Homeward Bound

With Penzance already in Mackay we were all set for a quick getaway. For the trip home Jen and I are hopping our way down the coast. We left Mackay before dawn, as we cleared the leads we were quickly woken up with a short sharp swell from the east causing our bow to crash on every other set. Nothing like a salt spray shower to wake you up and the new dodger paid for it’s self in a few short hours. Leaving Mackay means dodging the bulk carriers, you feel very small up close to these giants.

Our destination for the first night was the Percy Islands with West Bay the best option in the easterly winds. Mid morning the seas moderated and a change of course meant we were no longer driving into the easterly swell which was a welcome change. With the sun shining and 7 hours to run it was time to try my shinny new lure the guy in the tackle shot guaranteed would hook our first fish. With the Percy's in sight and an uneventful day sail, I pulled in the hand line expecting to find noting. I  quickly realised it was much harder then expected. To both our surprise we had hooked a really nice spotted Mackerel, looks like fish is on the menu tonight.

The Percy Islands are a regular for any cruising boat going north. With the mainland 60 miles away you can only image the challenges the White family faced back in the 1920s when they developed the island as a wool producing operation. Today Whites Bay on Middle Percy Island is home to the Percy Hilton a rather ramshackle A frame structure decorated by passing sailors over the last 50 years. This was our first visit to Whites Bay and we were taken back with the beauty of the anchorage. With the anchor down it was time to relax and enjoy the last few hours of the afternoon with a quiet G&T. We were super fortunate to have an amazing still evening and a magical sunset, its not often you have the sun setting over the water on the east coast.

On this trip we had something special along for the ride, the Bellman expresso "our new best friend" with the promise of cafe quality brew out here in the big blue. Our friends from Eumundi Coffee Co set us up with the Bellman, barista training 101 and a bag of mother earth.  The jury is in after a few days of our new DIY barista, while it takes a little love the results are fantastic and we can get our coffee fix anywhere.

Next stop Port Clinton, we woke to a beautiful morning with flat seas and blue skies. The winds were a little light so another day of motor sailing as we had another 60 mile hop back to the coast. With the ocean like glass we were treated to something special, out of the blue a pod of 15 dolphins crossed our bow. They then dived and resurfaced all around us, racing along our hull and diving through the bow wave, no time for photos you can only see nature in all her glory by stepping outside the comforts of home.

 

Next stop Port Clinton, from the Percy’s we head back into the coast entering the Shoal Water Bay military live fire range. It’s always a little concerning when the coastguard announces live firing while you transit this area in a slow moving white target. We spent a settled night at anchor and Port Clinton turned on another amazing sunset.

Our final few hops were down to the Keppel Islands then on to Bundy, our luck had to run out sooner or later on the weather front. None of this part trip was photo worthy, we had an atrocious night at anchor in the Keppel with the NE swell rounding much of the island. With weather closing in and talk of tornadoes on the NSW coast we decided to take a few days break on land in Yepoon. Well rested we continued south, Keppel Island to Pancake Creek is the longest leg of our trip. From Pancake Creek we then headed for Bundaberg, we had a beautiful sail south until noon that day. All of that changed in a heartbeat with the early arrival of a forecast change, by 1 pm we were surfing 1.5-2m swell with a reef in the main. The wind continued to build so a very challenging few hours, we had more fun to come attempting to tie up in 20 knots of wind and cross tide in the Bundaberg Port Marina.

Our final leg was a short hop down into Hervey Bay and an overnight stay inside Fraser Island. Nature saved the best for last, we were blown away with the sunset. Up on deck we were treated to a rare encounter with a dugong, he porpoised next to the boat and grabbed a big breath before gliding back below the surface.

TBC

Island Hopping Again

Back in the North Queensland sun, we arrived to a blustery Airlie Beach weekend and not at all what the plan called for. With a few days to relax into things we were hoping the weather would improve for Monday’s departure. Right on cue Monday mornings breakfast by the pool was magic, the last luxury for the week with the boat more like glamping.

Our plan for the day was to head north to Stonehaven on the northern end of Hook Island just across from Hayman Island. We had a magic beam reach across Whitsunday Passage with a spot of Whale watching.

Stonehaven is sheltered from the SE by sheer rock and steep hills so nice and snug for the forecast overnight conditions. This anchorage has mooring buoys to protect the reef from damage, we had only just picked up the mooring and shut down the iron sail when a curious green turtle came to check us out.

Stonehaven is one of few anchorages in the Whitsundays where the sun sets over the water, we weren’t disappointed.

 

Overnight the wind settled and we woke to a glassy bay with views to die for, with the charter boats around us off for their days adventure we settled in for a lazy morning.

With the weather blowing up again later the next day we headed back to Sid Harbour which was perfect for the southerly blow. Great chance to finish my book and catch up on a few overdue boat jobs.

As advertised we got a buffeting of 20-25 knot winds most of next 18 hours, never an easy sleep when you know what the boats dealing with. I was up at midnight checking the anchor snubber to ensure we were all ok. After a sleepless night the dawn was a new day with and amazing view south to Sawmill Bay.

