The Woolwich reunion. Airlie Beach is real tourism.

When we stayed in Sydney prior to our June escape north this year, we called Woolwich marina our home. During this time our neighbours for several months were the crew of Gidgee, Cheryl and Mike. They are unable to sail for extended periods due to family commitments . This past weekend was their wedding anniversary. Imagine our surprise when we motored into Macona Inlet to find them on the yacht just infront of us, waving frantically.

Sagittae is no ordinary yacht. Her crew Rob and Syl built her over a number of years. Her design is a Radford 55 ' , and her finish is superb. From our berth at Woolwich we could see Sagittae in the final stages of completion. Sagittae has been 'nearly meeting up' with us many times in recent months

A merry evening of sailing tales : ("Whale tales" : they grow bigger with each telling).

Cheryl spots us.

Mike looks stunned, clutching a support to stay upright.

Crazy things happen. The same day as the Woolwich connections anchored near us, we sailed past Southern Cloud. This mega yacht was moored at the historic Woolwich Dock, is just around the corner from where we were. In the evenings we would walk around to see Wild Oates 11 (Sydney to Hobart fame) on the hard stand. Southern Cloud was being refurbished at the same time and we watched the progress by peering into her lighted interior.

Can you see the crew member up front?

Chatter yachts gather together at night.

 

The channel markers are a sailors friend. This starboard marker is the perfect spot for this as yet unidentified bird's nest. ( Burnie can you help?) Being high above the water it has a good view of fish below.

I love my new camera: not fancy but gives quality pictures.

I think that we have already mentioned the tidal ranges in the Queensland waters. We are not sure if this charter yacht had navigational difficulties, or just miscalculated. Much later in the day she righted herself and they crew sailed her away. It doesn't appear to have sustained any damage, so we presume the tide ran out and left them 'high and dry'.

How embarrassing. No harm done.

On to Airlie Beach, on the mainland.

Airlie beach is a back-packers paradise, and tourist heaven. There are a series of artificial lagoons beside the beaches. From November onwards no one swims in the ocean unprotected because of the toxic stingers.

Water fun: sticky weather.

Glenn tests the safety of the wadding pool.

 

The next two photos are for nostalgic reasons: I associate cookaburras with my Nana. she was a nurturer of birds. They seem to enjoy life in the parks around here. (For my sisters and cousin in England.)

"Happy Jack"

We are staying at the Abell Point Marina. It has a new owner with big plans. The staff are very friendly and relaxed. The mega yachts are on other pontoons. People are casual around here. The winter weather is non existent. It's all loose shirts and floppy shoes. And there is obvious examples of extreme wealth. Rather than bore you with multiple photos of huge expensive yachts, I thought that the glimpse of this Buizen's hull would tell the story. The mirror reflection of the hull is just a taste of the quality on board.

Mirror finish.

Jen impressed. Glenn off to polish Sea Trek III.

The club beside the marina was rocking with a pirate theme on Sunday afternoon.

"Where's me wooden leg, Jack Sparrow?"

Finally hot chips for Glenn, .....the fish has yet to be found. We had a cool afternoon at the Whitsunday Sailing club. It is a low keyed place where we found genuine international Ukulele talent. This is Manitoba Hal, a Canadian who plays complex blues on his double Uke. Check him out on YouTube. Talented with a capital T.

A rare find: someone who plays a double Uke.

We are hoping that the predicted southerly winds, most favourable for visiting Blue Pearl Bay and Butterfly Bay eventuate by next week end. Then we will follow many other yachties and head south for the summer season. .....and employment.

Off to the shops by bus to reprovision for the coming weeks: bulk buys of essentials. We hope to avoid marinas on our return trip. I guess it all depends on required repairs.

 

 

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Note to Jen.

Jen, you make me laugh. As a matter of fact our lives are filled with laughter more times than not. I always smile a little to myself when I hear you tell other cruisers that you are not really an experienced sailor. I beg to differ, and I would like to remind you of some of your achievements. I have verbalised them to you to no avail, so perhaps if I write them down, you and others will realize how experienced you really are.........

