Climbing into Adventure

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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• 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
  

Curlew Beach - Paddle Bay


Last night the high tide water mark came pretty close to our tents as we woke up to yet another lovely sunrise. Our daily ritual of listening to the weather forecast on the VHF radio at 8am and 4pm, warned of strong south easterly winds up to 30 knots today. Of all the days we didn't want to get caught in the wind, today was it as we had a 10km open channel paddle ahead of us. Setting off early at 8am, we took our bearing for the northern tip of South Molle Island and did our best to not drift too far off course. As we paddled out of the shelter of Whitsunday Island and into the passage, it was a great feeling to be so far from shore. In the end, the 2.5 hour non-stop paddle wasn't too bad as the winds weren't as strong as expected.

Arriving at South Molle Island by 10.30am we had the whole day free to explore some of the many walking tracks this island has to offer. We chose to take the 6km return walk up to Spion Kop for a great view of South Molle, Whitsunday Channel and Hamilton Island. Walking past Green Tree Ant nests and many birds, we thought we deserved a cocktail for all our amazing efforts on the way back to camp. Walking into the South Molle Resort, we soon realised that the resort staff were having a 'staff day' which meant no-one was around until 5.30pm. We decided that our half a cup of red wine would just have to do.

Our last night camping on this amazing kayaking trip did not disappoint. The sunset over Daydream island was simply stunning. Our last nights meal of cous cous with a few remaining veges made us grateful that tomorrow we would be able to feast on non-dehydrated foods.


Total Paddle Distance Today = 10 km /2.5 hrs


Tips for climbing into this adventure:
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• you should have a radio as part of your emergency kit - use it to listen to the local weather channel
  

• when doing a crossing, you may have to point the front of your boat away from where you actually want to go to accommodate for the tidal flow and/or winds. Take a bearing and try to stick to that as much as possible
  

• definitely do one of the walks on South Molle Island - they range in distance, but its nice to use the legs a bit after sitting in a kayak for so long
  

Crayfish Beach - Curlew Beach


Rolling over and waking up to the beautiful sunrise from the comfort of my tent, I didn't want to go anywhere. A great sleep in a gorgeous location, we decided that next time we came here, we would stay for two nights.

Breakfast on the beach and again, we had a secluded bay to ourselves (those other kayakers were still asleep). As the morning tide came in, it was perfect conditions for snorkeling so the mask and snorkels came out before we set off for the day. It was weird to swim over the coral we had seen so exposed the day before.

Retracing our path, heading south back to the Whitsunday/Hook Island Channel, the conditions were perfect. The morning sun, minimal wind, calm seas.............and the sighting of a whale! It was so amazing - first the tail flick, then the water spurt from its blow hole. I couldn't believe it.

We hugged the coastline and soon arrived at Hook Island Resort where we stopped for a tropical cocktail. After lazing on the oversized hammock, we set of again for a short paddle past the Underwater Observatory and across Marcona Inlet to our campground on Curlew Beach.

We set up camp right on the beach again and were greeted by two nesting Curlew's (the birds the beach is named after). As the sun was setting, it disappeared behind the hill quite early in the day which made for a bit of a colder evening. Sitting down for dinner after the boys tried their luck at fishing again, we were fed the best dehydrated spaghetti bolognaise I have ever tasted. Our chocolate rations for desert were depleting fast, but we only had one more nights camp so we might just be ok.


Total Paddle Distance Today = 12 km /3 hrs

Tips on climbing into this adventure:
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• we prearranged a water drop at Crayfish beach as Scamper regularly does trips here. This saved us carrying an extra 60 litres of water on our kayaks for the first three days

• if you have the time, I recommend staying two nights at Crayfish Beach to take in all its beauty. Apparently there is a walk you can do up the hill too

• although it does add extra weight, we brought along 6 litres of cask wine (1/2 a glass per night) to help us wind down at the end of each day
  

Whitehaven Beach - Haselwood Island - Whitehaven Beach


The uncomfortable first nights sleep on the thermarest and make-shift pillow was soon forgotten as I walked the 20 steps out to a deserted Whitehaven Beach to watch the sunrise. It was surreal to have no-one around as during the middle of the day, this place is like a zoo.

Having our first breakfast with rationed muesli and powdered milk, it didn't taste as disgusting as we thought. As our bellies filled and the tide slowed down, we crossed the channel again over to Haselwood, but went further around the point and spent the morning on a gorgeous little beach. Landing the kayaks and having a swim, we found a huge clam only 3 meters from the shoreline. It was an easy re-entry today as there wasn't much coral in this area.

Arriving back at camp for lunch, we had a lazy afternoon. As the tide went out, the rocks were exposed, which meant so were the oysters. Figuring out the best way to cook these little creatures was a bit of a mission - we decided to try heating them over the burner to open them up. This did eventually work, however each time one did open, the water would spurt and put out the flame. It was a team effort which resulted in about 15 oysters being successfully opened and eaten.

As this time of year the sun sets around 5.30pm and the new moon made for a dark night, we found ourselves going to be around 8pm after a bit of star gazing on the beach. As Karen went to brush her teeth we heard an almighty scream as a python slithered past her tent. We couldn't believe what we were seeing. That night, we slept with our tents firmly zipped up!

