Day 63 – Monday 20 September 2021 – ? Km

Off to Horseshoe Bay again this morning to see the beach with the tide in, it is just as beautiful. We stop at Gray’s Bay on the way back & enjoy this beautiful beach as well, it is postcard picture perfect. By this time it is 9.30am & the Bowen Museum should be open. It is a nice little museum staffed by friendly volunteers until 12.30pm.  The museum is nicely laid out with a good mix of items reflecting all aspects of the history of Bowen. In the museum we couldn’t take any photos.Next to the museum is a small slab cottage from Moss Vale Station that was relocated to this site and reassembled, then filled with items from this era. Again, very interesting.

We then walk around the streets of Bowen and admire the painted murals on the walls, do a bit of window shopping & admire some of the old restored buildings. There is not much shopping activity going on in Bowen. Only one men’s, one women’s & one shoe shop, there was anything to tempt us. Hotels & alcohol stores are plentiful. Off to the Fisherman’s Co-Op for lunch again, on the shaded back deck again overlooking the fishing fleet. While we were in eating, outside an excavator dragged a sunken sailing boat out of the adjoining small boat harbour, it was full of water & had to be pumped out before retrieval.

The views from the top of Flagstaff Hill were just as beautiful today, a little less wind, the seas are a different shade of blue.  We then ventured down off the beaten track & out on the northern seawall of the boat harbour, the tide is way out now and we walk along the beach to another sailing boat that has been burnt out, washed ashore and slowly being destroyed by the elements. It is unusual in that the supporting structure of the hull is steel tubing, most unusual. Back to the Karavan & a game of Yahtzee before dinner, showers & bed. Another great day.