We commenced out last part of Mom’s Australian adventure in Queensland which is two states east of The Kimberly situated on the northeast coastline. For three days and three nights we would be on board the Solway Lass, an Australian tall ship built in the early 1900s, sailing the Whitsunday Islands. She looked just like a classic old school pirate ship for about 30 guests and 5 crew members and Mom and I were really excited to have the opportunity to go sailing with her!
Our first morning, we woke up to humpback whales breaching or flapping and waving their fins about and we even got to see one jump out of the water! For a creature of that size, that had to have taken a LOT of energy. We took a morning snorkel with some colorful parrotfish and some really cool electric blue little fish. That afternoon, we anchored at Whitehaven Beach, the most recognized of the Whitsundays. Said to be one of the best beaches in the world, the sand there is 98% pure silica. This vibrant white sand is incredibly soft and fine and doesn’t retain the sun’s heat like most beaches do. And most fascinating to me is that you can even polish your jewelry with it. That’s where today’s picture was taken.
Unfortunately for our trip out to sea, the weather was largely chilly and overcast. This still didn’t stop the excitement of waking up to sea turtles or the view at the famous swirling sands. Mom and I also got to enjoy the rope swing off the bow of the boat and the company of our friendly cabin mates.
Steph Dobson 