2018 Travels
Date: 11/8/18
Location: Platypus Bay Fraser Island
S 23 09.94'
E150 57.00'
Weather: overcast but nice
Author: Peter
Happy anniversary Kylie. 12 years has flown by. Sorry that it was a moving day but we will make it back up tomorrow.
Repairing the beach after major erosion from cyclone - Great Keppel Island
After leaving Great Keppel lsland we had a slow upwind sail back to Cape Capricorn only tacking when well south close to our destination. Again we had smooth seas and easy sailing. The kids wanted more time at Yellow Patch on the sand dunes but we arrived a little later than we hoped for. Quickly launching the ducky we were once again off up across the bay and bar before entering the river. Last time we were here there were 2 fishing tinnies camping on the beach. This time there were about 7 large yachts ranging from a 60 ft riv' down to a 40 ft beneteau. So apparently at high tide we could still get the yacht in.
The light late in the day over the sand dunes is stunning and just sets off the gold colours within the sands. After another altogether too short a play we had to start making our way back to the yacht, timing our arrival just before it got dark. But not before the kids collected another sand sample to add to their "where have we been jar". We would have loved to have walked up to the light house and had planned to do so this visit but due to our slow sail down we just ran out of time.
The following morning saw an early, dark 3am start headed back to lady Musgrave Island to finish what got cut short for us on the way up. After a rough start with wind against current at Cape Capricorn we made great time directly at Lady Musgrave in a south westerly with the seas progressively getting smoother the further out to sea that we got. Kylie said farewell to the tropics with one quick hurl over the side before settling down for the rest of the trip. As the day progressed the wind slowly decreased and rotated towards the east. Not the forecast but what can you do. By midday it had dropped out to 5 knots and having only just past the halfway point of our 75nm day and now well north of the rhumb line we decided to roll up the head sail and start the motor. Boy how do we hate this but unless we did so we would have arrived well after dark and did not feel like anchoring outside the lagoon for another roly night. As it was the sun set as we were entering the lagoon after dodging another set of whales that just popped up just off our bow half a mile out. We would have like just a bit more light as it was much harder to spot the bommies within the lagoon in the twilight. We have never been there with so many other vessels, I think the count was about 17!
The next morning we woke to perfect conditions. Warm, with very little breeze. We were all set to move our anchor as we had anchored close to another boat, not too close, but thought we would give them more space when we discovered that they were leaving that day.
So straight after breakfast we rubbered up and headed off on the duck once again to one of the eastern bommies within the lagoon. What a treat. Straight into crystal clear water that was perfectly warm in the shallows of the lagoon, there was no quick chill that you can often feel when you first hop in waiting for the new water within your wetsuit layer to get warmed up by you body heat. Needless to say, "it was brilliant". We got some great photos, if you didn't have coral reef in the background you would swear that we just took photo's of ourselves in someone's swimming pool.
The coral was stunning, being mostly of the hard variety, at last, with a huge variety and abundance of fish. You could have sworn you were swimming in the best aquarium ever. Oh that's right, we were, the Great Barrier Reef! Unlike usual the kids just kept swimming and swimming, neither one of them getting cold which is what usually pulls out out of the water early. Mia kept pointing every which way, both showing us what new things she was seeing whilst also scaring some fish, while Joel kept up a running commentary through his snorkel. Its amazing or sad, whichever way you look at it, that I can now understand Joel through snorkel. Maybe thats a language I could put on future resume's.
After lunch and some playing and reading we headed back out for another snorkel. This time over on the northern side of the lagoon near where the tourist boats moor. Although the coral here was not as good it still had its moments but the fish life is prolific coming in all the colours of the rainbow. Predominantly yellow. Much to their delight the children also got to swim with some curious green sea turtles. Even after the first one got bored with us Mia kept swimming with it out into deeper water until we pulled her away from it and back to the reef. Once again we stayed in for a long time seeing so many new things. Our day ended with a beautiful sunset with dinner in the cockpit followed story time in the hammock under the milky way and a dvd followed by bed. A perfect boat day really.
