SV SEAKA: CRUISING AUSTRALIA IN 2019.

On the 8th August we set off from Airlie Beach to find the sea like glass as we made our way to Hook Passage and down the eastern side of Whitsunday Island to the Whitehaven Beach area. We finally anchored in Windy Bay on Haslewood Island, going ashore for a refreshing swim before dark.

The next day [9th August] we moved over to Whitehaven Beach to observe the tourist hoards that arrive and leave there every day. Greg and I went ashore and climbed the track up to the Chance Bay lookout where we were able to make a few phone calls. It seems strange but there is still no phone coverage on the eastern side of the islands when you consider the number of tourist, near half a million, that come out here every year. There was an assortment of vessels here with stink boats causing havoc with their wakes and float planes flying at mast height, well below the 500 metre minimum.

On Saturday [10th August] we got up early to go to Gulnare Inlet, but having stuck our heads out into Solway Passage to find 15 knots of wind we turn around and headed north up towards Hook Passage. With the tide taking us north and light winds we enjoyed a wing an wing [sails on opposite sides of Seaka] sail, getting up to 5 knots! During that sail I kept smelling this awful smell and it was some time before I realized it was coming from the whales astern of us. There were plenty of whales around that day. Once we rounded Hook Passage we found a south west sea coming in so moved around to Nara Inlet for lunch before moving onto Cid Harbour. We had gone to Cid Harbour in anticipation of strong winds over the next few days. In Cid Harbour we found a line of reef markers, we are not allowed to anchor between them and the shore and nobody had. It wasn't until next day that I discovered that they were actually warning of the shark attacks occurring in Cid Harbour. We spent the next day [11th August] sheltering from the winds.

On Monday [12th August] it was still blowing hard in the morning but by lunchtime we were able to get away for Stonehaven Anchorage where we found a mooring and I set up the four buoys to prevent the mooring buoy banging on the hull. I tried all sorts of lures that night but did not even get a nudge. The next morning [13th August] we made our way around to Butterfly Bay with the intention of holing up for another three days of strong winds. On arrival I was lucky enough to get the inner mooring which I've always wished to get on during my last two visits but were unable to do so. That afternoon I dived on Seaka's hull and using a wide plastic plaster trowel to removed the fur growing there.

Over the next two days [14th & 15th August] it blew hard, at times gusts over 25 knots, but we were comfortable on the mooring. With not much happening I baked a chocolate cake and did a bit of snorkeling around the bay.

With the weather improving we moved [16th August] around to the back of Nara Inlet where we visited the Aboriginal cave shelter and then moved back out to do phone calls and emails before finally anchoring in Refuge Bay off Nara Inlet. We stayed there another day with Greg catching a Trevally which provided a welcome change of diet.

On Sunday [18th August] we motored out to the entrance of Nara Inlet and enjoyed a sail across to Airlie Beach. Once there we entered the marina going to the public dock where I filled up the water tank. I had used 5 litres a day since being in Gladstone. The next day [19th August] I spent shopping which included buying an extra 10 litre fuel drum to get us through some of the longer stretches down south. Then the next two days [20th & 21st] were too windy to go north to the Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club get together at Cape Gloucester.

Finally on the Thursday [22nd August] I got away for Cape Gloucester. On the way I was boomed again by a stink boat who passed, less the 100m ahead, across my course. Arriving at the Cape around lunch time I went ashore and registered, got a number 2 haircut, I enjoyed that, and got rid of all the books I had read to a sale table.

The next day [23rd August] I caged a lift ashore to go to the Shag Islet Day. A very windy day and we can now see that there are only about half the boats that were here in 2015. Saturday [24th August] greeted us with low clouds and rain all of which had cleared by 1000 hours, so allowing the Hands Across The Seas to go ahead. It was still rough for my small dinghy but as Frank, in Third Man from Port Macquarie, and I were first there we got a sheltered position behind the 90' three deck stink boat from which the event would be conducted. After the official bit we were all invited aboard, there weren't that many people, for Champagne and eats. The interior of the boat was well appointed and the liquor and food flowed freely, so much so that I would only stand one more drink that night!

Returning to our yachts we soon noticed that there was a police inflatable doing the circuit which caused most of us to call for the ferry boat to avoid them. I reckon I was over the limit at that stage, after the free liquor that day, so really had no choice. Having had not intending to be at the Shaggers do I had no fancy gear for this Rio night but the good people on Third Man and Freya came to the party with enough gear to pass muster. The only downer for the day was the chicken in the evening dinner ashore which was not properly cook and early the next morning, when I got rid of it, I felt so much better.

Spent the next morning [25th August] I repacked the forward lockers and gave Third Man my copy of Going Troppo as they are heading further north. I went ashore for the Pirate Party at lunchtime but found it to be pretty lame compared to 2015 when there were more yachts here. Later that day I got Seaka ready for sea.

So, at first light on Monday 26th August I turned Seaka for home and along with a stream of yachts took the Gloucester Passage south. I was motoring as the wind was on the nose [again] but I was keeping up with the bulk of that fleet. A couple of hours later I had to turn the AIS receiver off as the poor chart plotter was struggling with receiving all the information from so many moving vessels around me. Around midday off Airlie Beach we had a baby whale doing leaps some 100m off Seaka's starboard bow. With conditions so good I decided to motor on down pass Long Island arriving an hour before dusk at Puritan Bay on the north side of Round Head on Cape Conway.

I had planned to leave at midnight but as I had had only a short disturbed sleep due to the short swell coming into the Bay, put it off to first light. So at first light [Tuesday, 27th August] we lifted the anchor and by 0730 had cleared Cape Conway and pointed our nose directly for MacKay. We saw several whales during the day but none close to us. As I passed Thomas Island, way to the east, a 30 to 40 foot yacht joined me, but he was sailing, and for most of the day he tacked back and forth but never getting any further than 2-300 metres in front of me, as he crossed my course, until he gave up and tacked away to Brampton Island. We continued to motor on, trying at various times during the day to get the Genoa to draw, but without any luck. It was 1800 hours as we rounded the last corner to line up the lead lights to the harbour and just as it turned pitch black, we motored in between the walls. It was then a dash to get fish'n'chips [Mackerel] and a shower before crashing into bed.

On Wednesday and Thursday [28th & 29th August] I did shopping and cleaning. The fuel and water were topped up, the engine serviced. Friday [30th August] was spent writing this blog and doing a last few jobs. We leave early Sunday morning for Curlew Island some 45 nautical miles away to the south.

I have added photos to the 2019 album. To see the photo titles hover your mouse pointer over the photo.