Monday - 16/07/2012
Well at least we have the sun trying to shine through the
clouds but the wind is howling, through the night and this morning we had winds
of 32 - 34 knots and now it has settled to 15 - 20 knots with the occasional
higher wind gusts and the wind is rather chilly. I don't think we will be doing
much outside today.
Tuesday - 17/07/2012
The rain had stopped today other than the occasional drizzle
but still a wind chill factor. We stepped ashore for a walk and met up with Ken
and Rhonda the founder and workers of the SICYC and had a coffee with them
before walking into town. I think Nancy is very cunning like most wives she
always suggests we go ashore just before lunch so I can buy her lunch whilst we
are there. So we had lunch at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, the meals are always
nice there and you have great views over the water.
(The view from the Whitsunday Sailing Club)
For those members of the SICYC the Whitsunday Sailing Club is offering our members free membership to their club for a period of August (1 month) this year as they know we are all heading towards our club weekend at Gloucester Passage during that month. They would also like us to join in on their fun day race on the 18 August 2012.
(The 'Young Endeavour' this is a training ship which is crewed by the Royal Australian Navy)
website - http://www.youngendeavour.gov.au/site/
(The Australian Bush Turkey, they say the best way to cook these is to place it in a camp over, placing a large stone of similar size mix with vegetables and cook for three hours on an open fire, when cooked throw the turkey away and eat the stone it will taste a lot better and be more tender)
After lunch we finished our walk and returned on board for a
short time before going over to Ken and Millie's Leopard 46, 'Rhiannon', they
had invited us over for sundowners another very nice couple and we had a very
pleasant time.
Wednesday - 18/07/2012
Time to move we needed to get out of the anchorage and we
are hoping the weather is on the improve. The weather forecast last night
indicated that today we had around 10-15 knots of wind but I think it is a
little higher than that.
After breakfast we weighed anchor , motored away from the
anchorage and moored boats before hoisting the mainsail as soon as that was up
we set the course and then unfurled the headsail and shut the engines down.
Sailing between Airlie and Pioneer Point can always be a little testing as the
wind changes due to the different landforms you can experience bullets of wind
to no wind and then when you near Pioneer Rocks the wind bends around the
corner of Pioneer Point bringing the wind on the nose. At this point I usually
start one of the engines and let the sails flap for the short distance.
(Our track across from Airlie to May's Bay)
(Short video of the sailing across Whitsunday Passage to May's Bay, the waves do not show up on film but the boat movement indicates what waves are there, we are sailing at 7.5 to 8.5 knots in this video)
Today we did quite well in this area but as soon as we
entered Molle Channel the wind was around 18 - 21 knots from SSE, this was the
start of an invigorating sail as soon as the wind filled the sails we were off
at 7.5 to 8.5 knots on a very close reach with an apparent wind of 23 - 28
knots, seas were not bad waves of around one metre. Again we had picked the
time where the wind was going with the tide although the tide of around 2 knots
was against us. The course we chose would take us close to the northern tip of
North Molle Island and after this I was hopeful that we could creep the course
a little deeper south to head for May Bay and anchor off Bernie's Beach and
fortunately we were able to do this. This anchorage is not a large anchorage
but offers good protection from S - SE winds. When we arrived there was only
one yacht there and a little later a motor boat arrived and that was all. The
anchorage is quite nice and we have had some resident turtles around the boat
which is good to see.
(May's Bay anchorage)
(Anchorage - 20* 13.473 S 148* 56.584 E)
According to the guide book '100 Magic Miles', Bernie's Beach was named after Bernie Katchor, as it was his favourite spot when he started a crewed charter boat operation in the early 70's. May's Bay was named after Lindsay Heiser's wife, she and her husband were partners in the underway observatory (no longer in operation), before their accommodation was finished they lived on their boat and when strong S/SE winds would occur they would anchor in this bay.
This anchorage is good for S to SE winds of 25 knots and E
winds of 15 knots although with easterlies it can become uncomfortable with the
swell. Coming into the anchorage there is a shallower area that you cross
before going into a little deeper, 1.5 metres difference. Last night winds outside
the anchorage was SE 18 - 21 knots and this anchorage was calm. We may stay here for a couple or more days.
Cheers
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