Into the Tropics

Yellowpatch, Great Keppel Island and Rosslyn Bay

Saturday, 2 September to Saturday, 16 September 2023

We had to wait for the tide to come in to leave Pacific Creek, and then sail the 25nm across the top of Curtis Island to get to Yellowpatch before the tide had dropped too much. Luckily, Warren had some waypoints from a local in Gladstone and we had plenty of water under the keels going in (3.2m on a 2.8m tide). 

Don't enter at low tide!

We anchored before the big orange/yellow sandhill and wondered why it has been 12 years since last we visited. It is a very picturesque spot. 

Beautiful weather

Very protected in SE winds

Unfortunately, our stay was restricted to 2 nights as on Monday the government was closing the northern part of the island for feral animal control. Not wanting to encounter any stray bullets, we headed north for Great Keppel Island just before the 1200 closure.

Beautiful GKI beaches

At Great Keppel Island we caught up with the RQ Cruise North group again. We had perfect weather for our 4 nights anchored at Fisherman's Beach. Walks, kayaking and sundowners ashore filled our days and we were sorry to move on Friday to Rosslyn Bay. 

A large number of cruisers in the bays around GKI

My beach shelter (Mark 2) - still needs some refinements

Leeke's and Svensen's Bays

Our original plan was to stay in the Keppel Bay Marina for only a few days however a very strong south easterly and a chest infection for Warren changed that to 9 days. We enjoyed a couple of dinners with the RQ cruisers and lots of bike rides. 

Dinner at Beaches with RQ Cruisers

One of the best bikeways in Yeppoon

Warren made a new friend

Emu Park Singing Ship has had the volume turned down

Impressive ANZAC memorial at Emu Park

Looking towards the marina from Bluff Point

It was also great to catch up with my cousin Alan who I don't think I've seen since we were kids. 

Now.....

And then... I don't think we've changed much

Gladstone and The Narrows

Pancake Creek to Pacific Creek

Friday, 25 August to Friday, 1 September, 2023

We had a leisurely 0840 start to ensure we entered Gladstone with an incoming tide. A steady SE breeze to start, which went around to the E as we neared Gladstone made for an easy sail. The Gladstone Marina is off Auckland Inlet and after hearing lots of recommendations we decided to spend a week here. 

Gladstone Marina

The marina has a courtesy bus that we used for our reprovisioning and to visit the local art gallery and museum.

Old town hall repurposed as the art gallery

We were pleased to not encounter any magpies on our many bike rides, unlike our last visit which was my main memory of Gladstone! 

Spinnaker Park

Tondoon Botanic Gardens

Large cycad in the botanic gardens

Several RQ boats were already here, and we enjoyed a great dinner with the crew at the Yacht Club. 

Bridge opening on our walk home from dinner

We enjoyed our time in Gladstone however it is an industrial city and and coal dust in a northerly was not at all to Warrens liking!

Coal terminal north of the marina

So on Friday, 1 September we departed the marina for a trip up the inside of Curtis Island - aptly named The Narrows. The first 8 nm is in deep channels past the coal and gas loading wharves. Once clear of these, we motored with the tide towards the shallowest section of the passage. This is the crossover point for the tide and we quickly found ourselves pushing 3+ knots of tide.

2 engines needed to battle the tide

The shallowest section, the cattle crossing, is 2 m high at low tide and must be negotiated after careful calculations to make sure you have enough water. With a 4m tide we had no trouble, but we did breathe a sigh of relief as we got back into deeper water.

Fence shows where they used to drive the cattle across

We spent the night at Pacific Creek, so we could time the tide to Yellowpatch the following day. Lots of midgies and we swung from bank to bank in the wind. Not recommended!

Pacific Creek