Camira – Whitsunday Beach Sail Tour

With the weather becoming more tropically sunny I fluked a great time to venture out to the Whitsunday Island and its famous crystal white beach, sailing on the 85’ catamaran, The Camira. From my Club Wyndham Resort directly overlooking the Port of Airlie, I could see this magnificent purple catamaran leave everyday inching its way out in the bright blue calm sea. What a way to wake up to everyday & while enjoying breakfast on the balcony.

I had booked this cruise day a couple of weeks online prior to my Airlie trip knowing it would be an awesome and almost mandatory activity to do in this magical place. Online allowed me to book this using my pensioner card on a discount and as a voucher and with 3yrs to use it and being able to programme a day of good weather. The weather timing was more critical to me, as obviously I am classed as a landlubber and done my fair share of ‘hanging’ over the side.

Rechecking my daypack in bringing the required photo ID for the supplied alcohol (I think I pass for over 18), beach towel, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, swimwear, phone (camera) & a light jacket if the weather turns sour plus my Quells (sea sickness).

Eating breakfast on my balcony I exchanged my temporary anxiety of sailing (after taking my dosage of Quells for seasickness) to an adrenaline burst of new energy in making record time walking to the Port of Airlie, directly below my resort. I was obviously quite early so I people watched those that were leaving early to the reef stay cruise, far out to sea. Before long at 8am, we were called for boarding, much like catching a plane supplying our boarding passes to one of the crew & walking down the terminal ramp.

The crew were all dressed in a casual uniform with most of them providing a welcome guard of honour and the rest busily loading the supplies and getting the catamaran ready for departure, set for 8.15am. Our first duty was to find the central baggage cupboards located in the central lounge area. This was the hardest thing we found to do on the cruise for the area provided was like a pantry cupboard but with some of the boat equipment inside. Imagine about 30people with luggage going into two single sized cupboards. Seriously, this was a problem accessing your gear a few times through the day. It was mandatory no bags to be outside of these cupboards for safety reasons.

Everyone was keen to find their preferred sitting area, whether it was inside on the padded bench seats, the outdoor bench seats, or the trampoline-type sail cloth deck area of canvas between the hulls at the bow (front) of the catamaran which of course was the most popular. The first thing I noticed was how most of the people were excited but pronounced this mainly in silence with smiles only. I tried several times to make conversation, but it was not reciprocated. More sad than weird I thought. This certainly is not the first time I had been with a lot of people in a small space and being totally alone.

The captain did his usual welcoming and introduction of the crew and advised morning tea is about to start. Withing 60seconds the buffet was swarmed by everyone, and it was a must to get in early for the buffet of food was excellent. Fresh fruit, croissants, toast, yogurt, juices, brownies, biscuits & the list goes on to match the coffee, juice & tea choice. Before long, it was 11am & that meant the bar was open to all over 18yrs of age. I qualified easily!! The rules were access to unlimited beer & wine, cider & soft drinks but with no mass taking of cans or wine. 1person per pick up serving and responsible drinking. You would be deemed to have had enough when you can’t venture to the beer esky yourself. Lol.

Camira is one of the fastest sailing catamarans in the world (up to 30knots), but unfortunately the weather was too calm for sailing so we could only apply the headsail for a little sailing effect and using the engines all the way. The captain & owner, very unrecognisable in his casual gear was full of conversation with me and volumes of information, but I stumped him with the sea turtles nesting area. He quickly threw me to the cook, Trevor for that information as his wife is a marine biologist. Unfortunately, those beach areas cannot be reached by the Camira & certain exclusion zones are in place. I was relieved to know the turtles had a range of beach areas available to them.

With certain tide times the snorkeling is either done just prior to lunch or after, due to the beach embarkment on Whitsunday Island later on. Our day, had us getting our cumbersome stinger suits on prior to lunch which is what I had hoped for. These stinger suits were like putting on a condom really .. sorry for that analogy, but it certainly felt that way. Lol!!! We all looked so very well in black … good on you, lycra .. pure sarcasm for those who should not wear it. Bags & bags of snorkeling gear were thrown out onto the deck canvas for all to choose their respective sizes and whether we preferred a buoyancy vest or pool noodle for snorkel floating or if you were not a strong swimmer or to tread water for about 40mins, or so. Once we had our gear ready the mad scramble was to be on the first tender to the fringe reef, just off the shore of an island (not sure which island it was). The first tender took the stronger swimmers as they will be in the water longer. I was compliant in being on the 3^rd tender and that still gave me plenty of water time. The boarding photo shows a young lady looking at me taking the photo. After snorkeling I was able to track her down and Charyse was thrilled that I took it of her and her friend next to her & was able to send it to her to complete her pic Camira biography. Finally, I got to speak to someone, even for a little while.

Rolling backwards off the tender into the refreshingly cool water was quite an adrenaline feel and a first for me. Surprisingly, I expected the water to be much colder. I struggled to stop the water entering my goggles, etc & it was quite frustrating until I realised my stinger suit head piece was compromising my goggle seal, so a few valuable minutes was wasted. Once I had rectified that, my snorkeling became amazing in seeing the reef below and numerous fish of all sizes & colours against the vast species of corals. Unfortunately, I lost my waterproof Go-Pro at my Machu Picchu trek & never thought to replace it. What a shame!!! The other snorkelers had their Go-Pros and were also diving further down towards the coral for a closer inspection whereas I had my buoyancy vest on. I accepted the circumstances and was more than happy with this experience and what I had seen. With what seemed like a flash of time, I was recalled to the tender to dry off & stand in line for a superb bbq & lunch buffet. Trevor did an amazing job in cooking the bbq to perfection. The sausages, steak, onions & hash browns was of prime quality. Adding to my plate I could not help but overflow my plate with the range of salads, breads & the exceptional prawns … & I mean exceptional prawns!!! I’m certainly not a big eater however the snorkeling had me churning for food.

