Sailing the Queensland coast.

Early May I could see an opportunity to start the voyage north. There was a huge high pressure system or anti cyclone crossing the country. This initially brought light northerly winds, strong southerly winds would follow. I motor sailed the 100 miles to the southern end of Fraser Island arriving just on high tide. It was another uneventful bar crossing into Wide Bay Harbour. I anchored for the night before a leisurely motor up the Great Sandy Strait. I had to be at the mid point of the Straits at high tide. I dropped anchor at Big Woody Island at the bottom end of Hervey Bay.

Wide Bay Harbour

Great Sandy Strait

The next days forecast was for strong southerly winds. It was a brisk sail north into the Burnett River and Bundaberg. While there I met up with Rob and Lauren on Southern Comfort again. Southern Comfort had spent the summer anchored in Bundaberg Town Reach. Rob very kindly assisted me with transport to get my anchor chain re-galvanised. Kenco Galvanising charged $1.65/Kg. It was too good an opportunity to get the job done easily at a total cost of $75.00. I had investigated re-galvanising while in Mooloolaba. The minimum charge was $220 plus 70 Km transport to drop off and pickup.

Bundaberg Town Reach sunrise

After a pleasant week or so up the creek in Bundaberg it was time to head further north. Midday, May 22 Sadiqi was flushed out of the Burnett river on the ebb tide. It was another breezy 60 mile overnight sail with southerly winds up to 30 knots to Pancake Creek. A very pleasant sheltered anchorage in clear water. The sunsets were stunning.

Pancake Creek anchorage

Pancake Creek sunset

Pancake Creek

Sadiqi departed Pancake Creek (Lat 24° 019 S, Lon 151° 44 E) at 16:30 on Tuesday, May 30. It was a pleasant overnight sail with SE winds 15 to 20 knots. During the night I passed Cape Capricorn and into the tropics.

Great Keppel Island was a pleasant sheltered anchorage with about 30 boats. Temperatures were on the chilly side, more suited to hot soup than gin & tonic. I left Great Keppel at dark o clock Saturday morning. I was rugged up in my bunk, Ken the praymarine autopilot at the helm, romping along at 5 to 6 knots. I opted for Pearl Bay anchorage - hoping for less tidal rush than being up a creek. It was nearly a spring tide. There’s something like a 5 meter tidal range in the Shoalwater Bay, Mackay area.

Smithy, the windvane seemed to have spat the dummy or taken umbrage. The boat wonders all over the place and not often in the direction I wanted it to go. I dismantled the thing while up the creek - stroked it and talked to it nicely. This doesn't appear to have worked.

Rolly anchorages. How quickly one forgets. A good deal of time is spent searching and attempting to silence inanimate objects that became noisily animated.

Pearl Bay was a delightful sheltered anchorage; high hills scattered with scrubby Norfolk pines and long white sandy beaches.

Pearl Bay

Pearl Bay sunset

Tuesday June 4, another dark o clock start from Pearl Bay headed to the Percy Islands - about 55 miles. The winds were cold southerly. Ken, the praymarine autopilot had a conniption. Fortunately I had a replacement tiller drive unit.

I dropped anchor at Percy South Island trying to find some shelter. Paul and Chris on Georgia had overtaken Sadiqi during the morning. I replaced the wire from the autopilot control head to the tiller drive. The problem turned out to be a broken wire within the tiller drive unit. The anchorage was quite rolly. I couldn't sleep so chose to continue pulling up anchor at 20:00. The winds increased during the night. On approaching Scawfell Island I passed behind a procession of 3 ore carrier ships. Winds were gusting up to 35 knots. I passed the island to the east hand steering, some of the 4 meter waves were causing Sadiqi to surf at speeds of 10 knots. Rounding the island Sadiqi was pushing against a strong current – making one knot – with the engine running. Strong wind gusts whipped up spindrift. The severely reduced mainsail gybed once pushing the boat on her beam end. Fortunately the preventer held the boom. I dropped the anchor at 9:30 near several other boats in Refuge bay. After squaring away the boat I fell asleep. With the benefit of hindsight I should probably have stayed and rested at the Percy Islands.

Half past dark o clock (5:30) I hauled anchor and continued on north. With winds 20 to 25 knots from the south east Sadiqi sailed happily with reduced main and poled out partially furled head sail. I dropped anchor at Cid Harbour near Airlie Beach at 15:25. A fast 50 mile sail averaging 5 knots. There were quite a few charter yachts anchored at Cid Harbour. One of the charter catamarans dragged anchor on both nights I was there. Fortunately, Sadiqi was anchored to windward of the errant yacht.

