I was really looking forward to sailing around the Whitsundays. I was slightly apprehensive aswell as I've never been on a boat for longer than a few hours. I was worried I'd get sea sick and I couldn't really get my head round where 11 people could sleep. But all that doesn't matter. Modern boats are equipped for these types of things, right?
Erm wrong. As the skipper came to pick us up to begin our nautical adventure (one hour and fifteen minutes late I hasten to add)and led us jollyly down the harbour, I begun to pray. Please don't make it that rickety old boat at the end of the harbour, please, please, oh no, it isn't, oh please, oh god damn it. It is. It didn't look like that on the brochure. Mental not to self; rememeber to see Alex from Peter Pan to throttle him for false advertising. I wasn't aware classical meant clapped out! "It's a nice a boat a no?" Beamed the skipper. "Erm we're going to have to get off, my girlfriend's claustrophobic." A couple took one look at the cabins where were supposed to be sleeping and walked off. "You'll lose a alla you muney," the Italian skipper screeched. "It doesn't matter." And off they went. I did think about following them, but this trip cost me a fortune and the idea of travelling was to experience new things and get out of my comfort zone, well, I was certainly doing that!
After I'd put my stuff in the cupboard where I was supposed to sleep, I asked where the shower was, which was one of the selling points for me (hot shower on board the brochure enthused), the decky Dave, picked up a hose with a massive grin on his face. "Ha ha. Yeah, very funny. Now really, where's the shower?" No seriously, this is the shower. Did I say I wanted to throttle Alex earlier? Nevermind that, I'll hang, draw and bleeding quarter him. This was going to be a long trip.
When I'd got over the shock of the whole sleeping in a cupboard and hose for a shower thing, I begun to relax a little and take in the beautiful scenery of the Whitsundays. They were absolutely beautiful and we seen some amazing wildlife. I loved the turtles and seen loads of jelly fish which I'd never seen before. We went snorkeling a few times which was fantastic. The reef was absolutely beautiful and teaming with the most interesting fish I'd ever seen. Sailing amongst some beautiful islands with fantastic wildlife was starting to feel really theraputic.
The other people who were on the trip were a really good bunch. There was only six of us (the boat was supposed to sleep 11 but I really don't know where 11 people would've slept) I was told they would've asked people to double up. I hoped he was joking but something inside me told me that he wasn't. When it was time to go to bed, I wearily tucked myself into the cupboard and looked forward to driftting off to sleep. Then, it hit me. Was it thunder? What the hell was it? It was the skipper in the next cabin, snoring. I swear it must've registered about 7 on the richter scale. In the end, I had to sleep out on the deck which was fabulous. Laying on the deck looking up at the stars was such a lovely experience. That was until it started storming at 4 am. Bang goes my tranquility, back into the cabin.
The trip wasn't what I or the others expected, but it was certainly a good experience. I don't think it would've been as good if it wasn't for the people. Thanks Lindsey, Lorraine, Graham, Hunter, Taylor and Tom.
I did think the Whitsundays were beautiful, but to be honest, a bit too hyped up and the ship, well, that wasn't hyped up, it was friging made up.
