When a Boat Named Romance Turns Dark
At first you might've thought it a really good idea, sailing Australia's beautiful Whitsunday Islands on a schooner named "Romance" during Valentine's. But that feeling probably changed when the Romance ran aground on rocks earlier this week.
The yacht had 37 people on board, most of them backpackers enjoying a sail combined with some snorkeling and diving around the Great Barrier Reef. But stormy weather made the trip turn quite unromantic and everybody had to be winched off the boat.
The nice thing is that although the backpackers ended up at Airlie Beach, many of them without money or passports, the local Queenslanders rallied round and provided them with accommodation and meals. And to make sure they go home with good memories of cruising the Whitsundays, local operators have offered them all another cruise, for free. Presumably, after the storms have passed.
Related Stories:
· 37 People Rescued from Sinking Yacht [Brisbane Times]
· It's Summer Somewhere: Whitsunday Islands [Jaunted]
· World's Most Dangerous Airports: Hamilton Island [Jaunted]
[Photo: hiddenfromview]
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