I headed for Airlie Beach on Saturday June 8. I managed to anchor Sadiqi among moorings near the Whitsunday Sailing Club. I inflated the dinghy and rowed ashore. For $5/day temporary membership I was able to use the sailing clubs facilities; dinghy dock, water, showers, rubbish disposal. There was a laundromat not far away where I could attempt to neutralise my toxic laundry. I enjoyed the facilities at Whitsunday Sailing club - mainly the hot showers :-) It doesn't look like there's going to be many places, if any, for me to have a swim and a good wash as I sail further north with potential; shark, crocodile and jellyfish hazards.

Airlie Beach

After a pleasant week at Airlie Beach, cleaned, re-provisioned and watered Sadiqi continued north. I anchored for the night in Jonah Bay near Gloucester Passage. 

Gloucester Passage

Winds were forecast to be light. I waited for a falling tide to go through Gloucester Passage and arrived at Queens Bay, Bowen just after midday. I padded the aft section of the two lower battens on the mainsail. The anchorage was rolly so I decided to press on for Cape Upstart. A total distance of 60 miles. Big Bertha, the asymmetrical spinnaker, was hoisted up in the light airs – less than 10 knots easterly sea breeze. The moon was almost full and Cape Upstart looked reasonable for an arrival at night. The night arrival was uneventful. Arriving at night is not something I normally do.
There was a good 15 knot SSW land breeze early in the morning. I hauled anchor and continued north. Up went Big Bertha again to pull Sadiqi along at a respectable 5 to 6 knots in 10 knots of breeze. Around midday the wind dropped before swinging to the east and north. 

Drifting northwards with Big Bertha

Bowling Green Bay was huge and very shallow in places. Where I anchored was a little rough until later in the evening when the north easterly wind waves had abated.
I sailed off the anchor on sunrise with the 10 knot land breeze. Big Bertha was hoisted again, Sadiqi was pulled north west at up to 5 knots at times. The winds died out at around midday, what little there was slowly swung easterly. I ran the engine and as the winds increased to 8 knots hoisted the sails and motor sailed to Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island.

Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island

Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island

Magnetic Island is a rocky, picturesque island. I spent time with Paul and Chris from yacht Georgia and met local Dick who provided a wealth of knowledge. Next stop was Orpheus Island, around 35 miles north. I dropped anchor in Hazard Bay. The anchor chain grinding on the rocks woke me early. I hauled anchor and headed for Cape Richard at the northern end of Hinchinbrook Island. It was a pleasant 30 mile sail mostly with the jib poled out in 15 knot winds from the SE. I dropped anchor in Macushla bay. 

HinchenBrook Island

Cape Richards

At around 5 am Sadiqi was rolling with the chop from the westerly land breeze. I hauled anchor and had another pleasant 17 mile sail to Dunk Island.

Dunk Island

At dark o clock I hauled anchor. The wind was light and the water turbulent in the lee of Dunk Island. I started the motor to escape the choppy waves and banging of sails. The wind steadily increased first from the south then swinging to the south east. I poled out the jib. I gybed the sails when winds from the south east increased to 20 knots true. It was a pleasant fast sail hand steering most of the way. The WindPilot was still being belligerent. The almost 70 mile voyage took a little under 12 hours. I dropped anchor at Cape Grafton near Cairns. The dink (engine) cooling system was playing up. I had replaced a pump impeller recently. The engine appeared to not be pumping water again. I suspected a blockage in the system.

Trinity Inlet, Cairns

The following morning I motor sailed to Cairns Harbour. I had approached the harbour entrance near the bottom of the falling neap tide. I was a little surprised when sailing between the lateral markers that both depth and speed registered zero Sadiqi stopped in the ooze. I swung the tiller over and was successfully released from the mud. I phoned the Cairns Cruising Yacht Squadron in Smith’s Creek to enquire about access for the dinghy and use of showers. There are abundant warnings about the hazards of swimming in the creeks. I also inquired if they had a marina berth for a small yacht, to my surprise they did. Being in the marina gave me an opportunity to resolve the engine cooling problems amongst other things. Also the hot shower was sensational.

The Cairns Cruising Yacht Squadron is reasonably priced and the people friendly. Cairns is a good place to have boat work done with many chandlers and boat lifting services. I spent a good deal of time planning and preparing for the voyage north. I used Alan Lucas’s extensive guide; Cruising the Coral Coast for passage planing.

All to soon it was time to move on. Tuesday July 9, a soggy day with 20 knot SE winds, Sadiqi sailed 30 miles up the coast to the Low Isles off Port Douglas. I managed to pick up a free mooring. However, it was a rolly night. The following day on a rising tide I entered the Mossman river and berthed at Closehaven Marina, Port Douglas. I had a very pleasant time with friends in Port Douglas.

