Rooney Point: Paradise found!

By Jen: Saturday afternoon: Rooney Point on the northern edge of Fraser Island is paradise found.

We anchored as the sun was setting. In the stillness of the new night we began to hear the tender songs of the Humpback whale families.

A red sunset from the distant sugar cane field fires.

In these clear waters mothers rest and glide close to the shore with their babies. The moonless night had me spell bound. I sat in the cockpit in the complete darkness. I was terrified and did not know what to expect. With my adrenaline pumping I tried to record the low sustained notes of the tender mothers. (Unfortunately I only managed to record my own heavy breathing by using the wrong phone app.) Glenn grew tired of sitting and waiting and went to bed. I lingered because I knew that a whale was very close. I could feel the boat develop a subtle rocking motion without swell or tide. Suddenly an explosion of breath erupted right beside the ST3. Stale moist air exploded next to me. I smelt the stench of the whale's breath. I couldn't see anything lurched backwards and I think I screamed. I decided that the safest thing to do was to sleep in my life jacket. Glenn reassured me that this wasn't necessary. We didn't sleep well anyway because there were just too many strange whale noises drifting through the hull. Further into the night most of the noises were repeated fin slaps and explosive breaths.

Sunday morning: We were both really tired but elated. We wanted to get ashore.

How can this colour be real?

Just a clever photo by Jen

 

The classic Fraser Island photo.

I found lots of extraordinary things on the beach. I have started a shell collection yet again.

A crab shell with amazing colours.

 

A plywood catamaran complete with galley sink cupboard.

A Turtle shell approx 80cms long.

The skeletal remains of the deceased turtle.

 

Reflected beauty.

We walked to the Bluff and some hours later we saw whales frolicking and heading from Platypus Bay towards our Anchorage. The water was still and clear and we could hear their voices as they swam closer. We were glad to climb on board but had no time to hoist the dinghy.

The next part of this story was actually captured by iPhone video.

ST3 waiting for our return.

 

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