Paddle Bay - Shute Harbour - Airlie Beach
Last nights sleep on hard ground made for an early wake up this morning, but again, all was soon forgotten as I was able to see this amazing sunrise over Whitsunday Island.
Packing up camp for the last time and we didn't have to strategically load the boats as there was now no food or water left to worry about. We set off from the dead coral beach and soon realised that we had one last test of endurance before we hit the mainland. As soon as we went around the north west tip of South Molle Island, the winds hit us head on. We only had a short crossing to do to get us back to the mainland, but it was a 30 min roller coaster ride over very choppy swell which drenched us completely. Stopping off at White Rock, we planned to do some snorkelling, but the conditions weren't right. Paddling over to Tancred Island, Fe was certain that we would see some turtles - but they must have been hiding away from the weather.
As we slowly paddled by the yachts in Shute Harbour, we arrived back at Salty Dog where we unpacked our boats and celebrated our return to the main land with a bucket of chips from the small cafe. Taking a taxi back to Backpackers by the Bay, we enjoyed a hot, freshwater shower for the first time in a week. The amount of dry salt that encased our bodies and clothes made for a funny sight.
A feast was definitely on the cards tonight, so after our celebratory cocktail in town, we dined at Shipwrecked Seafood Bar & Grill and ate way too much! Sleeping on an actual bed with a real pillow was wonderful - but also sad as this meant that our amazing week long sea kayaking trip had come to an end.
Total Paddle Distance Today = 6km / 2hrs
Tips on climbing into this adventure:
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Last nights sleep on hard ground made for an early wake up this morning, but again, all was soon forgotten as I was able to see this amazing sunrise over Whitsunday Island.
Packing up camp for the last time and we didn't have to strategically load the boats as there was now no food or water left to worry about. We set off from the dead coral beach and soon realised that we had one last test of endurance before we hit the mainland. As soon as we went around the north west tip of South Molle Island, the winds hit us head on. We only had a short crossing to do to get us back to the mainland, but it was a 30 min roller coaster ride over very choppy swell which drenched us completely. Stopping off at White Rock, we planned to do some snorkelling, but the conditions weren't right. Paddling over to Tancred Island, Fe was certain that we would see some turtles - but they must have been hiding away from the weather.
As we slowly paddled by the yachts in Shute Harbour, we arrived back at Salty Dog where we unpacked our boats and celebrated our return to the main land with a bucket of chips from the small cafe. Taking a taxi back to Backpackers by the Bay, we enjoyed a hot, freshwater shower for the first time in a week. The amount of dry salt that encased our bodies and clothes made for a funny sight.
A feast was definitely on the cards tonight, so after our celebratory cocktail in town, we dined at Shipwrecked Seafood Bar & Grill and ate way too much! Sleeping on an actual bed with a real pillow was wonderful - but also sad as this meant that our amazing week long sea kayaking trip had come to an end.Total Paddle Distance Today = 6km / 2hrs
Tips on climbing into this adventure:
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- invest in a good sleeping mat if you have the money. Exped mats are very comfortable, kind of like lilos but much lighter. They will make your trip much more enjoyable
- to help you a feel a bit fresher in the morning and at night, bring along some Wet Ones to have a 'shower in a tent'. These little wipes can make all the difference and wipe away all that salt
