While we were at Lizard Island we were told not to miss Margaret Bay on our way through as our timing would probably coincide with a full moon party that is held there. So we decided it would be best to stop there, especially when we were told we would be able to buy prawns at below market price direct from the trawlers!

When we arrived at Margaret Bay we saw that there were already quite a few trawlers anchored up for the next few days but there wasn't a lot of movement on them. The guys that work on trawlers tend to get into the routine of staying up all night and sleeping until mid afternoon even on their days off. We knew not to approach them until around 4 o'clock as they all started to wake up, the thought of some fresh prawns was making our mouths water!

One of the boats we had been traveling with had been having a problem with their outboard and so with some time to kill Jason and Jay headed over to their boat to see what could be done to fix it. The plan was to go to the trawlers after that to try and buy some prawns. When the boys finally got over to the nearest trawler that they could see signs of life on they saw that they were having problems with their motor too. So while Jay organised the prawns, Jason helped to fix their motor and in appreciation we were given Moreton Bay Bugs, Squid, Painted Crayfish and a bottle of white wine. Score!

Luke, the skipper of the trawler appropriately named 'The Annihilator', came over to our boat for a visit. He was a nice young guy from down the coast way and seemed very happy to be away from his boat for a little intelligent conversation. He has a degree in computer animation and was finishing his last season on the boats, he'd had enough. He'd done quite a bit of travelling and happily asked for a coffee to dilute some of the rum he consumes with the crew every day. They were waiting out the full moon at Margaret Bay as we found out this is the time that the prawns shed their skins and went under the sand for about 4 days. The boys gathered there for one of the other skippers birthdays and were trying to catch a wild pig on shore with a big shark hook with a piece of meat on it. Soon it was time for Luke to put on his other personality and return to blokes world aboard the trawler while we enjoyed a beautiful seafood barbeque aboard Makani Kai.

After a day at Margaret Bay it was time to move on to the Escape River.