Bloodhorn Bay, Hook Island to Sawmill Bay, Whitsunday Island

After breakfast we decided to go to Cid Harbour only 11nm away.  An easy trip and 2 hours later we were anchored in Sawmill Bay.  As it was still early and we couldn’t have been bothered with the fight to get the kids to do school work, we went ashore to find the Captain Cook Monument we’d seen marked on the map. 

We got to the beginning of the track and just started walking.  It was all up hill. After only 15 minutes I was doubled over and “sucking in the big ones” and wondering how far it would be to get there.  After 30 minutes, even my eyes were sweating and I was starting to think about heading back (let’s face it, I was now well overdue for a cigarette).  After 40 minutes, Grace was crying and stopping every 20 metres or so trying to catch her breath.  I’m sure I was suffering altitude sickness and was kicking myself for not bringing along an oxygen tank or two but the boys seemed to be doing okay.  Not to be outdone by the boys, Grace and I kept climbing up what seemed like Everest.  After 1 hour 15 minutes we’d finally made it to the top of Whitsunday Peak… 2.5kms of track and stone cut stairs into the mountainside and 440m above where we had started. 

Whitsunday Peak

The view was spectacular.  We sat at the peak, drank and ate and got attacked by flies so headed back down again.

The trip back down was a lot quicker and a lot easier but my shoes aren't made for trekking up mountains (they are made for prancing around on yacht decks) so I fell and twisted my ankle… but I’m tough, I rubbed some dirt on it and walked it off.  Jed did the last 20 minutes with 1 shoe due to a blister (the kids aren’t used to wearing shoes), Grace’s legs were like jelly and involuntarily shaking and Michael had one sunburnt leg.  But we had survived.

When we made it to the bottom the question was finally asked “where the hell was the Captain Cook Monument?”  We have no idea where it was, probably a different path but we certainly weren’t going looking for it.

We got back to the boat and Robin & Pam contacted me and let me know they were at Hook Island… we’d left there yesterday.  I told them where we were and they told us to stay put and they’d catch up with us tomorrow.

Bona Bay, Gloucester Island to Bloodhorn Beach, Hook Island

The winds have died down so we decided to head back to Airlie Beach as we’ve been having problems with the mounts for the header tank.  We’ve managed to break two welds and have (yet again) held it together with cable ties.

So heading south and about an hour in to the trip decided… bugger it… we’re not going back to Airlie, we’re hitting the islands.  The cable ties were holding up (and there’s a lot more where they came from) and the kids were stinging to do some snorkelling.  We changed course and headed for Hook Island.  So after 6 hours and 30nm we anchored at Bloodhorn Beach at Hook Island.  Jed, as usual, hadn’t even waited for the anchor to set before he was out on deck fishing, but came up empty.

Bloodhorn Beach

The following morning, after some school work was done, we put on our wetsuits (as we have seen some stingers floating around) and jumped in the dinghy and headed over to Langford Island, 2nm away.  We hadn’t even got the dinghy on the sand and the kids had their snorkels, goggles and flippers on and were headed in backwards (because it’s hard to walk forwards in flippers).

As a snorkelling beginner, I have learnt an important lesson.  If you’re watching something and it swims away under you, don’t keep watching it as it goes beneath you.  This means your head goes down, your snorkel fills with water, you get a lungful, start splashing around and choking and this will attract sharks as well as fits of laughter from supposed loved ones.

The snorkelling was great but the northerly wind stirs the silt up so it wasn’t terribly clear but that didn’t seem to bother anyone as we bumped into each other and kicked each other in the face.

We returned to the boat a couple of hours later and a hard earned afternoon nap was had.

Our friends Robin & Pam that we met at Great Keppel, contacted us letting us know they were in Airlie and checking where we were.  They said they would try to catch up with us over the next few days.  It will be nice to catch up with them again.

Double Bay East to Bona Bay, Gloucester Island

An early morning following Bruce and his boat Dancer out of Double Bay heading north towards Bowen.  We knew that one section in the Gloucester Passage was 1.4m at low tide (we draw 2.1m) so it was important to hit at the right tide. This is why we were following Bruce.  He is a seasoned sailor who has done this trip a number of times before.

We hoisted our sails and with 7kt winds we were sailing along beautifully and enjoying the morning sunshine.   On approach to Gloucester Passage, we started up the motor and lowered the sails as we wanted to have full control of the boat going through the narrow zig sagging markers.  Bruce continued to sail on!  We followed him through and there was never the thought of any trouble and 4 hours after our departure we were anchored in the absolutely beautiful Bona Bay.

Gloucester Island

The fishing proved expensive with three lost lures and no edible fish.  

We went ashore and met Bruce’s family.  His gorgeous wife Tanya and his lovely daughter Ruby.  Ruby is Grace’s age so that kept Grace happy for the couple of days we spent there. 

Over the next couple of days we walked, played cricket, had drinks and nibbles, the girls painted shells they found on the beach and just generally had a relaxing time with lovely new friends.

Bruce, Jed and Michael

Me, Tanya

Ruby & Grace

I also undertook some sail repairs in 15kt winds.  By the time I was done, I required some repairs.

Yes Mum, that's me sewing

All up we spent 7 days at Gloucester Island as it was beautiful and we were waiting out the 40kt winds that were belting the Whitsundays.

Airlie Beach to Double Bay East

The weather wasn’t the greatest to be taking off but we’d used up our week (and all our money) and had to make our way out of the marina.  We checked the maps and decided the short trip to Double Bay East would keep us out of the strong winds predicted to hit.  So 12nm north in just 2.5 hours and we were throwing our anchor down in a fairly sheltered area. 

I also managed to forget to return the marina key upon our departure.  Now I own a key that cost me $50 and opens nothing I own.

We’d only been anchored for about 10 minutes when a neighbouring yachty, Bruce, came up in his dinghy with a huuuuuge golden trevally and asked “Do you want this?  I just caught it and I don’t have enough room in my fridge for it.”  Needless to say, we wanted it.  That night we had a big feast of trevally.  For people who live on the water, we don’t eat a lot of seafood and it was lovely to have a big feed of fresh fish.

With limited internet, we were discussing our options with Bruce and he suggested Gloucester Island.  He would be heading up there the following morning and as it has a line of sight to Bowen, the internet connectivity should be good.  So the decision was made to follow Bruce the following morning.