The Whitsundays, Australia
Jami and I landed in Proserpine in the afternoon and hopped on our bus to Airlie Beach. It was exciting being here. This was what we planned to be the highlight of our trip. The following two days will be island hopping the Whitsundays, exploring the white sand of Whitehaven Beach, and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. After a quick day of relaxing in the pool at our Airbnb and exploring the town of Airlie Beach we made it an early night so that we would be fully rested for the two days of adventure ahead of us.
Day 1. We had a small breakfast at our Airbnb and walked to the main road to wait for our pick up to Ocean Rafting, the tour company we chose to explore the Whitsundays. Upon arrival we checked in, grabbed our stinger suits (so the jellyfish don't sting us!) and waited to board our 500hp rescue vessels that were modified for adventure eco tourism.
We were one of the last ones to board the raft which meant we didn't get actual seats. The only option was to sit on the tubes on the sides of the raft during our ride to the first location. Sitting on the side of the raft turned out to be the much better option for seating. Jami and I were hanging on during the entire ride with the wind blowing in our faces and unobstructed views of the islands and ocean around us! It was the best ride on a boat I've had (until we got back on the boat and it just kept getting better!).
After arriving at our snorkeling location it was time to get in the water we put on our stinger suits and prepped our goggles. When it comes to water, Jami is the more adventurous out of the two of us. She was one of the first ones in the water swimming away to explore the coral of the Great Barrier. I, on the other hand, waited until everyone got off the boat. I put on my life jacket and waited for the fear of drowning to subside (I don't do so well in the water). Once I was able to get my breathing under control I finally got into the water and drifted above the coral below.
Back on the boat it was off to the next stop. Our walking tour of Whitehaven Beach's Hill Inlet. We walked barefoot through the fine white sand (made of silica and didn't get hot!) and made our way up to the overlook with a view of the entire inlet. It was amazing to see the undulating sand and all the shades of blue the water made with the varying depths of the floor below. We didn't want to leave the view but it was time to come down for lunch at our next location. At least we knew that we would be back the next day (we're glad we went with the 2 day tour).
Our boat dropped us off at the south end of Whitehaven Beach where we finally got to enjoy the provided lunch. I was so hungry at that point! I grabbed as much food as I could fit onto my plate and followed Jami off the boat to get a spot on the beach where we spent the rest of our tour relaxing on the sand and cooling off in the clear water.
Once it was time to go we got back onto the boat, grabbed seats in the back (a poor choice) and made our way to Airlie Beach where we began. Dessert was served and then the real fun started. Our boat was side by side with another and they took turns riding each others wakes. They really put the 500hp to use! It felt like our boat was even getting some air! We knew that we should choose our seats more wisely for day 2. When we got close to the dock our boats made one final maneuver. They did donuts in the water! I thought that morning's ride was amazing, this just blew it out of the water! I couldn't wait for more on day 2!
Day 2. A new boat, a new group of people, and new guides. Today we started with Whitehaven Beach and the overlook of the inlet. The tide was lower at this earlier time we were able to see a different view. The undulations were more pronounced and the shades of blue more varied. We saw sting rays in the distance near the shore. They were in groups. Jami and I had so much time on the beach that day. We went exploring to go find those sting rays we saw from the overlook. It was the perfect day at the beach. So much sand that wasn't hot. The water was clear and perfect. The crowd was non existent.
The second half of the day was spent snorkeling in two new spots from the day before. Once again, I was one of the last to get into the water. I headed down the ladder and as soon as I got off and stuck my head into the water I see something swimming deep below. It was deep but still large enough for me to make out. Everyone had already swam off so I couldn't ask anyone what it was. Once we were back on the boat I finally got confirmation of what it was I swam above. It was a shark!
Our second snorkeling spot to finish of the day wasn't as terrifying. They dropped us off to where they did the fish feedings. We got in the water and were surrounded by hundreds of brightly colored fish. They were so agile and very good at not letting you touch them. Once we had enough, Jami and I got back on the boat, got out of our stinger suits, and took our seats on the side of the boat where we could fully enjoy the ride back to Airlie. Another great day.
Day 3. Our final day in Airlie Beach. Our flight was in the afternoon but we had all morning to explore. We decided to go to a cafe for breakfast and walk along the water into town. It was a hot day and once we got into town we saw that there was a free community pool that looked so refreshing. Unfortunately, we didn't have time for that. We went into some of the shop on the main strip and headed back to our Airbnb to pack and catch our ride to the airport.
Thanks for the best time, Whitsundays!
