North Reef

We left Heron this arvo after chewing down a hearty breakfast & being given a brilliant tour of the Research Facility by manager Tim Harvey. As well as showing us his 1975 Nordkapp HM, we were treated to a rare tour of the scientific research rooms, labs, microscope rooms & even the shark pool, what a place. Tim & his team service up to 160 researchers at any given time, with a dedicated staff of only 10 people, so their idyllic island life is as hectic as you can imagine. We checked charts of North Reef with Tim & his offsider Colette, as well and Andy the Parks skipper & got the local word on the way to approach this imposing fortress, some 130km off the mainland. Denny, the acting resort manager came down to bid us farewell, & we were grateful to he & his staff for looking after us so well & accommodating our uncertain arrival dates. Heron is a brilliant destination whether you want to immerse yourself in the unique reef ecosystem or just sit by a pool reading a book.

At 1pm we set off on a northern heading, aiming for our destination some 30km away. We heard there was a $1400 a night resort on Wilson Island, pretty much on our rhumb line, so we figured where there was a chance of free Mohito we'd call in to say g'day. The small beach on Wilson was deserted, we think everyone must have been in the day spa, so we had a quick stretch & pushed on into the late afternoon towards the lighthouse now visible on the horizon. 

After dawdling along chatting for the first half of the paddle we realised we had to work a bit harder to get to North Reef before dark, so lifted the tempo as the island 

came into clearer sight.

Chris had a moment of comedic terror when he stopped to free up a coral pebble from his shoe, & with one foot hanging over the gunwale got  brief & unwelcome visit from a big toothy friend. He relinquished his peanut butter wrap, popped his foot back on the right side of the boat & carried on. About ten minutes later he pulled heavy on a paddle stroke and whipped up a metre long sea snake onto his blade, wrapped tight around the shaft. He shook it free & made a bit of a girly squeal. I pointed out that they can only bite your pinkie with their tiny backset venomous fangs & he countered that his pinkie was about 4cm from the snake's head. Big sook.

The sun set as we reached the edge of the outer reef, and it was just as well we couldn't fully see the power of the long period swell exploding onto the coral, or we might have turned around. We skirted the reef edge for about a kilometre to the east, with big, big breaking sets peeling around the island like a scene from an exotic surfing flick. To the west the same thing looked to be happening & we began to get a bit anxious that there might not be a way through the reef, when we spotted a gap about 200m wide with nothing but green water. We waited & watched a few decent sets crash around from the east & decided it was a clear route, then coasted the 300m or so through the reef & lagoon & touched down on the sandy island.

This place was the goal of our trip but we had few ideas, except for some sketchy photos of what it might be like. Frankly, we're overwhelmed by the power & isolation of the place with a booming reef, big ocean swell wrapping 280 degrees around, pure white sand, the wisp of vegetation clinging onto a wafer thin topsoil & the most majestic lighthouse I've ever seen, standing firm in the middle of the chaos.

From our campsite we can see the distant glow from Gladstone 130km to the west, backlit by a carpet of stars you'd have to see to believe. North Reef has a high seas feel unlike anywhere we've ever been in a kayak, & was most definitely worth the battles to get here.

Tomorrow we head back to North West Island & then most likely onto Hummocky Island & the coast.

Rob, Chris & Mark.