5
Location: Whitsunday Islands
We began our day bright and early at 7 am, preparing for a full day of sailing and snorkeling. After having breakfast, we set sail for Haymond Island where we would be exploring the coral-filled shorelines. There, we saw a variety of organisms ranging from colorful parrotfish to staghorn corals. You will see photos of us donning out very stylish “stinger suits,” and although we are not in the season for the notorious Australian jellyfish, we still wore the suits as a precaution. After taking a break from the chilly water on the beach, we made our way back to the boat for our second destination, where we boarded our dinghy and were dropped off to walk about the exposed sandbar that derived from low tide. On the small stretch of land, we got to investigate the soft corals and small invertebrates that were left behind along the beach and soak up the sun in this tiny paradise. We concluded our action filled day by sailing around Hook Island to a bay where we would drop anchor for the night. The sail was very enjoyable with the crew getting many of us involved in trimming the sails and tacking the boat as the day comes to a close we have a full day of sailing through the Whitsunday Islands to look forward to tomorrow.