Alexandra Headland

Over the May long weekend, which is Labour Day over here, we travelled yet again to what is quickly becoming one of our favourite areas on the coast of Queensland, the Sunshine Coast. It is here that Jo has a spacious two-bedroom apartment just a block up from what the locals affectionately call "Alex". Alex, short for Alexandra Headland, is a small seaside community literally a 15-minute walk from where we stayed at Easter. Nestled on the coast north of Mooloolaba, it is filled with holiday units, small cafes, fish and chip shops, and wonderfully delicious ice cream parlours. In case you haven't noticed already, we've made it our past time to sample every ice cream or gelato made in the regions we visit.

While the photos make it look as though the beach in this area is quite rocky, that is only half the picture. These areas make for some great surfing, and it is here we caught a glimpse of some surf life saving exercises and a small surfing competition. There was a row of the stereotypical VW vans parked out on the roadside, each with surfboards ontop. The young men that tumbled out of them staggered down to the water's edge and hopped straight onto their boards, paddling out to catch some decent waves right onto shore.

Alex raises some of Australia's most competitive and esteemed surf life saving members. It is nice to know you're in such good hands when at the beach. Word is that Jessica Simpson will be here to film in this area for a Baywatch movie. Guess what famous Canadian's part she'll play? No...not David Hasselhoff!

While in the Headland, we caught up with friends, Ian and Sharyn Rummel and their two girls, Elyssa and Alanna. We enjoyed an evening at a local park and ate fish and chips on the beach. Much to our surprise, we learned that the "fish" we were eating, called flake, was actually shark. It is commonly used and considered to be one of the better "fish" in "fish and chips". In fact, there are approximately one million sharks fished out of the oceans in this part of the world each year, which makes it obvious why some species are actually now considered vulnerable. The most feared, Great Whites, are even protected in some areas. They are venturing closer and closer to shores now that their food sources are being overfished, many get caught in nets (as do dolphins, rays, turtles and other species) and still many others die at the hands of vengeful people who lose loved ones to attacks.

Another stop took us to the state's largest sea world, called Underwater World. Set up for maximum viewing and interactive participation, you can go on tours with trainers, swim with seals, scuba with the sharks, and get your picture taken with a seal kissing you. Now THAT'S bad breath! There is a shallow pool where you can pick up starfish and sea cucumbers, as well as an amazing moving walkway that travels underneath a glass tunnel that has all manner of fish, sharks and rays swimming in it. Quite spectacular!

It was a real treat to relax in such fine quarters. Jo has recently renovated, and Dale remarked that we would have been fortunate to have stayed in such a nice place when we were first married! Each morning, we sat on the deck and had breakfast, soaking up the morning sun and enjoying the beautiful palm-lined pool. Like Easter, the mornings were spent at the beach, where the surf was exceptionally strong this time, and the afternoons enjoying the pool. In just a couple weeks, since Easter, both the air and water temperatures, though still more than enjoyable, had dropped noticeably.