We were in Townsville for a couple of days just to re-provision. 2 days is sufficient to get supplies and do any maintenance required without having to rush everywhere. The weather forecast is perfect for us - NE 15-20 knots. We decided to do an overnight sail because there really is not any where to stay along this stretch of the coast when the wind is blowing from a northerly direction.
Leaving Townsville Harbour
We left at 7am and motored out in no wind towards Cape Cleaveland. By the time we got to Cape Cleaveland I had landed a nice spotted mackerel. That meant I had to fillet it while we were motoring in lumpy seas and no wind.
I decided to wait until the breeze came in and we could get some wind in the sail and keep the boat steady.
It was not long and the NE wind started to get stronger and by 11am we were 2 sail reaching down the coast towards the Whitsundays.
Tamara on fish watch. The lines could go off at any minute!!
At about 3pm the lines did go off when we went through a school of Tuna. We had a double hook up but only kept one for sashimi.
The wind died at around 6pm so we had dinner with the sunsetting in a very hazy smoke filled sky.
After dinner (salad and sashimi) we started our watch keeping roster. I went to sleep for awhile and woke at 10pm and Tamara went to sleep until 3am. I was back on for the dawn shift which I always find easy as sunrise is a great time of the day. I captured this picture of Splash motoring towards Hayman Island at 6am.
Splash motoring into the sunrise- the day has just begun.
We arrived at Blue Pearl Bay at Hayman Island where the sea state was very calm and we were able to pick up a mooring. I had some cereal and fell asleep while Tamara had a cup of tea and went back to bed. We woke at 11am and after a cup of tea I went for a snorkel in the marine park. Conditions were good with at least 15 meter visibility. There were 4 big Maori Wrasses and I had an absolute highlight when I swam alongside a huge turtle. It was so tame it did not try and swim away. I think the divers must feed it on a regular basis. I was able to touch its shell and swim with it.
It is incredible that humans can interact with sea life at close quarters. Marine Parks are great as long as people observe the rules of no take. The sea life here are so used to snorkellers and divers, they are so friendly. You can get up close to them here where as other reefs that are not in a marine park, the fish are scared and often disappear before you get a good look at them.
After lunch we motored around to Macona Inlet and dropped anchor for the night. It is a large inlet with a sandy bottom and very turquoise water. It is protected from all sides except SW so we are expecting a very good sleep tonight.
We may try fishing for whiting and flat head in the morning. There must be fish here as there was a good school of dolphins chasing them just before sunset.
14th October Macona Inlet to Whitehaven Beach 17nm
We woke up to a beautiful sunny day after sleeping very peacefully. This inlet reminds me a lot of Pittwater where you can anchor in absolute flat water and get a very peaceful nights sleep.
After breakfast I went fishing with Peter from Splash but we had no luck. At 10am it was coffee and toast and time to go to Whitehaven Beach. Tamara had not been there and being a bright sunny day it was opportune as we may not get a day as sunny as this for awhile.
We arrived with the NE wind light but still a bit of a swell. We decided we would stay there and take a chance that the wind would die in the evening and the waves with it. I don't like anchoring on lee shores, but the wind was not strong and it should drop around 9pm. We went ashore and walked the beach and had a swim. While there we met some people off a catamaran that were at Lizard Island when we were there. After a conversation they offered us a couple of bags full of tomatoes and zuccinis for Splash and ourselves. The lady had a brother who has a farm in Bowen and he gave a boxful of each and it was unlikely that they would eat them all before they went off.
They were a very welcome addition to the ships stores.
We went to Splash for dinner and Chris cooked a magnificent fish dish with the shark mackerel I supplied. It was called African Baked Fish. Very nice and there was not a bit left after second helpings.
Macona Inlet
15th October Whitehaven Beach to Chance Bay 4nm
We did not sleep well as the wind did not abate and the tide turned the yacht side ways to the swell so we had a very uncomfortable night sleep. As soon as we had breakfast we raised the anchor and motored through Solway Passage around to Chance Bay where it was flat water.
Chance Bay
Chance Bay is a good anchorage in northerly winds in sand in about 7meters of water.
