A Quick Look at the Markets and a Run for Cid Harbour

Saturday 23/06/12

20’15.818 – 148’56.570
A Quick Look at the Markets and a Run for Cid Harbour

Looking up the bay to cannonvale

Airlie Beach Market Day always falls on a Saturday morning with many colourful stall set up in town along the waterfront at Airlie Beach. This morning after last night’s rain, there was no sunshine and there was a strong cold breeze blowing making the day all dull and grey. MrJ and I decided that we would walk into town once again with Gary and Mercedes, to have a quick look at the market but mainly to see if Sandy and Kelvin had their Grotty Yachty Stall at the markets. If you are ever at the Airlie Markets do check out their stall and their great t-shirts and other items. Sandy and Kelvin are local people, local business people, local boaties and fellow Shaggers (SICYC members) besides being our good friends who we have not seen since last year. We did catch up with Sandy and Kelvin and caught up with all that had been happening since we were last there.

Mercedes, Sandy & Kelvin

I came home with some fresh veggies and another plant. How unusual for me! I bought a young Thai Coriander plant as the one I have already is getting a lot of use and need a rest. That was my excuse and I will stick with it! ;o))))

Another reason to go up town was for MrJ to get a carton of beer and some white for me from the BWS store in the main street of Airlie. Can’t go without the important stuff! MrJ always buys the  beer and wine at this store because the franchise owner give you a good deal and quiet often has great special that you can’t get anywhere else.

The blister on my foot was still giving me trouble and I had to bandage it once we got back on board. The wind had seemed to settle but I could feel that it was coming from a different direction, slightly east and the shoreline was protecting AR just for a little while. The wind was due to change, change to southerlies and come in much stronger, too strong for us to stay in this anchorage. There was a strong wind warning for the entire northern Queensland coast; MrJ and I knew that we had to get out of here, get out of here right now and fast. Gary and Mercedes were staying in town a little long and then they would come back and move their boat around to the beach front at Airlie. Their boat has a very shallow draft 800ml, not like AR and her 1.4m draft and would be able to get in fairly close for a good anchorage and protection. We had to move which we did. MrJ and I up anchored and sailed across to Cid Harbour on western side of Whitsunday Island.

A tourists boat heading for the safety of the marina

As AR left the protection of the main land the wind caught her sail. MrJ decided to only put the genoa out and not all of it as we had no idea what was waiting for us in the Whitsunday Passage. The tide was near to high and hopefully would be on the turn by the time we go out to the passage and then we would have wind going with tide, even if the wind was strong and the sea was lively, which it was.

We sailed across to the top of North Molle Island, turned along its western shore and motored into the waves, which were not so bad on this shoreline till we came to the passage between North and South Molle Islands, Unsafe Passage. Here we motored through and into Bauer Bay on the northern side of South Molle Island. From here we kept the headland of Spion Kop and Deedes Point close to out starboard side before turning into the feisty Whitsunday Passage. By coming this way instead of straight across the top of North Molle Island it would give us a better angle to head for Cid Harbour, a better angle to take the passage and time for the tide to take effect. MrJ and I had made the right choice and still with only a reefed genoa we made our crossing pretty much unscathed except for the occasional spray over the bows.

Sunset in Cide Harbour

AR is now safely anchored in Cid Harbour under the protection of the Whitsunday Peak on Whitsunday Island.