MORETON ISLAND, QUEENSLAND

VALENTINE’S DAY

Friday, February 14, 2025, 6 AM, 79 Degrees, Humidity 73%, W – SE 9.1 mph

Moreton Island is just off the coast of southeast Queensland, Australia. It’s known for its beaches, steep sand dunes, and diving opportunities. Tangalooma Wrecks is a manmade site composed of several shipwrecks. In the 1960s, boat owners sought a safe harbor for their small boats. Over the next two decades, 16 vessels were deliberately sunk to form a safe harbor. Over time, the shipwrecks have rusted, and the formation of the skeletons is a popular diving spot with turquoise water, coral, and numerous fish. 98% of the land on Moreton Island is National Park; the other 2% belongs to the Tangalooma Resort. Only a few people live on Moreton Island; sources say 180, 243, and 340 – take your pick!

The Aborigines inhabited the Island 2,000 years ago. They called it Mulgumpin, meaning place of sand hills. At 918 feet, Mt Tempest on Moreton Island is the tallest sand dune in Australia and the highest coastal sand dune in the world. Tourists now come to toboggan down its slopes or ride dune buggies.

Captain Cook named the place Cape Morton, believing it was part of the land mass of Australia. When Hawksworth analyzed Cook's journals in 1793, the name was misread as Moreton, but the name stuck. During WW II, Moreton Bay was a defensive location with a naval and submarine bases.

We didn’t have any Excursion planned for Moreton Island and were glad we didn’t when we awoke to gray, rainy skies and water not quite as smooth as it had been. The plan was to use two large tender catamarans from the resort and smaller tenders in Zuiderdam to transport guests to the shore. After several attempts, it was determined that the water was too rough to use the large catamarans safely, so only the Zuiderdam tenders were used. Many guests who braved the tenders and the bumpy 30-minute ride to shore were disappointed to learn the excursions had been canceled at the other end. The sun finally did come out in the afternoon (that’s when John took the pictures), and some were able to reschedule their excursions. Refunds were given for canceled ones. We were happy to spend the day on board.

It was Valentine's Day, a formal night on the Zuiderdam. Most of the ladies wore red, and John had a red bow tie, and Valentine's heart pocket square to wear with his James Bond tuxedo. The Dining Room was decorated for Valentine's Day, and a special Steak and Lobster Surf & Turf Dinner was served. The entertainment on the World Stage was The Game of Love, a game show (think - Newly Wed Games) with the ship’s Captain and Chantal (his partner of 6 years), the Chief Engineer Bart & Darling (his wife of 25+ years), Hotel General Manager Henk & Christel (his wife of 37 years) and the Staff Captain Babak & Julia ( the kids on the block, not sure how long they have been married but have a 5-year-old and a 7-month-old onboard). Being in the audience was fun, but I’m glad we weren’t answering the questions! They all did great – the young ones had the lead in the beginning, but Henks and Christel came through in the end! Interestingly, all the couples (except Babak and his wife) met while working on a ship. HAL tries to accommodate couples and keeps them on the same schedule as much as possible.

After the game show, I convinced John to join the festivities in the Crow’s Nest with music, dancing, and cupcakes at 9 PM (we’re usually in our pj’s by then)! We listened to the music, didn’t dance (the ocean was a little rocky), got our cupcakes, and headed home. Waiting on our bed was our usual chocolate, a pair of towel swans making a heart, and a Valentine's card from the Captain and crew. A nice way to end a fun evening.