Great sail with mainsail and code zero. Wind came up and got quite hectic halfway over Cleveland bay so dropped the code zero and put out the headsail. We maintained our speed. When coming into Horseshoe bay there is a lot of special purpose mooring balls. Not sure what they are for but they take up a lot of good anchoring spots 🤷‍♀️

After a shocking night with consistent winds 25-30 knots we had a nice sail today with headsail and mainsail. Beautiful sunrise this morning, and happy to be in such a calm anchorage at Bowling Green with no wind. Very beautiful 🌅

Thought we would be celebrating 1000nm today but will just have to keep the 🥂 until tomorrow’s anchorage ⚓️ We intended to go further today but chose to hop into this beautiful anchorage CAPE UPSTART and get some reprieve from the wind and enjoy the afternoon since we wouldn’t be getting in to Cape Bowling Green til after dark. A great parasail with following seas but as the wind got up over 20knots and the swells increased it seems like a great time to pause and appreciate the day on anchor. ⚓️

After catching up with friends we took the opportunity of a light wind to sail to Bowen. Code zero and headsail wing on wing. Nice 👍 first time we tried that because we usually use the parachute 🪂 it is an easier option when the winds are variable and slightly light. Waiting on an electronic part to arrive into Airlie and will hire a car to go pick it up. We could have waited at Airlie but we had been in the Whitsundays for a while so got a couple of sails north towards Darwin while there was some wind

A last minute decision to head north even though we are still waiting on an electronic part for our washing machine. Beautiful downwind sail with code zero or headsail as the wind was shifting. Gloucester resort have mooring balls for $40 per night with full access to bar, restaurant, showers and laundry. Can’t ask for more than that. Beautiful spot. Just a cautious transit through the Gloucester passage at low tide. We are hoping to get a transfer from here to Airlie beach to pick up the part we are waiting for but if that is not available we will head to Bowen and get a transfer from there. Nicer to be here at Gloucester resort than hanging around Airlie.

Intending to go to Hook island refuge bay but was a bit messy past the point

Karina and the family have gone back home to the Gold Coast. Mark now has a mate on board so this trip is recorded over the few days. Only a couple of sailing moments due to low wind conditions.

We headed through Solway passage with the tide. A calm and perfect day to go through. We were over to the right with PLENTY of room for all. Along comes a total dickhead in a large motorboat (against the current) with total disregard for any other boats transiting the passage (4 knots of current) with his wake causing large breaking waves. He came by so fast and so close it was impossible to turn fully into his wake. It was a very intense few minutes and the babies were both screaming and very traumatised. In all our time sailing including offshore, we have never encountered such disregard for other people. We have always said boaters are all amazing people because we all rely on each other at some stage. Thank goodness that is mostly the case. This guy was obviously compensating….

With family on board and the winds just doing the same same we headed back to Chalkie’s and were able to grab the mooring ball closest to shore. Less worries when not affected by wind against current but also easier to manage the kids to get to shore etc. We had a resident turtle spend about 45 mins at the back of the boat. Such a treat and some good GoPro footage. 🐢 Did the walk to the outlook again (with shoes this time 😅) and enjoyed the wind dropping off finally. We were trying to work out the current to go through Solway passage so sent Rory off in the tender and he encountered whales coming through the passage. Pretty amazing. Unfortunately no footage as proof. 🐋

After our hike across to Dugong we motored around to TONGUE BAY and picked up a mooring ball further in. Still very windy. The kids (young adults) took the opportunity to get the actual kids off the boat and get some land time. Billie (the 2yr old) seems to be better with two trips ashore a day. Over to Hill inlet beach they went and really enjoyed it albeit incessantly windy. A makeshift birthday cake for our baby girl 🎂 and a good old fashioned Bunnings bucket bath.

Another trip into Hammo. Love the concierge although we had a 45min wait in the queue to get in. Always good to get some laundry done and meet some people at the laundromat for local intel. (Still waiting on washing machine parts). Pick up our daughter Alesha and her hubby plus a 2yr old and 5yr old. Motored around to CID harbour and enjoyed a beautiful sunset on the beach. Next day a walk across to Dugong beach which was really sheltered and had a lot of campers there.

Back to Hamilton island 🏝️ for family pick up. Loved our time at Butterfly bay 🦋 Some lovely rock formation coming around the top of Hook.

