Saturday 16th - Magnetic Island
Today we’re heading out to John Brewer Reef, which is the location for the Museum Of Underwater Art.
It’s about 30nm (~55km) out from Maggie, so we wanted an early start to a) get there at the best time for navigating reefs, and b) to make the most of our time there.
We left at first light with the sun coming up.
There wasn’t any wind first thing in the morning, so we had a bit of a motor until the wind came up, then a nice sail all the way out to the reef.
Dropped the sails as we were coming around the bottom of the reef.
It had dropped and was coming right from behind us. At 4knts SOG it was time to motor!
The girls also took the opportunity to tell me I was wrong again about Starlink.
I said I was 99.9% sure we won’t have it (it’s 30nm offshore). But we did have it, and I was wrong!
My chances of me ever being right around these three are minimal ;)
There are two public moorings (for boats our size), and both were free. We opted for the western one that looked like it might have more protection from swell.
We geared up and Kristie and I jumped in the tender to go for a dive. It’s about 1nm from our mooring to where the MOUA site is.
There’s 3 private ($250/day) moorings, and 2 x 10m public moorings.
We geared up for a dive, at which point I realised my mask was still back on Lazuli :(
So I did surface watch while Kristie went for a dive.
Kristine enjoyed an hour-long dive, then we went back to Lazuli to unload dive gear.
I got my 3mm wetsuit and spear gun and jumped in for a quick swim/spear. Ended up with a Goldline Rabbit fish.
Back on the boat for a quick rinse, then sip’s ‘n dips.
Fish and chips for dinner :)
Sunday 17th
Weather was perfect again today. Still nobody else out here.
I geared up and got my gear (and mask!) ready to for my first solo dive of this trip.
Got to the moorings and still nobody else about.
I had even better conditions than Kristie did yesterday. Easily 25+m vis.
I enjoyed my dive; I had a quicker dive than Kristie had, but saw all the sentinels and coral greenhouse.
Went back to get the girls so they could come back for a dive/snorkel.
Just as we got back to MOUA, a rather large dive/snorkel tourist boat turned up and tied on to two of the private moorings.
They then proceed to unload 30+ divers and snorkelers on the reef that we had to our self previously :(
Kristina had a good 15min dive on the Ocean sentinels and around the reef. The dive ended when I swam back to Kristie with a dive pouch she’d dropped and not realised.
Emma had troubles with her mask, but then we swapped to another mask (thanks Nick!) and that had a much better fit.
She was still having a bit of troubles equalizing so she didn’t get much of a dive. They both did see the structures though.
After the girls were done, Kristie took off for another quick solo dive to go and photograph the sentinels she’d missed yesteday.
The sentinels are quite remarkable.
The one above: https://www.moua.com.au/visit/ocean-sentinels/molly-steer
1 | Molly Steer is a remarkable young activist who took action against plastic straws at the age of nine. |
https://www.moua.com.au/visit/ocean-sentinels/sir-charles-maurice-yonge
1 | The late Sir Charles Maurice Yonge is a renowned marine zoologist known for leading the |
Back to Lazuli for lunch and Kristie started filling our tanks.
Kristie then got ready for another solo dive on bommies not far from where our mooring was.
The visibility was still on point!
Was hot up top though!
We got back to the boat, and I was keen for another go with the speargun. By the time I was in the water it was 3:45pm.. getting a bit late.
Swam a bunch but didn’t see anything, and then two reef sharks came swimming past. Back in the tender.
Came back to Lazuli and had a nap :)
Monday 18th
The wind was up a bit this morning.
We had contemplated taking the girls back for another dive an MOUA, but it wouldn’t have been much fun getting across there, or trying to gear them up on the surface.
We waited for the tide to drop a bit before leaving. Not too hard to drop mooring, do a 180, then head back out following our track in.
Motored to Loadstone with thoughts that we could stay there if it was ok, but the swell was wrapping around the smaller reef so we decide to head back to Maggie.
Kristie did a few circles in the protection of the reef while I got lunch sorted.
She had company up top - a few whales, 6 dolphins and a turtle.
Once ready we got the sails up and had a good upwind sail back to Horseshoe Bay.
Maggie feels like our 2nd home now!
Tuesday 19th
Rained during breakfast, so put the sides up.
School and work.
Lunch.
