Beach Stories

The Whitsunday Islands were discovered in 1770 (on Whit Sunday, hence the name Whitsunday) by the sailor James Cook. They consist of over 70 islands, most of which are developed and some are even privately owned.

The Whitsundays can be reached from the famous resort town of Airlie Beach within an hour by boat (or if you have a bit more money, by seaplane). Last Monday, we booked a day trip on a boat and were able to see the beauty of this island. The vibrant colors of the beach, the extremely fine and light sand, and the 7 km long beach at Whitehaven are truly a sight to behold. On the tour, I (Daniel) also had the opportunity to go snorkeling again and saw fewer fish but much more beautiful coral than on Green Island. Despite sunburn and subsequent "storming grind" from the wind and weather, this day was definitely worth it and will be remembered as a highlight in our diary.

Today (Wednesday) morning, another experience was added. We stayed overnight at Cape Hillsborough, a national park located just north of Mackay. This campsite is right on a beach where wild kangaroos regularly gather in the early morning at sunrise to feed on the seagrass washed up overnight. Therefore, we got up at 4.30 am (!) and observed the spectacle. It was a peaceful sight to see these wild but apparently accustomed to humans animals hopping around on the beach and not minding us. After half an hour, the meal was over and the kangaroos retreated into the forest.

At this point, a word about our daily rhythm. Of course, we don't get up at 4.30 am every day, but since we've been on the road in our motorhome, we've always woken up before 6 am. It gets light very early and you can't completely shut out the daylight. On the other hand, it is dark by 7 pm in the evening, and most campsites have quiet hours starting at 9 pm. The tiredness after long days and many kilometers of travel usually also contributes to us being ready for bed before 10 pm. But we don't mind and it somehow fits well with this journey.