Wind 10 – 15 knts NE – E Sunny
Had a good quiet night last night anchored among ten other boats. The turtles this morning were as plentiful as they were when we came in yesterday. Popping their leathery heads up to take a breath and have a look around they seemed to be right at home with all the visitors in their bay.
By the time we had finished breakfast a few more boats had arrived to swell the numbers. Most were charter boats but a few more bareboats arrived as well. They were all heading ashore for the walk up to the lookout over Hill Inlet.
It was our turn to go ashore so leaving Morgan to mind Ovive we hopped in the dinghy and motored ashore to arrive amidst lots of firm young bodies off the charter boats.
We found them very helpful in dragging our dinghy up the beach.
The walk up to the lookout took about 20 mins and wound upwards through rocky outcrops and very dry vegetation. Laura was worried the English tourists would think all of Australia was dry like this.
We passed small groups of backpackers from the charter boats up and down the track. Part of their time ashore was spent lounging around and swimming on the sandy beach at the entrance to Hill Inlet.
The views from the lookout were breathtaking, they say the view is better at low tide as you can see the fusion of colours of the water. I thought at high tide it looked pretty good as well.
Back to Ovive minded especially carefully by Morgan we could count 20 boats in the anchorage, all with groups heading for the lookout. Time to leave.
We sailed north on an easterly wind to Luncheon Bay round the top side of Hook Island.
Luckily for us the second mooring buoy on the eastern end was free so we picked it up. We all donned our snorkelling gear and took the dinghy with Morgan in it to a little beach halfway along the bay. Morgan spent some time chasing a stick before I took her back to O’vive. Hook Island is a National Park so she wasnt really allowed on shore, especially as their were a few charter boats arriving. It is also a marine park.
The snorkeling was superb, the water was clear and the coral close to the surface. Fish of all varieties darted around and chewed at the coral. We swam amongst beautiful coloured parrot fish, wrasse and trigger fish while brilliant blue fusiliers swam right up to our masks in the hope of getting fed.
Apparently some of the charter boats throw fish pellets out while their snorkeling groups are in the water.
Dave and I saw a large coral trout that elusively hid below a shelf of coral so we only managed to get half of him in photos. There was so much variety and colours in the coral ,fish and even clam shells.
The bay became rather busy with groups of snorkelers from different vessels seemingly all over the place so it was time for us to vacate our mooring buoy and let someone else have it. There is a two hour time limit on the buoys which allows for many boats to have the chance to snorkel in these great spots.
We sailed round the top of Hook to Stonehaven on the western side and picked up the last mooring buoy.
A visitor arrived not long after we arrived, it seemed to think we might be a source of food, We tried feeding it a selection of vegetarian foodstuffs but it wasn’t interested. John got out the fresh bait we were saving for fishing with later and tossed it to the turtle. That was what it was waiting for, fish scraps. We fed it, stroked it, Morgan tried to kiss it even though she almost got nipped on the nose with its beak.and took heaps of photos and videos. It was a remarkable site, something we had never seen before. It wasnt at all frightened of people.
Morgan and I went for a paddle board while the others napped , or should I say I paddled to shore while she watched for fish. The wind threatened to blow us round the corner as it was blowing straight across the anchorage making it a tough paddle. Morgan had a great time charging through the shallows after fish,. I saw a stingray buried in the sand and hoped she didn’t tread on any others.
For dinner we used the last of the fish in pot pies accompanied by a large salad whipped up by Dave and Laura. No TV reception so The Bourne Identity was chosen for the nights entertainment.
Morgan and I went for a paddle board while the others napped , or should I say I paddled to shore while she watched for fish. The wind threatened to blow us round the corner as it was blowing straight across the anchorage making it a tough paddle. Morgan had a great time charging through the shallows after fish,. I saw a stingray buried in the sand and hoped she didn’t tread on any others.