We packed a picnic lunch and went ashore. There is a walk to Whitehaven beach from Chance Bay of 3.6kms. We decided to get some exercise so we walked to Whitehaven. When we got there it was blowing hard and the fine white sand was going everywhere. We stayed long enough to eat our sandwiches and walk back to Chance Bay stopping at the lookout to take some pictures across Solway Passage.
Over looking Solway Passage with Hazlewood Island and Chalkies Beach in the background
After a swim we returned to the yachts for a rest. Tamara busied herself preparing the evening meal. Tonight it was a Russian dinner. Pumpkin Ravioli for entree and vegetable ragout with lamb sirloin.
Splash came over and enjoyed it immensely. Peter made the statement that this is not a cooking competition to the girls. I said why not - we are getting magnificent meals!!
16th October Chance Bay to Whitehaven Beach to Cid Harbour 19nm
The wind died during the night and the sun rose to another great sunny day. We quickly decided it would be good to go to Whitehaven while conditions were so good.
We anchored there and before long, boat load after boatload of tourists arrived.
Whitehaven Paradise
It was a beautiful day as the wind swung from NE to SE which made it a more comfortable anchorage.
However we were not going to stay there as the forecast was for much stronger SE winds tomorrow.
The only safe place was CID Harbour so after lunch we headed off and motored all the way. The SE wind brought with it a smoke filled sky from all the bush fires burning along the coast. You could hardly see the islands.
On arrival we met up with a crew member who had been cruising on Wimaway earlier - Robin and his wife Cynthia. They chartered a catamaran for a week with friends from England. We had sundowners on their boat and caught up on the stories from the last couple of months cruising.
We had dinner on Splash which consisted of pork chops and potato cooked in a pressure cooker. Another delight.
17th October Cid Harbour
The sunny days seem to have gone for a few days as the SE winds increased and brought a sky full of clouds. The temperature had dropped about 5 degrees as well which was quite welcome. After a quick breakfast we went a shore to climb Whitsunday Peak. I had climbed it twice previously but wanted to do it with Tamara. Peter and Chris decided to come along if we took it very slowly. We took our time, taking almost 2 hours to get to the top. It sprinkled a little rain on us while on the top which kept us cool with the wind blowing. Unfortunately with the cloud cover and the haze from the smoke it was not a great view that we had experienced previously.
Tamara on the top of Whitsunday peak
We had a slow decent looking after legs and limbs for Peter and Chris and we returned to the yachts for lunch and an afternoon nap.
We had a quiet night cooking fish for ourselves and no alcohol!!! AFD's are few and far between.
18th October Cid Harbour
It was not such a quiet night. The wind really came in with gusts over 30 knots. Billabong was shearing from side to side in the strong gusts and with the tide pulling us around in the lulls the yacht was caught side on to the gusts. The anchor chain rubbed on the fibreglass on the bow which was disappointing but little one can do in the middle of the night.
At least I woke up with a clear head!!! Amazing what no alcohol does fore one self. May be I should consider becoming a teatotaller. Would save a lot of money and it would be easier when going to marinas with the re provisioning.
Nup!!! We really enjoy the sundowners.
We had a quiet day catching up on paperwork, paying bills and making lists for re provisioning and maintenance. I tried to fix the BBQ which has a slow leak when turned off. No luck, looks like a new burner etc is required. We can use it but need to disconnect the hose each time.
We were invited to Phase 2 a Seawind Catamaran for drinks at 5pm. We met Warren and Debbie at Lizard Island so we caught up with them on their travels. Also met a Canadian couple who were invited on board. We had a great time in the rain squalls.
After drinks we went to Splash for a fish morney which was just delightfiul.
We went to bed with the wind still blowing strong.
19th Oct Cid Harbour to Airlie Beach
We woke with the wind still blowing strong. Looked at the weather report and it was still going to be strong wind today. We are going into the marina today so Tamara can fly home and see Ollie the grandson for 10 days. My friend Peter Russell will join me to assist taking the yacht to Mackay where Tamara will re join us.
