11/23/2009, Yeppoon
Monday 23rd November (day 158)
Rosslyn Bay, Yeppoon and Keppel Bay Marina
Motor sailed over to Rosslyn Bay to access the marina here and arrived just before lunchtime. Booking in, I discovered that we could have the loan vehicle for the 2 hours from 12.30 , so sushi-making was struck off he agends, while I went about filling the boat with more stores. We had to make port although we still had plenty of meat, because Lindsey's medication would not last us another week. Making a mad dash about Yeppoon for stores should have been quicker now that I know the locations of the butcher, baker etc., but once again I could not get everything we needed and be back in the two hours, so grog was missed on this trip. I must tip my hat to Jacques Butchery for the best meat, and best cryovac methods encountered in our experience. James St. Butchers are darn good too, but I found that Jacques have a bigger selection, including his own smallgoods. Howver, I patronized both places - maybe that's why I took so long but it was worth it.
Another lesson learnt is that unsliced bread kept in paper bags last better than gthe sliced variety in plastic which goes mouldy before it could ever get stale.
A big thankyou to Keppel Bay Marina. Not only are they kind enough to proved a handy little vehicle to the marina customers, but as mentioned previously, the facilities have been the best we've used for ease of supporting someone else in the showers. The little self-contained units are not wheelchair accessible, but are spacious and one can assist someone else without also getting saturated. Lindsey does not need much assistance; it's more about her not dropping her clothes into the puddle of water that is ever present in the small cubicles of marina facilities.
This marina like others, does have wheelchair accessible facilities as well, and I have found that those marinas that do have them the standard is pretty good, with enough room and benches to keep clothing and towels dry.
Curried mackeral and rice for dinner. Very good too.
Tuesday 24th November (day 159)
This morning, no-one had booked the vehicle so I scarpered up the road once more, to return to Coles to get some forgotten items and to collect some money owed me for an overcharge. I was seeking a bottle shop or liquor outlet that opened before 10 as I had to return the car by 9.30. This was a challenge as the one located in the shopping cnetre didn't open until then, the other source being attached to the pub not likely to open until 10 either. Driving around, I heard some loud bird noises, and saw these hug black birds, and a flash of red. A flock of about 10 black cockatoos were eating the fruits of the big pines on the foreshores. I had some time to kill to find a bottleo' so I rushed over and tried to take some pics with my phone. Damn thing is too complicated for me, and I only managed to get one photo...although I took at least 4 they don't seem to be stored on the phone files anywhere. Damn again.
Anyhow I managed to find a bottle shop opening at 9 am, which served our purposes, and meant we did not have to stay another day in port, and after refuelling we are now on our way back out to the Keppels for a day or two.
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11/21/2009, Great Keppel Island
Saturday 21st November (Day 156)
Onwards to the Keppels
Dave and I are both awake early, but so as not to disturb his 'princess Lindsey", HE didn't want to leave just then although a good fresh breeze was on offer. But after a cuppa, when Her Highness arose, up anchor and motor sailing away from Pt. Clinton about 6 am, heading for Great Keppel Island.
A yawl has departed from the southern anchorage about 1 hour ahead of us and at 7.30 we see another boat behind us. Breeze is enough to tantalise us into sailing without the engine but lightens considerably. Our boat speed drops from 6knots to 3 knots at times. At 8.30 we are making an average of 3.5 knots in 7 knots NNE. The vessel trailing us does not appear to be catching us and if "Hughie" deiceds to show a little more force, they are not likely to do so.
Later...it turns out that the trailing vessel is Volare and at midday she is sailing closer inshore than we and will overtake us in the next hour if the breeze does not get up some more. Volare is a 42' Farr with a huge jib and mainsail - so she bloody well should beat us too! Text messages between the vessels relay some good natured taunts and jesting queries about how much engine time was applied.
We have received good breeze at 12 knots from the north and have made 6.5 knots as we come up on North Keppel Island. Coming through the passage we come around to the anchorage off the Resort at Fisherman's Beach, and the breeze built to 18 knots as we readied to anchorf at 4pm, taking note of the many boats anchored here now at this time of the year, and more still around at Monkey Bay and beyond. A calm night despite the stiffening wind, and of course mackeral for dinner.