Our final night in Sid Harbour was magical, the light show was mesmerizing. What a great night to relax on deck and take in the heavens.

Heading in for the night I hadn’t expected so much fun, with the wind on our beam and a following swell we were really in a groove. 

With our time in the Whitsundays is drawing to a close,  we headed into Airlie Beach for the final time to restock and enjoy a night ashore at Coral Seas Resort. Amazing views from our room and the best chilli prawn pizza we have ever eaten.

Time to head south and start moving Penzance towards home, we headed out of Airlie bright and early heading for Plantation Bay on Lindeman Island. The southern Whitsundays are not typically charter boat territory and the feeling of remoteness was a welcome change. On the way south we picked up some hitch hikers who literally blew in. We also got a close up look at Pentecost Island, named by James Cook in the autumn  of 1770. The crew of HMD Endeavour sailed through these tropical Islands during the festival of Whisun which celebrated the holy day of Pentecost. 

 

Lindeman Island is one of several resort islands languishing after the money dried up in the 80s. Once the pick was down it was time to relax and enjoy the show Plantation Bay put on for us. The bay itself was sheltered and just perfect with fringing hoop pines and a private beach. Sunset was amazing and the sky was on fire at sunrise, what a way to finish our trip.

For our final days sailing we headed for Brampton Island and our last nights anchorage before hitting the bright lights of Mackay. We were at anchor nice and early and went ashore to stretch our legs, the island was deserted with the decaying remnants of the old resort everywhere. Late in the day the sky was amazing with the clouds signaling an approaching front, our final sunset didn’t disappoint.

After a clam night, our usual Eumundi Coffee Co plunger brew got us up and moving. The trip into Mackay was uninteresting until a pod of playful whales crossed our path, lots of breaching and tail slapping fun. A short few hours later we were in Mackay and the end of this adventure.

Island Hopping

 A few nights at the coral seas resort did the trick, comfy bed and breki on the deck and soon I was feeling revived. With the minor repairs done, time for holidays. 

Jen and I headed out of Airlie on a fantastic sunny morning, the breeze was 10-15 from the SE.

Once out of the leads we got our sails up and before long we were bobbing along at 6 knots on our way to Hook Island and the all weather anchorage of Nara Inlet. The forecast was for gusty northerlies for the next few days so Nara seemed like a good option.

Nara Inlet is also the location of the oldest indigenous rock art on the east coast dating back 9000 years. After a calm night we headed over to the small beach at the head of Nara Inlet and from there it’s a short walk up to the boardwalk, interpretive area and cave viewing platform. Home of the Nagaro people likely the earliest aussie mariners, it was moving to read the stories of their history and the impact of English colonisation had on their cultural.

With the northerlies easing we headed to CID Harbour on the western side of Whitsunday Island for the next few days. In the 1890s CID Harbour was home to a steam driven sawmill and an early pioneer John Withnall together with some local Nagaro men logged the steep hills for hoop pine. 

There is a walk from Sawmill Beach to Whitsunday Peak, at 450m it’s all uphill and the guide says 3-4 hour return. We headed off in our little tender just after breki ready for a long walk, tides are big in this part of the world so we secured the tender to a tree well up the beach. The walk was fantastic, much of the time we were in dappled light inside a lush canopy. After  an hour of constant uphill stone steps our legs were burning and we agreed we would stop at the first view of the bay below. Just over an hour in, we came out onto the open ground and an amazing view across the islands. We were planning to rest here and head back down when another walker told us the peak was just minutes further up the track. I guess we’re not that old after all, we made it up in just over an hour and the rewards were worth the effort.

 

After a long walk an afternoon lazing on deck was in order, the rods hadn’t got a run yet. The 100 magic miles described Cid Harbour as the perfect fishing spot so what better place to try our luck. Jen’s got the touch when it comes to fishing although no live bait was a limiting factor. No fish however late in the day we were rewarded by an amazing sunset.

Our last day in Cid Harbour was idilic, we jumped aboard our trusty ride and headed back into Sawmill Beach for a lazy hour walk around the coast to Dugong Inlet. No escaping COVID, never expected a Qld government checkin sign on a secluded island beach .. go figure.

The plan for the morning was a Yoga session on the beach for Jen and you guessed it more relaxing for me, this is the antidote needed to rewind the clock.

Our final afternoon in CID Harbour, heading in for supplies tomorrow. Fancy cheese board and a glass of red, not a bad way to wrap up our first stay aboard. No fish yet although I changed tact with the rods re armed with another shinny lure so fingers crossed for dinner otherwise it’s leftover fajitas to top off the delights we just consumed.

Hervey Bay to Airlie Beach

After much planning and a few unexpected challenges we were off, accompanied by my friends Gyng and David, we left the Sunny Coast bright and early Saturday morning for the 2.5hr drive to Hervey Bay. We had moved Penzance into Urangan some weeks earlier which made for a quick getaway.

