Bait Reef - Aerial images from Mariner Drone

On one of those magically still days out at Bait Reef we decided to launch the Mariner Drone to capture the view from above Lucey Blue.

The view proved to be spectacular with the Stepping Stones floating in an azure ocean and Hook Island visible on the horizon.

What a nice place to learn how to fly and what a great place to go for a swim...

Whitsunday Island - Wandering around with Rory

Uncle Rory's visit was great. Rory stayed with us for five nights and on the first day we caught a Spotted Mackerel on the way to Bait Reef! It was our first Spotted Mackerel this trip and that night we had fresh fish for dinner two hours after we had caught it.

We stayed at Bait Reef for two days and we all enjoyed power diving with Rory. He seemed to bring all the big fish out and about. We also swam with the big Maori Wrasse while Eric looked on from Lucey Blue. The fish were right up in Rory's face and eating his hair.

We even found a new pet we called Trevor the Trevally. He stayed with us for a nearly an hour while we were swimming around the western edge of the reef. Trevor tried to photo bomb our pictures of the school of Bumphead Parrot fish, however, he was unsuccessful...

Dad thought the fish below was really cute, he's smiling from his little cubby hole!

On the way back to Border Island we caught a huge Spanish Mackerel and two smaller Tunas, which was awesome! We kept the Spanish Mackerel and threw back the Tunas.

Thanks for coming to visit Rory and thanks for bringing out the big fish!

Snorkelling in the northern Whitsunday’s and Bait reef

Eric continues to enjoy his time in the water and whenever we get a chance we all hit the water together. The conditions were quite nice so we spent a few nights at Langford Island and then sailed out to Bait Reef.

The trip out to Bait Reef was unusually eventful with a large fish (that got away) causing no end of trouble. As a tip - do not set a large code zero and then hoist your full main in 20 knots of wind if you want to slow down in a hurry.

The net result of our failed fishing adventure was: one code zero in the water; one halyard lost halfway up the mast; and two hands with rope burn!

We detoured back to Luncheon Bay at the top of Hook Island to affect repairs and then headed back out to Bait Reef in the afternoon. With a more conservative sail setup – blade jib and full main – we made the journey in just under two hours.

Snorkelling on the Stepping Stones at Bait Reef remains impressive.

However, the best part of our time back at Bait reef was the amazing song of a Humpback whale and her calf. The two whales swam up and down the edge of the reef for over 48 hours and on the way out they treated us to some spectacular breaching approximately 100m off our port bow.

Back to Bait Reef, just one last time...

I know this post is out of order, but you'll have to forgive my sloppiness. We have lots of things we still want to put up here, and probably have enough material to post for months after we get back home!

One of the last places we visited before leaving the Whitsunday area was breathtaking Bait Reef. This was our third trip out there, and it did not disappoint. The awesomeness of that place starts as you approach and see boats anchored seemingly in the middle of the ocean.

Then there are all the vibrant colours...I really can not get enough of the reef colours! Nick facilitated my colour fix by climbing the mast for some panoramic shots.

Lucey Blue, moored within Bait Reef, with The Stepping Stones visible in the water behind.

When we were diving or snorkelling on The Stepping Stones we just jumped in straight off the back of Lucey Blue...very convenient! You can see Hayman and Hook Islands on the horizon at photo left.

Bait Reef, The Great Barrier Reef.

The marine life is, of course, another source of awesomeness (and fabulous colour)...

The Humphead Maori Wrasse pictured here was a big favourite (emphasis on the word big). We called him the toe nibbler because whenever the kids and I would get in for a swim, he'd come and nibble our toes. That didn't go down well with Ryan at first (you'd have thought a shark was mauling him) but he got used to it eventually.

Emily and Grandpa admiring the toe-nibbler...

We have more underwater shots from Bait Reef too, but we'll trickle those out so you don't fall asleep on your keyboard.

About those underwater pictures...

...I may have said there wouldn't be any more until we got a replacement regulator for our Powerdive unit, but I may have forgotten that we'd still be snorkelling...so I might have some more underwater shots for the blog anyway...sorry!

Did you know I could do one-arm handstands underwater? You should have seen the twenty push-ups I did...but I was so quick, Nick missed them with the camera.

Terry Turtle...he did not seem the least bit worried about two, big, neoprene-encrusted aliens finning after him slowly across his lagoon. He just went about his business!

...we saw eleven more turtles sunning themselves on the ocean surface along the southern edge of Bait Reef the next day....but none were as friendly (or as handsome) as Terry!

A six-banded angelfish...I am going to do my best to name the things I pop up here...bear with me...okay?

Two orange whos-a-ma-whatsits. I will look these things up one day...they come in a kaleidoscope of colours, and disappear at the lightest swish of the water. Very cool.

Hermit crab on a mouldy underwater schnitzel! I played with this shot for ages, trying to bring out the Hermit Crab a bit better, but couldn't do it. If you can't see him, you'll just have to believe us...he was there, warts and all.

I couldn't find this beauty in Grant's. Maybe a coralfish of some sort?

Only in the last week were we lamenting the lack of live shells that we have seen on the reef. Those that we have found, we could count on one hand, and then on this trip Nick found not one but TWO live Cowries sitting next to each other! HOORAY!!

That's it for now. I'm pooped. Hope you had a lovely weekend!

More Bait Reef Beauty...

We had another aquatic day today on Bait Reef. Nick and I did some Powerdiving in the morning, and he managed to get these shots...

Nick has decided to try and capture more shots of fish...but they tend to move a tad more quickly than the coral...so its taking some time! I move a whole lot slower (than the fish, not the coral)...so I'm a relatively easy target.

(wish the occupant of this beauty was still at home)...

There will undoubtedly be more underwater pics to come, but I'll try and get some blue sky in too!

Bait Reef Snorkelling

Another lovely day here on the Great Barrier Reef yesterday. We all went snorkelling (well, not Eric, I stayed with him while dad took the kids in, then I went in later).

That's Emily's weight belt streaming out behind her. They don't seem to come in kiddy sizes, so it is a mile too long (we could cut it, but it might come in handy one day to hold on to her while she goes off....she is a very good snorkeller)

She dives too...and is miles better than me. I hate having to clear my snorkel when I come back up (and besides I'm a good bit more bouyant than her...;-)

PS. 99% of all the underwater shots are Nick's. He is part fish in the water...and can dive to great depths, steady himself and take a photo all in the time it takes me to breathe in and get my head under the water. I still can't believe he agreed to live in a land-locked Australian Territory (UGH...I just had a visual of diving in Lake Burley Griffin...and I nearly choked on my pancake!).