I looked up the current wind at Hamilton Island and it is still blowing 30 knots gusting to 35. Looks like we could be in for a bumpy ride.
It was not as bad as I thought as the wind and the tide were travelling in the same direction as us. That makes it easier. We went through Unsafe Passage named by Capt Cook. It is between the Molle Islands. It is aptly named for 18th century sailing vessels but modern day vessels have little trouble navigating this passage.
We arrived in Able Point Marina and paid the dues and had a nice shower and a clean up.
We will be here for a few days to re provision and Tamara flies home for 10 days tomorrow and we pick up a new crew member Peter Russell who will help me take the yacht to Mackay.
Hopefully we will be back on the ocean in 2 days heading south, although the weather forecast may dictate otherwise. Forecast is for strong winds until at least Saturday.
22nd October Airlie Beach to Cid Harbour
It is good to be back at sea. Tamara left the yacht at Airlie and flew back to see daughter and grandson Ollie. She's happy playing with the baby and baby sitting while Marina and Jerry get to go out and socialise. I guess that is what grand mothers do.
Peter Russell has joined the crew and will help me take the yacht to Mackay where Tamara will re join Billabong.
It was nice to be in Able Point Marina while the strong winds persisted. We ended up staying and extra night as winds remained above 30 knots. That enabled us to get some fresh supplies at the Saturday morning markets although we were disappointed with the lack of stalls carrying fresh produce.
I waited in line for a $10 haircut. Mistake. Should not have. The worst haircut I have had in years. I used to have crew cuts up until 10 years of age. A real shocker. They say there is only 2 weeks between a bad haircut. This will be at least a month to grow out.
THAT is what you get for 10 bucks
The forecast is looking better next week so we should easily get down to the southern Whitsunday Islands.
We hope to visit Thomas, Goldsmith, Scawfell and Brampton Islands on the way through to Mackay.
We had a nice relaxing night with Splash coming over for dinner. I cooked the rest of our Spanish Mackerel and had bok choy with it.
23rd Oct Cid Harbour.
We spent the day at Cid harbour and we climbed Whitsunday Peak. Peter wanted to do it so this was my 4th climb this trip. We made it to the top in 59 mins which had us sweating and puffing.
It is a great climb and always worth it for the view if not just the pure physical exercise.
Peter on the top of the Whitsunday's
After the climb it was back to the yacht for a swim and lunch and an afternoon nap.
We had roast pork for dinner on Splash and caught up with some fellow cruisers which we had met on the way. Lex and Jen on Rambler and John and Alison on Liberty. We met them at Lizard Island and they are on their way south too.
Tomorrow we will attempt to battle the SE wind and get to Thomas Island.
The weather forecast is looking good for the next 5 days after tomorrow so we should have a good time.
24th Oct Cid Harbour to Thomas Island 27nm
We left Cid Harbour at 9am and motored all the way to Thomas. It was on the nose and did not even allow for a motor sail. The conditions were lighter than forecast so we were not bashing into it. The seas were reasonably flat but we were pushing tide.
We arrived at 2pm and had lunch. Rambler was in the bay and we had drinks on the beach at 5pm with them.
Thomas Island is a very beautiful anchorage. Nice beaches, wooded island, rocks, and an island called Young Tom Island in the middle of the bay.
Young Tom Island
We could not be bothered about dinner very much so we ended up having eggs and baked beans on toast. It is good to have an average meal for a change.
25th Oct Thomas Island.
We woke very early after going to bed very early. 8.30pm!! Had nearly 10 hours sleep!
After a quick breakfast I went fishing at the northern end of Young Tom Island in the middle of thr bay. There is quite a deep hole where the tidal stream runs through.
Managed to get some good fish for lunch. A Coral Trout, a Spangled Emperor and a Stripey Perch.
We had a good feed and had to lay down for an afternoon nap.
After the nap I took the dinghy and circumnavigated Thomas Island to explore all the landing points on the Island. It was fantastic and saw some beautiful beaches and landscapes.
26th Oct Thomas Island
The weather is perfect. Flat seas, no swell, light SE to NE winds.
