A Rough Ride to Cairns

Our passage from the Whitsundays up to Cairns had the same weather forecast for the entire period: Strong Wind Warning: 20 – 25 knots, gusting to 30. We had it on the first day (and every day after that), seeking shelter the first night behind mighty Gloucester Island, in a bay called “Squally Bay”. It looked promising, Gloucester Island having peaks of 560 meters in spots, which, in theory, should have provided good shelter from the SE trades, but maybe we should have taken more notice of the name of the bay, as it lived up to its reputation, with a terrible night spent getting hit by the wind “bullets” and the never ending easterly swell making its way around the island, and shaking us from side to side all night long.

Sunrise behind Gloucester Island as we left on Friday morning

The next day was another day of very strong wind and with little in the way of shelter along this coast, we opted for an anchorage in Bowling Green Bay. When we saw what was offered in the way of an anchorage, we came very close to just carrying on, and sailing through the night, but both Dave and I were exhausted from little sleep the night before, and a long day of tough sailing, so we bashed our way into the wind for almost 6 miles, in order to get as tucked in as possible into the SE corner of the bay to try and escape some of the relentless swell. There was not much in the way of height to protect us, Cape Bowling Green being the lowest cape on the coast, and really just a sand dune that extends out into the sea, so we still had the wind to contend with, but we managed to get a slightly calmer corner out of most of the swell, and anchored there for the night. 

Our track from Airlie Beach to Bowling Green Bay

 
We both managed to get some sleep, and set our alarms for 4:00am. We were up in the pitch dark, lifted an extremely muddy anchor, raised the mainsail and off we went. It was another strong wind day, but much of it was in the lee of islands, which cut the swell down considerably, and we actually had a relatively pleasant sail most of the time. Getting up early allowed us to do an 89 mile day on Saturday, entering the Hinchinbrook Channel at about 4:30pm, and finding a spot, about 8 miles down the channel an hour later. It was beautiful! If only the weather would have cooperated, it might have been even more spectacular. 

At the southern end of the Hinchinbrook Channel lies the small town of Lucinda, and this 5km long jetty that loads ships with bulk sugar from nearby agricultural lands

Hinchinbrook Island is often seen as the beginning of the Coral Coast’s true tropical region, and the channel is described in the cruising guide as “the most scenic, calm waterway on the east coast of Australia thanks to Hinchinbrook Island’s magnificent peaks and valleys and the rugged Cardwell Ranges opposite on the mainland” ("Cruising the Coral Coast"; pg 215). The calm anchorage was very welcome after the last two nights we had endured!! 

Entering the Hinchinbrook Channel...we had about an hour to go before sunset

Hard to see because of the overcast weather, but it was our first glimpse of the tropical landscape...lush, green forests and a waterfall way in the distance

Gaby enjoyed playing with the mud that remained on the anchor from the previous night. We normally would wash it off as we pull up the anchor, but since we did it at 4:00am, it stayed on for the day, not even being washed off by the day's sail! It was really more clay than mud, and Gaby put it to good use before we lowered the anchor again into the water in the Hinchinbrook Channel!

Our muddy anchor and anchor chain!

Gaby makes the most of it!!

Sunday May 7th weather forecast was the same as the day before: Strong Wind Warning. Winds 20 – 25, gusting 30 knots, 80% chance of rain, and today the weather forecast was accurate! It started off well enough, which allowed us to enjoy the 20 or so miles of the Hinchinbrook Channel, but soon we were out of the protection of Hinchinbrook Island, and just before lunchtime, we saw the first squall on the horizon. It hit us quickly, with the wind increasing very quickly from 18 to 19 to 20 and up to 30 knots! The swell was from the side, so the ride was uncomfortable. Poor Rosemary hung on for dear life. Not exactly the nice exotic vacation she had signed up for!! The squalls just kept coming. Every time we thought we were in the clear, another one loomed on the horizon, and soon was upon us, with winds and torrential rain! (at least the boat got a good wash down from the green water we had taken over the bow the day before!). 

The spectacular peaks of Hinchinbrook Island (and calm water!)

And then the squalls came...

There was so much rain and wind, this was the view out of the salon

 

This little guy even took a rest on our solar panels for quite a while.
He didn't even move when I went out there to lower the mainsail!!

Due to the forecast weather, we planned a stop in Mourilyan Harbour, rather than sail overnight to Cairns, and we couldn’t reach it soon enough!! The entrance to this interesting little harbor is hard to spot, being a narrow cut between two steep hills known as Georgie and Hilda. The small harbor is a bulk sugar port, and that’s all that’s there! A sugar wharf, tram and sugar shed.  But it was heaven on earth for us, after the day we'd had!

