Making friends with a dolphin

We had picked up a deep (30m) mooring in a sheltered cove. After dark we shone a torch into the water behind the boat. After a couple of minutes lots of little fish were swimming about in the beam. Then we heard a dolphin approaching - their exhailing makes a loud noise. It came right up to the back of the boat and ate the fish. Then it backed off and slowly circled the boat about 15m away. When more fish were in the beam, it came back in and ate them. This process when on for around 40 minutes. At one point a big fish came also and took the little fish - it may have been a white tipped reef shark - it certainly had a white tip on its dorsal fin. The dolphin didn't come in while that fish was there. The dolphin was thrashing about in its efforts to catch the fish and once crashed into the rudder of the boat making the whole boat shudder. It was a totally fascinating period.

We had gone to the Whitsundays from Sydney and found too many yachts not being used in the Sunsail base. We hired a Jeaneau 36 - same as a Beneteau 36 but with go faster rig and keel.
Day sailed for first 2 days while there was a strong wind warning out. On third day wind forecast to 25knots max so set off for the northern islands. Great sail there on a broad reach.

Area prone to Bullets - blast of F8+ thermal wind off the land that last 20-30 seconds. Got 10knots out of the yacht in one of those.

We loved these few days of complete freedom to go where we wanted and do what we wanted. There is nothing in this world more relaxing than sailing into a sheltered cove, dropping the anchor and spending the evening and night there.

Unfortunately there are nasty jellyfish. The first time we were not in the marina I donned my stinger suit and jumped in. There were jelly fish every cubic foot of water. Little transparent ones. Whether they were Irikanji or Box I don't know but it wasn't pleasant. The need to always wear a stinger suit is a great deterrent.

Last day we took the tour to the Reef. Totally amazing. Saw a massive Groper - 3m long, must have weighed a ton. Got attacked and bitten by little ugly grey fish. Tried to bite it back, couldn't. But it backed off when I took its photo - it didn't like that. The coral here was much more colourful than anywhere else we have seen.

Finally had to say bye to Sunsail and the beautiful marina on Hamilton Island with its sea eagles and cockatoos everywhere.

Back to Sydney. Took the walking tour of the Manly area of Sydney harbour. Its beautiful here and amazingly close to the heart of Sydney.

Next stop Hong Kong. Last destination.

Sorry for the absence of posts while in Whitsundays - believe it or not no internet cafe there. And can't access camera to upload photos from this PC.

Bye for now.