My Experience On Whitsunday Adventurer
This past weekend ticked a few boxes for me: my first time exploring the Whitsundays and my first time on an overnight boat trip! And what an incredible experience it was. For those wondering what it’s like to sail through the Whitsundays on an overnight boat trip, I’ll briefly recap my experience.
The Vessel and the Tour: Whitsunday Adventurer
I was lucky enough to secure a spot on the spacious sailing catamaran: Whitsunday Adventurer. Departing every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, this 2-day, 2-night tour is the perfect introduction to the wonders of the Whitsundays.
After meeting the friendly staff and mingling with the other guests at the Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach, everyone boarded the vessel around 3pm on Friday. There were 11 guests in total, which is just shy of the 12-person maximum for this tour. With plenty of space to relax, including shaded areas and a heated jacuzzi in the front, the boat was perfectly suited for this intimately-sized tour group.
Our skipper Thierry and host Ashleigh gave us an informative briefing and an outline of the weekend’s itinerary. Then we spent the next hour or two sailing leisurely across the Coral Sea towards our first stop: Hook Passage.
Hook Passage
Hook Passage is the strip of sea that separates Hook Island in the north from Whitsunday Island in the south. These are two of the largest islands in the Whitsundays, and this wildlife-rich channel in between them is a popular overnight anchoring spot in the Whitsundays.
We stopped here in the late afternoon and enjoyed some free time on the boat. It was a super fun group on the tour - everyone was an international traveler in their 20s or 30s! While we socialized and took photos of our serene surroundings, Thierry and Ashleigh made us a delicious chicken curry for dinner.
After eating dinner, watching the sunset, and having lemon cheesecake for dessert, we moved to the back of the boat where the attached blue lights glistened in the dark water. We saw lots of batfish swim in and out of the lights, and eventually we all retired to our cabins and bunks. An intense thunderstorm woke most of us in the early morning, but other than that it was a cozy night!
Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island
I rose early to watch the sunrise the next morning. The storm had left gold and rose-colored clouds drifting through the morning sky and it was magical! Our boat began to cruise over the glassy ocean around Whitsunday Island towards Tongue Bay. I was in awe of the island’s rugged mountain peaks, all of which were covered in dense forest and caressed by clouds of fog.
Once we arrived in Tongue Bay, we had breakfast and watched sea turtles swim through the sea. Then we took the dinghy over to Whitsunday Island and began the hot but easy hike up to Hill Inlet Lookout at Whitehaven Beach!
The views from Hill Inlet Lookout weren’t looking their best, simply because the tide was very high and there was heavy cloud cover. But the landscape was still gorgeous and I loved watching stingrays drift through the water from above. We then had a few hours to relax on the soft white sand of North Whitehaven Beach and frolic with the stingrays in the water.
Mantaray Bay, Hook Island
After a nice lunch of chicken sandwiches and salads on the boat, we sailed north to Hook Island. I had a nice nap in the shady awning near the back of the boat as I was feeling a bit sun-tired from the beach. But I quickly gained new energy when we arrived at our first snorkeling spot: Mantaray Bay.
Though there were lots of other tour boats at this popular snorkeling spot, it didn’t detract at all from the amazing experience! Huge swarms of colorful fish danced through the crystal clear waters, including speedy Giant Trevally, huge Maori Wrasse, rainbow Parrot Fish, and more. It was so much fun getting to swim alongside all these beautiful, tropical fish and watch them nibble on the coral below.
Cockatoo Point
After about an hour of epic snorkeling, we hopped back on the boat and had tea, coffee, and some fresh fruit while we sailed further around Hook Island. We arrived at our anchoring spot for the night: Cockatoo Point on the northern side of Hook Island. Next to the lush rainforests of the island, there is a long stretch of reef that is extremely visible in low tide.
So Thierry took us out in the dinghy and transported us to one end of the reef. We were able to take our time snorkeling along the stunning reef as we made our way back to the anchored boat. There were lots of adorable little fish here, including psychedelic-colored parrot fish. But I was mostly intrigued by the incredible shapes and vibrant colors of the reef itself! I couldn’t take my eyes off of the swaying anemones, violet-colored rock clams, and uniquely shaped corals.
When we finished snorkeling we had pasta with beef stew for dinner, followed by vanilla cake and a fun dance party on the deck.
Final Morning in the Whitsundays
After a deep sleep, I awoke to another blissful sunrise. The sunkissed clouds drifted over the surrounding peaks of Hook Island, as well as over Langford Reef and Hayman Island in the distance. We had another delicious breakfast and then had more free time to snorkel or paddleboard.
I opted for the paddle board and had a lovely time gliding over the clear, smooth ocean. We observed the coral reef from above, watched little jellyfish float through the water, and even saw a couple of majestic sea turtles. They swam right next to my paddleboard, which was a highlight of the trip for me!
After packing up our gear and returning our stinger suits, we relaxed on the deck of the boat in the sunshine as we sailed back to Airlie Beach. Thierry and Ashleigh even served us some nachos on the way back, and we arrived around 12pm on Sunday.
Whitsunday Adventurer Overview
My first boat trip in the Whitsundays really set the bar high! Even though we had a bit of rain and clouds, the untouched natural beauty of this stunning corner of Australia shone through. I was blown away by how gorgeous the Whitsunday Islands are, and I cherished every single wildlife encounter. The snorkeling was fantastic, and had a blast exploring the underwater world of the fringing Great Barrier Reef.
I also had a blast with the other travelers on the boat, and I enjoyed chatting with Thierry and Ashleigh. They were awesome hosts and really made the trip run smoothly. Thierry especially made it very clear how important it is to be responsible travelers while visiting the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday Island, and he had lots of fun facts and local knowledge to share. I highly recommend the Whitsunday Adventurer tour to all travelers visiting Airlie Beach!
