May 15, 2012 We really enjoyed Townsville--but, up at 6am and out of our berth by 6:30. We went up between Magnetic Island and the coast--the 'Western Passage'. It was shallow here but by leaving with the high tide we were OK. We motorsailed in 15-20 knot wind to Orpheus Island--one of the Palm Islands. We anchored in Little Pioneer Bay--nice and protected. We were the only boat there, but in a few hours there were three other boats--and our friends on Rogues Scholarship picked up a mooring right next to us. That afternoon and night we could hear our anchor chain 'growling' on coral--'growling' means that the chain makes a low rumbling sound as it grates on coral. We are getting up early tomorrow as we plan to go all the way through the Hinchinbrook Channel to Dunk Island. The entrance to the channel has a sand bar with some areas of only six foot depths at low tide. But I do not get a good night's sleep worrying that I may have to dive to retrieve our anchor if it gets tangeled up on a coral bommie (a big coral out-cropping)--in this murky, stinger and croc infested water! The photo is of Townsville as we sail off to Orpheus Island--goodbye Townsville!