Last Visit to Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays

Our last sail to Whitehaven so we walked the new circular path up to the Chance Bay lookout.  The new lookout is fantastic and early morning views were amazing.

Then we sailed over to Chalkies Beach opposite and took a mooring.  It was still very gusty so we waited until early morning to kayak into the beach and walk to Haslewood Island lookout. 

It must be Spring because pheasant coucals were dashing everywhere and calling constantly for a mate. 

Looking back to Whitehaven by late afternoon it was packed with boats.

Langford Island, Whitsundays

 

A special little island with lots of turtles cruising around, mobs of silvereyes (zosterops lateralis) chattering and beautiful vegetation including these orchids growing on bottle trees and fallen trees. 

Along the long sandbar which spreads to the east, mobs or terns and shorebirds were roosting, including the cute little red-necked stints.

On the nearby channel marker a pair of osprey were busy building their nest - a prime spot for fishing, their favourite food.

Magnificent Magnetic Island

 We discovered a longer version of the wetlands walk at Horseshoe Bay, meandering through a forest of massive melaleucas, their lemon scent in the air. 

From the bridge across the lagoon we could see some waterbirds weaving through the reeds, while noisy friarbirds were cackling, aerobatic rainbow bee eaters were swooping on insects, masses of mistletoes were flowerering, and overhead a whistling kite whistled.

Masses of mistletoes in flower

The sandy track eventually emerges at the lagoon which drains out to the beach, where white-breasted woodswallows were circling and landing, cuddled up along a branch.

Lagoon beach side

The lagoon

White-breasted woodswallows cuddling on a branch

 

Garry’s Anchorage, K'Gari

At Garry’s Anchorage we sheltered from the southerlies with a couple of yachts and houseboats.  On the big tides a houseboat’s crab pots were left high and dry so a sea-eagle checked them out and found a fish in one, enough for a tasty dinner.  

We watched to make sure the bird didn’t become entangled in the netting, but after dinner he/she flew back to a comfy roost above the mangroves.

Pir’ri Reserve (Woodland Park)

On our second attempt to find another double-hyphenated bird, the elusive and endangered black-breasted button-quail, we only managed to see a rufous fantail and a mob of thornbills, apart from the usual Lewin’s honeyeaters, corellas, noisy cockies and lorikeets. 

 

There are many overhangs, so it's good to look up as well as down as you walk.

It was still hot and steamy but there was an amazing array of funghi, from deep crimsons to oranges, yellows, creamy brown and brilliant white.

Some unusual plants grow here in the woodland, which we have yet to identify.  These vines have very interesting fruits.

The Franklin Group of islands

The Franklin Group is beautiful, with interesting walks around Normanby Island, then the very cute little Mabel Island and Russell Island with granite and rainforest at the southern end and a long sandy section of casuarinas, palms and ferns to the north. We were lucky to pick up a mooring at Russell Island as it’s difficult to anchor there in 15 – 20 metres. 

Russell Island

Mabel Island

Normanby Island

Lizard Island to Low Isles

The weather window to leave Lizard arrived with forecast of easterlies and north-east winds so a big flotilla left early, some going to Cooktown, some to Hope Island and a few just kept sailing.

Hope Island was very busy with campers and fishing boats and people destroying the vegetation and lighting fires on the beach, so we didn't go ashore.

At first light we sailed to Low Isles, a favourite spot near Port Douglas.  We were welcomed by bat fish, remoras and a beautiful black-tipped reef shark, who stayed under our boat.  

On the island we met the caretaker who said the 2 osprey chicks had fledged, but one was still on the lighthouse begging for some fish.  It didn't bother the Torresian Imperial Pigeons, who were all over the treetops.

The bridled terns were nesting and there were many eggs left along the paths, so we had to tip-toe very carefully.

We were surprised to see how much sand had eroded since our last visit 2 years ago.