2010 Dunk Island Trip Summary

Best place to visit: Yellow Patch
Best beach: Bona Bay (Whitehaven if there weren't so many charter boats)
Safest anchorage: Cid Harbour (Good in all weather and a great walk to the peak)
Best marina: Port Hinchinbrook (Pool and tennis court winners here)
Best sail: Spinnaker run to Pancake Creek with Peer Pressure
Worst sail: Orpheus to Magnetic Island (on the nose into a big swell)
Scariest sail: Big wind and swells off South Percy Island.
Biggest disappointment: Not getting to Lady Musgrave Island (next year!)
Best walk: Whitsunday Peak
Best kayak: From Pancake to Jenny Lind Creek
Best fishing: Yellow Patch and those mackeral while trolling
Friendliest people: Lots but the cruisers at Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island get the nod
Cheapest marina: Gladstone $31
Dearest marina: Hamilton Island $95
Best spot for lunch: Zoe Bay waterfall on Hinchinbrook
Longest sail: 14 hours and 83 nm Townsville to Cape Upstart (most on the breeze)
Best restaurant: Snappers at Tin Can Bay
Clearest water: Great Keppel Island
Best brush with nature: Hearing the whales singing the first time off Stonehaven
Worst nature experience: Those #%$#@# magpies at Gladstone
Best boat improvement: Chain counter and saloon shade sails

Overall what is it about cruising that makes us leave our warm comfy bed for months on end......it's the chance to spend time with good friends, meet new people, visit new places, get close to nature and the feeling of satisfaction when you overcome the challenges that cruising throws your way.

Home Sweet Home

Thursday 7 October

Well eventually the north easterly breeze came in and and we set the spinnaker for the run into Raby Bay. Better late than never after much motoring most of the morning.




We were met by our usual welcoming party (my Mum and Dad) who also double as our farewelling party! I was spoiled as Mum brought a tasty Shepherd's Pie for our dinner so I didn't have to cook our first night home.

Warren gave the traditional 3 blasts on the foghorn to mark our arrival and before we knew it the trip was over. There was one embarassing post script when we received a call from the Water Police about 6pm. They were concerned for us as we hadn't logged off with VKQ447 (Moreton Bay Trailer Boat Club). As we hadn't logged on with them we hadn't felt the need to log off however our details had been passed on by VMR Redcliffe. The Water Police were very nice and glad there was no problem. We have used the VMR/Coastguard network up and down the coast and these volunteers do a fantastic job.

Homeward Bound

Tuesday 5 October, Pelican Bay to Mooloolaba

8 boats were at Pelican Bay waiting like us for for the chance to cross the bar. We left at 5.30am with little wind but a 2.5m swell. The "Mad Mile" lived up to its name with large confused seas and we encountered a few waves that were about 3m and very steep in the shallowest section as we approached waypoint 1. We were glad when we were finally through although we didn't see any breaking waves in the channel (plenty on the banks!).

The wind came in about 10.30 and we sailed from here to the Mooloolah River where the swell was also up as we entered. It is a bit off putting to see surfers riding the swells as you approach the entrance.

We anchored in the pond and then moved to the Yacht Club Marina on Wednesday night. We had a surf, wnadered around the shops and contemplated the end of our cruise. It was very hot and we appreciated the shades we had made for the boat before we left.

Thursday 7 October, Mooloolaba to Raby Bay

Another 5am start to make the most of the incoming tide into the bay. No wind so motoring but with lots of shipping traffic in and out we are kept on our toes. We are hopeful of a NE sea breeze so we get a spinnaker run in for the last leg to Raby Bay.

Fraser Island

Tuesday 28 September, Bundaberg to Big Woody Island

Our planned departure from Bundaberg was delayed until 7am due to thick fog. We still had only about 100m visibility as we left. No wind so we were forced to motor. The fog lifted slightly at 9am before getting thicker again around 10am. We were keeping a constant watch on radar and AIS and also raised our radar reflector. We had 2 yachts and a power boat following us about 2 nm astern but only the power boat was visible on the radar. We had a close encounter with a yacht coming from Fraser but luckily he also had AIS which was very reassuring. The fog finally lifted at 11.30 just before we reached the Fairway Beacon.

Still no sign of wind and with an ebb tide we decided to anchor at Big Woody.

Wednesday 29 September, Big Woody Island to Garry's Anchorage

We timed our trip down the Straits to make the most of the tide. A light NW wind so we raised the spinnaker and carried it most of the way helped by one and a half knots of tide the whole way.

We spent 4 nights at Garry's as there was a strong wind warning with winds SE up to 30 knots. The anchorage is very protected however and we sat with no more than 15 knots most of the time. Met some Lagoon owners who were also waiting for the wind and seas to abate so they could cross the bar.

Sunday 3 October, Garry's to Tin Can Bay

With the SE breezes forecast to hang around for another 3 days we head to Tin Can Bay marina to fill up the fuel and have a look around. It has been 15 years since we came here with our trailable yacht for the Bay to Bays and things have not changed a lot. The dolphin feeding is very popular.

Dinner at Snappers restaurant at the marina was fantastic - we would highly recommend it if you are up this way. Met Rhys and Jennifer from Pittwater at the restaurant and we were lamenting the never ending south easterlies. However by the morning there was a revised forecast and we decided to cut short our stay at Tin Can Bay and head to Pelican Bay in preparation for a bar crossing on Tuesday morning.

Bundaberg

Saturday 25 September, Pancake Creek to Bundaberg

We had been waiting in Pancake Creek for a break in the weather so we could sail out to Lady Musgrave Island. The best day seemed to be today but as we headed out at 6am it became clear that with heavy rain we weren't going to get the visibility we wanted to find our way into the anchorage. We had taken a tack out to sea so moved to Plan B which was on to Bundaberg. The breeze started easing around lunchtime so we started a motor to keep us moving. It died completely later in the day and we motored into the river to anchor just off the marina at 6pm.

Sunday 26 September, Monday 27 September, Bundaberg

We moved into the marina on Sunday morning and Warren got a surprise when cleaning the boat to have a snake decide that it looked like a better place to be than in the flooding Burnett River. If you have been following the blog you will know Warren is not a fan of snakes so it stayed on the boat only long enough to get the picture! The extended transom of the 1000XL really does make it easy to get on board.

Sunday afternoon we rode the bikes to Bargara along an excellent bike trail that follows the coast at first and then runs behind Mon Repos. About 12k to Bargara which has a big IGA and Woolies another 1k out of town.

Monday we took the marina courtesy bus into town to shop and look around. Midtown marina is well positioned but looking a bit tired. With access to Bargara and Burnett Heads by bike and the free bus into town, I think we will stick with Bundaberg Port marina.