Our first boat Anembo was a Compass 28. It was a small but sturdy little yacht. You helped me sail it between Jervis Bay, Ulladulla and Batemans Bay many times. You always felt a little sick but you were there to help and give a hand any time you were needed. You must remember that the south coast of NSW is the Tasmen Sea. Ask any of our sailing friends who have circumnavigated, or are in the process of circumnavigating and they will all agree that it's the worst bit of coastline they have encounted.

Crazy Lady, our next boat was a South Coast 36. We found her in sad decline when we purchased her. We both rebuilt her from the bones up. You were always there with encouragement and suggestions, and never afraid to get your hands dirty doing a project. Crazy was in such good condition when we eventually sold her. She achieved the highest price of any South Coast 36 at that time, and all of course with your help. Meanwhile you managed to get our four kids through matriculation, no mean feat!!

I also forgot to mention at the same time that you also attained your Coxans Certificate at Ulladulla Tafe. You came first in the navigation course, in a class full of men including yours truly.

We both sailed Crazy Lady up and down the NSW Coast but your greatest achievement was sailing Her across Bass Strait. Remember how sick I got. You nearly sailed halfway across solo while i was in a "coma" down below. I have copied the essay you wrote after that adventure to remind you of your courage and fortitude.

A Country Girl at Heart.

"I was staring through the lifelines at the water rushing past the side of Crazy on our way towards Eden. I had became aware that the ocean was undergoing a definite change in character. Was it was becoming more viscous?

Previously I had noticed that the watery -play - grounds of some of the pristine areas that we had visited further north were light, splashy, enticing, happy and almost playful. A holiday mood. A frolic. No real fear of being "lost" and "out of sight" if someone should fall in.

The waters nearer Eden (Twofold Bay) looked more serious, thicker and official.

I thought about the bloody slaughter of whales and the fragile men perched in their open timber vessels; of the dead. I felt sad, and vaguely worried. We had brought the grey skies with us. "It's just some rain" I thought, knowing that supplying and refueling of the yacht would now be much more awkward. But even at this anchorage in this still area, the clear waters were a darker turquoise than I expected. A "wolve in sheep's clothing" as if trying to imitate the fancy colour of a memory that was once known and now corrupted by time.

If I knew the earth to be flat, this water felt like the edge of the known world.

The changes became more significant as Gabo Island finally passed and land moved away. I could now see exactly why these waves troubled me.They were short and abrupt, crisp navy in colour with visible intense detail. They were without contamination of light or debris.They were the guards of the seas ahead. They were a military force and we were in their zone.I could define the border as we sailed through the check point.These seas meant business.No games, no laughter, no frivolity, and no good times.The white caps on their crests were clean cut and vivid, and did not integrate with the blue below.

I watched the land slip away and was astonished to note the ordinariness of the trees and cliffs. It had the appearance of a poorly worked landscape, a lazy artist who had smudged olive green and rust brown into the background by using a careless blending of the thumb.

I lay down in the lee-berth inside the warm cabin. I stared at the ceiling. It pulsated for a second or so. Was this a panic attack?. I calmed my mind. We were about to sail over a very angry strait of ocean that had claimed thousands of lives. Out of the sight of land.

The next time on deck the ocean surface looked restless, an energy was being held firmly in place by a heavy handed ruler. No wave was individual but all were seething with a bad temper. The depth of this smoldering sea extended thousands of metres below our boat. I found a childlike comfort in focusing my vision on the rectangular frame of the lifelines, but not beyond.

The landing of the fog around Crazy Lady came as a comfort. Bland weak wet grey mist everywhere. I could now easily deny the existence of all the outer watery unknowns. I was happy to be in this dangerous state of total denial, a good but bizarre place to live.

The calm waters of the fog looked thick, limp and oily. They irritated me. They seemed so fake. I knew they wouldn't last. They meant something else was on the way. The fog lifted and the bland disappeared. I was bashed all night long on the nose of Crazy. A southerly that was not forecast had intruded into my night watch and as helmsman I was on trial. This was not a time to call for Glenn's help. I needed to prove myself worthy enough to commit this trespass. Determination, and protectiveness of my crew just kept me at the wheel.

I came on deck in the daylight. The water's surface was now firm and alive, fit and active and very muscular. There were no longer any mindless threats by waves out of sheer spite. Flinders Island had been sighted. A friendly coast guard had called us by name. We were in the substantial Tasmania waters, strong in body and robust.

