Day 205: Brampton Island to Lindeman Island, Australia - 30/07/10

We all get up early – unheard of in Isabella’s case.  Is it a case of the invasion of the body snatchers?  The boat is disgustingly wet everywhere.  Every fabric surface feels clammy and wet.  There is condensation dripping down every window and covering every hatch, inside and out, so that when you open the hatch covers, water pours off them leaving puddles on the floor.  This is driving me crazy.

Bringing up the anchor, we head off straight after breakfast.  It’s another easy sail (who am I kidding – we motor) to Lindeman Island and on the way a couple of whales pass us going in the opposite direction.  We are unable to identify them as they don’t come up out of the water, but they are probably humpbacks.  They are far enough away for us not to be worried about sitting on the back of the boat and dangling our feet in the decidedly icy water.

Photos:  Gossiping and dangling feet

In the shade it is cold, and in the sun it’s burning.  The two photos below were taken one straight after the other, Johanne sunbathing on the starboard side, and Mike huddled up in the shade on the port side.

Photos:  Fifteen feet separate Johanne and Mike in distance, and probably the same number of degrees!

We arrive after lunch and decide to go ashore to the Club Med resort.  It seems strange to have one of these in Australia.  It’s decidedly shabby around the edges and in need of a bit of TLC.  The average age group is a lot higher than the norm too and Isabella takes a picture of an old guy sound asleep (we don’t think he’s dead) on a lounger with his socks hanging off the side.  Not a pretty picture.  Steve says that it should be renamed Club Medicare!  There is some pretty amazing bird life around though, of the feathered variety, that is.

 Photos:  Some beautiful birds around Club Med and not the sort you would normally expect

  

Photos:  Scenery around Club Med, Lindeman Island

We go for a dinghy ride across the bay to see if there is anywhere nicer to anchor, deciding that it is such a lousy day that it not worth moving the boat.  We’ve just got back when Steve shouts “whale” and we all race out.  About a quarter of a mile away, a humpback whale proceeds to put on a display for us, thrashing its tail up and down and raising its enormous flippers in the air, bringing them crashing down with a huge splash – we can hear it all really clearly.

Photos:  Water aerobics – courtesy of the whale

Photo:  Whale watchers

Eventually the whale swims too far away to film although we can still see him/her, and amazingly hear the antics.

Photo:  Johanne serving tea

Johanne makes a lovely meal of meatballs and pasta then we try to watch “There’s Something About Mary” but in the middle of the zipper scene the film zonks out and we have to settle for “Captain Ron” instead.  We send Steve to bed when he starts snoring, although Johanne starts almost immediately and we let her stay!