Approaching Mourilyan Harbour

A tug was tied up to the jetty, and quite a few boats were tied to the public pile moorings, most looked like they had been here a while. The harbor provided the much needed calm we sought after a very tough day at sea! Rosemary has taken to ending the day with a glass of wine to calm the nerves…yes, I’m training her well!! (In fact, I think that day she asked for her glass of wine after the first squall hit!)

Calm inside the little harbor

We left early the next morning (Monday), destination: Cairns. We couldn’t wait to get there, tired now of the miserable weather and wind! The only thing that kept our spirits up, was seeing how far north we’d come, but other than that, it was the same as the days before…strong, cold wind…lather, rinse, repeat! We were thrilled to finally round Cape Grafton at about 3:00pm that afternoon, and make our final approach to Cairns!

Leaving Mourilyan Harbor at sunrise

Sails Up!  (with a rare glimpse of blue sky!)

We finally reached Cairns!

Now, I'd like to put in an order for a large amount of sunshine and calm seas, please!!

Enjoying the Whitsundays

Our time in the Whitsundays was limited to about a week due to a number of factors: 1) our continuing quest to head north to reach Thursday Island in the Torres Strait before our visa expires on the 23rd of May; 2) the cloudy weather and very strong south easterly winds that were blowing day and night, making a comfortable anchorage hard to find; and 3) the unfortunate/costly and unexpected need to replace the bearings & oil seals in both our sail drives that run on the shaft that joins the engine and saildrive together, resulting in more time in the Abell Point Marina, and less time in the islands than we had expected or hoped for. We also did not get the opportunity to get to the reef proper, with the winds being so strong, and the reef being too far for us to do a day trip, we would have had to stay out there overnight, which was not really an option. We also heard that many of the pontoons and moorings that are laid out at the reefs had been destroyed by cyclone Debbie. So we decided we would try our luck further north, near Cairns or Port Douglas, where the reef is much closer to the mainland, and hopefully within an easy day’s sail. But needless to say, we did take in a few of the famous sights of the Whitsundays before heading out of Abell Point Marina on a very rainy Thursday, May 4th.

After our stay in Hamilton Island for Benjamin’s birthday, we headed towards Whitehaven Beach to see what all the fuss was about. We had a terrible ride there…about 2 hours of bashing into 20 knot winds and the subsequent waves and swell. At one point I heard Dave say, “Mom, are you OK?”, and the reply came, “I’m fine…just petrified!”. As we rounded the corner into Solway passage, we were granted some relief, and the passage itself, which can be notorious if the wind and tide are against each other, was actually fine, and a reprieve from the bashing we had just endured!

An attempt to capture the boat crashing into the waves - it's a hard one to catch on camera

Relief!  Rounding the corner - first glimpse of Whitehaven beach

For us, Whitehaven Beach was a bit of a disappointment to see. It didn’t help that it was a very windy, overcast day, so we didn’t see the beautiful blue of the water, and the white sands were just a trickle against the dead, cyclone-bashed trees behind.

Our view of Whitehaven Beach - somewhat disappointing!

We decided not to stop and carried on around the corner into Tongue Bay, where we picked up a mooring and took the dinghy ashore. From there, we took the pathway up to the lookout point, which allowed us a spectacular view onto Hill Inlet, or the “zig zag” as Gaby likes to call it. Hill Inlet is a large estuary, with mangroves and shifting sandbars. Here you could see the beautiful blue of the water and white silica sand. On a good day, we could probably have taken the dinghy in here, but it was too windy and rough to make that ride around Tongue Point, so we took it all in from the hill above! A quick walk down to the beach allowed the kids some extra time on Terra Firma before we headed back to Cool Runnings.

The pathway up to the lookout point

Selfie with Hill Inlet behind

Hill Inlet

A closer look - it was high tide, so the "zig zag" (sand bars) were not as pronounced

Cool Runnings "stamp" on the beach - the last time we did this was in Gadji Bay in New Caledonia!

On the beach near Hill Inlet

Enjoying the fine, soft sand

Gaby waits for her dinghy ride back to the boat (and contemplates life)

I found this beautiful heart shaped rock on the beach at Tongue Bay!

While we had initially thought of staying overnight in Tongue Bay, the easterly swell was consistent, and hitting us from the side, which would have made for a very uncomfortable night, so we left the mooring, and instead headed back to Hook Island, where we knew we could find shelter inside Macona Inlet, the neighbor to Nara Inlet where we had stayed previously. On our way there, we passed through Hook Passage, and where previously a small resort and underwater observatory was located, was now just damaged buildings, and the remains of a pier, completely washed away…another victim of cyclone Debbie.

