to smuggle Spot into Mum's backpack she took him out. Little did she know I snuck him back in. Spot had a lovely time at Lake Mackenzie.
