We woke up to a lovely calm morning off Rainbow Beach with a minor swell. The spectacular eroded  cliff lines towered above the beach showing off their coloured sands. Very impressive.

After scambled eggs for breakfast we lowered the dinghy and took a reconaissence trip into the lagoon to look for somewhere to safely anchor. There was a large coffee rock in the middle of the entrance about 1.5 metres under the water, deep enough for us cats to get over on a rising tide.

We waited for the tide to rise enough before we entered the lagoon as there is a sand spit on the eastern side and a rock in the middle of the entrance. Nyeki led the way because they had entered last year although the channel changes daily. Debra said ‘avoid the sandbar on the eastern side and go in close to the beach side’.

John didn’t want to get too close to the beach as the depth sounder was showing very shallow water , we draw  1.25 m whereas  Nyeki draws 1.2 . Unfortunately for us again, we ran aground on that sandbar. We were fairly stuck but luckily on a rising tide. Eva Louise stayed out the front waiting for us to get off. As each wave rose under Ovive John gave the motors a burst in reverse and finally we were free. There was not much room between the shore and us as we gingerly motored through followed by Eva Louise.

The anchorage inside the lagoon was flat and calm . There were roughly a dozen boats already anchored with plenty of room for us . We headed for the eastern end to give room to others.

The remainder of the day was filled with beachwalking , fishing, repairs and of course happy hour at sunset. Deb and Wayne foraged around the lagoon and came home with a small trevally, a flounder which they gave to John and a mud crab they caught in their pot.