Sunday 22nd November (Day 157)
Mackeral for breaky. Dave was offered a job today by the owner of "Ben Hur" - a motor sailor previously owned by one of Dave's former employers. However, the present owner is a local from Yeppoon and Dave was unable to commit to the work because he needs to return to Brissy to scope out work possibilities there. (Maybe we should have taken the guy's phone details for future reference!)
Ashore for ice and bread, but I scored new bikinis for Lindsey and me from the Rainbow Hut - only $5 each. Bargain! Motored around to Long Beach at the southern side of Great Keppel, passing the crowded but popular anchorage at Monkey Bay. Ashore here, we collected shells, walked the curving white beach, observed the view from the boardwalk leading past the Wappaburra Midden and swam. I was very wary of sea-lice, stingers and the like as I am already covered in bites and stings that have accumulated since Curlew Island and subsequent anchorages. I would never have believed that I would have suffered allthis and not from Whitehaven Beach at Whitsunday!
We have seen a manta ray, huge schools of baitfish and a shark all swimming in the shallows from this picturesque b ay. At least here we are free of the waterskiers, tobogganers, jetskiers and fast boats. The warmer weather has brought out all the locals that make full use of this their backyard for the weekends.
More mackeral for dinner and enough leftovers to make sushi for lunch tomorrow.
Despite early concerns about breeze and swell it seems calm enough here tonight.
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11/20/2009, Port Clinton
Port Clinton
The Defence Forces of Australia are most privileged to control some of the best coastlines of Queensland but I guess we swhould be grateful that they do - imagine what greedy developers could do to these pristine locations!
Beautiful protected bays with sandy beaches the colour of sunlight only broken by rocky havens for all manner of fishes. I am amazed that these places still exist. We heard on the VHF this morning that during military exercises people in the area were Not to approach any of the personnel concerned. However, we were buzzed while at anchor by a big chinook helicopter. They didn't seem angry, but neither did they return our friendly waves. Wonder what that was all about. Maybe just sticky beaks???
Port Clinton's waterways are a yachties delight, the shoreline a little inhostpitable at this time given the shortage of rainfall, but during post rainy season would see creeks flowing and waterfalls running. However, pandanus, she-oaks and a lonesome cabbage tree plam co-exist with cotton tree and mulga, surely more lush after the wet.
Once again though, I am surprised at the rubbish either washed ashore or simply discarded including a rubber ducky tossed upon a dry creek bed. It saddens me that even with garbage bags I could not have cleaned the beaches of the last 3 stopovers as it would have simply been too much for us to carry. I cannot believe that a collection of dessicated sports drink bottles could be accidental losses. People WAKE UP!!! Your callous disregard or blithe ignorance for our marine life is killing it and all you came to enjoy! Ahore are car batteries, eskies, oil drums, clothing, footwear, glass and plastic bottles, FOOD (onions and food still find their way ashore!) tin cans, the lot - all little our secluded islands and beaches. There are no wheelie bins here, and NO the NPWS does not do your garbage
While we initially had this anchorage to ourselves, soon Stoli, then Kasyma entered this harbour. However, Stoli and Kasyma decided that a little surge was too uncomfortable for them and they took off for the S.E. corner some 3 miles away. Volare was in radio contact with them and soon followed. Pussies! We'll see how they fare when the N. W. kicks in tonight. Ha! Sorry guys.
Of course we had mackeral for dinner with hollandaise sauce carrots broccoli and zucchini. Yum! As we didn't get the opportunity to give away one of our fish to Volare I guess we'll be eating fish for many consecutive meals to come.
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11/20/2009, Pearl Bay
Friday 20th November (day 155)
Holy Mackeral!
Today presented a store of pleasant surprises. Early this morning before breakfast this haven was alive with marine wildlife. The tiny baitfish seeking shelter around our hull could only get a brief respite from the many schools of mackeral seeking a feast. The chop-chop of pelagic feeding is very exciting to observe, but even better when you can participate. Dave caught two mackeral before breaky and one upon our return form our beach walk. One for every pilchard offering. We hope to be able to share our bounty at the next port if our friends find us.
