Today we decided to stay at Orpheus Island. It was a very interesting day indeed. This is a most beautiful island with lots of surprises.
First thing this morning I decided to put the quadcopter up into the air. This was a little nerve racking as I hadn’t flown it for a while and I had to take off from the deck of the boat in a slight wind. I have to admit I was glad to get it back. Anyway, at lift off, the wind got hold of it and moved it about 1m from where we took off, in the direction of the boat of course. There is a new god I have not appeased yet. Anyway, I managed to get it away from the boat and we did a quick circuit around the boat and decided that would do for a first go. Bringing it back in was ok, I got Hilary to catch it and after a bit of juggling we managed to get it in past the rigging and within her reach. I assume one day this gets easier. Anyway, you can see some of the screen shots below. We did another flight after breakfast, but the wind was a bit more and we nearly again hit the boat as we took off, so another quick lap and a lot higher to see if it makes much difference, and then after about 10 minutes we bought it home. Landing (rather catching) was a lot easier this time, despite the wind (just a matter of confidence).
Then after breakfast we decided to go to the Giant Clam Garden. These are giant claims that were introduced by James Cook Uni (Townsville) so as to preserve them. Some of them have since been removed and transported to other areas for regeneration. I think the breading may got out of hand as they are fairly prolific in one area. We were told by one of the other boaties where to look and after a little effort we found them. I had the GoPro with me and took some pictures. The water was reasonably clear, but there was not a lot of coral around this part of the bay. Plenty of fish. Anyway there are a few photos to look at. The claims were about 500mm long, and some were much bigger. They were of every colour you could conceive of and many of them had spots all over them. Well it amused us for 30 minutes or so.
Then we were back to the boat to warm up, as it is still pretty cold in the water. It is around 24C, but a wetsuit is still needed. It helps protect you from the stingers as well, although we never saw them. One assumes it provides little protection from the sharks or crocodiles, but we haven’t seen any of the latter, not so sure about the former.
After a hot chocolate to warm up, we went to the beach to seek a track across the island, and after about an hour discussion with one of the other people moored here, we found the “track”. Well we followed it up past an old stone house, or what remains of it. It is called Pioneer Bay, and I assume that this is the pioneers hut. Then we bashed our way along the track (actually wasn’t that bad, just got lost a couple of times), till we got out of the bush onto a grassy and significantly hotter hill, which we ascended to reveal the most amazing and spectacular sight I have seen of the coast so far. A nearly shear drop 200m to the ocean below and a view which was breathtaking. Deep blue sea, and a sky to match, a gentle cooling breeze, looking down on a green fringing reef and rocks. The water was crystal clear. Yep not bad at all.
Then we walked back for lunch and some rest. But the reef behind the boat was calling. Mind you the two small sharks swimming around the back of the boat trying to catch some small fish were dampening the calling. Also the occasional very big splash about 50m from the boat also kind of telling you there are few rules here, but big teeth and a desire to feed oneself, seems to dominate the outcome. But we decided to go snorkeling anyway. This time the water was pretty clear and we we could see 20-30m, so we snorkeled and dived down along the reef fringe, where it went from a depth of about 1m to about 20m, very quickly. Now the coral here was pretty good. It was like a garden down there, with every colour of coral you could imagine. Now you have to believe me because I forgot to take the GoPro. Hopefully we will get back here next week when Daniel comes up. I have to say the coral was one thing, but it was in amongst deep cannons of large colourful coral full of all sorts of colourful fish, small large and frighteningly large, and more clams small and big. What was also interesting was the water got a lot colder about 2m down. It was certainly refreshing down there. They tell me the outer reef is much better, and hopefully we will get there with Daniel.
So after an hour we sadly removed ourselves back into the dingy, which is always interesting. Hilary gets in first with much flapping of flippers (fins for those who are professional divers), mostly to attract sharks etc whilst I remain in the water and also a good excuse to hit me in the head with her very hard flippers just to make the job of the sharks easier. Then it is my go, but as an engineer, I have rigged up help, as I don’t have a head to push on to get into the boat, like somebody else. I have made a ladder out of rope which I tie to one side of the boat and drape it across the boat and then sort of walk up into it. Well more crawl, struggle and squirm my way in. Hilary provides a helping hand, mainly at the end by giving me a giant pull which ensures she can bury my head into the floorboards of the dingy magnificently disguised as she does with the hitting me in the head with her flippers. Then we freeze like anything as we go back to Bush Spirit. At this point you have to choice of freezing a little but for a long time by going slow, or freezing a lot but over a short period by going fast. I chose the latter, as it is more fun anyway.
Tonight we are preparing for some guests to share the sunset. They tell me last nights was pretty good actually. Well I missed it. Maybe tonight.
So tomorrow we leave Orpheus to head for Zoe Bay. Most of you know the story about how Ross and I sailed these waters in our two 14ft cats in Nov. 1981. We tried to get to Orpheus on our first night out (we were sailing for 2 weeks), but we got pushed back by the weather. So being at Orpheus has completed a mission we started 26 years ago. Now Hilary and I are about to retrace that path again, one that Ross and I said we would return too one day, but with a bigger boat…..
So let’s hope we make Zoe Bay tomorrow.
Allan and Hilary.
Bush Spirit a Spirited 380 sailing catamaran 