Half the pier is completely gone, and the observatory tower pretty badly damaged

We dropped anchor in Macona Inlet, which was bigger than Nara, and therefore not quite as spectacular, but it offered us the shelter we were looking for. We still got the occasional “bullets”…strong gusts of wind that are forced over the peaks of the mountains and funnel down into the anchorages, but they just lasted a couple of seconds, and then were gone, so nothing to worry about. We were the only boat there, and enjoyed our solitude until the next day, when 2 other boats arrived.

A view of the entrance of Macona Inlet

Knowing we had to be back in the marina on Wednesday, to have the port side sail drive bearing replaced, and being too lazy to fight the strong winds that were blowing, we spent the next 2 days in Macona inlet, enjoying being at anchor and not having to move! We got the SUP paddleboards out, and spent a day exploring the reef just beyond our anchorage. Dave flew the drone and got some spectacular footage. Unfortunately the water clarity was very bad. Diving into the water, we couldn’t see even a few feet in front of us. Other people we had spoken to said the water is normally crystal clear, so this was another unfortunate side-effect of the cyclone. So much debris in the water has resulted in a fine film of “dust” in the water, making the water very cloudy. Added to that, we had to wear “stinger suits” (just full length wetsuits) to protect against stings from the deadly Irukandji jellyfish. In theory, we were out of the “dangerous season”, but we didn’t want to take a chance, and wore them anyway. We opted to stay on the paddleboards and enjoy the water from above. Dave and I did clean the hulls, and, while it was difficult because the visibility was so bad, we were happy to get the chance to do it, since we are now in croc country, and you are not going to see me in the water anytime soon!! We were also pleased with the new antifouling paint (Micron Extra) we’d put on when Cool Runnings was in the Boatworks, which seemed to be doing a good job keeping barnacles off, and all there was, was a thin film of slime that needed to be wiped off.

A cool drone shot of Ben and Gaby on the paddleboards

A slightly closer one with Cool Runnings in the background

One more drone shot of our floating home enjoying the solitude of Macona Inlet

I almost forgot to mention one of the most important tasks accomplished while at anchor in Macona Inlet…”Dodgy Dave” got a haircut!! If I recall correctly, it was William Voerman who came up with the nickname “Dodgy Dave”, (along with “Richard Gere”, which, personally, I can live with!!), but “Dodgy Dave” was particularly apt, since, with his long hair and often unshaven face, he could look a bit “dodgy”!! William also coined the phrase, “drop the anchor and your attitude!”, but that’s another story altogether! I couldn’t bring myself to go right to a “Number 2”, so we agreed on the middle road…a little shorter, but still longer than he used to wear it!! Let us know what you think!!

On Wednesday, May 3rd we sailed back to Airlie Beach to Abell Point Marina. It was a brisk sail, with strong wind making it much quicker than we had expected, and we arrived early. We took this opportunity to head to the fuel dock, and topped up with diesel for the big boat, and petrol (gas) for the dinghy. Then we headed over to our berth and soon we were plugged into power and the vacuum cleaner came out and everyone got into the cleaning mode. The boat got a good clean inside, and out, and by afternoon the Yanmar mechanic came to work on the engine. On Thursday morning, in the pouring rain, Rosemary, Gaby and I took the marina courtesy car to the nearest supermarket, and did another shop. I’m in this frantic squirrel mode…the thought of knowing that after Cairns there are no more big supermarkets, and I don’t know what awaits us in Indonesia (I’m not expecting much in the way of being able to provision, except, hopefully, for some fresh fruits and veggies at local markets), and my next real “1st world” supermarket will probably be in South Africa in November, has resulted in me buying, buying, buying….my freezer and fridge are full, and every nook and cranny is stuffed with some type of food, but still, I buy, replacing what we’ve eaten, so that we leave Australia with our food stores FULL and my family won’t starve over the next 3 or more months!! So, with another shop done and sail drives repaired, we left Airlie Beach at about lunchtime on Thursday, May 4th, in pouring rain and poor visibility, and headed north, leaving the Whitsundays behind us.

Happy Birthday Benjamin...And Other Notes!

When we left Abell Point Marina, on the day before “The Big Day”, the wind and tide dictated to a certain extent where we could go and anchor for the night. We decided on Nara Inlet on Hook Island, and after a brisk 2 hour sail, we entered this beautiful fjord-like inlet, and nudged our way right to the end, where we dropped our anchor. With cliffs on either side of us, it proved to be a magically calm haven out of the strong wind and current in the Whitsunday passage.

A blustery sail in the Whitsunday passage

Cool Runnings anchored in Nara Inlet

We took the dinghy to shore and discovered a track leading up to a cave with some ancient Aboriginal paintings on the cave walls. It was very cool to see these primitive works of art, and to think of the people who inhabited this area thousands of years ago. 

