We have been hanging out in the Whitsunday Islands with our guests Kurt and Desiree and their two boys. These islands are a charter boat paradise with many close in islands and anchorages for vacationing boaters. Yesterday, we headed out to explore more remote areas.
We are offshore from the Whitsunday Islands about 20 miles anchored where there is nothing in front of us other than what looks like ocean. Actually, there is about a mile of reef – covered at high tide and exposed at low tide between us and the rolling sea, but it looks like we are anchored in the middle of no where.
These reefs are the beginning of the Great Barrier Reef and the outer most part of the reef is another 30 miles out. Luckily we currently have good weather out here because there is very little protection should it start to blow. We hope to be able to stay out here for two more days before the wind and seas kick up.
There is a bizarre platform on the next reef over called 'Fantasea'. It is a huge pontoon boat platform that can handle up to 400 people on day trips. They bring them out on huge high speed catamarans or helicopters to let them "experience" the GBR. the platform is pulled up against a reef so they can snorkel and dive off the rig, see big fish that hang out there (including a 11' 600 lb grouper). The masses leave each day at 2:30 pm and there are 4 young Aussies that stay there overnight. We took the kids over after the day trippers left and the crew welcomed us. Of course it helped that we brought beer and wine to what is supposed to be a dry boat!
They had a huge water slide off the back and underwater viewing room to see the reef and fish. Very cool, yet weird being so far out on the ocean in total comfort and security.
We will dive on the reef for a couple days and then head back toward Hamilton Island on the weekend. We'll drop our guests off there and hang out for a week before continuing to wander north towards Cairns.
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