Whales and rollercoast boat ride...

So, Don and I setting off our on whale watching adventure! It was a 3 hour trip from Mooloolaba out to the 'Whale Highway' just off the Sunshine Coast. I love that name - Whale Highway ie. Most locals have been seeing whales regularly just when walking in the mornings..I saw some off Point Perry one morning when I was there early with friends, so there are lots about. It took maybe half an hour to get out far enough and then we cruised around looking for them. Found a couple of pods of mothers and babies. The closest we could get was about 50 metres..and they weren't curious enough to come closer to us but thats ok.

Leaving Mooloolaba was very rough and the boat was rising up on the waves and then crashing right down into the troughs..I am normally pretty nervous with that sort of behaviour but this time it was FUN. We sat up in the pointy end of the boat and there were probably 15 people with us, the rest down the back or inside (some poor unfortunates were quite seasick...) Each time we crashed down again I screamed...there was a little girl sitting right beside me and we were screaming in unison..haha..Don kept saying to me 'You're screaming like a little girl..' and your point is??? It was great..I think most people were either yelling, screaming or just groaning..

I had a hat but it was a broadbrimmed cane hat which would have blown off easily so Don lent me his cap as my skin is so fair..unfortunately that meant he had no hat and we didn't realize until that nite how that wasn't a good idea. He ended up with a very red sunburnt face..quite sore..

This is me just before going out...I was extremely tired after a busy week and not much sleep the nite before so Don wanted to take a 'before and after' photo...cranky before the trip and happy afterwards...probably about right.

And a couple of paintings I am taking out to the gallery for the Smalls exhibition opening next week...the picture below is only 40cm square and the one above is smaller...I have 6 to take out..Don and Nick spent hours framing this one below...It has a small quote by Emily Dickinson inserted in it where I put a hole by mistake.