Welsh Rarebits on Fitzroy Island

It only took a couple of hours to drive from Walkamin to Cairns where we were to meet a man called Kerry who had been introduced to us by a previous host Carol Curtis. He and Carol had known each other a long time and he had kindly agreed to take us to Fitzroy Island early the following day on his Catamaran. Welsh rare bits! Ouch!

We arrived early evening to a hearty meal of bangers and spuds and after dinner were shown a seemingly never ending series of short and apparently amusing email video clips from Kerrys upsettingly vast collection.
Phil tries to teach a frustrated Gareth how to do a bowline knot You'll get it in the end Gareth
Up early the next morning we were down at the marina by seven thirty to meet Deb and her daughter Billie Jean who were also coming along. As part of a programme run by the yacht club Kerry takes people out most weeks to Islands dotted around Cairns.
We were on board and motoring down the Trinity inlet by eight, the decision had been taken to motor there and sail back due to the wind direction.
With little to do but lie back and enjoy our day off we headed for the front of the boat and assumed a reclined position. In flagrant defiance of his strawberry blonde complexion Gareth even hitched his shorts up to expose his prime quality Welsh thighs a decision he would soon regret. For three hours we watched the coast go by as we glided through the crystal water, the sea breeze masking the smell of Gareths right thigh cooking in the midday sun.
Kerry and Deb on the catamaran Paladin
We arrived at the Island just in time for lunch and it wasn’t till we all sat down to eat that Deb noticed the offending leg. With a shrug of his pink shoulders and a proclamation of his well being Gareth tucked into his sandwich, everybody else following suit. After lunch we took the dinghy over to the Island to explore. Anne and Phil chill out on the trampolines
Fitzroy Island is located approximately 35 kilometres (18 nautical miles) south east of Cairns and forms part of the traditional lands of the Gurabara Gungandy people. This aboriginal tribe still has descendents living in the local region (Cairns and Yarrabah). Fitzroy was once part of the mainland so the rocks are the same as found on the mainland (ie, granite). Most of the island's water comes from a natural freshwater spring originating in the Tablelands near Mareeba, and surfacing in the National Park bush.
Here is the police boat named "Ivan Brodie" in memory of an officer in Queensland Police Service.
Captain Cook named Fitzroy Island in 1770 in honour of the duke of Grafton, Prime minister of England at the time whose surname was Fitzroy. It is one of 600 Continental or High islands on the Great Barrier Reef. It is located on the inner barrier of the central region of the Great Barrier Reef, and is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. The reef surrounding Fitzroy is known as a fringing reef and is teaming with marine life. Phil reels in the anchor


We had an hour ashore before we were due back so we walked through part of the National Park that covers most of the Island to Nudey Beach. The Island has a dense population of Skinks, a type of lizard with really short legs that moves more like a snake. We saw plenty of these along the way of various size and colour, these animals when caught can shed their tails in an attempt to avoid capture. The lovely Billy Jean hides from the fierce sun
Disappointed at the lack of nudists but not the beaches beauty we headed back as it had been made clear that morning that Kerry wouldn’t tolerate any tardiness.

Back aboard we lifted the anchor and once out of the sheltered bay and in to the wind hoisted the sail. It is a very liberating feeling to be at the mercy of the wind with no artificial power to propel you and a strange sensation to be moving so quickly and silently. On the return journey Kerry tried teaching us how to tie a Bowline knot and once we had managed this he had us attempting it with our eyes closed and behind our backs. Ohhh sailor
Fitzroy island is covered in skinks
Back in Cairns Gareth applied liberal amounts of Aloe Vera cream to his legs and we met Kerry's family who had been away the previous night. We sat down to a well earned dinner after a hard days relaxing at sea. In spite of what people might think it is very rare that we have any time to ourselves on this trip and for this we are very grateful to Kerry.

We meet some ladies who are rowing to raise awareness of breast cancer
The next day Deb had arranged for us to do some weeding for her and we got a few extra dollars for our cause. Next, off to Deral to see Kerry's friends Rick and Yvette.