Clare writes:
If anyone tries to tell you that Queensland is 'the Sunshine State' - take them outside and piss on them! The season is WET and the van is leaking and the company we rented from - Travellors Autobarn (who were so good in WA) - aren't really bothered. We spent a night in Flametree campsite - a lovely patch of rainforest that turned into a quagmire overnight - mopping and worrying, worrying and mopping.
The town is lovely - the water is pale aqua even under looming clouds, even during the rain, with picturesque headlands, misty hills above, and romantic harbours. The first sailing trip we booked was cancelled so for a change we are staying in the same place for a few nights until a 3 day sailing trip - an eco-safari on a genuine Tall Ship on Monday around the Whitsunday Islands (see pic on this page). We hesitated about doing it but we just have to hope for a small break in the weather - we may not pass this way again and at least it's warm and wet, not cold and wet!
Sheila writes:
A garage in Airlie beach put silicone (bath?) sealer on our camper van windows and we'll test the water-proof-ness of that in the next rainstorm! Ever enterprising, we enhanced the sealing with gaffer tape on the outside of all the windows. Also (belt and braces) bought a tarpaulin which we'll tie over the van if the pouring rain leaks in again! (we should have been warned of the likelihood of leaks by the amount of rust around the windowframes and the mould on the ceiling...mmm....)