Day 55 of 102

What a change from the last few days.  We had continued South, along the coast of Queensland, through the Great Barrier Reef, home to 2,900 individual reefs, passing numerous islands, e.g. Fitzroy Island. (Information from the Daily Programme, 5/3/23).

We are at anchor now, for the day.  Airlie Beach is the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands, named by James Cook in 1770, as he believed he passed through the area on Whit Sunday.  This probably wasn’t quite true as there was no such thing as the International Date Line in 1770!  It is possible that the town is named after the parish of Airlie in Scotland, as the name was suggested by the chairman of the former Proserpine Shire Council,  Robert Shepherd, born in Montrose Scotland.  From 1936, the town was merely named Airlie, becoming Airlie Beach in 1987.

It’s warm, dry (so far) with plenty of the blue sky I remember from previous years.  I have just seen what might me the plane I am taking off in this afternoon, very high up!  

My instructions were/are to allow 45 to 60 minutes to meet at the pier head, with the warning that the coaches would not wait for latecomers. Actually, I agree, despite my propensity to leave things to the last minute.  So, with 75 minutes in hand, I made my way to the gangway, only to find nobody seemed to know when the next tender would show up.  It’s a 30-minute transfer to the mainland.  The tender was, in fact, ready for loading after around ten minutes.  The top (open) deck was available, and I had it to myself for the half-hour transfer to the small port town of Airlie Beach.

I am a little nervous about flying in a small plane again, but the views should dispel any (hopefully) initial misgivings.

Eventually, I met everybody taking the flight, and we all piled into a minibus.  We were whisked to the airport where several small tourist planes were “berthed.” 

We would fly over various islands that the pilot pointed out, and eventually, the Great Barrier Reef itself.

All too soon, we were almost back at Airlie Beach, flying first past an exclusive and very private island resort where I’m told it’s about 11,000 dollars a night, and then, our home from home, Queen Mary 2.

I do have plenty of videos to add to these pictures. I was less fortunate on the return tender. All the top deck seats were taken.

Airlie Beach is like so many other places we have called at, in that I wanted to stay longer. I shall remember flying over the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef for many years to come. This ranks as a high point (literally!) of this voyage.

Back on board, I returned briefly to my room and then went out on deck to take final photographs of the lovely gentle scenery before bidding it farewell, maybe forever.

Jo joined me for dinner in the Britannia Restaurant. I was pleased to show her my pictures taken during the afternoon. We adjourned to the Chart Room before she returned to her room, and me, to the Promenade Deck, to continue my walking challenge.

The Full Moon shone like a well-oiled beacon in a slightly cloudy sky. I didn’t quite make 10,000 steps today, but I did come close.

Good night, and many thanks for reading, David, 00.29 hrs at the midnight buffet on Deck 7. I ate nothing tonight.