After we’re geared up, we stand in the pool while Nick explains the basics to my mom. She tests her breathing apparatus by putting her face in the water and breathing in and out a few times. Within a few minutes, Nick has her kneeling in the shallow end of the pool, with just the top of her head sticking out of the water.  Essentially, she’s scuba diving. 

I have a hard time believing it; although my mother is quite adventurous, she’s not a water person.  I watch with amazement as they slowly swim towards the deep end. I was sure that after a few attempts at putting her face in the water, my mom would panic and say something like, “It’s not for me.”  But Nick is holding her arm the whole way and I know she’d never have made it this far without him.  He’s doing all the work for her; leading her around, adjusting her equipment and adding and releasing air to her vest according to the depth. If my mother can scuba dive – anyone can do it! She feels so comfortable with Nick that she decides to go again – in the ocean. I never dreamed that I would ever have my mother as a scuba diving partner, and I’m so thankful that Nick is being so good to us. He promises to hold her hand the whole way, and I promise not to tell my father when we get home! 

Two hours later, we’re in the ocean, descending onto South Molle Island’s fringing reef.  Although I have my eyes mainly on my scuba diving mother, I manage to take in some of the great sights.  The reef is in good shape and I see plenty of soft coral moving with the tide.  As we move farther from the shore, we encounter more fish.  We even see one shark, a wobbegong, although I’m sure my mom doesn’t realize that what she is seeing is a shark. Wobbegongs are flat, spotted creatures that nestle into the sand and pure luck allows me to spot this one.

The dive lasts only about 30 minutes, but during that time we see huge batfish, blue and purple parrotfish, a school of flashing silvery trevally and tiny angelfish darting behind staghorn coral.  Nick even finds a sea slug and picks it up and puts it in my hand.  The slimy creature is as light as a feather and I marvel at its size.  When we reach the surface, I can tell my mother enjoyed the dive, although she seems slightly bewildered.  I’m so proud of her for even trying, never mind succeeding, and I’m sure neither of us will ever forget this incredible dive on South Molle Island!

After such a hard day, I decide to treat myself to a Lomi Lomi Massage.  After being in the salty ocean, the pure coconut oil feels delicious on my skin.  The candles, scented oils and expertly placed hands relieve any tension I might have from my action packed days on South Molle.  Maybe it’s not so hard to relax here after all!

Flames of Polynesia
When you visit South Molle, be sure that you include a Friday night in your stay -  the resort hosts the Flames of Polynesia, an evening showcasing dances from various Polynesian cultures. New Zealand, Samoa, the Philippines, Tahiti and the Cook Islands are represented, as well as Fiji and Hawaii.  For those not staying at the resort, evening tours can be arranged from nearby Airlie Beach on the mainland. 

The experience starts with a scrumptious seafood buffet.  Shrimp, scallops, mussels, crab legs and calamari are just some of the choices you’ll face at the seemingly endless array of food. The hardest part of the night is leaving room for dessert; but you’ll never forgive yourself if you don’t try the Pavlova and chocolate cake. The bar is packed for the show, so make sure you get there early to secure a good seat -you’ll want to be close enough to feel the heat of the fire on your face. Three gorgeous girls dressed in red and white flower skirts with white bikini tops are amongst the first to take the stage. Their long hair is swept back from their faces by a crown of fresh flowers, and jewelry made from tiny shells adorn their necks. In their hands are coconuts filled with fire.  As they shimmy their way around the stage, the fiery coconuts become an extension of their arms and they don’t miss a beat.

New Zealand is featured next, and two muscular men take to the stage in only skirts and straw fringes wrapped around their lower legs. They perform the haka, a Maori war dance used to prepare warriors before battle.  Their protruding tongues and violent actions leave no doubt as to the warriors’ intentions. When Hawaii is in the spotlight, the girls demonstrate the Hula dance, making it look as easy as clapping your hands.  But when members of the audience are invited to participate, there is more laughing than clapping going on!  Audience participation plays a big part in the show, with guests being called up several times throughout the performance.

As a finale, the men come back out with sticks flaming at each end. The lights are dimmed as the sticks go flying through the air, turning and twisting and leaving streaks of orange in their wake. I watch with amazement as the sticks whirl around their heads, get passed under their legs and held between their teeth.  It’s a spectacular end to an enjoyable evening.

Whitehaven Beach

Probably the most famous place in all of the Whitsundays is Whitehaven Beach.  Every tourist shop on the islands and Airlie Beach flaunts postcards of the picture perfect beach, billed as one of the top five in the world.  It’s the only beach I’ve ever been to that actually looks better than the postcards.

You can visit the beach on a day trip from South Molle Island. Transfers are easily arranged to join the Camira, a 26 meter purple catamaran that sails to the famous sands.  Luckily, the sun decides to come out for us, and as we sail along I tilt my face to welcome the sun’s warmth.  We sail past several of the other Whitsunday Islands and Hamilton Island, which looks more like a small city than an island getaway. 

We have nearly two hours on Whitehaven itself and we spend the time sitting on the white sand, gazing out into the blue water. The water is so clear that at one point I think I see a stingray caught in the waves. I run my hands through the white sand, which is 98% pure silica – some of the purest in the world.The minute powder-size grains of quartz are ideal for polishing jewelry, so I run my rings and bracelets through the abundant sand.

All too soon, we’re ushered back to the boat for a delicious lunch, barbecued right on the stern. All food and drinks on the Camira are included in the price of the tour, and you can help yourself to drinks, both alcoholic and non, from coolers on either side of the boat.  As we eat, we sail to our next destination, Border Island. Once we arrive, we suit up in wetsuits, masks and fins for some afternoon snorkelling.  After the scuba dive, my mom finds this to be a piece of cake! 

The water is quite deep, so we float above the reef watching all the colourful fish go by. Even better than the tropical fish, the reef is alive with giant clams. Their purple, green and blue fluorescent flesh spills over the edge of their huge shells, but as I swim down for a close-up photo, they snap shut in defense.

On the way back to South Molle Island, the captain asks if anyone would like to drive the boat.  I take the wheel for around ten minutes and am amazed by the stability of the boat. I barely need to do anything to keep the boat in a straight line.  I’m relieved of my duty when several other boats make an appearance on the horizon, heading in our direction.  For the rest of the trip, I relax, help myself to drinks and watch the Whitsundays sail by.

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