Hoskyn Islands

This is a sea kayakers view of West Hoskyn Island, taken on our sea kayaking trip through the Capricornia Cays in 2010.  There is a closed-reef platform surrounding the island and a beautiful lagoon on the southern side which includes a large reef wall and a number of bommies that are covered in sea-life.  The lagoon includes a very large but shy groper that lives in a rock cave in the reef wall and an over-friendly tawny nurse shark who doesn't mind getting in your face (probably just being overly inquisitive but I am always a bit wary when I am a long way off shore and the shark is bigger than I am :-)

The north side of the island has a large number of small reef sharks that are also very friendly and like playing tag with your paddle so wouldn't pay to dangle too much in the water for too long.

The reef was teaming with sea-life which is great to see island's like these put aside as green zones which can't be fished by our commercial operators, as well as the benefits to our turtles and sea bird populations which use these islands to breed on their yearly migrations.

I had seen this large turtle on the reef platform and was concerned that it may have been dead, but when approached it was alive and well, just stranded on the reef for a tide cycle.

After short break on the island and a snorkel in the lagoon we headed off towards Fitzroy Reef and One-Tree Island on our way to Mast Head Island via Heron Island.