Yorkeys Knob 25th - 31st July

Avoiding the Wind, Re-stocking and R & R

When we booked into Half Moon Bay Marina we expected that strong winds would be blowing for several days. In fact there were only two days that were horrible with the SE howling and the sea turning a muddy uninviting brown colour. Ric and Val, who were originally docked in the Bluewater Marina just around the corner and up a narrow, shallow creek, joined us at Half Moon Bay Marina after two days. Peter took a photo of them exiting the creek on their way here. We felt it was too shallow for us to enter safely and we have not changed our minds on this one. The manager of this marina is apparently grumpy and ill tempered so we will continue to avoid it.

On windy Friday we all took the bus to Palm Cove for lunch. Although windy, once off the beach front, the magnificent trees and gardens sheltered us from the worst of the wind as we walked along peering into the restaurants and shops. What we couldn't believe was the 'No Swimming - Crocodiles etc' signs along the beach front and then no more that 100m further along was the yellow and red flags and the "Swim between the flags' sign. This part of the beach looked the same as the rest so maybe the crocs are trained here and don't swim between the flags. I wouldn't have gone near the water in any case as it was a rough, dirty brown whipped up by the wind.

As Ric says, 'The crocs here know they are only allowed at this end of the beach at Palm Cove'

Palm Cove. The lifesavers are halfway down the beach!!

 

One evening we had Ric and Val over for Thai Red Chicken Curry for dinner. We had drinks and nibbles in the cockpit and I had a brainwave - an idea for a cockpit table where we could all reach our drinks and nibbles with out the constant passing. Ric, the builder, had all the materials, tools etc to make the table and the next day presented us with it. Now we will have to have them over again to christen it. Thank you Ric. I need to borrow you for back in Albany sometime.

The table

Tomorrow we intend to pack the icebox with ice when the yacht club opens at 8am and set sail for the Low Isles off Port Douglas. There are two days before the wind is forecast at up to 28kns again so we will probably leave the Low Isles early for Cooktown and shelter there if it eventuates. From Cooktown, Lizard Island is a day sail away.


An Odd Sign!!!



Secret Garden Fitzroy Island

Does any one else find this is a bit odd! It seems to me that  several issues are raised here:

• I thought it was rainforest that was endangered. On the radio the next day, in fact, we heard how there was little of it left.
• Biodiversity? I thought the rainforest had the most biodiversity of all.
• Are they saying that the eucalypt woodland is endangered?
• What was here before the Aborigines came? 60,000 years is a blink of the eye in the history of the planet.
• Why is their method of land management ie 'scorched earth' any better than any other? 
• Sparks and wildfires don't need an excuse to light a fire. They set fire to uninhabited islands here all the time. Why?