After breakfast Peter from Splash and I went fishing and left Peter on the yacht to read.
We went back to our favourite hole off Young Tom Island and managed a good Coral Trout, 3 Spangled Emporer and a Stripey Perch.
We decided to up anchor and go to a bay on the SE corner of the Island that I saw yesterday. It is a good anchorage and well worth the effort to get there.
Blue sky and flat seas make a beautiful anchorage.
Bay on SE corner of Thomas Island
After anchoring we went ashore with the fish and a BBQ plate. On the beautiful beach we gathered drift wood and lit a fire and cooked the fish in al-foil and had wonderful lunch.
20 minutes and they were cooked perfectly.
I had dreamed of doing this on this trip but it never happened earlier because there were too many people around and it is illegal to light fires on these islands that are National Parks. This time there was no one to bother us so it happened.
We made do with what we could find on the beach to make a table and seats
After lunch we took the dinghy's to another bay which was delightful but the tide was too low so we could not go ashore. However the coral was fantastic to look at so we just sat in the dinghy's and took pictures.
I can imagine this bay when the water is crystal clear, it would be a great snorkelling bay.
Bay on south side of Thomas
Unfortunately Thomas Island became engulfed by the algal bloom on the run out tide which occurs at this time of the year.
It is ugly stuff on the water and turns the ocean a very brown colour. The clarity of the water is no more than 3 meters which makes it hard to fish as you cannot see the bottom.
On the way back from the bay I trolled a line and as we went past a nice big coral bommie I hooked a beautiful Coral Trout at about 2 kgs. Then going into the bay I caught 2 small Spanish Mackerel.
It was a great day hunting and gathering and I finally realised a goal on this trip of catching a good size Coral Trout.
We went to dinner on Splash and they provided a great dinner of corned beef with white sauce. Just delightful.
27th Oct Thomas Island to Goldsmith Island 7nm
While conditions at Thomas were still great in the anchorage apart from the algae we decided to go to Goldsmith Island hoping to get away from the stuff. We are reluctant to swim in the stuff so best we try somewhere else.
The wind was under 5 knots so we had to motor and we found the algae all over the ocean. It must play havoc with marine life. I am not sure if this is a naturally occurring event or if it is caused by the super phosphate run off from farms. QLD had massive floods this year and everyone has said the algae bloom has come early this year.
We were anchored at Goldsmith by 12 noon, had lunch (Coral Trout) and went to the beach for a swim. No algae which was pleasant but the water still very milky and hard to see the reefs.
I went for a fish but no luck and lost a few lures. Fishing in QLD is very hard on the gear and you lose plenty. No wonder the tackle shops do so well here.
Splash came over for drinks and we watched a very pretty sun set. It was our turn to cook and we had spaghetti bolognese.
28th Oct Goldsmith Island to Scawfell Island 29nm
It was a rocky night as the yacht was sideways to the swell and we rolled a bit.
We made the decision to go early to Scawfell as the dreaded red tide (algal bloom) engulfed the bay and we could not swim. As Scawfell Island is a lot further out from the coast we were hoping that the red tide would not be out that far.
The wind was directly on the nose so we motor sailed all the way. The current was with us so we were making good speed over the ground and we arrived at Scawfell Island at 2pm with a nice spotted mackerel to fillet. This fish is destined for an African fish bake which Chris from Splash volunteered to cook.
We had a relaxing afternoon and a swim and there was no red tide. The water was clear although a bit milky from the sediment in the water. The tides were rising and falling in a 5meter band. The tides at this time of the month are highest and create strong currents which pick up the sediment. Not great for diving and snorkelling. But ok for fishing. Peter and I intend to have a big assault on the fish tomorrow.
We had the usual 5pm drinks and Chris cooked pad Thai noodles.
29th Oct Scawfell Island
This is a great island. The anchorage is called Refuge Bay and it is safe in all winds except northerlies. Trawlers are often anchored here.
Scawfell Island at very low tide.
After breakfast Peter from Splash and I went fishing and we left the other Peter to read.
We managed to anchor on a reef with a good drop off and caught 12 reef fish including emperors, sweet lips and stripey sea perch.