The next day was again picture perfect. After a pancake breakfast, made lovingly by Kylie we again set off to another of the lagoons bommies. Once again, stunning, although I am still to see either a really big giant clam or a single Christmas tree worm. The wind never got over 4 knots all day and what was there was coming from the north so it was another shorts only day. Not bad for winter.
After lunch Kylie asked to get pulled up the mast for some photo's. Having always stopped at the first spreader it shows how calm it was when she braved it enough to get up to the second spreader. While up there she spotted a Manta ray swimming past the boat, but not close enough so that those of us on deck could see it as we were looking towards the sun. After more chill time in the hammock or cockpit, I made fresh bread and pizza and we again ate dinner while watching the sunset before finishing the day off with "Ferris Buellers Day Off". Given it was a another school day missed for near perfection, it was the perfect movie really.
Our final time at Lady Musgrave saw Kylie and the kids going for another turtle snorkel while I prepared the boat for a big down wind sail to the Burnett River. Although they did not see any turtles , they still had a great time, seeing new things again. After exiting the lagoon and rounding its western edge we set the spinnaker on a direct course to the Burnett River. You could not have asked for a better day. The breeze was between 12 to 15 knots, and rotated a massive 10 degrees the whole day. As a result, we had to gybe twice and stayed so close to the rumb line that we did very little extra distance. We arrived well fed and happy with no one feeling sick after 65 nm. We arrived and set anchor again near the heads of the Burnett before 5, showered and had dinner again in the cockpit.
The next morning saw us waiting until after 11am when the tide turned to incoming, before motoring our way up to Bundaberg. A well marked channel there was only one place we came to within 300 mm of the bottom but this was well marked and we new we were still close to the low part of the tide. After passing the Famous Rum factory and its neighbouring sugar mill both with their own distinctive smells we turned into the town reach and anchored ourselves opposite the rowing club in a wonderfully still river. A boat afternoon followed with Mia catching up on school work and everybody else amusing themselves.
The following morning we duckied over to the tender wharf, before exploring town. Apart from Mid Town Marina missing, having been washed away by floods a few years ago, not to much else looks different externally from ten years ago. We did a leisurely foreshore walk before making our way to a little council run zoo. Not too bad for free and in the middle of a park including a new playground that was not quite finished that the kids would have loved to have played on if it were open.
We then walked back into the city centre stopping at a few book stores, Mitre 10, and fabric stores before heading to the big shopping centre for K Mart and some lunch. Having not seen a supermarket for 5 weeks, there were a few cravings. Got to love a ice cream 4 pack when you have been without for so long. So much in fact that we had another one the following day. Getting back to the boat late, we packed away our shopping, played some UNO, and did some school work before dinner and one of the best sunsets of our trip yet.
After a ridiculously peaceful nights sleep, the next morning was spent at another of Queensland awesome playgrounds. NSW, and in particular, Coffs, you have a great deal to do to catch up to these children activity wonderlands. This one even had an obstacle bike course, a maze plus the regular climbing, swinging apparatus. As the hunger pains increased we made our way back over to the supermarkets to get the rest of our provisions and some more lunch, before making our way back to the boat.
Mia had more school catch up to do, the downside of too much fun at Lady Musgrave. Joel and I did some boat chores before doing a rubbish run and getting asked to help remove a jammed headsail on another boat. One section of the headfoil had become detached from the rest causing the sail to roll then jam, as well as trying to jam when pulled down. After some lamb burgers for dinner the sunset was not great as a few sugar cane fields were ablaze around town putting a lot of smoke in the air. So after shutting up the boat early, to be honest we have not really shut the boat up at night we sat down to some TV. Not something we have had much of in the last 3 months due to lack of signal. The weather has been cool at night- 5 degrees, thats a bit of a shock!
Yesterday then saw us riding the outgoing tide back to the heads of the Burnett River, settling into another lazy afternoon. Before sailing 2/3rds of the way back out to the northern end of Fraser Island, where we then had to turn on the motor to finish off the trip. So our wedding anniversary has seen us travelling almost 50nm. Not the best but, wow what a destination.