Tips for climbing into this adventure:
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• as it was night 2 we were still able to eat fresh vegetables for dinner which we made into a curry with noodles

• our water rations for days 1 & 2 were in big tubs from the kayaking company - they picked these up from us when they arrived at Whitehaven the next day (days 3-7 we used collapsible water bladders)
  

• if you have the opportunity, get away from Whitehaven Beach during the middle of the day - it's so busy. If you can't get away, I suggest walking 500 meters or so in any direction to escape the crowds to experience the magic of this beach

Shute Harbour - Haselwood Island - Whitehaven Beach


An early morning check out of the hostel and this time we booked a taxi to take us to Shute Harbour. Loading up the boot with all our pre-packed dry bags took almost just as long as the actual drive to Shute Harbour. We met up with Scamper - the barge that would take us and our kayaks to our starting point of Whitehaven Beach - and set off at the 7am high tide into the sunrise.

Dropping off other travellers at Hook Island and Crayfish Beaches, we had a glimpse of the coastline we would be kayaking by in the next few days. Arriving at Whitehaven Beach and stepping onto the white silica sand, I knew this was the beginning of an amazing week. We walked only 10 meters from the beach and found what looked like a great camp spot and set up our tents. On closer inspection, we saw random little bits of white paper scattered around the area and soon realised that it had recently been used as a weeing ground (the actual drop toilets were a 200m walk up the beach). Nevertheless, we found some long sticks and cleaned up the area.

With the whole day free, we decided to get familiar with the kayaks and paddle over to Haslewood Island. Although only about 30mins from camp, we soon realised the importance of being familiar with the tides as we experienced the strong water flow through the small channel between the islands.

Pulling the boats into the beach on an outgoing tide, we all jumped in the water for a quick snorkel and were amazed at how beautiful it was. Large, colourful coral surrounded us and we found the best bits right on the drop off only 20 meters from shore. As we ate our packed lunch we were surprised to see the coral become so exposed.

As there was no way out for 3 hours until the tide came back in, unfortunately we had to laze around on the beach and do absolutely nothing - oh it was such a tough start to a holiday!

On our return to camp the first group meal was cooked (stir fry with fresh veges) as we watched the amazing sunset over the beach - a highlight on any trip to Whitehaven.


Tips on climbing into this adventure:
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• we had a cooking/cleaning roster where each couple were responsible for cooking and cleaning for the group on one night, then had a couple of nights off. This worked really well as you didn't feel guilty not helping and had time to relax at dusk

• don't leave ANY food out over night (especially in your tent). There are little mice that roam around and are known to chew their way through the lining of your tents

• familiarise yourself with tides and how water flows north/south at various times - you can use this to make paddling easier
  

• always take food with you in your kayak, you never know where you might find an amazing little beach and how long you might stop there

Time to go Island hopping

The flights have just been booked, accommodation is sorted, barge and kayaks hired, all is ready for our sea kayaking trip to the Whitsundays – only 1 more sleep away!

Myself, Chris and 2 other couples (Fe, Guy, Karen & John) are venturing off to Whitsunday, Hook and South Molle Islands for 7 days paddling around the coasts of some of the most amazing islands in Australia. Here is a sneak peak of our itinerary:

Friday 16th July
Make our way from Melbourne to Airlie Beach.

Saturday 17th July
Day of Leisure in Airlie Beach

Sunday 18th July
Catch barge over to Whitsunday Island (this saves the paddle onto the trade winds) and set up camp on Whitehaven Beach. Day of leisure to snorkel some of the most spectacular reef systems found among the islands.

Monday 19th July
We pack a picnic and paddle over to the Haselwood Group of islands. Spend the day on deserted beach only accessible to small craft. After a relaxing day snorkelling, beach combing or reading that book you have wanted to, we head back to Whitehaven.

Tuesday 20th July
We will paddle the eastern stretch of Whitsunday Islands, stopping to venture up Hill Inlet. We take the Tongue Pt boardwalk up to Hill Inlet lookout which offers great views of the surrounding islands and spectacular photo opportunities. After our walk we continue north to Peter Bay.

Wednesday 21st July
We paddle on toward the northern tip and cross the neck between Whitsunday & Hook Islands. Possibility of stopping at the Underwater Observatory. Continue paddling north up to Crayfish Beach – apparently one of the most amazing places in the Whitsundays.

Thursday 22nd July
Paddle north around the top of Hook Island and pass by Hayman Island whilst we continue south on the west coast. Stop off at the majestic Stonehaven Bay for some good snorkelling. Venture into Macona Inlet and camp at Curlew Beach on the south west corner.

Friday 23rd July
A 10km open water crossing awaits as we paddle to the north western tip of South Molle Island and our camp at Paddle Bay. This campsite has excellent walking tracks that let you explore around the island with prominent lookouts along the way. This is our last night’s camp.

Saturday 24th July
Only a short paddle between Daydream and South Molle islands before crossing the Molle Channel to take us back to our departure point at Shute Harbour. Drop off hired gear at Salty Dog and catch bus back into Airlie Beach. Check into hostel and rest of afternoon is free.

Sunday 25th July
Fly home (well, Chris and I are going to Townsville first, but the rest of the crew are going home)

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How to climb into this adventure:

• contact Neill & Hayley at Salty Dog Sea Kayaking for all your kayaking needs (and itinerary help if you need it)
  

• book flights to either Proserpine (Qantas), Hamilton Island (Jetstar/Virgin) or Mackay (Tiger)

• do some research on the tides to help you plan your trip (http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/tides/MAPS/shute.shtml#map)

• staying at Backpackers by the Bay is a good alternative to a nice hostel, just out of town

• if you want to save yourself the long paddle on day one, book a spot on the barge from Shute Harbour to Whitehaven Beach (call (07) 49469222)

• if you are doing this trip on your own (i.e. no kayaking guide) budget around $1000

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