Hamilton Island revisited

Ragged palms are the only real sign of March's cyclone

I'm back to work again now and my sister's visit last month seems like an age ago. Once again we headed up north for a cracking week on Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays. The island copped the full brunt of Cyclone Debbie at the end of March and there's still a bit of damage about the place but really it just meant that the palm trees were looking a bit ragged on top. Otherwise it was the same old cocktails by the pool, turtles swimming by in the sea, and wallabies and Bush Stone-curlews running around on the pristine hotel lawns. I also saw a couple of Yellow-bellied Sunbirds in the gardens this time which was a real treat. It's a very long time since I last saw them up in Cairns.

Views from Passage Peak

I also managed to haul myself up to the highest point on the island this time which was a bit of a hot slog interrupted by vicious horseflies but the views are worth it and we even spotted an enormous Leatherback Turtle cruising past in the channel.
  

    

  

Reef snorkelling

Humphead Wrasse or Napoleon Fish

Moon Wrasse

 Lined Butterflyfish

It's always good to get back in the water on the Great Barrier Reef. Alas, no turtles again while I was actually snorkelling but plenty of other things to keep one entertained including Flying Fish and Humpback Whales on the boat trip out to the reef.

Yellowbar Parrotfish

Garfish

Anemonefish in their anemone

Surf Parrotfish

We were told that the cyclone had hit the reef pretty hard but the number and variety of fish is still mighty impressive. Sadly the visibility wasn't as good as it has been in the past so decent pictures were difficult to take but I still managed to sneak up on a few obliging fish for some record shots. Saying that, you don't have to be too sneaky where clams are involved!

Clams

An hilariously grumpy looking Bengal Sergeant

  

Reef fishing

Lazy Silver Gull

A lot of my time on Hamilton Island was spent fishing around the various islands of the Whitsundays and also the Lindeman Island group just to the south. Unfortunately there were no catches of a lifetime but I did come away with a story of the one that got away.

Stripey Seaperch

Indonesian Snapper

Hussar

I don't know what it was that I hooked but the power was freakish as it stripped line from the reel even with the drag set as high as possible. As I clung on for dear life the skipper was getting excited about the "head shakes" coming from the fish at which point he threw the boat into gear and, like some scene from Jaws, we pursued the beast across the ocean. The fish knew exactly where it was going though and was soon heading deep into the reef where it managed to break us off. No idea what it was but that's what keeps you heading back for more.

Batfish

Coral Trout

Honeycomb Cod

Even with a lack of success trawling for Marlin and the other big sport fish, the reef fishing in tropical waters is always a lot of fun too. An impressive range of species were caught with only some of those being pictured here. Most catches were returned to the water but at the end of the day you always head back to shore with enough legal size fish for a good feed.

Grass Sweetlip

Grass Sweetlip a couple of hours later