28th June Cape Upstart to Magnetic Island 68nm

4am the alarm went off for an early start. After a night where the wind funnelled down the valley from the mountain and we were getting gusts up to 30 knots I did not get the greatest sleep. We were told later we parked in the second anchorage in Lucas's recommendation which was the windiest bay. It calmed down a after midnight and was in a deep sleep when the alarm went off.
We had to go early to get the last of the ebbing tide north and we wanted to get into Magnetic Island by 3pm so we can get settled in and showered and get to shore for a drink.

It is a long leg with not much to see on the way. Only Cape Bowling Green Light House. Cape Bowling Green is flat and boring hence why Cook named it Bowling Green.

Cape Bowling Green Light House

The wind was too light so out came the Asymmetrical Spinnaker and it certainly made a difference. We were able to sail almost all the way to Magnetic Island

Sailing under Spinnaker with Tom Boy our Cruising buddies

Photo Courtesy of Tom Boy

David, Nikki, Rex and Jess

Last fish for this passage. This one for Jess.

We arrived at Horseshoe Bay at Magnetic Island and cleaned the last fish caught for this trip. Jess asked me on the beach if I caught a fish with no bones she would like it. So I gave it to Tom Boy for their freezer after taking all the bones out. I have enough fish to last me the next 7 days while I stay in Townsville prior to my flight back to Port Stephens on 6th July so I was very happy that I could give them some fish.
I will be taking Billabong to Townsville Marina tomorrow where I will do some maintenance and cleaning where I will leave her for a month. Tamara and I will return on 1st Aug to recommence the remainder of the Coral Coast 2017 cruise to Dunk Island.

Thankyou to Peter who has crewed since Sydney. With out his assistance I would not have had such a smooth trip. We had a very easy sail with only 3 days of rain and it has been mostly pleasant sailing conditions of 15-20 knots. A bit of motoring in the light stuff. But that's sailing.

27th June Bona Bay to Cape Upstart 50nm

It was the most peaceful night sleep we have had on the trip. Bona Bay is protected from the SE winds by the very high ridge on Gloucester Island.
After a quick breakfast we departed at about 8.30 am and sailed to Cape Upstart passing the controversial Abbot Point coal terminal. This has been the focus of the green movement for sometime. It will be the port facility for the Adani Coal Mine. They want to increase the depth of water for bigger ships and increase the port facility.

We arrived at Cape Upstart at around 3.30pm and we could spot what we thought was a fishing vessel. When we got closer and I had a look through the binoculars I saw a man at the front holding a V Sheet which means distress.
I radioed our fellow cruiser TomBoy and let him know. He was able to motor over and establish that they had lost engine and been drifting for 14 hours on route from Bowen to Townsville. The guy claimed his recent ex-wife had sabotaged the trawlers engine.
We offered to call marine rescue but the trawler skipper asked us not to. This has raised our suspicions. We are also wary as to why he did not use his VHF radio to call any one.
We managed to alert a fishing vessel nearby and they managed to go over and tow the trawler into safe water whereby he dropped anchor.

Not sure how they are going to fix the engine without getting a tow anywhere. All sounds a bit suspect to me. I feel I should notify police in case any authority are looking for them.

We anchored in the bay in quiet conditions but at around 8pm the wind howled in and as this is not forecast we are not sure what is happening. We have had gusts to 28 knots.
We will try and sleep ready for an early getaway to sail to Magnetic Island.

Going past Abbot Point Coal Loading Facility

Cape Upstart

The Trawler at anchor after being rescued

26th June Gloucester Passage to Bona Bay 2nm

We moved to Bona Bay so we can get away early tomorrow morning for Cape Upstart.
Had a really nice explore on the beach including this Japanese fishing boat that was washed up in the cyclone. Not sure what they were doing out in the cyclone but they shouldn't have been there.
Climbed up inside and took a good look around. The hull has holes in it. Not sure how they can salvage it as it looks like a rust bucket to me.

Met some campers again on the shore and they invited us for sundowners so we again enjoyed the camp fire before returning to the yacht for an early night.

Cyclone Debbie

Don't think this one is salvageable

All intact

More magical sunsets

Campfire on the beach

Bona Bay Anchorage and Camping area

25th June Jonah Bay to Gloucester Passage (Shag Islet) 7nm

Had a bit of an uncomfortable early morning on the change of tide which let a very small NE swell into the bay. While small we were sideways and the roll continued from 3am until dawn.  There was no wind. After breakfast we raised the anchor and headed for Gloucester Passage where the Cape Gloucester Eco Resort and Monte's Reef Resort are situated.
Anchored off the Eco Resort which is currently closed and went to Monte's for sundowners which was very pleasant with our co travellers Tom Boy. David and Nikki and children Jessica and Rex.
There was a piano in the bar and Rex is a very musically talented boy who played for us all as the sun set. It was much better than the music that was being played over the speaker system in the bar.
Another glorious sunset over Shag Islet.

The Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club gained its name from this famous Island -Shag Islet.
SICYC now boasts the biggest membership of any yacht club in Australia. They have an annual get together each year at this destination where 300 yachts and over 750 people congregate for festivities and raising funds for prostrate cancer. Sadly we wont be here for it as we will be further north at the end of August when it is held.

Motoring through Gloucester Passage

The Shag Islet

The gang in Monte's for sundowners

Sunset over Shag Islet

24th June Airlie Beach to Jonah Bay 17nm

Saturday is Markets day at Airlie Beach so we left the marina at 8am ands walked into town.
Purchased some fresh supplies and then headed for a coffee and back to the Marina.
Departure was at 11am for Jonah Bay which was approx. 17nm away. No wind and had to motor all the way.
Anchored in Jonah Bay and had drinks ashore. We were sailing in Company with Tom Boy and the two children met other children from a camping family. They had a great time playing on the beach while we had a few beers around their open camp fire.
I could have easily stayed drinking around the camp fire however the tide was coming in fast and we had to rescue the dinghy's and get back to our floating homes.

Anchored in Jonah Bay with Tom Boy

Sunset at Jonah Bay

Drinks around the camp fire

22nd and 23rd June Stonehaven to Abell Point Marina Airlie Beach 17nm

After a very peaceful night on a mooring in the lagoon at Stonehaven we headed for reprovisioning at Airlie Beach. The marina has a courtesy car and you can book it for 2 hours to do grocery shopping. Very convenient.
Had 2 meals at the Whitsunday Sailing Club with the crew off SuperTramp (Alan and Sue Pick) one night and then with the families off Carpe Diem (James Hannah Joshua Sadie and Jacob) and Tom Boy (David Nikki Jess and Rex) the second night.

The town is still showing the signs of the battering it took with Cyclone Debbie. The town pool lagoon is closed until repairs have been undertaken and many of the restaurants are yet to reopen.

21st June Sawmill Beach to Langford Reef. 15nm

Today is the shortest day of the year and it makes me happy that the days will only get longer from here until December.
We had another lazy breakfast and headed off at 10am to go to Langford Reef for a snorkel.

Spotted this big boat washed on the rocks during the cyclone

However the wind was a lot stronger than forecast so that was not an option. Ended up picking up a mooring at Stonehaven and stayed there for the rest of the day. Had 5 o'clock drinks again with the family off the yacht Tom Boy.

20th June Mays Bay to Sawmill Beach 2nm

May's Bay is very protected and we had a great night sleep with no rocking whatsoever. The breeze dropped away and it was a really pleasant night.
After a lazy morning and breakfast we headed to Sawmill Beach to climb to the peak of Whitsunday Island. The track to the peak had been reopened after the cyclone damage and it took a good hour to climb to the top. We witnessed many fallen trees in the rain forest which was sad to see trees probably over 100 years old felled by the cyclone.

A serene place on the walk

Over 100 years old. Had to be cut up to open the path.

Not much left of the leaves on the trees but regrowth is occurring

Looking South to Hamilton Island. The view was fantastic.

North to Hook Island

We earned our beers at 5 o'clock drinks after that walk.

19th June Thomas to Whitehaven 15nm to Mays Bay 17nm

Left Thomas Island shortly after first light and a cup of tea. Unfortunately the dreaded swell came into the bay and we had a bit of a rollie night after about 2am.
We headed for Whitehaven beach and sailed all the way into Solway Passage before dropping anchor at Whitehaven beach. Very few boats were anchored and I have to say it was the quietest I have seen this bay.
Immediately I could see the damage caused by cyclone Debbie. A lot of the brilliant white sand had been eroded and many of the trees at the beach line had been uprooted and were dead.
We launched the dinghy and went for a walk. I decided to take the 7.6km trek to Chance Bay and see what damage the cyclone had caused. It was very evident with large trees felled by the strong wind.
Chance Bay has also been heavily eroded.

 

Whitehaven Beach from the lookout.

In search of food. Two fat lizards.

Even though it has been damaged it is still a great beach.

After a swim and lunch we weighed anchor and headed for a calm anchorage at May's Bay in Hooks Passage. Had drinks with another yacht we met along the way Tom Boy. We had seen them at a lot of anchorages and only met them at Roslyn Bay. David and Niki are travelling the East Coast and home schooling Rex and Jess on the way.