Again, weirdness took over and it seemed like everyone was again excited in their snorkeling experience by simulating silence. I was still in a buzz of my water experience & willing to share in conversation, yet the only commentary on eavesdropping was about the food so I guess they were also churning in feeding their hunger. This ‘silence’ experience was doing my head in with so many people not willing to communicate outside of their group.

With another hour of cruising to Hill Inlet on Whitsunday Island I managed to get a few beers in and sunbake while sitting in my portside area of the hull with a very full stomach. Everyone, now in their swim gear & yet no-one talking and looking like they wanted a nanny nap in being soothed by the smooth tones of the diesel engines below deck & the gentle sway of the sea.

The air was broken by the captain on the pa, announcing for all to get ready for boarding the tender to clamber on shore of the Whitsunday Island at the cove beneath of Hill Inlet. You will be required to depart the tender in about 2’ of water at the shoreline so do not put your shoes on yet. Silly me, I forgot to bring my thongs (flip flops), thinking I would be trekking through the bushland to the other side of the island as described. I had my socks & joggers & with now wet feet & no time to dry I started walking with the group along the entire way of the almost black painted timber boardwalk in bare feet. With the boardwalk in full heat mode my feet soon dried for me to put my joggers on before my feet blistered with the heat & gained ground on my well-advanced group. The top of Hill Inlet seemed around the 400’ elevation mark so there were a lot of steps & the need for reasonable fitness & that I easily qualified, even in this high humidity heat.

The boardwalk pattern was a giant ‘Y’ shape of about a kilometre in length, so you had to concentrate on taking the swerve to the right and seeing that view at the top as you had to do this first to the dead end and then return the same way before taking the left swerve over & down to the famous Whitehaven Beach. Each viewpoint had a large plaque identifying the area so that information was priceless. The views were mesmerizing in the calmness & wonderous of nature. The all shades of blue to bluey-green waters, the crystal white, almost pure silica sands were unbelievable to anything I had seen before or even imagined. My photos do not show the real effects as my naked eye did, but my memory brain file will last till eternity. The near pure silica sands (virtually, mineral free) over the centuries have drifted here to form this great white beach of some 7klms in length. These finer sand particles drift within the water to form the various shades of blue, bluey-green haze of water colour with the rays of the sun. The guide said every day is a different theme of colour pattern with the tides, currents & sunshine.

I had to take a selfie to prove it was me on this trip & my photos, plus to promote my cousin’s microbrewery, @thewobblychookbrewingcompany at my hometown of Yamba, NSW. Currently, it is the only microbrewery with a restaurant and 20room boutique motel accommodation on the one building site in Australia.

If there were seating on these viewing platforms, you would sit for hours enjoying this amazing nature of colour & calmness. With the group already departed quite some time before me I thought it best to venture further down the left path to feel the pure white sand in my feet & to partake in ‘eloquently’, somehow to put my stinger suit back on and laze in the calm waters of the beach .. or is it a bay or cove? My group are around, but they are scattered all over, seeing we are no longer connected to the crew guide. We must be alerted to the time in order to keep to the Camira schedule, so after some 30mins of water ‘floating’ I returned to precisely the correct time to board the first tender at Hill Inlet Bay on the other side of the island. The lady crew member yelled out ‘turtle’ but it quickly went below the Camira before we could focus our eyes. Climbing back on board the Camira and looking over the side no-one could see any turtles even after confirmation from the crew the turtles are plentiful today. Bummer!!! .. to miss this nature sight.

Back on board I sat in the cabin lounge seats to listen to some pa music instead of soaking again in the hot sun, when an elderly gentleman (yes there were a couple of us oldies onboard) sat next to me (this man was sitting next to Charyse on the tender) & asked how the cricket test is going between Australia & India in India. My answer was a clear no, as I was solely enjoying today’s tour. He quickly gathered his phone to get the live stream & that conversation went well over an hour … man, of all the conversations to gain this day was an over exuberant, bordering on anger of a follower of cricket loosing big time!!! I yearned for the previous communication of silence again. When he slammed down his phone on the table, I thought that was my best cue to escape & that I did!! Got myself another beer & ventured to the sun.

With the long voyage back to the Port of Airlie some of the passengers backed up again for the afternoon tea and more beer, etc but not me. I remained quite full. This was the real time to enjoy the passing islands & water views and soak within the ambience of sea air & cancel out as much of the engine noise. It was surprisingly relaxing, & as promised, we docked at exactly 5.30pm for disembarking and enthusiastically thanking the crew immensely.

Walking up the pier ramp I looked to my right to see a couple I had met at my Club Wyndham Resort upon my arrival there. They came from Sydney & were taking the sunset Camira cruise before they left Airlie Beach the next day. We had a great 20mins catchup before they boarded & I returned to my resort for my Lean Cuisine TV dinner & beer & to watch the latest Maverick movie. What a day .. & night (great movie, well done Tom Cruise).

I’ll end this blog here and appreciate you all for taking the time to reading my travel blogs. My next blog will be the river crocodile tour, ending my time at Airlie Beach. Take care and enjoy life.

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