Day 49 – Monday 6 September 2021 –? Km

Packing this morning as we are leaving the Karavan with our friends at their house and travelling over to Magnetic Island for a few days. We packed some food stuff, clothes & toiletries then shut the Karavan down & locked it up. It seems sad & lonely sitting on the driveway.  It is strange to leave the Karavan, our home for the last 49 days. We drove into Townsville early so that we could find the ferry terminal, just as well, I drove past the entrance twice & got lost before eventually finding it. The signposting is not very good (my excuse anyway).

We were first car onto the ferry so we had a front row view heading out to Magnetic Island. The sea was relatively calm and we could see lots of yachts competing in the Magnetic Island Race Week in the distance. As we got close the island revealed its rugged beauty to us, it is covered in giant granite boulders & trees with a skirt of white sand in the bays. The island is only 8Km off Townsville so did not take that long to travel by ferry. Disembarkation was easy & we were very close to the best seafood restaurant SOS (“Stuffed on Seafood”) on the island so stopped & enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch.

Alma Bay was only a little further on & is very pretty. Alma Bay does get direct wind & the water is a little choppy, however that did not deter a few hardy swimmers. Horseshoe Bay is another 4km & is our destination today with our apartment right on the bay overlooking the water & the multitude of sailboats at anchor. We unpacked our goods & chattels into the apartment then had a quite sit down & a gentle snooze before Tereza made me a coffee & we walked over to the park bench & watched the sailboats swinging in the breeze.  The tide was low & we walked along the beach all the way to the rocks before turning back & walking a few kilometres along the beach the other way. We found a few nice sea shells as the tide was turning. The sunset over the bobbing boats in the bay looked very pretty. Dinner tonight is at the Marlin Bar, along the street about 200 metres. We order a seafood pizza & some Corona beer & are interrupted by a beach curlew walking into the bar & looking for food. It is the first time I have seen one of these birds up so close. As we walk back the sea of lights from all the boats at anchor is mesmerising. Another great day.