Tangled Discoveries and a Jumping Bean

Haydee swimming with 100 Nemo's

While at Townsville, we visited Reef HQ, an aquarium. Cameron's next blog will give you detail, but I've decided to add a photo:

As we were motor-sailing out of Horseshoe Bay two days ago, I saw a floaty-thing bobbing along on the surface. Mum and I were curious so we went over to have a look. When we got there, we saw it was a dinghy, a tinny, longer than our own, which is 3.1 metres. Dad insisted that we tow it to shore, but it looked like it was anchored, so he climbed in and hoisted up the anchor chain. Tangled on the anchor was a fishing rod in an okay state. There was something big on the hook. It took Dad roughly 15 minutes to reel it in. When a large blur appeared underwater, he sent Cameron and I downstairs in case it wasn't very nice. However, it turned out to be the dinghy's bimini (or roof), somehow snagged on the lure. As the bimini neared the surface, the rod and line snapped and the bimini sank again.

We towed the dinghy into Horseshoe Bay and anchored, waiting for the water police who Mum had called while the bimini was being hauled up. When the police arrived, they told us they had found the three men who owned the dinghy, safe on Magnetic Island. They took the dinghy, rod and anchor to shore as we left the bay to continue our sail to Orpheus Island.

My theory is that three men were fishing. One went to cast, but the line got caught on the bimini. He stood on one side to untangle it and his two friends stood next to him to help or watch. The boat capsized and the bimini broke off, taking the rod with it as it sank. The men swam away, leaving the boat. During the period of upside-downness, the motor also broke off and sank.

Mexican Jumping Bean

Yesterday, we stopped in at Zoe Bay on Hinchinbrook Island. There was a waterfall not too far from shore, and Mum had read about a freshwater lagoon. We went ashore and found a track supposedly leading to the waterfall/lagoon. We walked up the track in our swimmers and saw the waterfall fell into the lagoon which leaked into a stream. We swam in the lagoon for around two hours then dried off and hiked back to Seasprint. The water was really clear and VERY deep in the middle of the lagoon. The fish were friendly if a bit nibbly. It was a bit cold at first but it warmed up nicely soon after. Standing or sitting under the waterfall felt like a very firm but relaxing massage. It was really cool and very pretty, so we plan to return on the way back down and next time, I want to go night-swimming.