After a safety briefing, walk through the navigation and a look over our home for the next 80-90 hours we were off. With sunny skies and a forecast from the SW for the next two days we were excited about the prospect of a beam run up the coast. 

Leaving Urangan Boat Harbour we headed for the fairway bouy and a left turn with Rock Cod Shoal just off Gladstone our next destination some 120nm north. It’s wasn’t long before we were questioning our weather experts, within the hour we had 16knots from the north and Penzance with her 1st reef in close hauled was making 6 knots SOG hour after hour. The wind continued to build and by dinner time we had 18knots with no sign of the westerly promises. We enjoyed a great chicken curry thanks to Jen, with our hunger sorted we settled in to our first night watch. The rhythm for our trip dawn to dusk is 2 hrs on and 4 hours off on a rolling watch. 

Around midnight, finally some wind from the west and the boat settled into a great groove, we were barreling along over 7 knots with the sky awash with stars. Our beam run carried us until dawn and we covered out first 120nm in just 18 hours.

Sunday morning we were treated to a pot of award winning Eumundi coffee compliments of Tommy and the team at Eumundi Coffee Co. With the new day came a southerly change and some cold winds,  we continued the great run with Penzance driving us north above 6 knots.

With everyone up with the sun it was time for some essential repairs, channeling the MacGyver within I managed to crack the issue and our stereo came to life. We were now on our way to Shoalwater Bay, defence was running operation Talisman Saber with live firing in the plan, lots of jokes about the slow moving white torpedo drone. 

Finally the promised SW winds arrived, with the wind on our beam we decided to give my new asymmetrical spinnaker a run. The guys from Rolly Tasker in Sydney were great  and this video is well worth a watch. The kite is in a north’s spinnaker sock which should make our task that bit easier. I got the job at the pointy end, the first launch went well just a minor tangle on the sock up / down lines. We had a following sea and David did a fantastic job of keeping things in the groove. Our fun came to an abrupt halt with the spinnaker sheet shackle opening unexpectedly, the Rolly Tasker guys advised to tie the sheets with a bowline which proved to be on the money. Some fast moves and the sock saved the day and the entire mess was in my fwd bunk.

Late that day we got some welcome reprieve and a chance to partake in a glass of red wine  and a nice king island aged cheddar, now this was more like the plan. Thanks to Dan Murphy’s cellar release the team had a real treat, after a long few days everything tasted amazing so no complaints from the team.

I 

As the sun dropped the cold southerly air bit home, dinner tonight was gourmet beef pies with soggy beer battered chips and smoky BBQ sauce, no complaints and definitely dropping the bar after Jens chicken curry. 

When I came up at midnight with a warm cuppa and one of the last and much sort after scotch finger biscuits “sorry Dave, Gyng led me astray” the extra sleep had me feeling much better. For the rest of the night we had glassy sea and the heavens were almost spiritual to stare at. For many hours I could see the loom of High Peak Island light, at 250m above sea level the peak made an impressive sight. Just after dawn we rounded High Peak Island and turned East toward the Percy Islands. This was the second leg of 98nm miles completed before breakfast on Monday and the weather feeling rather tropical as we pushed north toward Mackay.

Time to eat again, apart from sailing much of the focus turns toward food. Our very own version of Jamie Oliver came up with the goods for lunch. Enjoying Dave’s maiden gourmet wrap to the tune of Elvis “a little less conversation” life doesn’t get much simpler.

As we headed NE towards the Percy Islands the weather was dead calm. We decided to take the chance to refuel and check the engine over. Using our spare 40 litres we were close to full again, engine all good so time to get moving. A dose of Volvo Penta noise was in order to keep us moving towards Airlie. 

 By now we were discussing the arrival and I figured out if we could keep above 5 knots for the remainder of the trip we would get in Tuesday late afternoon and a steak dinner was on.

Around the Percy Islands we picked up a nice 8 knot breeze off our beam, we decided to pop the kite for the second time. The wind swung aft to 150 deg and we soon realized a light weight pole is essential kit for broad reaching. It wasn’t long before the breeze dropped out and the volvo was back on. 

With no wind what to do ?  This time in style the teak table made a cameo and another of the cellar release reds got cracked. With flat seas a quite 1500 rpm pushed us along at 5.5 knots which kept our steak dinner hopes alive.

Our destination from here was Hay Point, the biggest tides in Aussie with a range of 6 metres. We were getting a nice boost from the incoming tides and we expected to reach the outer parking lot just after the sun sets. Our last night watch, with only 3-4 hours sleep for the first 48 hours I was looking forward to some more sleep tonight. The evening continued the same theme of light breezes with the Volvo pushing us north toward Cape Hillsborough and the start of the Whitsundays. 

With the dawn came our first glimpse of Brampton Island, we had broken the back of our 400nm which was a good feeling.

Our final leg, an easy trip 20nm straight up Whitsunday passage and our home for the next 3 months Airlie Beach.