Year One
Date: 15/6/2008 12.30
Weather: Clear and warm
Location: heading north just off Bustard Head
Author: Peter

We are currently on the move and I'm debating whether to put up big bird. Kylie is whale spotting. The other day whilst off Fraser Island Kylie spotted her first whales. They were right next to the boat. She startled me awake, but I think she startled them as the next thing we new they started following (chasing?) us. It felt really weird looking straight out the back of the boat at three whales bigger than us within 15 metres. Actually it got a little nerve racking after a while.

We spent three nights at Canapia Point while the southerly blew through. Although the Sand blow was a disappointment the view back over the delta and all the islands of Morton Bay was not. If you had some small kayaks, you could pretend it was a maze and send groups out to find their way to the prize in the center. Thank goodness we had maps.
Sunset at Canapia Point

Canapia Point was also enjoyable as we got our first turtle experience. Around sunset while off in the duck we had at least five turtles swim past us, one even poking his head out to have a good look at us. I think we are the only ones that noticed them because the rest of the crowd was well and truly into the grog and making allot of noise on each others boats.

After we left Canapia we spent a night in the Brisbane River(27'24 24S, 153'09 17E). Not much to mention here except, go further up, the oil refinery really stinks. We then made our way to Scarborough Marina (27'11 69S, 153'06 34E) for two nights where we were having our duo-gen checked out. During our stay we tested out the QLD public transport system and made our way to Kippa Ring to do some shopping and catch a movie which felt a little strange. Narnia Prince Caspian was not the Disney movie I expected but was still worth watching.

After leaving Scarborough, we spent a rolly (not nice) night off Bribie Island (27'01 85S, 153'11 29E)before doing an over nighter to Bustard Bay (24'08 95S, 151'50 87E) in a building breeze trying to out run the forecast strong wind warning. We only had a bad time of it across the top of Harvey Bay with the boat now covered in salt from all the waves we had over the deck for half a day.

Bustard Bay is the spot where Captain Cook anchored and first went ashore in QLD to climb round hill to have a look around. It is a pretty spot with low hills covered in gum trees and the small town of 1770. We enjoyed it as we both got a good nights sleep in still waters after the rough last 48 hour run.

Today we will cross into the tropics, hoping to anchor at Capricorn Point which lies directly on the tropic of Capricorn line.

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