They stood in the middle of the deck and spoke, “Today, you’re gonna be part of the crew. מתוק?”
The announcement triggered a strange mixture of excitement and nervousness. excitement because I had never boarded a tall ship before, and it is always a delight to open myself to new wonderful things. Nervousness because, er, I had never boarded a tall ship before, and the idea of working on one was a little too intimidating.
But the members of the legit crew had a way of making everything, no matter how mundane, sound fun and interesting. They shared what a knot is or why the right side of the vessel is called “starboard” as though it was standup comedy. They explained how to control the sails in a totally laidback fashion, reminiscent of finding Nemo’s Crush, the cool turtle.
“You might just see turtles around one of the islands we’re visiting today,” they announced.
Every single one of them was always smiling and approachable, fostering a light and friendly atmosphere that made the trip much less like an arranged tour and more like a family trip.
Sail the sun!
WHAT’S covered IN THIS GUIDE?
The Derwent Hunter
Bali Hai Reef
Langford Island Reef
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The Derwent Hunter
The 70-year-old Derwent hunter was designed and constructed in 1946 by Walter Wilson of the popular Wilson brothers Shipwrights of Port Cygnet, Tasmania. “She was built of Blue Gum, Tasmanian Oak, Celery top pine and Huon pine which grew within sight of the Wilsons slip yard, some of the best ship-building timbers in the world,” shares Tallship Adventures, the family-run company that operates the ship. “The Derwent hunter was Walter’s last vessel built before retirement and was the last Australian designed vessel built to work under sail.” Over the years, she has become a legendary sight in the waters of Airlie Beach.
The 70-year old Derwent Hunter
Our journey began as soon as we were picked up by a bus, which transferred us to Abell point Marina South. While everyone else was enjoying their morning tea, I wandered around the esplanade and became fascinated by the birds that hunted fish just near the jetty. Some flew over lanes of neatly docked small boats. soon after, we were on the jetty, excitedly walking toward the Derwent Hunter.
While it is permitted to carry up to 38 passengers, there were probably around 20 of us on the boat that day. but despite its decades-long history working under sail, she remained well-maintained. I took a seat near the front end of the deck, from where I could clearly watch the rolled up canvas get released and let the wind blow us away. It was like a flag-raising ceremony. lots of of us became part of the process, and the rest watched in awe. As the staff was explaining the geography and history of the Whitsunday Islands, a gentle splashing sound was heard. “Wow, that’s a whale,” the staff happily announced. everyone was on their feet, trying to get a clearer view of the giant, which appeared above the surface one more time. It was a humpback whale.
A calming view of Abell point Marina South
Sailing is hardwork.
Bali Hai Reef
Our destination: the northern bays of the Whitsunday Islands. The Whitsunday Islands (or simply, Whitsundays) pepper the central part of the great barrier Reef, just off the eastern coast of Queensland. tucked along its northern edge is Bali Hai Reef, a spectacular snorkeling site brimming with life. The sun was bright that day, allowing the cerulean sea to sparkle as I broke its calm with my snorkeling fins and swim noodles (yes, because I can’t swim to save my life).
Colorful live corals that painted the reef and seabed with lots of shades of purple, orange and red, provide feeding and breeding grounds for lots of other marine creatures. We spotted a couple of turtles. TURTLES! It’s not typically that I get to see these noble buddies. We got lucky.
Bali Hai Reef, our first stop
Langford Island Reef
After a hearty lunch composed mostly of salad, pasta, and cold cuts, we dove back into the water for another round with the great barrier Reef’s marine wildlife. This time, just around Langford Island, the most prominent feature this side of Whitsundays.
Not too far from the island lies Langford Spit, a long cay that extends from Langford Island, that is an ideal spot for sunbathing or just a good rest after a day of exploring the fringing reef. The sandbar sometimes disappear at high-tide, completely separating it from the rest of the island.
Even when I am not equipped with swimming skills, I was able to explore much of the reef. thanks partly to the swim noodles, but mostly to the staff who watched us closely. Every now and then, they would check on us at first sign of trouble, no matter how minute it was. (“I was just fixing my snorkel, thank you very much.”) It was something that I, being a non-swimmer, deeply appreciated as I truly felt saפה ובטוח שאני בידיים טובות.
האי לנגפורד ועוד סירות מפרש עגנו מול חופיו.
לנגפורד ירק
לכו להגיע לדגל הזה!
סירות מפרש אחרות סביב Whitsundays
היו לנו רק שתי תחנות באותו יום, אבל השארנו את השונית מרוצה לחלוטין מהחוויה. כשפלגנו משם, לוויתן אחר של הגיבוב הופיע, כאילו נפרד. (אין תמונות. הם נעלמו עוד לפני שהספקתי להרים את המצלמה שלי.)
“היום, צייד הדרוונט הוא שלך,” אני זוכר את הקברניט אומר כשעזבנו את הנמל מוקדם יותר באותו היום. “זו הספינה שלך.” בדרך חזרה לחוף איירלי, התבקשנו לעזור למפרשים שוב. אני יודע ששיכת החבל לא הייתה הרבה, אבל זה באמת גרם לנו להרגיש שאנחנו חלק ממשהו מיוחד, כמו שהסירה הייתה באמת שלנו. אפילו רק ליום.
סיור שייט על סיפון צייד דרוונט
הסיור מתחיל 8 בבוקר עד 16:40 (8.5 שעות)
תעריפים
מבוגרים: AUD 195
סטודנטים/קשישים: AUD 175
ילדים: AUD 99
מופעל על ידי: הרפתקאות ספינות גבוהות
כתובת: דרך חוף 13, Cannonvale QLD 4802
שעות הפעלה: 07:00 עד 19:00, יום שני
קו הזמנה: +61-7-4946 7124
מידע נוסף: www.tallshipadventures.com.au
היכן לשהות: Airlie Beach Yha Hostel מציעה מקומות אירוח משתלמים ממש בלב מרכז העיר.
ספר כאן: Airlie Beach Yha Hostel Whitsundays.
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