Experience Pure Freedom With Whitsunday Islands Camping
Crystal clear waters, a pristine cove. Gentle waves lapping soft white sands. A border of smooth stone rocks, a verdant tropical rainforest laying gently behind.
This morning I woke up at dawn and could hear the children talking quietly through the papery walls of our tents. I stretched out the crinkles in my body, reached for a light jumper and nudged my husband.
“Come on!” I said, “Let’s take the kids to the beach!”
Unzipping the tent, my feet touched the soft sandy floor of our campsite, the children were already out of their tents, and we beckoned them forward, forming a procession of early morning bodies trailing down the soft sandy path and out onto the expanse of beach beyond.
It was just us. No-one else was here. It was completely silent, save the gentle call of some birds hiding in the rainforest behind. The beach was delicate shade of dawn, not yet touched by sun, and its beauty caused us to stop and marvel.
Like naughty teenagers sneaking to a place we shouldn’t be, we ran across the empty beach with delight, paddling through the shallows, laughing and skipping along.
“Shhh!” said my husband. “Look here! There’s a stingray!”
We gathered around and watched the stingray glide beside us for several minutes. At that moment, we felt free, at one with nature. There was no technology, no distraction, just us together as a family.
It was hard to believe that just yesterday our little family had been dropped off on this remote beach with an esky full of food, camping essentials and the excitement of an island camping adventure ahead. As the barge departed and we were left alone at the remote Chance Bay, we knew this would be an experience we would treasure forever.
Scamper, Whitsunday Islands Camping, had kindly equipped us with all the necessary items - from tents to sleeping bags, cooking utensils to storage boxes, snorkels and stinger suits. The Chance Bay campsite was located a short distance from the beach and offered sea views from its flat campgrounds. As soon as we’d set up camp, we set off along one of the national park trails, trekking through the lush rainforest before popping out on the other side of the island, on the magnificent Whitehaven Beach.
Here we played in the shallows and joined the other visiting tourists admiring a passing sea turtle.
As we ventured back into the bush, we felt happy to be returning to our quiet little bay which we had all to ourselves. That afternoon we snorkelled across the coral reef, the children squealing with delight every time they saw a fish. We also had two kayaks, thanks to Salty Dog Sea Kayaks, and enjoyed paddling over the reef and exploring nearby bays.
That night we ate our BBQ dinner at sunset, played outside with some sparklers and glowsticks which entertained the children while we sat back and watched.
An experience with Scamper, Whitsunday Islands Camping is one that you will treasure forever. The company can drop you off at more than a dozen stunning island destinations, so you can take your pick, choose your own special location where memories are made and return plans are always on the horizon.
www.whitsundaycamping.com.au
www.saltydog.com.au
