Whitsunday Sailing 7th - 10th September Ina and Doug fly to Proserpine to join Fletch and Bron for a long weekend of Whitsunday Sailing.

Of course it's Ina's job to load the cases into the bus for a trip to Shute Harbour to meet them.

We didn't know it but Fletch was intending to meet us at the airport. However shopping distracted him, so he rang the company and asked to be picked up at a bus stop on the way. It was rather cool to have someone you know get on the bus 2000km from home.

The marina near Airlie Beach was a stop on the way to drop off the first group of passengers.

Ina can't wait to get along the Whitsunday Rent-A-Yacht pier to meet Bronwyn and get sailing. Must be the Dutch salt air being rekindled in her soul.

And here she is - Jasomeva, a 36 footer. Looks like Bronwyn's friend Lynda is a bit concerned that sailor Ina can't figure out how to get on board.

Now she's settled. Captain Fletch is at the helm and we are heading for Hamilton Island.

On the island it is Captain Doug in charge of the golf cart, which is the preferred method of transport in this environment.

We were dropping Lynda off to do the laundry - well she is the cabin babe. Now let's hit the road and see the sites. Aye, Aye Captain.

The Lookout on the island looking East as sunset approaches. Ina has a jigsaw of a rock beach near the rocky outcrop in the middle distance.

To the southwest this yacht has little hope of reaching mooring before sunset.

On the rich side of the island the tide is well out.

The sun going down on one side of the island...

...and the moon coming up on the other side.

The moon was there to light the boat as well.

8th September Leaving Hamilton Island about 8:00am for an open water journey to Whitsunday Island...

First Mate Bronwyn at the helm and Second Mate Ina getting used to the swell.

Through Solway Pass the swell reached up to 3m, but with GPS and a knowledgeable crew we were never in danger of running aground.

Objective in site. After around three hours sailing we find Whitehaven Beach in a sheltered bay. This schooner must have...

...stayed the night and was...

...on the way to the next piece of paradise.

Of course there are other ways to arrive at this remote beach.

We take the sensible way - a jolly good breakfast before jumping in the dinghy...

...and going ashore. Ina is standing on Whitehaven Beach in much the same place as the Australian Girl's Choir did for their Qantas advertisement.

View from the southern end of the beach. The beach is perhaps 6km long and the white colour is apparently from a silica deposit laid down by an underground river.

This small palm has developed a secure rooting system to cling to its rock.

After a nap in the sun Second Mate takes the helm, under the watchful eye of the Captain, to sail us to South Molle Island for the night. Excuse me Captain, there is something in the bow obscuring my view. Can you check it out please...

It's okay Second Mate. It's not really a whale.

A stop at Hook Island revealed these fish around the pier.

Douglas practising to work the trapeze in case a huge swell blows up in the last hour or so of sailing before safe anchor. It should here be officially noted that the only really swell thing that happened on this day was that Fletch proposed to Bronwyn on the end of a South Molle Pier in the moonlight.

9th September A perfect morning in a perfect paradise after a perfect proposal the night before.

But now down to business. Fletch offers Doug a game of golf. The first game he has played in at least 20 years.

He got close to the hole on some occasions and...

...sometimes even putted it in.

Somehow though, the locals weren't too impressed.

On the way to Daydream Island for a short jaunt Douglas spots something. Forsooth, is that a damsel in distress I spy?

This looks like a job for Su-Per Daddy.

Whaddya' mean, it's probably floating seaweed? I'm not going to waste this body on flotsam!

10th September Last morning on the reef and these lorikeets come for breakfast.

This Bat Fish thinks there might be some for him too if he plays it sneaky. First, dive under the boat...

...then leap out unsuspected and grab the bread overboard.

Huh, ha, ha. Another successful mission for Bat Fish!

Back at Shute Harbour, it's time for the goodbyes...

...as Doug and Ina return to Melbourne and the others return to their ocean home.