I cooked up lunch for all 4 of us and we kept some fillets to go with the spotted mackerel for the African fish bake.
We went for a walk on the beach after lunch and met some nice boaties from Mackay who said the green turtles are about to lay their eggs. We went looking for nests but we may be a week to early. They lay now and the young turtles hatch in Jan/Feb.
I would not be surprised if they were about to lay as the bay is full of turtles. We were seeing turtles nearly every 10 minutes.
This is a big Turtle
Turtles every where
For 5pm drinks I made up a batch of rum "painkillers" and we drank them. A nice change from beer and very refreshing with the ice.
The African fish bake was another of Chris's exceptionally delightfully cooked meals. It was absolutely delicious and it is a change from just having grilled fish.
30th Oct Scawfell Island to Mackay 22nm
It was time to say good bye to Scawfell Island and head off to the joys of a town and marina. Peter will be flying back to Sydney on the same plane Tamara will fly in on. It seems only yesterday that he flew into Proserpine and joined the yacht at Airlie Beach. Time flies when you are enjoying yourself.
Peter is more relaxed than when he arrived which means he has had a good holiday.
Relaxed or what!!!
Tamara has had a great time back in Sydney and Port Stephens. Daughter Marina and grandson Ollie went with Tamara to Port Stephens for 6 days where they had a great time. All is good with the house and the lawn is growing out of control. I must say I am looking forward to getting back to the garden to get it in shape for the summer.
Billabong sailing past Keswick Island on the way into Mackay
We had a great sail into Mackay.
That is until the wind died out. But as it did the fish came on the bite. There were massive schools of mackerel chasing big balls of bait fish. It was not long before we had a big fish on the line. It took 200 meters of line and unfortunately I lost him when he spat the hooks. My fault as I lost the pressure of the line on him and the hooks must not have been set properly.
As I was reeling the line back in I hooked another one. Only small. Once landed we headed off to the marina and on the way in we got another. Much bigger. They were both school mackerel but both good size and good eating.
We arrived at the Marina and filled up with fuel and went to our allocated berths.
We caught up with 2 other yachts that we had been sailing with along the way. Rambler and Liberty so it was great to catch up and have 5 o'clock drinks with them. We invited John and Alison off Liberty for dinner of spaghetti bolognese. This is was dish we had to have as Peter said he could not eat any more fish.
We will be in the marina for a few days as strong winds are coming. We will be here for the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday so we have arranged a get together with other yachties up at the marina tavern where we can have a flutter on the horses and enjoy the festivities of the day when the race that stops the nation. Or is that Qantas's new catch cry!!!
2nd Nov Mackay Marina
Peter flew out to Sydney on 31st October and Tamara flew in at the same time which was very convenient as we hired a car for the day. Peter enjoyed his time on the yacht and was very relaxed when we put him on the flight. He noted how quick the time went.
Tamara had a great time in Sydney and Port Stephens enjoying being with Marina and Grandson Ollie. Ollie is growing very rapidly and certainly is tall for his age.
Ollie - he's a big boy for 4 months!!
We managed to do our provisioning while we had the car so doing everything is a lot easier when you have your own transport and not at the mercy of public buses.
We are staying another day due to the SE winds still persisting. We could have left mid morning as they eased but the decision was made to stay one more day.
We will relax and enjoy the surrounds and go for a walk.
It was a tough day at the Marina Tavern yesterday with the Melbourne Cup on. There were all sorts there. From those dressed in cup fashion to the ship yard workers covered in grease and smelling like they had not had a shower for weeks. It can only happen in a mining town.
None of our group reported any winnings on the cup and were all disappointed at we had all backed "Drunken Sailor" which should have been a good omen for the amount we sailors drank for the day.
It will be a quiet day and I think it will with out any alcohol.
Our plan for tomorrow is set sail early and get to Middle Percy Island by 4pm so we can go ashore and place our boat plaque in the A frame that is erected on West Beach. This is a stop over for many cruising yachties and it has been tradition for over fifty years to leave a boat plaque with name and date in the A Frame.
