Manly by Morning, Wicked by Night, Moreton by Day

We spent Saturday morning walking Enola, the lovely chocolate lab we’re staying with, around breezy Manly Bay — her tail doing most of the sightseeing for us. Later, we headed into the city and wandered along Southbank before settling in to watch the new Wicked movie — a very fun way to end the day.

Sunday began with a dramatic wake-up call: torrential downpours hammering the roof. But we stuck to the plan, and by the time we stepped off the ferry onto Moreton Island, the worst of it had blown through. We plunged straight into the water to explore the Tangalooma Wrecks — a line of old ships deliberately sunk between the 1960s and 1980s to create a sheltered anchorage for small boats. Today they’ve transformed into a wonderfully odd, fish infested reef.

Almost immediately, we were greeted by a green sea turtle (I did manage a photo, though you might need imagination to identify it), along with schools of colourful fish weaving in and out of the rusted hulls. After drying off, we attempted a second swim — though only two of the four of us made it back to the wrecks thanks to a surprisingly strong rip. Underwater photography proven… optimistic at best. If we keep up this snorkelling and diving life, we likely need a better setup!