The day began with drizzly rain, overcast skies and gusty wind. Not overly encouraging for the sail to Dunk so we delayed our departure in the hope the weather would improve.
We got a break at 9:30 and sailed on the jib with a nasty cross swell slapping against the starboard hull. Changing course halfway to Dunk eased the wave motion making the trip more pleasant. The islands ahead kept disappearing in rain squalls leaving us to rely heavily on the chart plotter.
The trip might have been more rewarding if we had caught a fish, but no luck today. Wayne and Deb caught a Mac Tuna which they kept for bait.
On arrival Dunk wasn’t looking very inviting as the rainforest covered island was shrouded in grey cloud and light rain. The army arrived in their landing barges and looked to be surrounding us.
I am assuming as some part of Talisman Sabre exercises. The four barges rafted up and anchored for the night. I imagine they would be rather subdued by the news we all heard, of the helicopter crash last night in the Whitsundays and the loss of four of their personnel.
We waited for the rain to ease after Nyeki and Beach Bum arrived then dinghied ashore. Strolling along the sandy island paths through the lush growth was a welcome change from the constant noise of the ocean and wind. You don’t notice the noise until you go ashore into a forest and then you realise how quiet it is.
We wandered across the end of the grassy airstrip to the resort decimated by cyclone Yasi in 2011. Yasi was Australia’s largest and most devastating cyclone to hit QLD in memory. And what devastation, it was sad to see.
The accommodation area is still totally annailated.
In 2009 we had visited the island and it was a vibrant resort with an artist colony in the rainforest and a fully functioning resort with golf course, horse riding and all manner of activities, restaurants etc. We were here in 2015 and then it was a sad sight, however finally it looks like someone is staring to revive the place as both swimming pools had clean water and pumps in them. The main reception and dining area was clean, swept and devoid of broken bricks and mortor in contrast to the accommodation area.
Is this where Wayne belongs?
Bar , golf course , tennis court and airstrip are all starting to get rehabiliated.
When leaving the resort we were reprimanded by a resort employee that we were walking in an out of bounds area and with a dog and we should leave. Really! what dog?
Oh well back to the boat to grab some beers then we joined Nyeki and Beach Bum for happy hour at a table in the camp ground overlooking the beach and boats. Such a pleasant way to end the day other than chicken ceaser salad for dinner.
