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| Garden Island. The sand spit goes under. Rock 'n roll here we come. |
The crews of Arkaydes, Chances, Bosonova and Rene decided that the morning trip to tiny Garden Island, just north of Hinchinbrook Island, was a really good place for lunch. We left early because we are generally slower than the cats and did not want to be left behind. On this occasion, sailing close to the wind meant that we were very competitive with speed and direction and we arrived first. We anchored close to the fringing reef on the north side of the island next to a small trimaran that was already there. The wind only blew at about 10 kts for most of the time and this anchorage behind the extensive sand spit was calm and protected. When everyone arrived we all went ashore and decided that a BBQ there for dinner was a good idea. Pete and his partner from the trimaran told us about the wonderful oysters on the south side of the island, reputably the biggest, best ones around. Peter was interested. I was not.
Pete also had a humorous story about Cooktown.
After arriving and negotiating the bar they motored into the lagoon and dropped their anchor near an old guy on a motorboat. Pete yelled out to him and asked if he was in a good spot. The old guy said, "I dunno. I'm not a local. I'm just waiting for the wind to drop so I can get out." Pete asked, "How long have you been here then?" The answer was, 'Seven F#^**+g years!!" We all laughed. Cooktown is very windy.
Val and I walked around the sand spit and wondered if, when the tide covered the spit, whether our anchorage would become uncomfortable as the wind blew the chop towards us. In fact at one stage during the night I briefly woke up as Rene began to roll around. The wind was still light so it didn't bother us too much. Garden Island would only be a reasonable anchorage in the calm weather we had whilst there.
Macushla
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| An optical elusion. The sand on Shepherds Bay was dead flat. The mineral sands colours caused it. |
Next morning Peter and I made the move around the sand spit south towards Macushla. We had to tack across the bay into a choppy uncomfortable sea. Not long afterwards the other three cats joined us and we spent a comfortable night anchored off the beach there. Peter and I walked to Shepherds Bay, on the eastern side of Hinchinbrook Island, along an overgrown track. The walking track at the end of the beach, which leads to the ruins of the Cape Richards Resort, is very overgrown and difficult to see so at this point we walked back along the beach. This is a lovely anchorage with good protection from the SE winds. There was some discussion between us all as to whether we would motor down the Hinchinbrook channel in the calm water or if we should sail down the eastern side of the island. As the weather forecast said E 10-15kts all day we opted for a sail down the eastern side of Hinchinbrook to Orpheous Island in the Palm Group.
Juno Bay, Fantome Island
It took Peter and I all day to tack down the eastern side of Hinchinbrook Is. The wind never really went east and continued from the SE so we had a long trip. Luckily the wind was light and so it was not uncomfortable, just long. We anchored in Hazard Bay as the sun went down along with Chances and Bosonova. Arkaydes managed to pick up one of the courtesy moorings in Little Pioneer Bay for the night.
Peter and I wanted to take another look at the old leper colony ruins on Fantome Island so the next morning we pulled the anchor after an early breakfast and made our way around the corner into Juno Bay. Just outside Hazard Bay we noticed whales lounging in the warm tropical water. There was a mother and a calf loafing in the water and as we motored by they took no notice of us at all.
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| Cow and calf outside Hazard Bay |
Four boats were already anchored in Juno Bay when we arrived and our mates turned up soon afterwards making a total of seven boats in the bay. Arriving early was essential for those wanting to explore ashore. Last time we had been caught out at low tide when the sea disappeared over the shallow sand and reef leaving us to wade through the ankle deep water towing the dinghy. All I could think of was how many stonefish were lurking in the shallows. This time we timed it well and landed Lily on the beach and spent several hours poking around in the ruins and just made it back to the beach before the water became too shallow to motor out.
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| Juno Bay from the hilltop behind the leper colony ruins |
Gary and Annie from Chances invited the crews from the three boats in our group over to a Pizza night. They cooked yummy pizzas on their BBQ and the rest of us contributed to the toppings. Neville from Bosonova cooked an apple crumble which was delicious. It was accompanied by rich double cream. Yum! Yum! Thanks for a lovely night everyone.
Magnetic Island
Light easterly and north easterly winds were forecast for the next day so we left Juno Bay early to begin our journey across the open water to Horseshoe Bay. We motor sailed the whole way in the light winds and dropped the anchor in time for a late lunch. Our favourite spot was available and we are enjoying settling in to our favourite island for the last three weeks of my sailing year. Several of the boats that were at Lizard Island and Cooktown are here with us along with crews from Dunk Island. I think someone is organising a group dinner at the Man Friday Mexican Restaurant in Nelly Bay. I hope it happens before we take the ferry to Townsville on Friday for dinner with Peter's family. Between walking, socialising and boat jobs our days are full. We take the ferry to the mainland every few days to see family and do some shopping. Yesterday we hitched a lift with Arkaydes back to Horseshoe Bay. Ric had to drop Val off in Townsville as she was flying to Sydney for a week to see her family. While she is away Ric is going to beach Arkaydes so he can clean the hulls and remove the green slime that grows there before they head south again. Peter and I will give him a hand. Apparently the tides on Monday are suitable for the job.
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| Two old codgers driving Arkaydes to Horseshoe Bay. |
On the way back to Horseshoe Bay Peter had a go at driving Arkaydes and we set off around the south side of Magnetic Island. The wind was about 15kns from the SE and Ric put up the sails and off we went. Suddenly he yells out, "What was that?" One of the fenders had untied itself from the deck and had blown over the side. The sails were quickly lowered and back we went to try to locate it. No luck, even after two passes. The wind must have blown it further than we thought. Eventually we gave up, but by now the wind was stronger and Peter and Ric decided to take the route north around the island past Cape Pallarenda. Off we went. I decided to keep a lookout for the fender, just in case. Then there it was bobbing across the waves on it's merry way towards Pallarenda Beach. We rescued the 'errant beastie' not long afterwards, much to Ric's relief.
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| Peter (the turncoat!) driving a cat (Arkaydes) back to Horseshoe Bay and he appears to be enjoying it!! |
It is only one week now until Paul, Karin and the girls arrive in Townsville for a short holiday. They want great grandpa to meet Isasbelle and Emmalyn and also to catch up with their friends and the rest of the family. Paul is here for a week and Karin and the girls two weeks, so I am going to help Karin with the girls when we fly back to Perth on the 28th September.
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