2018 Travels
Date: 31/7/18
Location: Great Keppel Island
S 23 09.94'
E150 57.00'
Weather: Sunny and lovely again
Author: Peter
Well the weather god has certainly been shining on us lately. We have had magical cruising weather the past few weeks and so out of season too. Fingers crossed it continues for a bit longer.
We departed Thomas Island heading for Scawfell Island, the most southern island in the Whitsunday group. Joel had a chuck all through the main cabin yuck! Poor little guy said lunch hadn't tasted very good but I think it was much more to do with sitting downstairs playing his DS and watching tv.
Scawfell Island was lovely again. We had one brilliant day, warm & sunny with a light breeze. Kylie & Mia went for a paddle, we all went snorkelling, swam off the back of the boat and had a play on the beach. The next day was remarkably different, a SE wind blew up and it was cool and cloudy. We used that day to get some washing done and a bit of crafting time.
Scawfell Island
The Young Endevour anchored up behind us and spent the windy day training the kids. Check out how many kids are going up the mast!
We left Scawfell Island headed for the Percy Islands with a few backup anchorages in mind should we not be able to make the distance. It was a bit of a miserable trip :( The wind was on the nose and we tacked our way south. We were all grateful when we finally arrived after dark at Digby Island. Thank goodness we had been to Digby on the way North and had way-points to navigate into the anchorage. We had travelled an extra 20 miles to the straight line and still had to run the engine for the last 11nm to get there at a half reasonable time. I think by this point we were all wondering how painful the voyage south was going to be????
From Digby Island it was on to Percy Island. Again a work, but the breeze was not so bad as one tack was pointing not far from our destination so not many extra miles were needed. The ocean was flat and the breeze was light but enough to keep us moving at 6 knots. We arrived at Middle Percy Island at lunchtime, so after a quick bite to eat we headed to shore ready to show the children the A-frame and all the mementos left by other cruising yachts. We even had one of our own to leave behind. Although the A-fame itself has not changed much, the area around the structure has greatly improved, with a BBQ area and plenty of seating, and solar power and lighting in the A-frame. The surrounding area has become much more cleared with the beginnings of gardens being established around all the coconut palms. Biggest of all, the tree house now looks more like a villa and has been set up to rent out to guests. The A-frame has also seen a lot of cleaning out. It was not as full as last time and as a result it was harder to see the history hidden within the structure. Much of the momentous seem to be recent unlike our last visit which showed a variety of objects from over the years. I'm not sure if this is due to cyclone damage or someone just clearing the structure out.
And here is our contribution to the A-frame. Kylie painted a rock to match the signwriting on the boat and in theme with the rock painting the kids have been doing during the trip.
With the winds predicted to improve even more, we decided to keep moving the next day. The breeze had now rotated to the east, so with headwig and a full main we left early the next morning doing 6.5 knts in 8 knts of breeze aimed exactly where we wanted to go with the tide set to help us for most of the day. The ocean was again flat with no swell running. The only downside was that around 10:30 the breeze died out completely instead of rotating to the north east like predicted. So we rolled headwig back up and on went the motor, something we still don't like, sailing is so much nicer.
From the start of the trip as soon as we had the sails set we started seeing whales. Thirsty Sound seems to be full of them as this trend continued all day. No matter which direction you looked you could see whales. Last time through this section coming south we had a glass out and we got some great photo's of whales. Today was the same. The silky conditions makes it very easy to spot whales and as such we were ready with the camera. Tail flukes, pectoral slaps, upside-down slaps and breaching all about us, all day. A pod of dolphins appeared to be playing with one calf, and for the first time ever we had to actually take avoiding action to dodge three whales. Normally, they give us some room as we sail along well before we get anywhere near them.(unless they are following us. Sometimes they will ride our wake, slot-caring us like bicycles in a road race do. One trip back to Coffs, with my father aboard, 2 whales did this for bout half an hour. With the tips of their snouts just 2 metres behind the boat my father was a little concerned to start with. Who could blame him when you get to see the size of these animals form this close up). Not knowing which way they were pointing. I picked the wrong side. So when the big beasts finally did decide to move they swam straight at us before diving under the boat. Needless to say, Mia and Joel got a great close up view as they went down.
