I attempted to post this twice before, clearly unsuccessfully. Should it post now, it is somewhat dated as we have been around Keppel Island a couple of days and will head north in the morning.

Last time I wrote it seems I was a bit introspective, contemplating the virtues of a sunny calm day where one simply has to drive the boat and has time to think and admire the natural beauty of the surroundings. I believe what occurred the evening we spent at North West Island belongs under the heading of "you can't fool mother nature". So, following three days of ideal weather we picked up the only mooring at North West Island, which was just off the reef.
Before going on I should describe the extensive system used by the Australian Government to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Virtually every area (about 19 in total) has a small map published which is color coded for the activities that can and can not be undertaken in various, specific, parts of that area. They also have specific parts of reef areas and waters surrounding the islands that are identified as suitable anchorages, and places you are not allowed to anchor. They go so far as to say, for example, anchorage B on some chart is suitable for SE winds up to 30 kts. Or, anchorage A is suitable for day use only. They have moorings, available free of charge that are coded for size of vessel, wind conditions in which they are suitable and any restrictions on their use.
Back to North West Island. There was one anchorage area suggested for SE winds up to 34 kts. Though the wind was still pretty light, it was a SE wind so the logical place to go was that area. The mooring we picked up was suitable for yachts to 20 meters (we are 16) in winds up to 34 kts. I thought that was great, picked up the mooring with its 2" diameter pennant and hooked it up to the boat. All was calm until shortly after 2100, when the wind and seas started to pay me back for being so nonchalant about calm weather etc. Though I was up most of the night the wind never got over about 27 kts, however the seas sort of wrapped around the island and surrounding reef and provided the most uncomfortable night I can recall having spent aboard a boat. We were simultaneously rolling about 25 degrees from side to side and pitching up and down. No one had any sleep, the cats got sick and all told it was a miserable night. The lesson may be to be cautious when talking about calm seas or not enough wind, as mother nature has a way of saying tsk..tsk..I will show you!
Yesterday we sailed to Great Keppel Island, which is one of hundreds of beautiful, uninhabited islands. We are attempting to make our way as quickly as possible to the Whitsunday Islands where we hope for some warm weather. Nighttime temperatures here are down in the mid to low 50s. Living in paradise has its drawbacks, I guess. .................More