Well, we could not have arrived to the town of Airlie Beach at a hotter or more humid day. The temperature at 8am was already in the high 80's, and if it wasn't for the high clouds drifting by, it would have been warmer.
Anyway, Airlie Beach is a coastal town located about 1100 kilometers north of Brisbane. We read that there were only 1312 permanent citizens back in 2021. From what we saw today, we would estimate the population was 10 times that amount. Located in the Whitsunday Region of many islands, this area is a super-resort destination for the Aussies as well as the yachting crowd. It also happens to be one of the gateways to the Great Barrier Reef.
While doing some basic research, we discovered that paradise does have its glitches. With all of the beautiful white sand beaches in this area, not a lot of people were in the water. The locals are well aware that there can be a variety of sharks in these parts such as reef, lemon, hammerhead, leopard, and tiger sharks. And one of the worst problems are tied to the presence of jellyfish….some so toxic they can kill you. Those are the box jellies, blue bottles, and another variety that is hard to spell. Most of the beaches and coves do not have nets for these creatures. The time of year for these stingers is from November through May, so we are right in the middle of the season. A lesser annoying aspect are the mosquitos and midges that appear early in the morning as well as later in the evening. At least with these pests, there are good sprays to keep them away.
Today was a tender port with about a 3 ½ mile ride to the pier. While we were eating breakfast, we watched as some of our tenders were dropped into the water. Then a high speed catamaran appeared to come alongside, so we assumed it was the vessel to take one of the tour groups to the Great Barrier Reef. There was an 8 hour excursion to the reef for $300. It included snorkel gear, a semi-submersible ride, a viewing platform and lunch on the pontoon. Two other shorter tours had snorkeling at nearby islands for $220, while some folks could do a glass-bottom boat at a nearby harbor for an hour and a half for $100. Then there was a scenic 2 hour airplane ride over the entire area for $290.
It turned out that the catamaran was for transporting the guests ashore. They did have a difficult time setting up the gangway for the transferring guests, but when they got it going, they were able to take up to 200 people at one time. Due to the extreme heat, we decided to wait until after 10:30am to go ashore. By then, they were calling open tendering with no more tender tickets. By the way, we still do not have to get tickets because we get allowed down the stairs to deck A by showing our room key. Actually they all know us, so it makes it easy.
Boarding the tender was dicey due to wave actions and swells. But with the help of the crew, we made it onboard. One thing for sure, once you get on the boat, you have to reach for the poles before the boat slams against the ship and you are on your backside. And because of the heat, the long ride was about torture without a hint of a breeze. We hoped that on the way back, we would be able to take the bigger and more opened local catamaran instead. Landing ashore was easy because the pier area was sheltered and calm.
Once through the terminal, which looked very new, we followed the signs towards town and the beaches. We did not know that a local shuttle bus was offering a ride to downtown for a small fee that was good all day. Since everything seemed to be within an easy walking distance, we chose to walk. The well-marked pathway led us past a new complex of apartments and condos, then along the marina where all of the yachts and sailboats were moored. The scenery was just beautiful and it reeked money……big money.
We went past a series of tents that must have had a souvenir market of some kind. Thinking it would stay open all day, we decided to stop here on our way back. It didn't happen because they closed shop, pulled the tents, and left for the day. We continued to walk towards the Beacons where Boathaven Beach was located. Our map said it was a man-made beach with stinger nets, but there seemed to be a steady flow of beach-goers walking back for there. Maybe it was closed.
On the point here was the Whitsunday Sailing Club with a nice cove nearby with a white sandy beach and a gentle surf. There were a few scantily-clad young ladies sunbathing on the shore, but the only two people in the water were clueless folks from the ship. How could we tell that? The telltale sign were the blue and white striped beach towels they had with Holland America Line printed on the edge. The sea water in this bay is a pretty shade of turquoise, but it is murky. You cannot see under the water, but other creatures might see you. A better alternative to swimming here is the Lagoon, which is a manmade family-friendly pool that is very shallow to about waist-deep. It is paved with a pebble-tech surface similar to what you might find in a backyard swimming pool. And as big as it was, it was extremely clean. Being that it is not connected to the ocean, there are no stingers. Surrounding the lagoon is grassy mounds for sunbathing as well as top-notch restrooms and change facilities. Needless to say, it was crowded here. A separate lagoon pool was designed for the little ones and was netted overhead for shade. We counted at least four lifeguards also.
Overlooking a deep cove, we spotted what appeared to be a group of dugongs or what we call manatees. They barely breached the surface before they dove back down. That's when we saw the monument dedicated to them on the shoreline.
On the way to the lagoon, we walked on the main street which was filled with a new hotel, numerous eateries, and dozens of boutique shops. Some of the steakhouses and bars were only opened at 5:30pm, but there were several options for pizza and beer. Many of those were "takeaway" but one large place was called the Pub, which was part of the newly built Airlie Beach Hotel. They had the best menu and the most customers – a good sign that the food and beverages were fine here. They did not have full service tables, but we figured out that we take a table of our choice, go to the bar counter inside, order your food and drinks, and pay for it. We brought the drinks to our high top table, and when our order of Hawaiian pizza was ready, a server brought it to us. Easy. We enjoyed every bite of the perfectly-cooked pizza while sitting directly under one of the biggest ceiling fans we have ever seen. With the ice cold draft beers and the giant fan whirling overhead, we were in heaven. Lunch service in the Pub ended around 2pm, so it was time to start heading back to the pier.
Although we shouldn't have been surprised, but it was a common sight to see groups of the younger crowd (20's or so) walking the main street in the skimpiest swimsuits we have seen. No cover-ups. The more amusing aspect of the scene was spotting some of the older crowd (mostly men) sneaking photos of these girls. Oh well, if they did not like the attention, they would cover up like most people do.
Back-tracking, we got a few more photos of some shorebirds that appeared along the beach from the nearby mangroves. Taking a shortcut across a grassy field, we got to the new apartment area even quicker. One of us had been searching for a souvenir visor with the name of Airlie Beach printed on it. We found one at a small boutique called Salty Kisses at the Boatyard Apartments which had exactly what I wanted.
Back at the Port of Airlie, we got our wish and were directed to one of the catamarans for the ride back to the ship. Once the boat was turned around and away from the dock, they sped up making the trip only about 20 minutes. Sitting on the back row of seats, we had a breeze all the way back and it was priceless. A gangplank was extended into the ship's opening making it a piece of cake to disembark.
The rest of the day, everyone we talked to remarked about the excessive heat. Even the crew had a hard time with it, like our waiters who had been assigned to the Lido Pool area for the afternoon. There is no air circulation under the dome, so it can be oppressive. We stayed in our room cooling off with sodas until dinnertime. The Captain came on with his daily report around 6pm and said it had been a beautiful day (his new everyday saying). We have a short distance to get to Cairns, and the speed will be 8 knots or so. He expected some showers tonight, and if it was like last night, there might be lightning. There was a fairly decent sunset at 6:40pm, and we got to film it before it was time for dinner.
We ordered appetizers of a shrimp cocktail, a deli plate, and two Caesar salads. One of our entrees was a turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes. The other was a ham and cheese stuffed chicken breast with San Francisco wild rice. Really? Had to try it, and it was very good. Even the turkey meatloaf was tasty. Nice to see some new items pop up almost everyday. One scoop of orange sorbet and a mango tart were the desserts. Full again and so drained from today's heat, we missed the show of the comedian Simon Palomares.
We really need a day at sea to re-charge the batteries.
Bill & Mary Ann
