Monday morning we move just around the corner but still in Stonehaven just got a bouy a little bit closer to the reef, and next to Screensaver. Did some snorkeling off the dingy and went to shore to check out the sunset.
Tuesday morning we headed off to Langford Island for the morning and went ashore where we snorkled along the waters edge for an hour or so. Back to the boat had a bit of lunch and then headed off again this time to Blue Pearl Bay where we were hopeing to get a mooring for the night. Weather at this point still calm so we mortored around which took us about an hour, unfortunately there was no room there so we decided to go back to Langford and pick up a mooring there again for the night. We got a mooring fine, however the tide was quite low and the mooring line ended up wrapped around the keel. I dived down to have a look but I couldnt budge it. Back on board we made the decision to try and take the line off the front of the boat and walk down the side in the hope that it would unhook itself from the keel and we would not drift onto the nearby coral. All was go the line untangled itself so we let it go and decided to head back to Stonehaven for the night as the moorings there are better. Elaine cooked Lamb ribs and salad for dinner and an early night was had.
Wednesday we headed of back to Blue Pearl Bay in the hope of getting a mooring. We can't really anchor there as it is 18 meters deep which means we really need to put out about 70 meters of anchor chain and we only have 50. As luck would have it someone was leaving as we got there so we picked up the mooring and settled in. Screensaver also got one a little bit later so all was good. We ended up feeding some fish of the back of the boat before we went to shore. They were quite large about 400mm and flat like a plate. Went to shore and had a good snorkle along the shore here where we saw lots of fish, this is the best place we have been to so far. Back to the boat for afternoon tea, we noticed our fish friends, Herman and Morticia (Elaine gave them names) we still hanging around so we gave them another feed. Evening drinks were had on Screensaver then back to our boat for San Choy Bow.
Thursday morning we headed off around 9.30 am to a place called Butterfly Bay. Once around the head we encounted 25-30knot winds and 2.5 meter swell which made the next hour or so interesting to say the least. We only put up our Jib. After entering Butterfly Bay the winds eased and the swell basically disappeared. Navagateing into Butterfly was a bit slow as there is a few reefs so you cant go straight in, its sort of like a dog leg. There was only two boats in here and there was 7 spare moorings so we had our pick. After securing the boat on a mooring we had only sat down for a minute when who should pop its head up a turtle, now named Charlie (That was my name this time). There had been some talk over the VHF about a few Irukandji (Tiny jelly fish that kill you) about so without any stiger suits we decided that a dingy ride to shore and a stroll along the beach was a better option. Back from the shore there were several dozen pineapple trees with fruit on them so we took one with us ( the fruit not the tree). Weather was nice and warm a bit of a breeze but still lovely. The bay slowly filled up with charter boats as everyone settled in for the evening to get out of the wind. The evening was a quite one with Pork steak and potato bake for dinner, finished with a Baileys coffee and ice cream for desert.
Friday morning we were up early and heading back to StoneHaven as we needed to get some phone coverage to make some calls. Leaving Screensaver there head headed back navagating between Heyman and Hook island where half the markers are missing. Picking up a mooring we have settled in here for the rest of the day and night. The weather is rainy and windy today, so we are glad to be on a mooring and not on anchor.
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