# QLD: Whitsundays last week of 2013



## IsoBar (Nov 24, 2011)

We've planned and needed this vacation for a long time...
The initial destination was Lady Musgrave Island, but the ferry operator there is a b!tch and we couldn't find a spot on it and the price was outrageous.
So we changed plans and booked 3 nights on Crayfish Beach on Hook Island in the Whitsundays. Booking was simple even though it was just 3 weeks before the trip and the boat operators (Scamper Island Camping) were super nice, didn't asked for an early payment and were willing to take the kayak along with no extra charge or a complain.
We took off on boxing day after loading the car with some camping gear and the slick white sea kayak:










We drove the long drive north, stopping only for a feed, refueling and bladder relieve and made it to Airlie Beach right on time for a late dinner and straight to bed.
Next day we arrived early morning to Shute Harbour and loaded the ferry:


















(that boat looks good wherever you put it 8) )

The missus was pretty happy also...










It wasn't long till we where dropped on our little corner of heaven, just us, a few more quiet campers and an occasional yacht who came in the lagoon.




























Time crawled by slowly - a slow and relaxed waking up, breakfast and playing cards till it was too hot and then snorkeling through midday, lunch and then waiting for the air to cool down a bit for an afternoon troll.










The reef at Crayfish Beach is supposed to be in pretty good condition compared to the other spots, but since that's the only spot we tried, I can only say that the reef is nice and the visibility was reasonably good, but the traces of all the yachts that anchor just over the drop, can be seen and there are many broken corals past the drop.
Every time I went in, I saw a turtle or two, which was nice, one of them was so friendly, it came straight at me (maybe expecting a feed). I saw a couple small coral trout, a small white tip reef shark and a nice, big stingray (which sent my wife out of the water in seconds :lol: ).










At the first arvo I trolled along the reef edge, but couldn't get anything but a tiny reef cod which was sent back, so it was rice and veggies for dinner.



















An Oyster Catcher got his chance at low tide:










The next day I paddled a bit further NE, towards a little bommie that was 500m off the main island. There were many terns working the surface and I could see unknown predators breaching the surface for a feed. I was confident that it's a matter of time till my lure will be taken, as I was trolling right in the middle of the action. However, after a few minutes I felt something scrubbing against my stern, so I turned back and saw a medium blacktip shark following me. :? 
I drove it :? away with a few determined paddle strokes and turned back to the safety of the lagoon...
Though I waited for the cooler time of the day, it was still bloody hot and I got back sweating and thirsty as a salti crak in a dry day at the Kruger.










A couple of days went by and I was still fish-less, so the next (and last) evening I went over to that offshore bommie again. The terns and fish were still there and it wasn't long till I felt that I'm dragging a bit more weight than I should have. Reeled in and easily landed a kind of trevally, but with a tuna shaped body. Did another run over the same spot and another, identical one joined in. They weren't monster fish, but it was all more than the whole campsite could eat (just the 6 of us happy campers ;-) ), so I was happy with my catch and turned back before another shark will come for a check.
This time I was much happier when I arrived to the beach:




























At the beach, the whole camp was excited and happy to give me a hand to fillet the fish (those bastards have armored scaled on their skin) and we all enjoyed fried fish fillet. The flesh was very dark and in general, they felt like oversize horse mackerels.















When I got home, I looked up these fish on fishbase and apparently, they're called Torpedo Scud, or _Megalaspis cordyla_ in their scientific name:









That was it, the next morning the boat picked us up and took us away from this beautiful little paradise.



















Back at the marina of Shute Harbour, I came across a couple of relaxed kayak fishermen - ones that don't feel like they must paddle their arms off.










Maybe that's the way to go after all... 

First thing we did as we landed in Airlie Beach was to fill our bellies and enjoy the magnificent views.



















What can I say?
A truly amazing place and it is well worth coming back when the days are cooler, to explore the rest of what the Whitsundays has to offer, I will definitely be back.

Have a great new year and tight lines (I'm still short of a spaniard to make things right).
Cheers, Ido


----------



## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Great report Ido, looks like a very special trip, and you avoided the donut. Any good to eat? Cheers, Dave.


----------



## Stealthfisha (Jul 21, 2009)

Magic....feels good getting away heh!


----------



## grant ashwell (Apr 24, 2007)

As good as being there. Great report thank you.

Grant


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Thanks Ido. Its been 20 years since I visited there. Some beautiful photos. Its a beautiful place but almost everyone finds it tough to fish. Not sure why. You would expect it to be teeming with fish. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

So nice!
Thanks for taking the time to share.


----------



## whoohoo (Feb 3, 2006)

Great report Ido! I see you didn't take my old yellow Stealth 495 along  , Probably a good idea as coral and fiberglass are not a good combination.

Now, regarding the ferry owner (ex used car salesman) for Lady Musgrave I have to agree with you, the man is an absolute wanker! I did a trip out to the island about 5 months ago and per-booked the trip ($350 return) including taking a kayak ($150) as well and they refused to take my kayak when I got there (hence no trip report). It took all my self control not to shove the old prick off the pier! It was still a great trip - great snorkeling with just a bit of beach fishing which was patchy.


----------



## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

Great report and photos Ido, almost as good as being there.

Anybody interested here is a link to the National Parks site for the Whitsundays.
http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/whits ... mping.html

Cheers
Paul


----------



## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

Hi Ido

Thanks for the interesting report, top pics and words. It's great that people can still do those sorts of camping trips in our flatout, too-busy world. Congratulations to you and your wife for getting out and doing it.

By the way, those fish are caught around Noosa, and even appear in Noosa Yakkers Record Fish. We call them finny scad but they are the same species as the torpedo scad; caught them here on trolled hardbody lures offshore.

Kev


----------



## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Aw Kev you ruined my scud joke.
Third read. Good standard there.


----------



## gonetroppo (Jan 29, 2011)

Great report, what a top spot.


----------



## Teo (Jan 3, 2013)

Amazing photos! Thanks for te report.


----------



## Sprocket (Nov 19, 2008)

nice one Ido


----------



## TouringTom (Mar 6, 2012)

Great report Ido, glad you had a good trip and the opportunity to explore this beautiful country.

Tom


----------



## gibsoni (Jun 22, 2009)

Thanks for making the effort to put this great report together. Really nice read and pics.

Havent been there myself but I concur with the experience of the tour operators for Lady Musgrave - Did a 10 day trip there over 5 years ago and they were exactly as others have said. Adding to this, they have a monopoly on the place which never use to be the case.

Apart from being terrible operators as far as being absolutely rude and actively unhelpful to anyone camping (discriminate against campers), they proceeded with our trip out there straight after a cyclone. We hit massive swell the whole way, airborne off every second wave, a cabin full of people throwing up for 2 hours. Camping gear boxes stored in the hull was broken through being thrashed up and down on every wave.

As for Lady Musgrave itself. Magic place with beautiful reef, water and indeed fish just there for you to explore on your door step. Charter a ferry if there's enough of you wanting to go.

Thanks again for sharing Ido.

Iain.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

I luv the whitsundays top pics and gr8 trip.


----------



## Bigdyl (Feb 13, 2012)

Great trip, truly one of the most beautiful places on earth


----------

