Off to the Whitsundays

Friday 15^th June 2012

Off to the Whitsundays
Pentecost I, Hamilton I, Fitzalan Beach Anchorage, Solway Passage, Whitehaven Beach Anchorage
20’26.098 S – 149’02.622 E
Little to no wind, calm seas warm sunshine

Sunrise at Gap beach Lindeman Island

This morning MrJ and I waved goodbye to Gary and Mercedes on Forever Dreaming we all sailed out of the anchorage in Gap Beach on Lindeman Island. Ric and Shelly on Neriki will be sailing out soon: Shelly to catch the plane out of Hamilton and Ric to make his own way for the next two weeks while Shelly pays a visit back home. This morning we too will be moving on, moving to our next anchorage and our next adventure.

For all three boats, this is the beginning of their own exploration of the Whitsunday Islands. Who knows, we may meet up again somewhere around the corner to enjoy more adventures together.

Neriki sailing past Pentecost Island

MrJ and I motored around to the NW side of Lindeman, Boat Port Bay; the wind and swell was coming up from the SSW so this anchorage was out of the question. We then turned about to head northward, heading towards Hamilton Island. MrJ was thinking that the anchorage on the other side of Hamilton, on Whitsunday Island in the Fitzalan Passage called Fitzalan Anchorage (20’29.596 S – 149’02.839 E) might have been a good spot to drop the anchor to do his internet business. I set the anchor and we waited for the boat to settle. The wind was bulleting around the horn on Hamilton Island push our stern to the coral shore. Not liking to be on a lee shore especial it being that nasty boat-biting coral stuff; MrJ and I decided it was better not to stay here so I pulled up the anchor and we were off again.

This time it was a great sail across the passage at the bottom of Whitsunday Island, past Turtle and Chance Bay with a 20knt wind on the beam and a fast running sea. Around the bottom of the island and through Solway Passage where the wind abated and the pass was smooth with an outgoing tide. Once through the pass MrJ steered AR into the calm waters off Whitehaven Beach. Guess who was also there? Forever Dreaming! I bet that they thought that we were following them. They didn’t and were glad to see us.

Suset play on the Whitehaven Beach

MrJ and I anchored AR a fare distance along the beach from where all the tourist and charter boats had anchored and Forever Dreaming was right smack bang in the middle of them all. Later that afternoon when we caught up with Gary and Mercedes for drinks on the beach, Mercedes said that it was rather fun being in a mongst it all getting to see and hear all the goings on. While on the beach having Sundowners we also met Jeremy and Iona and their three girls. MrJ and I had met Jeremy and one of his daughters at Shaw Island and now we were able to meet the whole family with Jeremy’s mum and dad too. The little girls had become so accustomed to boating life in their short six month of sea life on board that it showed in everything that they would do. Things like help haul in the dinghy, tie a line off and general running about their 50foot catamaran. It was amazing to watch them playing on the beach together; finding anything to play with, not bringing their own toys and such but finding an old length of rope and making an afternoon of fun while we waited for the setting sun.

Seeing these girls brought thoughts of my own dear grandchildren so many miles away.