I'm beginning to relax a little now. In writing this I'm trying to make some sense of all of these new raw sensations. It's been a bit hard for a country girl at heart."

End.

You have just helped me sail ST3 from Sydney to the Whitsunday Islands, and you are an integral part of the team. I couldn't have done it without you!!!!!

So Sydney to Hobart, Sydney to Whitsundays. "Not experienced"!! Jen, sorry but I don't believe you. If others hear Jen say it, please remind her of what she has achieved.

And the next time I hear you say that sort of thing please don't mind if I strangle you.

Glenn.

 

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Wandering Whitsunday

We are spending our time meandering around the Whitsunday Islands with no particular destination in mind. Each day we need to eventually choose a secure anchorage for the night. The wrong choice means a night of rock and rolling: no sleep on board: cranky crew! We chose Nara Inlet as our base for a few days. On the charts it looked rather cosy. It wasn't. 70 yachts were barely visible in the expanse of this inlet.

We rode our dinghy up into the upper reaches of Nara Inlet. We were keen to see ancient rock art: not the kind pictured below. Fortunately most of this vandalism was several decades old.

National Park graffiti.

This rock art belongs to the Ngaro people who have inhabited the area for thousands of years. Descendants now help in the preservation of traditions. A few simple images were visible from a viewing platform within a shallow cave. Archeological excavations have established that the Ngaro people had been living here prior to the fall in the sea level over 9,000 years ago.

On the way back down the rock stairs the stunning colours of water views again amazed us. How quickly our eyes and brains reverted to expecting the earthy colours of more familiar locations.

 

Glenn rushing down to save our dinghy from school kids

The Whitsunday Islands are close to the main land, and are much bigger and higher than we expected. They are actually part of the continent of Australia, and not coral islands as we imagined. This area was a mountain range prior to the end of the last ice age 9,000 years ago. The palm trees we saw were generally planted for the tourist. The Whitsunday Islands are mostly densely wooded with hoop pines and regular Aussie looking bush.

The main attraction of this area for boat owners is that it is a wonderful sailing area. The waters are flat without ocean swell, and anchorages are frequent. The snorkelling is good and the water is very clear. It is easy to find a quiet area all to yourself.

Australian magic!

Sea Trek III looking very relaxed.

Now here's a miracle. Jen decided that the water was warm enough and obviously "shark free" enough to go snorkelling! Yes folks, it has been years since this last happened. She wants to explore more sites for coral tomorrow!

Who is this woman?

Sailing creates opportunities to achieve personal goals. Hans and Burnie of SV Brahminy invited us over to share their special celebration. Today they have finally sailed into the Whitsundays. They are also happy and adventurous bird watchers who love to share their knowledge with us.

Bird fanciers: Full of happy chirps!

Finally: Oyster Pluckers (using new camera).

We don't eat oysters. Do you?

The next photos are included to help explain why I find Queensland all so crazy. Hamilton Island is just around the corner. It's a world away from our experiences of this area. These buildings are so inappropriate, and it's just a lazy form of architecture to have the international office-block style buildings here.

Glad not to be in there.

Glenn was excited by the prospect of "good fish and chips" at Hamilton Island but it's school holidays and the marina is booked out. Oh the tragedy of it all.

 

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Whitsunday Island, Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet.

Sailed to Whitehaven Beach today, just wanted to share these pics. Ill let them do the talking.

 

We picked up a visitor mooring, hope it holds!

 

Where are all these backpackers going?

All trying to get the perfect postcard to send home.

 

 

 

 

Backpacker departure lounge.

We do enjoy your comments so don't be shy, you don't have to sign up just fill in and post.

 

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Whitsundays: Turtle Bay,

We ventured around a headland of Hamilton Island to be unexpectedly greeted by high rise tourist resorts. Sea Trek III made a hasty retreat. We only needed to sail a little further north east to settle in Turtle Bay on the southern side of Whitsunday Island. Out and about on the shoreline again for explorations.

Oh what a site.

Turtle Bay.

Jen takes lots of photos and enjoys editing the results in the evenings. We have no TV viewing, because we have no time! This photo was thought to be of a tree trunk, but on closer examination she is not so sure. Is it a huge bone that has been dragged onto the shore?

