26- 2nd August

We arrived at Prosperine Airport - little more than a shed! its 8pm and the weather was still warm YIPPEE! the first bit of sun for a while hopefully it will stay all week! we are carted off to our hostel MAGNEMS!! youll remember it well steve dave and not for the decor!! Yes this was 18 to 30 at its best! thank god for winter ..We can imagine the height of summer!
We had a day or two mooching, sunbathing, reading and swimming in the lagoon before we arrived at our maxi prosail meeting point on sat 28thaug. We had 2 and half days of hopeful sailing. But the weather was so good the sailing wasnt!! we had a great time but there was just not enough wind to set sail! Saying that ... you cant have everything and the sun did mean that we snorkelled lots and relaxed as we motored along! we were ready for a few beers , good food and the fringes of the barrier reef!
We snorkelled on the first day. The coral was beautiful. So many ranges of colours and shapes. the fish too were great we tried holding our breath for as long as we could to take in the underwater world. I have missed it. The evenings were spent on deck with a beer in one hand and catching up on the days events and generally getting to know some of the gang on board! think there were 3 crew and about 24 wannabee sailors! we met a couple of guys who were already licensed up in the paragliding world .. another one of our boxes waiting eagerly for a tick!
our second day we were awake really early . The engine above our heads and woken to the sweet sounds of HEAVY METAL!!! what??? we couldnt quite work that one out at 6.45!!
still an early morning dip in the empty waters followed by a snorkel was very refreshing. We swam with a TURTLE .... it was gliding through the waters without a care in the world. Followed by 15 excitable snorkelists! Luckily we didnt find him until the others had already swam for a while which by the time we got to swim with him the excitement had worn a little. This did mean that mark and i had him/her all to ourself which was out of this world. So wished we had an underwater camera. It would have been as good as that sea lion i promise! no mre than a few meters maybe 5 or 6, felt like 1! you could have got closer but nature as beatiful as it is ..is unpredictable and best left watched from afar.
we snorkelled until wrinkly before heading off to a beach lookout point. The 3rd most photographed place in Australia - Hill outlet at the edge of Whitehaven Beach. WOW again! just like the postcards stunning white sands and crystal waters - idyllic.
We lunched on the boat before an afternoon on the Beach. The sand like the consistency of flour - honestly that soft! its 90%sillicone you could make boobs with it!!!
our crew guy - @@@@@ told that the observatory glass in the telescope in sydney was made from the sands at this beach! incredible.
Some of the guys played beach cricket/ rounders .. we did what honey mooners do best! swam..the waters so clear you could see your feet... and lounged around on the beach!
our last evening on board and we had steak on the Barbie from the back of the yacht and of course a beer to wash it down with!
WE woke again...to the metal sounds.. our cabin under the engine and the speakers! Breakkie on the deck and a swim before heading back to the marina.what a great experience ! well just have to come back again for the winds to set sail!! what an excuse!

The rest of the week we mooched, wrote postcards, swam in the lagoon, sunbathed, did the odd suduko!, slept, swam, sunbathed and repaeated this as often as required!
We headed back to Sydney on the 2nd August. Excited that we were to catch up with vic and andy very soon!