Day 23: 1770/Agnes Water
With sunny skies forecasted for days, we took advantage of the sunshine by going for a morning run. The streets were quiet as the quaint neighborhoods started to stir. We ran along the beach, staying close to the water where the sand is firmest and enjoyed taking the time for the run.
Since this was the first time the weather was so nice, we decided to stay a bit longer in 1770/Agnes Water to relax and catch up on errands. We had bought an open-dated sailing trip for the Whitsundays, but hadn’t actually booked the dates yet. We did the math and figured we’d be there in two days, but when we called the company, they were fully booked until May 20th, ten days away.
Our other dilemma involved the registration on one of the bikes, which was up on May 19. We had gone back and forth on whether to renew the rego for $400 and take our time, or hurry up to Cairns to sell it before it expired. It seemed that the decision was made now, and we called around to mechanics to start the lengthy process of switching NSW to Queensland plates and renewing.
We took advantage of the good weather and drove to Bustard Bay at the point of 1770. Seventeen Seventy is the name of the town (and Agnes Water), as this was the first point Captain Cook landed in Australia. The paths around the lookout brought us down to an opening of rocky surface sliding down into the ocean waves. We sat here watching the rhythmic swells beat against the barnacled stones.
After some pasta for lunch, we joined the hostel staff in their old manual van to the Paper Tree Boardwalk. The hostel dog, Duke, joined us and insisted on sticking his head as far out the window as he could–his rear anchored by the manager hugging on to him. The walk felt magical, with peeling white trees towering in uniformity and bright green ferns skirting the wooden plank walkway. Duke would disappear into the stream and get caught in the underbrush before reemerging a few minutes later. It was the right season for sorting blue and black butterflies here, and they flitted around every bend.
Agnes Water is known for its stunning sunsets as it’s one of the few places on the east coast where you can see the sun set over water. In preparation, we walked up to the only supermarket in town and got barbecue supplies for a sunset dinner in the park. The public grill was lined up perfectly with the path of the sinking sun. We sank our teeth into juicy sausages while enjoying the scenery at the marina.
Back at the hostel, Byron had the chance to meet the owner. He mentioned that we design websites for small businesses–especially hostels–as freelancers. The owner said they were actually in the process of getting a new website and would love to chat more with us. We went to bed excited for the possibility of a new client, and thought about how nice it’d be to kill time in this cute coastal town before our Whitsundays trip.
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May 9, 2018
Daily Costs
Accommodation: Backpackers @ 1770, $24
Food & Drink: $7
Meals:
Breakfast: oatmeal and peanut butter
Lunch: leftover pasta
Dinner: sunset bbq in the park
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