What is this: it's large.

Out exploring in the dinghy and couldn't believe how picture perfect these boys were. That's the very imposing Pentecost Island in the background.

Red, yellow and blue.

Great excitement: Turtle tracks up into the sand dunes. In the water they occasionally pop their heads up as if to look around. That's just a second or two of viewing. We did see a moss covered shell descending.

Tracks: ? Goanna visiting the beach.

 

More to follow...

 

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Islands: Newry, Goldsmith, Thomas

 

 

We had heard about the fascinating Outer Newry Island. Decades ago it was a thriving resort. Now it is a national park. We anchored in the shadow of this island for a still night and good sleep. The remains of the resort that flourished in the 1940's onwards are now preserved. It makes for fascinating viewing.

Room with a view.

The main hub of entertainment used to be under a large concrete dome. Remains of the "club" still exist. We spent our time walking around the island and then waiting for the tide to return. We enjoyed the club's relaxed service. Not a beverage in site.

"The pub with no beer"

When the evening approached we found that our dinghy was still stranded. Luckily the crew of Ocean Child were on hand to help drag our dinghy into deeper water. The tidal extremes still take us by surprise.

We went ashore with substantial water under the keel.

Jen's new camera is getting a work-out. This is a "rainbow bee-eater" and it has a red eye. When it flies the under wings are seen: bright orange.

No bees seen for this bee-eater.

The weather is changing. We are starting to see clouds again. It's been months since we've experienced any rain, and the clear skies have been dazzling.

Change is in the air.

The season for safe cruising in these waters is coming to an end. Many cruisers are heading south, sailing with the northerly winds. We hope for a few more weeks of southerly trade winds: great for our sailing.

Someone else ending a perfect day and going south.

Goldsmith Island: We just had to stop here: it's Greg and Annie's name sake. I know that we have said it before but the water colour is unreal. As a bonus we had a fantastic smooth sail to get here. Non existent swell ....a pond of aqua.

Just enjoying blue.

For our blog followers who have not seen the water of the tropics, we try to convey our impressions. The photo below is truly as we saw it. No colour alteration. We just keep saying to each other " look at the colour of the water".

What can I say?

Another example.

A new camera for Jen. She was previously using the iphone. We both became aware that we haven't seen butterflies for many years. It's the sort of thing that seems to be a childhood memory. Now Jen is obsessed with photographing them. The trouble is that she is still fumbling with the controls, and the butterflies won't wait.

At last, a stationary butterfly, and it's spotted!

Thomas Island: just a few nautical miles from Goldsmith Island. We try to find out what makes each island special. We certainly weren't prepared for this!

"No way, not today"! Jen

Creative visitors have made low impact sculptures with bleached coral pieces. We found figurines and little characters in rock cavities.

Tom and also Tim.

Mr Snowman on summer holidays.

This shell, pictured below was buried in the sand and although no longer perfect is still considered a real find. And being law abiding citizens, we left it there for others to enjoy. ( also because it stinks!)

A natural treasure.

We have been sailing in the southern region of the Whitsunday islands. We are enjoying this area for many reasons, but mainly because it is rarely visited by the "tourist charter boats". Most of our anchorages have been deserted, but tomorrow we head into the Whitsundays Proper.We are expecting it to be busy. Strangely the activity is not far away; just over the other side of Shaw Island, which is close by.

By Jen: Meanwhile back at home:

We were sailing in the big aqua calm from Newry to Goldsmith Island when I received a Skype call from my daughter Brenna. After finishing her double degree at uni with distinctions, she been travelling for almost three years, self funded!! I last saw her when we lived in a house at Clifton Beach in Tasmania. Brenna and Joe are travelling from Vancouver to Mexico via the west coast, CYCLING. She was just north of San Fran, and have covered over 2000 ks. in a few weeks: 100 to 120ks a day. As a mother I was reassured to be told that they eat almost hourly where possible. Vegan and Vegetarians can find their nutrition a huge challenge when exercising so strenuously. Brenna is a resourceful and charming young woman, and has received so much kindness from Canadians and Americans. A big thank you from this humbled mother, to all of the wonderful people out there who lend a hand to young adventurous travellers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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