Day 79 – Wednesday 6^th October 2021 –  142 Km

From Blacks Beach to Clairview today. The road winds through the cane fields of the Mackay district, then into some small mountain ranges, then more cane fields. The mountains of the Great Dividing Range loom over to the west of the highway.  At one stage we are stopped on the highway for around half an hour as roadworks are completed. The traffic builds up a very long way behind us. The opposite lane is let through first and a massive stream of traffic slowly passes by before our side of the road is allowed through.

Clairview is squeezed between the highway, railway line & the sea in a narrow strip of beachfront. Our site is beachfront & we reverse in & set up before heading over to the onsite bistro for lunch. We find a table & chairs in the shade out the front with views of the ocean only interrupted by the swaying coconut palm trees. We order a seafood basket, a Corona & Ginger beer. We are surprised to see dugongs grazing on the sea grass out the front, but they are so very quick in popping up for a quick breath & down they dive again to eat. We stay watching the dugongs then watch as the water rapidly recedes as the tide departs. The tide here has more than a 6 metre range & the edge of the water is around a kilometre out from shore. Ron goes for a walk on the sand but quickly starts getting bogged in the underlying mud so then heads onto the rocks & heads out towards the island. I start getting worried as I see him disappearing into the distance, I am concerned about the tide coming back in. No problems, brains engage & he turns & starts walking back in as the tide turns, it takes a while as it is a long way out.

The ocean breeze is nice & cool & we enjoy some cheese & bikkies plus a glass of red as the sun sets. Tereza is feeling better again, so another great day.