{"id":4577,"date":"2018-01-21T19:25:33","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T03:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?p=4577"},"modified":"2019-07-03T10:50:28","modified_gmt":"2019-07-03T17:50:28","slug":"antipodean-adventures-sailing-in-the-whitsunday-islands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?p=4577","title":{"rendered":"Antipodean Adventures &#8211; Sailing in the Whitsunday Islands"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29976.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-4579\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29976-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29976-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29976-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29976.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Eight stalwart folk have flown to the opposite side of the earth to sail for 10 days among the Whitsunday Islands that are inside\u00a0The Great Barrier Reef National Park in northeast Australia. Four of us (Val and Leslie and Mark P. and Cinda of San Juan Island , plus Ron and Kathy and Mark E. and PJ of Colorado Springs) came by various routes to meet together in Airlie Beach in Queensland at a very tropical set of cabins surrounded by palms and gum trees that host very squawky white cockatiels.<a href=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35728.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-4582\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35728-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35728-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35728-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35728.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div>\u00a0Airlie Beach is a beach town that is recovering from Debbie, a category 5 cyclone that devestated the region last April. Now, the vegetation is coming back but many broken trees and buildings and docks remain.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4596'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_2343-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4594'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_36388-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4599'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_3044-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4593'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_18146-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4590'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_28177-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4591'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_25860-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4592'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_33949-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4587'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_24424-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4595'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_31832-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4589'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30569-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4588'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35203-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4585'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29359-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5273.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4706\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5273-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5273-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5273-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5273-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5273.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div>The following day we adjusted our inner clocks and loaded our 48 foot catamaran with countless containers of food and water and other essential liquids. After a short training sail, we set off with Captain Ron helming and all others who wished hauling on lines and pulling on winches. Water Sprite, our Robertson and Caine 484, sped south, responding to the southeast trades. We dropped anchor at Happy Bay for the first night.<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4607'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_54285-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4606'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_45685-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4601'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_9766-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4602'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_57792-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4603'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_56708-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4604'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_39477-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4608'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_4545-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>Each morning we chatted about where we might sail, given the fairly strong southeast trade winds that swooped around the mountainous Whitsunday Islands. Usually we stayed on the western sides of the various islands to avoid the windward, windier side.<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MapWhitsunday.jpg.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4704\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MapWhitsunday.jpg-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MapWhitsunday.jpg-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MapWhitsunday.jpg-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/MapWhitsunday.jpg-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div>Over our 10 days, Ron, Mark P., and Val variously helmed and tweeked lines and lowered and recovered the anchor as we visited isolated tree-lined coves and sparkling aqua water next to golden or pristine white beaches.\u00a0 (Whitehaven Beach, on northern Whitsunday Island, is certainly aptly named.)<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4621'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_17664-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_17664-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_17664-640x640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4618'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_21389.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4615'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_18750.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4611'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_23831-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>The crew of Water Sprite\u00a0contributed in a variety of ways.\u00a0 Couples teamed up at the helm, Cinda and Leslie coordinated cooking efforts,\u00a0 P.J. was a sous chef extraordinaire, Kathy and the two Marks\u00a0became anchoring experts, Ron was a superb navigator, and Val provided excellent problem-solving skills.\u00a0 He heroically rescued a kayak paddle which had blown overboard, swam to a sinking bucket and pulled it in, and found a lost remote in the recycling bin at the Sunsail dock.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Our experience here is that this is a place for sailors! Our 48 foot catamaran fairly flew when on a beam reach with 20-25 knots of wind. We often reached speeds of 8-10 kts!<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>Most of our anchorages were moderately protected, though &#8220;bullets&#8221;, as they call them here in Down Under, would sweep down through the island&#8217;s valleys, rocking the boat with strong katabatic wind gusts.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The island topography is steep and the slopes are dense with dry, sharp and impenetrable vegetation. Only three times did we find tracks off into other places and these bushwalks were some of the high points of our trip.<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4641'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_4938-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4640'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_46332-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4639'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_55762-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4635'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_58218-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4636'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_579.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4637'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_52633-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4638'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_0732-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4634'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_237-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4633'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_51367-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>All of our anchorages had at least some coral over which we could snorkel, though those &#8220;bullets&#8221;\u00a0sometimes discouraged us from snorkeling or kayaking. But we did find good snorkeling and kayaking several times.\u00a0 Our black suits are &#8220;stinger suits&#8221; that we rented to protect ourselves from the infamous and deadly box jellies and Irukandji\u00a0 that inhabit these Great Barrier Reef waters.<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4629'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_34947-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4630'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_41877-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4628'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29611-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4627'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_15236-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4624'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_36667-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4625'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_38163-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4626'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_28506-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4586'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_20569-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>We spent 2 pleasant nights at the marina in downtown Hamilton. Here we re-supplied our food, visited the ice cream store multiple times, and (finally!:-)) collected Ron and Kathy&#8217;s luggage that had gone walk-about a week earlier when they changed planes in Taiwan.<\/div>\n<div>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30880.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4705\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30880-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30880-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30880-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30880-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_30880.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div>Twice we visited the Wildlife Park of Hamilton Island where our energetic and enthusiastic guide, Emily, showed us the\u00a0ins and outs of caring for crocs, cassowaries, koalas, spotted lizards, pythons and more.\u00a0 Visiting the park\u00a0a second time for the 4 o&#8217;clock feeding was a\u00a0fun way to learn more about some of Australia&#8217;s iconic fauna.<\/div>\n<p>&lt;<\/p>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-7' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4651'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_740-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4646'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_28485-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4695'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_37248-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4682'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_1077-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4692'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_24840-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4670'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_34472-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4679'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_28515-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4675'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_35857-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4676'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_22331-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4689'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_23508-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-8' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4663'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_41114-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4662'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_14357-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4661'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_42113-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4660'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_3143-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4656'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_10622-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4657'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_32166-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4658'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_19370-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4659'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_22250-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4654'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_25728-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4653'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_8231-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4652'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_1357-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4648'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_9449-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4649'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_24519-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4650'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_29832-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4647'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_2751.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4645'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_15561-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4643'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_16751-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-9' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4696'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_40542-1-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4693'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_39508.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4688'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_15868.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4687'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_21159-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4685'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_11235-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4686'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_6383-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4684'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27209-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4683'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_4231-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4681'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_38495-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_38495-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_38495-640x640.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4680'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_8787-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4678'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_13435-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4677'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_14674-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4673'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_17320-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4674'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_19885-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4672'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_2662-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4671'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_5271-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4669'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_40542-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-10' class='gallery galleryid-4577 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4691'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_12335-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4690'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_18685-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/leslieval.com\/?attachment_id=4694'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_7541-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: left;\">After this visit to this beautiful corner of the world that is clearly challenged by climate-change induced coral-bleaching, we are off to spend a week in Sydney.<\/div>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27390.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-4703\" src=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27390.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27390-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27390-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/leslieval.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/IMG_20180121_27390-1024x682.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eight stalwart folk have flown to the opposite side of the earth to sail for 10 days among the Whitsunday Islands that are inside\u00a0The Great Barrier Reef National Park in northeast Australia. Four of us (Val and Leslie and Mark P. and Cinda of San Juan Island , plus Ron and Kathy and Mark E. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4621,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australia","entry","has-media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4577"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4577\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4708,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4577\/revisions\/4708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/leslieval.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}