Wind  E – SE  15 – 20 Sunny

Everyone was a little slow to rise this morning, I think it must have been the jet lag. Breakfast was a variety of poached eggs, fruit and toast. We went ashore to pick up our hire cars at Nelly Bay This time we had what they call Topless, which is a small soft top Daihatsu . We hired two of them at $89 per day and an extra $10 if you wanted it for a 24 hr period.  Martin and Ed hired thiers for the 24 hours so they could drive to the ferry terminal in the morning.

We toured the island stopping at Geoffrey Bay and watched the large diamond back mullet swimming close to the old ferry jetty and large bright blue green parrot fish. We stopped at the half a dozen shops to post Abe’s birthday present and buy ice creams and water then toured onto Picnic Bay. Our coral trout lunch at the R & R restaurant was very tasty although the battered coral trout was heaps better than the grilled.

While the boys and Ed had another beer Leanne and I walked up the dry rocky path to Hawkins lookout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walk was hot and dry with some spectacular views over to the east and west to Townsville.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on Ovive while waiting for roast lamb to cook fishing was on in earnest. They got snapped off a few times until John put a 5 ” hook onto 100lb line and whammo something fighting fit and large hooked up. Stump eventually got it in after it gave him and his hands some grief but it was only a giant salmon catfish, about  25lb. They can get up to 3.8 metres in length and give you a good fight.

We enjoyed the lamb and chocolate mousse with strawberries for dessert then it seemed cards were not an option as most of us were too tired and retired early.