More work.
I dropped Kristie in to the beach so she could catch the bus across to Nelly bay to buy three water jerry cans from the Mitre 10.
Our watermaker isn’t working, so we’ll just use these to top up when we’re at Lizard.
I took the girls in to the beach to meet Kristie. They had tyre swing while I took the water back to Lazuli.
Kristie went to check that the milk situation at local shop. Still none.
Wednesday 20th
School and work.
Kristie headed into the campground after lunch to make use of showers and free wifi there. The tables at the campground also don’t move so much ;)
She enjoyed the butterfly walk on the way back to beach.
Thursday 21st
School and work.
I dropped Kristie in to do a big walk after lunch.
Started at Horseshoe Bay, and did Radical Bay, Florence Bay, Arthur Bay, and then walked up to Forts Junction. Bus home from there.
Friday 22nd
School and work.
We enjoyed watching some dolphins hunting near the boat.
Had lunch then got the tender in to get bus to go for a swim.
We turned up and were going to have to wait 40min for the next bus.
It was quite hot, so an ice cream helped pass the time until we could get back on the bus.
The buses here are great. $1 to ride all day.
One of the locals was saying a few years back when they had a power outage, he just spent all day on the bus in the aircon. Smart!
We took the bus to Alma Bay. The waves weren’t quite as big as when we were there last week with Rod and Chris.
Enjoyed a swim, exploring/climbing some rocks, and a quick turn at the playground.
Changed there, and then took the next bus to IGA at Nelly Bay. Grabbed a few bags of groceries to last us until our Woolies delivery on Monday.
Bus back to the beach.
Saturday 23rd
Got the bus up to the Forts Junction, then did the 700m walk down hill to Arthur Bay.
It wasn’t too busy when we got there, but over the time we were there quite a few more turned up.
We had a quick snorkel, our first on Magnetic Island. Girls declared not very good coral and hopped out.
They were correct. Compared to the reefs they were a bit dull. Not much fish life either.
The girls (it was Kristina’s idea) and I enjoyed making a largish sandcastle. It wasn’t nice sand, very course. Fingers were saw from digging (no tender = no shovels).
As always, Kristina wanted to go off exploring on the rocks. I went with her and we ended up at the top fo the rock overlooking the beach!
Emma and Kristie joined us after a bit as well.
Great views from the top.
Got changed, shoes on, and walked back up the hill then got the bus home.
On our previous stay we’d met Gavin, one of the locals. He invited us to come and join them (locals) on their next catch up.
They were having it tonight. Heated up some sausage rolls in the oven, and brought them into the beach in the billy boil.
I’d fed the girls earlier, so they happily stayed on board this time.
Vanetta had just turned up in the bay: we’d last seen them back at Stonehaven in the Whitsundays.
Kristie had invited them in as well. They stayed for a quick chat and then went off to find dinner.
Kristie and I left around 7:45pm to get back to the girls.
It was fun to hang out and chat with the locals and some others that had come in from their boats as well.
Sunday 24th - My Birthday!
Birthday pressies to start the day. Got some more fishing gear (can’t have enough!), and a Sharkbandz to wear when I’m in the water spearing! Thanks Kristie and girls :)
At one point I said out loud: “I’m so lucky to have 3 beautiful girls in my life”.
Emma said (in all seriousness): “I’m confused, is it me, Kristina, and Lazuli?, or me, Kristina and Mummy?”
I’m going to be Taking the 5th on that one ;)
The girls prepared the scrambled eggs while I cooked bacon (Emma got spurted by hot bacon fat last time we tried to do it at the same time).
With the bacon safely in the billy boil, Emma could work her magic on the stove with the scrambled eggs.
With breakfast done, and the tide up, we took the tender around to Radical Bay.
We had a good time at the beach. We played with the beach balls, frisby, cricket, and mermaid tails.
We met another family on the beach that had two young kids. Grandparents were taking one of their kids and two grandkids out for a few nights on boat.
Had a good chat with them, and the kids had a good time together.
At various points through out time there we had whales breaching (full out of the water) just off the point.
We hadn’t taken any lunch, so had to get back to the boat. Saw two turtles on the way back.
After lunch Kristie and I took the tender in and filled up the three water jerry cans.