Excuse the crooked horizon lines in all our photos. It is hard to get a straight horizon on a boat.
I've done no cropping on any of these photos. How close those whales look is how close they were!
Later in the day as the tide turned and started coming in, so to did the breeze. With the motor off we sailed into the the very pretty, Pearl Bay. The section of coast from here down to the Keppels, I feel is quite beautiful as it has multiple layers visible from sea. The mountain range also produces some interesting shapes. Being closer to where the water feeds into Thirsty Sound the water becomes clear, although losing its turquoise colouring becoming more blue. We had planned to spend 2 nights here but as the breeze stayed NE all night the anchorage became a little rolly over night. So after a good play on the beach, check out the warning sign below, and some lunch we rode the afternoon tide a short distance into Port Clinton. Another stunning spot although you cannot go to shore as it is part of the militarys training base. After another stunning sunset with a long orange show for over half an hour after the sun had set and a great nights sleep in water so still you could have thought the boat was sitting on solid ground, we set sail with the outgoing tide headed for North Keppel Island.
Pearl Bay
Port Clinton
They are both looking pretty relaxed on the boat these days
With light conditions predicted for the next few days we decided to check out this island for the first time (the anchorage here offer minimal protection from the trade winds). What a wonderful island it is with picture postcard waters and beaches. There were nice walks through forests leading to great views of the area, along easily marked and sign posted paths with education information displayed along the way. It was fantastic to see something different with forest having lost that tropical feel being more arid in feel but still dense, and again different to Great Keppel, which feels dry, rocky and is covered by many grevillia trees.
North Keppel Island
Practicing school work during our walks. Its hard to do gymnastics on the boat!!
Star jumps
When the water is so clear you can see the anchor on the bottom from the bow!
Peters fresh bread! 3 weeks since we went shopping
Snorkelling at North Keppel Island
2 days ago, there was another weird weather event...a fog! Not just for an hour but for half the day. When we got up in the morning we could see Yepoon and the mainland from our anchorage at North Keppel Island but an hour later it looked like this and I could barely make out the beach we were anchored at.
We needed to get fuel and water so we pulled up the sails and in the eerie weather began the sail across, however, the wind decided to stop and we needed to turn the motor on. We struggled to see any other vessel on the water (and there were lots!), we could hear them coming before we saw them. It was very strange. I filled the boat with fuel and water whilst Kylie walked to the nearest service station to swap our gas bottle for a new one. The service station owner said a fog is very common in the winter months. As we motored back out of the marina the fog was still thick and it wasn't until around 1.30pm that it finally lifted.
We have been anchored up at Great Keppel for the past few days exploring with children. We walked up to some different lookouts which tested Mia and Joel a little as it was 27deg cel, very little shade and some steep hills to walk up. They did well again. Even coming down a trail that looked more like a kangaroo path than a walking trail as it was clear it was used by kangaroos more than people. We have spent more time on the beach, Joel has made more sand castles, a ray this time. Much to our disappointment, someone has broken the giant swing since our stop on the way up and the pieces are missing making it difficult to rebuild. Joel still a great time swinging on a single rope, however.
guess who has learnt to drive the ducky!
We have never seen this coral before- Great Keppel Island
Great Keppel Island walks
See that yellow sand way in the distance (over the centre of the island) that's Yellowpatch, our next destination.
We have had some snorkelling over small reefs, but it has been good because they have more variety at the moment than in the Whitsundays. It has also been great to see more hard coral again, as this all seems to have been smashed up further north. You know the water is clear when you come out on deck at night and you can still see the bottom clearly, 6 metres away and you have a shadow thanks to the full moon that is as crisp as if it were day, showing on the bottom as well.
With the wind still blowing from out of season directions we are now looking to jump further south later in the week, trying to get back out to Lady Musgrave on Friday to let the kids snorkel over the lagoons awesome reefs, which we missed doing on the way up due a change in the weather.