Low Isles

Closehaven Marina, Port Douglas

The winds looked favourable for a departure on Sunday July 14. Sadiqi departed Port Douglas at dark o clock motoring out of the wind shadow of the land. The winds were a little more than favourable by midday with gusts up to 35 knots. It was a brisk 60 mile sail to Cooktown. I was relieved to drop anchor in the Endeavour river and the shelter of Cooktown at around 1700. There was another massive high pressure 1035mb slowly moving east in the Australian bight. This meant there was going to be strong winds for several more days.

In 1770 something Lieutenant James Cook had beached his damaged ship the Endeavour after having nearly come to grief on a reef. He and the crew spent two months repairing the ship in what’s now called the Endeavour river. As much as I would have liked to have ventured ashore to visit the Cooktown museum it was too windy. Wind missiles, let alone bullets, strafed the small anchorage.

Endeavour River, Cooktown

Tuesday July 16 Sadiqi left Cooktown on a slack high tide. It was still and boisterous and wet exit from the Endeavour River. I sailed 15 miles to a bay inside Cape Bedford – and rested there the night.

The following day Sadiqi sailed 40 miles in 25 to 30 knot south east winds to Lizard Island. Before reaching Lizard I saw in the distance several leviathans having a wale of a time breaching and making huge splashes. There were about 8 boats anchored in Mrs Watson’s Bay. It was a full moon and spring tides.

Mrs Watson's Bay, Lizard Island

Snorkeling the reef, Lizard Island

Giant Clam

I planed on spending a few days at Lizard to let the moon wane and the tides lessen in range. I inflated the dinghy and headed to shore. I walked part way up Cooks lookout - 350 metre elevation. On returning to the boat I was visited by a National Parks boat and was politely informed that controlled burning of parts of the island was being conducting the following day. Being anchored in the lee of the island meant the anchorage was going to get smoked and covered with soot. I snorkelled  on the reef in the afternoon then prepared Sadiqi for an early departure.

Dark o clock, again, Sadiqi headed north west. The winds varied 15 to 25 knots from the south east. We passed north of Howick Island in the shipping lane. The plan had been to sail 50 miles to Ninian Bay. However, I was seeing 6 to 8 knots speed over the ground (SOG). I was mostly hand steering as there was too much sail up for the windvane to cope with. I thought I could make Bathurst Bay inside of Cape Melville 20 miles further. There was still enough daylight to make for a sheltered anchorage in the Flinders Group of Islands. I dropped anchor at the western end of Owen Channel. Sadiqi had sailed a commendable 84 miles in 13 hours, an average of 6.4 knots. The skipper slept very well that night.

Howick Island

I checked the weather grib files in the morning. Winds were going to be light, there looked to be some damp possible nastiness midweek. Sadiqi had a leisurely departure at 0845. The Volvo chugged away for 30 miles to Kestrel Reef. I dropped anchor at 1500. The winds steadily increased in the late afternoon. I was hoping the low reef was sufficient protection. Kestrel was an OK anchorage, I would not have wanted to be there on a spring high tide in a strong trade wind.

Sadiqi motor sailed a further 30 miles to Morris Island the following day. This is a well protected anchorage in the south east trade wind by a reef and small sand island. I snorkelled on the reef, the visibility was poor. I swam ashore and walked around the small island. With no other boats around I enjoyed the solitude. I stayed a further day as winds were still forecast to be light. The trade winds weren't.

Morris Island

Morris Island

Wednesday July 24 another dark o clock departure from Morris Island. It was brisk sail in 15 to 25 knot SE winds.
I dropped anchor, for the first time, at Portland Road at 1400. It was a shitty rolly anchorage and I had to re-anchor when it dragged.
It was a leisurely 0715 start the following morning for the 40 mile sail to Margaret Bay, Cape Grenville. Sadiqi crossed the shipping channel twice without interfering with the traffic. I dropped the anchor at 1415 in a pleasant sheltered bay. There were two other yachts in the bay.

Margaret Bay, Cape Grenville
Friday the skipper did boat maintenance, baked bread, passage planning and worked on the blog - attempting to proof read more.
Saturday, July 27, dark o clock (0310) I hauled anchor and headed north. Winds were initially 12 to 15 knots south east, picking up to 25 knots by midday. I had too much sail up to worry about using the Windvane - I had a long way to go. I hand steered getting relief from Ken the electric autopilot when I needed to visit the head or get food. It was a long day.
Sadiqi entered the Albany Passage, near Cape York, on the rising tide rushing through the flat waters at 8 knots.

Albany Passage

I dropped anchor at 1715 in Shallow Bay. A commendable days voyage of 85 miles in 14 hours. Joshua Slocum sailed around the world, single handed in 1897. He sailed the eastern Queensland coast in 21 days stopping at Bowen and Cooktown. Apparently, he anchored in Shallow Bay.