The past 3 weeks have been nothing but rain and strong winds, SE 20-35 knts and higher at times. We stayed in Cid Harbour before moving to Gulnare Inlet, Whitsunday Island. Gulnare is opposite and north of Hamilton Island, only a short few mile. It needs to be entered on a rising tide and once inside provided great shelter in all winds, very secure as well as picturesque, even though it was raining all the time. We ventured out the following day as Danny and Al our friends from Lets Go were visiting Hamilton Island and Danny managed to sweet talk the marina Manager into letting us stay overnight.
It was great to catch up enjoy a few drinks at the local tavern. In the rain and wind we took them back to the airport the following day, head to toe wet weather gear and a tinny ride, they made an amusing spectacle!! Back across the Whitsunday Passage we went to Abel Point Marina ready for the installing of our replacement Intellian i9 that has been playing up now for 18months. After a days work by Sean from TMQ, although better it is still not 100% fixed.
The strong wind warning was still current as we made our way across the Whitsunday Passage and as the tide was flooding( tides in the Whitsunday region flood south and ebb north) we had a waves that steeped up, and white water sprayed across us. Much to my horror we were covered in salt!
The rain was falling as Alan went in with the tinny to the Airport Wharf to pick up Justin, Nathan and Brendon, whilst I circled around waiting for them. There is a No Anchoring Zone in the whole of the Dent Passage now.
With the wind at our back we headed past Cid Harbour and in very calm waters as the tide had turned, we headed north along the western side of Whitsunday and Hook Islands until we came to Stonehaven Anchorage. Here we searched for the correct national Park mooring buoy that would accommodate our 35,000 ton weight for the night. The buoys are all colour coded.
It wasn’t long before the boys had their fishing gear in the tinny for a spot of Whitsunday fishing. The bullets were blowing off the high steep mountains at 40+ knts, buffeting us around which made sleeping cool.
The next morning as I surfaced Justin greeted me with “Oh no, someones stolen the tinny and Nathan!” He was sick of waiting for them to wake, so he left to find fish on his own! Trying to play the tides right we waited til midday before heading west to Gloucester Island. We reached the Gloucester Passage at 4pm and went through and anchored outside Gloucester Eco Resort. The boys spent the evening getting ready for their Pirtek Fishing Comp the next day in aide of Prostrate Cancer. They were filling the tackle boxes with new lures, the esky was filled with ice and cold water and food was stowed in the bow then it was off to bed for an early night.
All day they fished but did not manage to get the target fish- Queenfish, Whiting or Yellow Tail Bream but all was not lost we had enough Mackerel for a feed at the end of the day.
We startled everyone this morning at 6am, the motor started and the anchor pulled as it was a perfectly calm , flat seas and 5knt Sou’easterly breeze for the 50nm trip to Cape Upstart. First we went the 10nm to Bowen to fill all the jerry cans with outboard fuel before continuing on.
It’s now 2.35pm we have 4 nm to go and we have turfed the boys in the tinny on the end of Cape Upstart and they will be able to fish their way back to us!
We still have a beautiful SUNNY
day, haven’t had one for weeks!!
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The strong wind warning was still current as we made our way across the Whitsunday Passage and as the tide was flooding( tides in the Whitsunday region flood south and ebb north) we had a waves that steeped up, and white water sprayed across us. Much to my horror we were covered in salt!
The rain was falling as Alan went in with the tinny to the Airport Wharf to pick up Justin, Nathan and Brendon, whilst I circled around waiting for them. There is a No Anchoring Zone in the whole of the Dent Passage now.
With the wind at our back we headed past Cid Harbour and in very calm waters as the tide had turned, we headed north along the western side of Whitsunday and Hook Islands until we came to Stonehaven Anchorage. Here we searched for the correct national Park mooring buoy that would accommodate our 35,000 ton weight for the night. The buoys are all colour coded.
It wasn’t long before the boys had their fishing gear in the tinny for a spot of Whitsunday fishing. The bullets were blowing off the high steep mountains at 40+ knts, buffeting us around which made sleeping cool.
The next morning as I surfaced Justin greeted me with “Oh no, someones stolen the tinny and Nathan!” He was sick of waiting for them to wake, so he left to find fish on his own! Trying to play the tides right we waited til midday before heading west to Gloucester Island. We reached the Gloucester Passage at 4pm and went through and anchored outside Gloucester Eco Resort. The boys spent the evening getting ready for their Pirtek Fishing Comp the next day in aide of Prostrate Cancer. They were filling the tackle boxes with new lures, the esky was filled with ice and cold water and food was stowed in the bow then it was off to bed for an early night.
All day they fished but did not manage to get the target fish- Queenfish, Whiting or Yellow Tail Bream but all was not lost we had enough Mackerel for a feed at the end of the day.
We startled everyone this morning at 6am, the motor started and the anchor pulled as it was a perfectly calm , flat seas and 5knt Sou’easterly breeze for the 50nm trip to Cape Upstart. First we went the 10nm to Bowen to fill all the jerry cans with outboard fuel before continuing on.
It’s now 2.35pm we have 4 nm to go and we have turfed the boys in the tinny on the end of Cape Upstart and they will be able to fish their way back to us!
We still have a beautiful SUNNY
day, haven’t had one for weeks!!
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