We left Casement Bay on Tuesday morning (3rd) and headed for the Hinchinbrook Channel, but as low tide was at 2.30pm we did not want to arrive too early as we needed to go in the first part of the channel on a rising tide. As there was no wind, an absolutely flat sea we did a lot of motoring and when we did get a bit of a breeze sailed, but was only doing about 2 knots.

One enters the Channel at Lucinda which has a very long jetty. This jetty is for sugar loading and is the world's longest offshore loading facility at a length of 5.76 kilometres. It actually dips two metres off straight following the earth's curvature. It can load at a rate of 25,000 tonnes a day and accepts ships of up to 50,000 tonnes.

We tried going up the channel at around 4pm but kept hitting the bottom (fortunately it was either mud or sand) so in the end we found a spot where we floated and put down the anchor to wait for the tide to come in more. We eventually had enough water to start going in at 5.30pm although there was the odd place where we touched the bottom. A full moon and spring tides made the entry more difficult. Once in deeper water we sure sped down the first part of the channel - had the motor idling and we were getting along at 7.5 knots!! The navigation lights were good going up the channel so we were able to find our way up in the dark to our planned anchorage for the night behind Haycock Island, anchoring there at 7.30pm.

Yesterday we moved up the Channel a bit further to another nice anchorage and Dave put out the crab pot but alas, when he went to pick it up this morning it was gone - it is very common for them to be stolen so suspect that is what happened. Just as well we only paid $12 for it. Dave did check it before dark last night. There are virtually no places that you can go ashore in the Hinchinbrook Channel as it is all bordered by mangroves, but does have lots of creeks running off it but they are no good for going up in a yacht and most have a bar at the entrance.

We up anchored at 8.30 this morning and are heading to Dunk Island for the night but we are once again motoring as there is only 5 knots of wind and we have a completely flat sea but have managed to fill the Genoa, although there was absolutely no wind when we left. We are gradually making our way up to Yorkey's Knob - 12 miles north of Cairns as Cairns has a quarantine area because of the Asian muscle and if we go in there we will have to have our boat pulled out for inspection when we leave so do not want to have all that drama. If we decide to go into Cairns will catch a bus from Yorkey's Knob.