Hazel does Australia: A renewed respect

Wednesday 6th - Friday 8th August 2014

Whitsundays Trip

What just happened? It's only lunchtime but I'm exhausted, I feel like the ground is swaying and my shins are stinging. Why? The Whitsundays, that's why. After the past 2 days, I have a new found respect for Ellen Macather. In fact, all sailors! It's good to be outside of your comfort zone from time to time and for me that is an understatement for a few moments over the past couple of days. So much so that I'm still trying to digest what happened and how I'm still here!

Where do I start? Tuesday was a really quiet day chilling out at the hostel, sunset in 1770 and a couple of drinks to celebrate a fellow backpacker's 30th birthday.

At 9pm I embarked on a 10 hour journey to Airlie Beach and I managed to sleep most of the way. Loaded up like a pack horse, I found Airlie Beach YHA to leave my big pack before finding the Explore Whitsundays office. I hadn't really planned food for the morning so while I was waiting around for my 2pm departure I found a couple of cafes for breakfast and lunch.

Airlie Beach is a hub of sailing trip getaways so at the marina there were lots of anxious and excited faces waiting for their boat crew to greet them. At 1:30pm Jeff met up and took 18 of us on board our home for 2 nights - Broomstick.

The first glimpse of Broomstick in the marina.

Rob was our skipper with Sara and Jeff our crew. On board, Rob explained that there would be 2 types of weather that day, windy and f*@king windy. We got plenty of the latter! Back on dry land I've discovered that we were sailing in 35 km/hr winds. He also explained that while we were sailing, the 2 sides of the boat were the safe side (the high side) and the sui-cide (the low side). We got decked out in fetching yellow fisherman-like jackets and sat with our legs dangling helplessly over the safe side. 6 volunteers helped to raise the sails and we set sail towards the legendary Whitsunday Island. Thank goodness for the life lines - stretches of fence like wire that surrounded the boat as we clung on, waves splashing over us, the boat full tilt. At one point, the breathtaking sight of whales emerged from the water and they swam along beside us - amazing!

To give you a further image of what I experienced, I was on a sailing on Broomstick. At 23 metres long, she was built in South Africa to win the Cape Town to Rio race. From there she went on to compete in many of the world's Blue Water Events, including the Sydney to Hobart. Now you can imagine what it was like to be flung along in such strong winds. We sailed for a good couple of hours before we reached the length of water between Whitsunday Island and Hook Island. Beautifully calm water lay in front of us so Sara and Jeff pulled out our afternoon snacks - cheese, crackers, crudités and hummus. A much needed break in the adventure before we hit the wind again, turning the northern point of Whitsunday Island and heading southeast to Tongue Bay - our stop off for night one.

Dinner was a straightforward but delicious plate of chicken, veg (hurrah!) and mash. Second helpings were devoured and cider cans were cracked open. It seemed really late but we were tucked up quite early. Although I was cradled off to sleep by the endless waves, I was soon awake and this continued throughout the night. I'm not sure many people had a great night's sleep as the sea was quite rough and for me, I felt like the waves were going to throw me out of bed!

After a very early breakfast, we were ready for Whitehaven Beach. I'm not sure I've been on a beach at 8am before but first we had good view over the area from a lookout reached from a short bush walk. The sand was pure white and the ocean crystal clear, the beach itself projected into the water and I walked round the edge before settling down with my book. Strangely (not!) it was windy there to so I ended up just enjoying the view.

Back on the boat, we had another delicious meal, the food was never ending! When we were done we sailed to Luncheon Bay to snorkel. Fortunatly the sea was much calmer and we could sit calmly on the edge of the boat enjoying the view of the passing islands. I decided snorkeling wasn't for me this time so chilled on the boat with my book, more what I had in mind for this trip. Next we motored to Longford Island where we saw a turtle of the tip of the sand and some beautiful coral and shells which were over a foot long. On our way there, we caught the attention of a couple of sea eagles, Rob was throwing them some steak! After chilling on the sand for a while, Sara and Jeff bought 2 big plate of nachos piled high with beans, salsa, sour cream... Kneeling on the beach slurping cider, eating nachos, that was the life! Finally we motored to Stonehaven for our 2nd nights sleep. Dinner was a barbeque on the back of the boat coupled with more cider. I couldn't last till 9pm and went to bed to warm up. With calmer seas, the sleep was far less disjointed but we still had an early morning to look forward to!

Today was the last day of the trip and after a short jorney to Caves Cove for a quick snorkel (no, I didn't fancy braving cold ocean water at 8am!) we were in for another hairy sail back to Airlie Beach. If being terrified is character building then I am now a full character! It's strange that I can be flung around roller coaster after roller coaster absolutely fine but put me on a sailing boat and I was petrified! Today was my turn to help raise the sails which meant I ended up towards the front of the boat. We got wetter than the back of the boat and I felt like I had to cling on harder! At one point we had to sit in the middle of the boat and we tipped over sooooo far! Frightened doesn't come close!

So now that explains why I'm tired and the floor feels like it's moving. But why the sore shins? Sun burn! I haven't been so burnt in a long time and it stings like hell! I guess they'll have to stay hairy for a little longer!

Yes, I certainly have a great respect for all sailors and although I've spent less than 48 hours on a boat and only a few hours actually sailing, I completely empathise with, and have a renewed respect for, Ellen Macarthur on her round the world sailing trip. I'm certainly not made to be a sailor, I like my feet firmly on the ground but at least I can now say I've sailed on a high speed sailing boat and already I'm realising that our feat was a trip of a lifetime.

I didn't take too many photos as I didn't want to get my phone or camera full of sand or water but here's a sample of those that I did take. They make it look serene, which much of it was!