Back on Lazuli I baked some chocolate cupcakes for my birthday cake. Kristie had bought candles, but at some point during putting stuff away they got lost. So no candles.
Tender into the beach and then walked to campground. One last hot shower, a load of washing, and then we had dinner.
As it was Sunday, the pizza oven truck was there. I enjoyed the “Red Devil” again! And a ginger beer or two.
The girls had another go at the darts, and a few tries at ping pong.
Kristina had been wanting to have Sticky Date Pudding ever since Scarlett had it in Airlie.
Tonight was that night! One of the restaurants on the main street served it.
She and I both ordered it. She only got through half of hers :(
Monday 25th
Work and school.
We had a Woolies delivery that was going to turn up at the boat ramp sometime today.
Our plan was to head to Orpheus as soon as we had it.
Dropped Kristie to the boat ramp to wait for the delivery. She got the message saying we were next in line, so I came in.
An hour later it still wasn’t here. She called up and spent 20min on the phone, only to find out that the order had been cancelled as the truck was overloaded.
Sadly, the driver hadn’t updated the order so we didn’t know :(
Kristie eventually got transferred through to supervisor, and managed to get a $40 credit and free delivery to try and make up for mix up.
Their next available delivery was going to be Friday :|
Back to lazuli to get the girls. Kristie took the girls (and their backpacks) back in to get the bus to the IGA to get the essentials to last us until Cairns.
We invited Stuart and Sanne from Vanetta to pop over for drinks and nibbles with us.
Enjoyed a good catch up that was interrupted briefly by what looked like an out of control BBQ, large flames, on the back of the boat next to us.
We couldn’t see anyone doing anything about it so Stuart and Sanne went over to check it out while I got our fire extinguisher ready.
This was the same boat (American couple) we’d been next to in Townsville marina.
He came up and was like “yep that’s how I cook”. No thanks for coming to check on him.
After this episode I was reminiscing with Stuart and Sanne about a conversation I’d had with him in the marina.
I had been talking with this American guy about diving (they had tanks on board) and I had mentioned how good it was in QLD.
He was: “I doubt that, my yardstick for diving is pretty high. Oh, that’s an American thing, you wouldn’t know what a yardstick is”.
LOL.
We continued our nibbles.
Tomorrow we head off to Orpheus. Without our Woolies delivery.
It’s been fun exploring Magnetic Island, but time to move north.
Kristina’s recount of Sunday
Yesterday we celebrated Dads birthday with bacon and eggs then a trip to the beach.
Me and Emma helped make the scrambled eggs by cracking all 12 of the eggs then putting the rest of the ingredients in.
We then did our Duolingo while Dad cooked the bacon.
The birthday breakfast was amazing!
After everyone was full of food we haded into the beach for a play.
Instead of doing the walk we got in the tender and motored over to Radical bay.
The sun was shining and there was no clouds in sight. It was the perfect day for the beach.
First off we headed to the rocks as Emma wanted to find some quick sand. She did find some.
Eventually she sunk to her knees but it stopped there. I had to go get Dad to pull her out but even though he pulled and pulled he wasn’t strong enough.
After about three minutes the sand started to loosen and Emma got free.
We then went into the water and had a play there. I got the balls out so we could play catch and piggy in the middle but then someone else saw some whales doing back flips about 6 kilometers out.
Emma and I then started to try and swim like the whales, diving down then doing backflips in the water.
After that we came back to Lazuli while Dad claimed he was so happy to share his day with his four girls.
Me, Emma, Mum… and Lazuli. This gave us all a good laugh.
A Poem by Kristina
We motored to Radical By,
So that we could all have a play.
It was such a beautiful day,
Which we spent at Radical Bay.
We went there for Daddy’s Birthday,
And had muffins along the way.
It was such an amazing day,
For Daddy to have a birthday.
Emma’s recount of Sunday
It was dads birthday so we motored our tender around the corner to radical bay.
We were at radical bay because it was way more clear than horseshoe bay.
Kristina and I went to go check on the quick sand in the creek. I found some that pulled me down almost to my knees.
I was stuck so I asked Kristina for help, she tried, she failed!
I asked dad for help, he tried, he failed!
But dad got me loose so I got out!
For dads Birthday dinner we went out for pizza. I ordered a mini ham pizza and ate all of it!
It was a 8 inch pizza. I was so full my tummy hurt!