The Wetsunday Islands

4^th May

Brampton Island  20^o 47.942S 149^o 15.832E

Gk and I fueled up and have finally left Mackay.  He took the boat into the fuel dock and no one died...

I now should have enough fuel to get to Darwin.

Here is GK on watch on the way from Mackay to Brampton/Curtis  Islands.

He has been getting the usual knocks and bangs as he gets used to the boat.  Merv however got him in the shin which got them off on the wrong foot.  They spent the afternoon when we got here fishing to try to set things back on a more even keel.   As you can tell we are working on another verse for the mermaid song. More children will die…

We have spent a couple of days here exploring and fishing.  There is a resort that has been abandoned on Brampton Island.  Complete with airstrip some investors would have lost a lot of money.  Bad management seems to be the consensus with the locals and other boats we have spoken to. 

Landing on the airstrip

Into the jungle...

Cutis Island is uninhabited but joined to Brampton by a sand bar at low tide. Most of the tracks are overgrown  or, have been damaged.  The terrain is pretty rugged it was very difficult to get the anchorage shot.  Is a pretty popular stop that we have shared with up to eight other boats.

We’ve put a bit of effort in and have caught enough fish. Mostly Blue Bone but, we’ve also had red emperor, coral trout and queen snapper.  We have our own filleting table that has been getting a workout at low tide.

8^th May

Thomas Island  20^o 32.584S 149^o 6.426E

The landry

The weather has been anything but good.  Rain and gusty winds so we spent another day at Bramptom Island doing washing and getting cabin fever.

This morning we just left.  Once we hauled anchor a few of the other boats that were also sitting it out must have been as itchy to get moving as us and followed us out. The sea was really short and unpredictable but we made good time motor sailing at between 6 and 7 knots.  We knew it would be rubbish when we left so we just put up with it the three hours it took.

Thomas island is a beautiful anchorage that is only spoilt by the weather which is still windy and wet.  No sun and no visibility in the water. I was really looking forward for a dive here as it isn’t visited very often. Where we are anchored is unsurveyed.

The anchorage was great when we came in but deteriorated by the time night had set in. The boat was hobby horsing as the tide came in so we pulled all the lines and the dinghy in and sat it out for a rocky night and made ready to leave when the sun came up.  The weather report indicates more of the same so we will island hop up to Airlie Beach so that GK can get off and back to Melbourne. Perhaps he might take the weather with him.

9^th May

Airlie Beach  20^o 15.417S 148^o 42.219E

Well we started off heading to Shaw Island today to get back in VHF range to get the weather report.  There was a wind warning out and not much chance of an improvement until after the weekend.  This sort of rules out anything on the outside of The Whitsunday islands so we bit the bullet and headed straight to Airlie Beach.

With 30 knots of wind we reached over 9 knots on the boat motor sailing and when we got in behind the islands on some flatter water we were able to cruise along  with just the genoa out at over 8 knots. Not bad for 11 tonnes of anvil and a new speed record… I could almost smell the burning rubber from the tyres.

 

 

We are on a mooring that a local has let us use.  Thanks “Nifty Boilersuit”!  I've tried to send you an email but you must have written your address down wrong. Were you trying to avoid us or, was it that second rum? We are looking for a directors cut of Stone.

The Great Kepple is going to get off here and head back to Melbourne.  He’s been good company but, hopefully he’ll take the Melbourne weather with him. He has actually done really well and hasn't been sick which was his biggest worry. Especially considering the sea conditions.

Well that was the Wetsundays.  I’ll have to come back and have another look when the sun is out.