Huge sea eagles soared above us, and a juvenile dugong spent the morning in close proximity feeding in the sea grasses nearby. Bliss!
Ashore I fossicked for more pearly shells but the season or the sheer volume of traffic the past six months left very slim pickings save for some gigantic cuttlefish shells that I collecte4d for my neighbours aviary. While low tide presented less of an issue, the incoming tide brought much of the pungent coral spawn that burns skin and deposits a nasty residue in the shallows and over the beach. Once the walks were completed, we left Pearl Bay (not so gorgeous on a northerly) and headed the mere mile or 2 around the corner to Port Clinton.
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11/19/2009, Pearl Bay
Thursday 19th November (day 154)
To Pearl Bay and Port Clinton
Awake at first light and departed just before sun-up along with four other vessels, all wanting to make the most of any breeze that was not out of the south.
However, the best laid plans go awry when the wind dies. Sailing and motor sailing and a lot of drifting south east, with whisper soft breath hardly causing a wrinkle over the sea of liquid silk. This is getting to be a familiar pattern. Today was particularly frustrating given the winds yesterday that could hve taken us all the way to the Kepels, if only we had forsaken our day ashore. But none of us regret our lay-day as it has produced some great photographic momentos of a most precious locale, and an evening to remember spent with fond friends.
In many places along our journey we have encountered the coral spawn floating on the surface of the ocean. Today being one of those days immediately following in the new moon has seen a thick layer of this golden muck that emitgs a most distinctive smell almost like rotting vegetation.
Coming into Pearl Bay, segments of spawn seem to float in a pond of geen scum that has layered over the sea with the coral spawn atop it. I wonder if the green scum is some form of algae?
As we drop anchor at 5 pm the big black schooner comes around the rocky islet just offshore and joins us and 3 other boats already at rest. We have covered 58 miles in 12 hours - a pity that a lot of those miles covered while steaming. The "Joshua C" disgorges its backpacker guests into a dory and ashore almost immediately for a walk ashore - we will do that in the morning before going to Port Clinton for a swim away from the coral sex and algae.
Using the binoculars I determine that the shades of yellow and orange amongst the mulga and wattles on the mainland are the same trees and shrubs in various stages of distress and even death. I ponder the cause of this manifestation - it could be merely the natural fluctuation that drought causes as most of the central and northern Queensland is experiencing, but could it be the result of defense force war games scourging the countryside? Once again there are excercies occuring in the vicinity but thankfully the anchorages are not closed off. I heard the caucous cries of cockatoos - more cackly that tne screeches of the sulphur crested cousins, and I tried to locate the blacks over on the island. All at once, as if a signal had been given (and it probably had been), vast numbers are aloft, flying as one family not to the mainland but to another islet lying in the north. The numbers far exceed my estimations based on the sounds I had heard, and also what I had seen on our initial visit back in July. I would love to see these birds in closer proximity as their behaviour seems quite different to their white cousins - they do not appear to display any curiosity about humans or their vessels and seem entirely absorbed with their own existence.
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11/18/2009, Middle Percy
Volare rendezvous
After lunch Dave tries trolling lures about the rocks and along the shore in 'Pippi', but not any luck there either! More and more boats arrive, among them Bourke on "Amber" with yet another young female deckhand. (Dave is envious I fear.) Then our much valued pals Grant and Leslie from Volare and a huge black schooner with a couple who are hosting four backpackers. By nightfall there are at least 13 sailing boats and 2 speed boats in this anchorage. Noel Patrick has described this bay as 'intimate'. Well I think he must have had an orgy in mind because there isn't much room left!
After Grant and Leslie have visited Kasyma, we invite them to stay for dinner as we really want to repay them for their generousity and kindness, showering us with a bounty of food when our stores were severely depleted at Brampton a week ago.
Needless to say - a good time was had by all! However, it is now very dark with little moon (it's the bearest hint of a smiley-mouth), and finding Volare in the dark is a bit of a treasure-hunt amongst all the boats.
Waving our guests goodnight, while I do the dishes, Dave hauls the dunghy up on the davits, but loses the 'magic torch' (his terrific LED torch the kids bought him) over the side. This is a sad loss, and the Dolphin torches are not up to scratch. I guess a replacement will be his Xmas pressie
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