Decisions decisions!
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Tue 14 May 2013 06:39
Moon Point.possibly referred to as Mooan Point, on Fraser Island.
It eventually stopped raining/drizzling about three quarters of the way to Moon Point.
I left Yankee Jack's at 0747 and dropped the hook at 1450. Motored the whole damn way with about one hour of 'sail assist'.
Right then, the decisions. Either I head up to the Whitsunday area (north of Mackay) in one hit or try and break it up a bit. I would have liked to have dropped into Mackay to see some sailing friends but it looks truly horrific on the chart.Jim mentioned driving north to meet me. If you read this Jim I think that looks best. Email me with advice!
All looks good for the first two 'chunks'. Both are about 105-110nm in length so about 20-24 hours each as light winds are forecast.
The first leg is Moon Point to Pancake Creek, then Pancake Creek to Port Clinton (an anchorage, not a port as such). So far so good but then we have to traverse (gulp) Shoal Water Bay and Broad Sound. The cruising guide makes them sound a real 'no no' with deep anchorages (or shoaling rapidly) and one hell of a tide. The alternative to that is to swing out into the Capricorn Channel and make a 200nm run (hopefully) to the southern edge of the Whitsunday group. I've tentatively planned to go to a place called Outer Newry island. The route does take me past Mackay so it would be possible to go in but on my chart it looks to be awfully shallow in the river and the bar could only be crossed at high water. Going into the marina is not an option!
Oh well, off tomorrow May 15th (Australian date). Should be in Pancake Bay sometime in the morning May 16th. I might rest for 24 hours so all being well at the latest I should be leaving there May 18th and arriving Port Clinton morning May19th. Again may be a 24 hour 'recovery' so off on the 21st at the latest and I should be in the southern Whitsundays sometime on the 23nd. On the other hand I could be there by the 22nd. Either way I should have a 3G signal for the first two stops.Once I go offshore nada, of course.
Just heard that Bundaberg is basically closed to traffic. Small craft OK but no ships and nobody to move at night. Lucky I wasn't planning on going there.
News of Calypso. They are en-route to the Whitsundays and should be there by the weekend. With a bit of luck I'll be just a few days behind them. I'm not planning on spending much if any time exploring there. Tempus fugit and all that. I'll hopefully see pam and Jim then push on for Cairns. t leat, that's the current plan!
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