Mourilyan Harbour to Fitzroy Island - September 09

With a change to rougher weather we headed back to the mainland and the protection of Mourilyan Harbour which is not much more than a very large sugar wharf and a few moored boats. Once the weather cleared we enjoyed a fast sail towards Fitzroy Island which is just south of Cairns. Our major problem was trying to determine what was Island and what was Australia as Fitzroy Island blends in with the coast. Fitzroy has a fantastic new resort which is sadly closed and in possession of the bank. A great secluded spot so close to all that tourism!

Beaver Reef - 6 September 2009 to 8 September 2009

From Dunk Island we sailed back out to the reef again at a coral cay call Beaver Reef. This is where we celebrated Fathers Day and enjoyed snorkeling in crystal clear water. Our friends on the 73' Horizon Motor Cruiser "Eagle" arrived (unplanned) and we enjoy a lovely roast dinner on this luxury boat.

Dunk Island - 3 September to 5 September 2009

Dunk Island is a famous resort island with good resort facilities (a drink at the bar) and fantastic National Parks walks. We also caught up with our friends on Cruz Control again.

Journey to the Barrier Reef – 29 August to 1 September 2009

The Great Barrier Reef becomes a lot closer, 15-20 nautical miles offshore, around this part of the coast, and so when our friends on Cruz Control (a 52' Racing Yacht) invited us to sailing in company out at the reef we jumped at it. Because we were sailing from two different locations on the coast we chose a GPS coordinate in the middle of the ocean for our meeting point. A spot where we incorrectly thought we would be able to see the reef, but all we saw was the depth gauge jumping from a depth of 46 metres to 6 metres literally in seconds. We were there!!

After a day's snorkeling in crystal clear water we appeared to be anchored in the middle of the ocean in balmy/glassy conditions at Britomart Reef. Next day we motored on an azure blue sea to Otter Reef where (in even clearer water) we snorkeled for nearly 2 hours, encountering sharks, moray eels and crayfish (painted crays). With the weather forecast becoming less certain we then motored back to the protection of Goold Island which we enjoyed with the Cruz crew.

Port Hinchinbrook to Cape Richards – 24 August to 28 August 2009

After enjoying a taste of the true Hinchinbrook Channel it was time to head for Port Hinchinbrook Marina to replenish our fuel. Within sight of the marina and fuel wharf, Erica momentarily ran aground in front of the housing development that surrounds the marina.

We decided to wait for a higher tide the day we left, and sailed out into Missionary Bay on the northern end of Hinchinbrook Island, where we headed for one of the many creeks that run into this large and shallow bay. Our destination was the head of 7th Creek where there is a landing which took us on to a boardwalk and then across the mangroves and sand flats to the magnificent Ramsay Bay, where we enjoyed a swim in crystal clear water after more than a week in the mud and croc infested waters of the Hinchinbrook Channel.

After we escaped the creeks on a rising tide, we headed for the National Parks walks of Cape Richards, where there is a closed resort but the keen fishing caretaker had time to serve us drinks in the deserted poolside bar.