 

The track was well marked with interesting plaques talking about the Ngaro people who inhabited this area long before we ever came along

Rosemary asks for permission to continue on the special path

More info about the Ngaro living at Nara Inlet

The cave with the paintings

A close up view of the primitive paintings

After our walk, I was back on the boat, and Dave was out on the dinghy with Ben and Gaby, looking at the coral not too far away. All of a sudden, I heard this “click clacking” noise on our solar panels. I looked outside, and there was a cockatoo playing peek-a-boo with me! He would stick his head over the side to check me out, and then quickly pull it away, talking to me in a parrot-like way! It was very cute to start, but then I panicked about the solar panels, and if his sharp claws would scratch or damage them. I went onto the roof, and tried to shoo him away. He wasn’t interested in leaving, instead jumping down into the cockpit area, first on the BBQ, and then on the rescue sling we have attached to the side! By this time, I signaled Dave and the kids to come back to say hi to our new guest. The kids named him “Nigel” (after the cockatoo in the movie “Rio”). Nigel moved up onto the spreader, and hung around for a while before realizing that these humans were quite boring, and flew off, squawking loudly, no doubt letting the other cockatoos know that there was not much to see on Cool Runnings!

Nigel struts his stuff on our solar panels

And then has a closer look...

Saturday morning, April 29th dawned…”The Big Day”… Benjamin’s 13th birthday!! After being spoilt with pressies sent by his extremely generous aunt Kim, and transported by his very kind Granny, we prepared to get ready to head out again. But not before Nigel came back to wish Benjamin a happy birthday, and he brought his girlfriend Nellie with him! 

Happy Birthday to our teenager!!

Nigel introduces Nellie 

And they both play peek-a-boo!

 
We headed over to the Hamilton Island Marina, to rendezvous with “Nogal”, who had been there for a couple of days already. Being marina guests allowed us access to the whole resort, so it was a huge treat for us to pretend like we were holidaying in a fancy resort! We headed over to the beach side and staked our claim next to the pool. Benjamin's greatest wish was to sail a Hobie, so David went to check out the Hobie situation and managed to book one for an hour. Benjamin was so excited! He and Dave sailed for a bit, and then soon the Nogal crew headed over too and once Frank got hooked up with a Hobie, the race was on! America’s Cup: Team Nogal (Frank and Julia) vs. Team Cool Runnings (Dave, Ben and Gaby)! I can’t say if there was a winner, but needless to say, a lot of fun was had by all!!

Enjoying ourselves pool-side.  You can see some of the palm trees are a little worse for wear from cyclone damage

Ben, Gaby and Dave go out on the Hobie

The next great sailor in our family?  Benjamin loved sailing the Hobie!  Best. Birthday. Present. Ever.!!

A look back at the pool and beach.  Hard to imagine that this was devastated by a cyclone just a month ago

Thank goodness it was Ben’s birthday, because this allowed us to indulge in one more thing we don’t do a lot of: eat out! Frank made reservations for us all at a place called “Tako”, and we had the most interesting and fanciest tacos and quesadillas we’ve ever had! Delicious! After dinner, everyone met back on Cool Runnings, and the celebrations continued with a cake that Julia managed to whip up somewhere between Hobie sailing and dinner! I was most impressed!! Thank you, Julia for managing what I couldn’t!! And thanks to Sophie for the decorations on the cake!

Gaby, the Birthday Boy with Julia and Sophie and the birthday cake Julia whipped up for Ben.  The banner across the cake reads "Happy Birthday"...hand made by Sophie!  Thank you both for the tremendous effort!  (and the cake was delicious too!!)

Unfortunately for Ben, all good things must come to an end, and soon the day was over, but now we have a teenager in the house (or more correctly, on the boat), and he had one of the best birthdays ever! Thanks to all who made it so special!

On a side note, we’ve witnessed some incredible destruction here in the Whitsundays from cyclone Debbie.  It is a constant reminder of what Mother Nature can do, and how careful we have to be whilst on this trip.  As I write this, another low is forming in the Coral Sea, with the potential to become a very nasty system, if not a cyclone.  We are tracking it, and while it is a little too soon to say, it looks like it might hit Cairns around May 9th, just when we plan to be there!  And therefore, our plans are always fluid, as we watch the weather and plan accordingly!

Many businesses in Airlie Beach were closed either temporarily or permanently due to the damage from the cyclone

This beautiful boat was just smashed onto the rocks

This was in Hamilton Island Marina.  Not only were some of the actual docks/pontoons totally destroyed, there were many boats with extensive damage...this one was probably the worst

No longer a "Day Dream"... more like a nightmare