Beautiful

Main and headsail. A tad rolly here. Anchored in 11m

Whitsunday Passage was better today. We know how sassy it can become so have learned to judge the tide and wind slightly better. Arrive at Airlie to find our washing machine has decided to pause its usable life. Waiting on hubby to work a miracle. A few days here til more family arrive inc a 2yr old and 5yr old. 😬

Chalkies to Whitehaven for a swim and paddle board then a sail around to Sawmill bay. Dropping guests off tomorrow morning at Hamilton island. Made boat donuts while on passage. 🍩

A short trip here for half a day. Moved across to Chalkie’s on Hazelwood. Stunning there once the wind dropped off. North west mooring ball was good while the wind was low but once and wind came up and was against the current the mooring ball was bashing against the hull. Took another mooring further down and closer to shore. Nice snorkelling here 🤿

Dugongs and Turtles hanging around the boat for the whole time we were there. Did the hike across to the lookout and Hill inlet. Very windy atm.

Motoring with no wind to the top of Hook passage. Madi and Ethan took a snorkel 🤿 We then moved on to Tongue Bay

Whitsunday passage much more palatable today. Headsail only up to CID and very pleasant. Raining

A quick motor across to Hamilton Island to pick up our daughter and her boyfriend. Concierge escort in was a great help while docking, (compared to Mackay Marina who sends the receptionist down who knows nothing about docking) 🙄 Enjoyed a breakfast at the cafe (rather expensive). We paid for the minimum of 3 hours stay at Hamilton only to find out a few days later that you can pay pick up and drop off 1 hour 🤦‍♀️ Off to CID Harbour

Heading back across to Hamilton island to position ourselves to pick up guests on Saturday. We tried to time it to get the south current down to Long Island and then the current with the wind to cross the Whitsundays passage to Hamilton island. We got both wrong and with winds 22knots was one of the most uncomfortable passages I can remember with such short periods between waves. We found a reasonable smooth albeit windy at FITZALEN beach to wait overnight before heading into the marina.

Well this was an interesting sail!!! Forecast 15-20kn winds we thought we might be in for another parasail. 🪂 We started with the headsail to get out of the bay and very quickly realised that we wouldn’t be putting up the parasail as it was gusting up to 25knots. And to top it off we were battling a 2kn current. The waves were standing up and had a very short period between. So, all in all a very uncomfortable sail up until we got through the gap of Long Island and South Molle island. Then we had the protection of the island and the current with us. Chalk and cheese sail. Anchored outside Coral Seas Marina. 😅 time for a wine or 3 🍷

Glass out today. A beautiful passage despite having to motor all the way and being engulfed in fog all the way with only approximately 250m vision ahead of us. Just as we reached Shaw Island we encountered 3 whales so turned motors off and watched them as they passed us by. Once anchored inside Shaw, it was early afternoon before the fog lifted and then the breeze started to come through.

After a 6 days sheltering at Mackay Marina we had a feisty exit out of the harbour and then settled into a beautiful parasail to Goldsmith island. What a spot 🤩. Very protected from the SE winds with a very gentle swell coming into the bay. 2 mooring balls and plenty of room for anchoring. Apparently whales have been sighted between Thomas island and here so hoping we will have an encounter when we sail north today. ATM we have glass out but winds are coming in tomorrow again.

A quick and feisty sail today with the Main sail and head sail.

Rocky coming out of the anchorage. Winds variable today so needed to motor sail part of the way. Main sail and code zero. Light rain most of the day. Pretty route into Curlew.

Parasail all the way. Very strong current and confused seas coming through the inlet to island Head Creek. Anchored in first anchorage on the left but in hindsight going further up the creek and around the corner would be less roll although it wasn’t too uncomfortable.

Great code zero and then Parasail north. Made good time before winds dropped. Anchored at Leeke’s Beach. Beautiful calm and protected. Had dinner at the resort Hideaway. Beautiful sunset

With high tide at 11am we left Gladstone Marina 8am and having to Pause at the main channel for a ship to pass by. We reached the narrowest part of the narrows right on high tide. The current was strong through there and our depth sounder said 0.00 while we passed through the narrowest and shallowest part but thankfully we didn’t touch. Anchored at the NW point on Curtis island. Wind dropped off and very calm anchorage.