Upolu Cay

Upolu Cay is just north of Green Island and is exposed at low tide. We quickly summited the high point before retreating back.

A tourist boat arrived and the island was inundated . So we headed back to the boat and on to Yorkey Knob

Plenty of coral nearby and some of the biggest clams I have seen. It is good to see that the coral has not been wrecked as the cay is very close to Cairns.

Fitzroy Island

HMAS Melbourne Encounter

On the way to Fitzroy Island we played chicken with HMAS Melbourne. They where not going to alter course. But when they encountered a Bulk carrier going the opposite direction a few minutes later they changed course.

Olive and Sundried Tomato Bread with Balsamic Vinegar Olive Oil

Baking bread is one of requirements for the skipper as well as toilet maintenance.

We anchored off the South Western shore of Fitzroy Island, near the newly completed resort. Good to have some real beer after the rations of Carlton Cold.


There is good snorkling just off the boat

Aquanauts Jim and Deb

Dunk Island To Eddie Reef To Mourilyn Harbour

Left Dunk Island for a day out on the reef. Thought we'd make the most of the windless days (ideal  reef conditions). One wouldn't want to be anchored on the reef in  ultra strong winds + surrounded by coral bommies!

So motored 15nm to Eddie reef. Not having been there before; and with the chart showing 50m+/- accuracy horizontally and 2m+/- vertically, I stood on bow with my poloroid sunnies, directing Greg's steering around the coral bommies so we could get close enough to drop anchor and go for a snorkel.
However it wasn't to be. It was such a 'zig-zag' route to get in,leaving us no swing room to drop anchor without smashing into the coral. So we reversed; and Deb and I 'stood off' (ie:floated on yacht in  deep channel surrounding reef)  while the boys took off in the rubber duck with fishing gear  and beer!.....We were running low on food and really needed a decent catch.
Fish were caught: Three were under sized so thrown back; The one  edible sized fish caught, needed to be identified (by our fish book),only to discover it was a "trigger" fish, with no  "eat-rating" given.

So, promptly motored 15nm north west to Greg's favorite anchorage for the night! (as shown in photo).

This is a natural (unmade by human hands) harbour., in that it is  (not too narrow) an opening between two  small headlands, then opens up wide (so a sugar cargo ship could spin around) into an all weather protected bay with the Morsby river running up stream.

Here we had the quietest/stillist night's sleep so far on the trip!....after eating
vegetarian lasagna..... maybe a fish dinner tomorrow night!

Hinchinbrook Island to Dunk Island

With light se/ne wind, we motored from the wilderness of Hinchinbrook into the hussle and bussle of romantic Dunk island.

After a couple of thirst quenching beers, we explored the rainforest and fishing potential of this island (whilst keeping out of the way of honeymoon couples).

Half of the island is rainforest and is devoid of honeymooners and 'oompa -loompas,'.So one can go for an enjoyable walk in solitude!

Fishing Update

Both Jim and Greg had epic battles with the aquatic Life:

Unfortunately the pilcheds used for bait were larger and more edible than the fish we caught.

Hinchinbrook Island

The last few days the winds have been very light so this has given us the opportunity to anchor at Zoe Bay on the eastern side of Hinchinbrook Island

Swimming in the tranquil waters with the wild life

 
And having a shower

 
with the locals

And taking in the views

Snorkling at Orpheus

As we where having lunch two Manta rays glided past the boat. It is hard to judge the size of them, the wing span must be at least 1.5m.

It was surprising how good the coral is in Pioneer Bay, as we are very close to the mainland (5Nm from Lucinda).  No backpackers in clapt out Maxi yachts here !

Golden Damsels

Damsels defending their territory

 

Magnetic Island to Orpheus Island

After a very bumpy night we awoke to the beautiful sight of Orpheus Island. A trough passed through at 2am generating 30knt winds from the south west.

The island is just south of Hinchinbrook, and is surrounded by fringing coral reefs.

This morning the four of us walked to the top to survey the sights of the island.

The very crowded anchorage can be seen in the photo below

 
The well trodden track was easily conquered with minimum of fuss to the summit.

The island does have some buildings on it, a research station, a resort and if one is keen on renovations there is an ideal property to be done up



 

Hopefully tonight it will be calm !

NEWS FLASH

Received phone call from Townsville Coast Guard, that my "Goat Boat" has been sited off Palm Island!

Apparently a commercial vessel which was delivering food to the island saw this red plastic blob floating along, and brought it back with them to townsville.

I checked our charts, and saw that Palm Island is about 25- 30nm north of Magnetic.

So the Goat boat has had a very adventurous time covering such a distance whilst we slept!

Today we circumnavigated Magnetic,with our visiting crew of Deb + Jim (picking up goat-boat on the way at Townsville).....and back to Horse-shoe bay again.

Am feeling very lucky, so we're now cracking a bottle of red to celebrate, with Greg's Vegetable/fetta risotto!

Tomorrow, we follow the same route as the goat boat, sailing to Orpheus Island (just next to Palm Island!)

Magnetic Anomaly

Anchored At Horse-Shoe Bay, Magnetic Island.

Went for a lovely paddle at sunset yesterday.
Then (back at the boat) as it got dark, the wind got stronger. So thought I'd check the security of the dinghy + ski....... &^#$ the ski's gone!! :(
Called out to Greg. He and I (with powerful torch) jumped into the dinghy and sped off in line with the wind, the direction we thought the ski would get blown.
Nothing found.
After about an hour in the dark, the only thing achieved in this futile activity were two wet, cold and miserable people.
So dried ourselves and after changing into warm clothes, drank some beer and had a "wake" reminiscing over our short life with the goat boat....bummer

Oh well dinner time. We are having Mackerel and noodles tonight, with soya sauce, ginger and lemon. This will be washed down with some newly brewed ginger beer, Greg has been experimenting with. (Hope the bottles don't blow on opening!)

Tomorrow, out with the climbing boots to boulder some granite (as seen in photo) at the beach next to horse-shoe bay. It's quite stunning seeing such granite formations right on the water's edge....

Cape Upstart

From the Whitsundays we sailed directly to Cape Upstart, 40 Nm north of Bowen. After the whale encounter we caught two spotted Mackerel but unfortunately just as we got them to the boat they slipped the hook, it was beans again for dinner.

But our fishing fortunes changed the next day





We were trolling two lures, a deep diver and a surface lure. The deep diver line when taut then snapped a 40kg rated trace. Then the second line went tight. After a fight we dragged this Spanish Mackerel onto the boat. So it will be Mackerel for the next 4 days.

Strange sounds

One becomes very aware of strange sounds on a boat. I was down below reading as we were sailing past Bowen when I heard a moaning sound. At first I thought it was coming from the radio. It sounded familiar, then I realized that it was a whale below the boat singing. A bit too close for comfort.

A mother and calf were then seen breeching and another whale was slapping its tail on the surface. As for the singer ...

Manta Bay at Hook Island

Manta Bay on the North Eastern end of Hook island has the best snorkeling in Whitsunday Islands.

There are public moorings just a short swim to the coral, with all the human activity there it is surprising how good the coral is. It is always surprising how many people can be squeezed on to a old maxi.

The pictures above are real and where taken with a Canon D10 not at a aquarium.

Whitsundays with Kerry & Terry

We picked up Terry and Kerry from Hamilton airport on Friday and headed to the secluded beach of Whithaven with 300 other tourists on numerous vessels. Terry had aspirations of escaping from other people, but the Whitsundays is not the place to do that !

The coral has been effected by the cyclone that came through last summer, and there has been some damage to the hard coral formations.