18th June Thomas Island

Spent a very pleasant day fishing and exploring the beaches. There is a very rough trail from one side of Thomas Island to the other so I went for a walk to the other side and back. It was a real bush walk and in long grass and I was a bit worried about snakes. I managed to get through to the other side and fossick in the washed up debris. Found a dilapidated spear gun which was of no use and nothing else worth keeping.

the grass looks like it has had a curator

The Southern Side of Thomas Island

I found the sign on Naked Lady Beach that was destroyed by the cyclone.

Could not find the naked lady though!!

Catch of the day

I had a fish after lunch on the turn of the tide and it proved very fruitful.

After sundowners I cooked another fish meal and retired for the night. But something very strange occurred. While in bed reading with a small bed light on a bat decided to fly into the cabin. It flew around a couple of timers and then flew out. It was a very small bat. The next night the same thing occurred twice. I have never experienced that before and was happy that it decided not to stay.

Everything was quite peaceful until about 2 am when the high tide turned and the easterly swell that had been forecast rolled into the bay. Not much sleep after that as we rolled until we got up and decided to leave immediately for Whitehaven Beach.

17th June Goldsmith Island to Thomas Island 10nm

Thomas Island is among my top Island destinations. It has always been kind weather wise and collecting fruits of the sea. This was no exception. Weather was sunny and wind around 10 knots and we had the whole anchorage to ourselves which is very unusual at this time of the year and with the weather so good. Spotted lots of yachts sailing past and could not understand why they would not stay a night or two here. I suppose every one has a time table.

15th and 16th June Goldsmith Island

We spent 3 nights in total at Goldsmith Island and we stayed in the Western Anchorage.
Fishing has always been great at this island and it did not let us down again.
First night I had only 3 pieces of bait from the spotted mackerel fillets and I caught 5 Spangled Emperor.
Second night I only fished for 30 mins after dark and caught 2 Stripey Perch and a Spangled Emperor. The freezer is nearly full so I am only taking the best eating fish and letting the rest go.
It was a very nice relaxing time at Goldsmith. Managed to get some long walks in on the beach and fossicked in the debris washed up by the cyclone.
Found a plastic life ring from a boat - no doubt cyclone debris. Could not read the boat name.

We have noticed on this trip a distinct lack of seabird life but no shortage of turtles. They are everywhere.

14th June Mackay to Goldsmith 27 nm

Mackay was a brief stop over to do the washing and provision fresh supplies. The marina was only half full. It seems that very few yachts have sailed north this year and a lot of the locals have sold boats in the downturn of the resources mining.
Things appear to be a bit more reasonably priced in Mackay unlike 4 years ago when every thing appeared to be over priced.
A quick trip to the town supermarket on the bus and a taxi ride back to the marina had us departing by 1.30pm and we arrived at Goldsmith just on sunset.
Landed a nice spotted mackerel just as we were approaching Goldsmith with the setting sun.
We anchored in the western anchorage of Goldsmith to avoid the easterly swell forecast and we had a pleasant sleep.

13th June Digby Island to Mackay 48nm

We did not have a great sleep last night. High tide was at midnight and while Digby Island anchorage is lagoon like the high tide (5 meters plus!!!) comes over the fringing reefs and it allows the swell into the anchorage. So, we rolled for 4 hours until the tide started to recede at 2am. A very broken sleep.

Supplies are running low so we are going to Mackay to restock. Hopefully just one night and we will go back out to the Islands.

The Beach at Digby Island. That's a low tide with a drop of 4.5 meters

12th June Hexham Island to Middle Percy Island to Digby Island 48nm

Woke at 6am to get a weather forecast that is broadcast on VHF channel 83 at 6.30am by Thristy Sound Coast Guard. Nothing much to worry about. Just nice winds around 15-20 knots for the next few days.

Weighed anchor at 7.30am and sailed to Middle Percy Island where the famous A Frame hut is on West Beach. It is a traditional stop off for boaties travelling North and South. The A frame houses all sorts of memorabilia that boaties have dropped off over the many years. Some dating back to the 1950’s. We dropped a wooden plaque there in 2011 and updated it in 2013 and again now in 2017.

Was good to see our plaque still in one piece. Also the one for Splash who travelled in company with us in 2011.

Bought 2 litres of Percy Island Honey for $40. Cannot get purer honey than that. Fantastic taste.

There were some itinerant workers on the Island restoring the tree house. In time they plan to rent the tree house out to travellers. Would be a great place to stay awhile.

The anchorage was to rocky and rollie for us to stay there so sailed off after lunch to Digby Island. This is also a very picturesque stop over but can be prone to swell. The wind died away as we approached and we had a brilliant sun set with beer and cheese.

Cooked the rest of the spotted mackerel and retired early.

The A Frame on Middle Percy

Billabong's Plaque

All the passing yachts contributions to the A Frame

Middle Percy Island Honey.

View From The Tree House

Found Wilson here.

Another spectacular sunset. This one at Digby Island