Alison Stocker | Photo: SV Maia passing us as they leave Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island
With no significant last-minute changes in the weather forecasts, we departed from Magnetic Island around 7 am on Sunday (12th September). This was just a few minutes after we had waved good-bye to Laura and Dick as they motored SV Maia past us on their way to Lodestone and Beaver Reefs. Although sorry not to be going in the same direction, we knew that we had to use the developing lull in the trade-winds to push our way south.
Heading into 11 knots of wind and 1-m waves, we were initially ploughing ahead at a sedate rate, only going around 3-3.5 knots. But we were not the only boat that had been waiting to go south, and by early afternoon we were slowly being overtaken by a familiar vessel, SV Good as Gold. We had a brief chat on the VHF radio with Duncan and Christine, the couple who had bought the boat from Dina and Malcolm. It was a bit odd to see such a familiar boat but not with our good friends as crew. Dina and Malcolm are now back in Vancouver after Dina’s posting to Honduras with Médecins Sans Frontières was cut short when Malcolm had to return to Canada for medical reasons. We had recently talked on Whatsapp and were very happy to hear that Malcolm hopes to be skiing this winter!
SV Good as Gold motor-sailing past us as we approach Cape Bowling Green
By the late evening, the wind had dropped to 7 knots, significantly reducing the size of the waves and allowing our speed to increase to 5 knots. As we passed Abbot Point coal-loading terminal around 2 am, we were glad to have stayed sufficiently far offshore to miss the many anchored coal-ships. Good as Gold were on a course that had not only taken them through the middle of the commercial anchorage, but they were being approached by a ship that had left dock and was getting underway. On the VHF radio, we heard Duncan being told by the shipping-pilot to maintain his course and speed so that the ship could move around them. Even for us, it took quite a bit of attention to the radar and AIS to make sure of a clear passage, so it must have been quite nerve-wracking aboard GoG.
The winds continued to decrease overnight so that by daybreak we were passing through the northern Whitsunday Islands on glassy water. It was agonizing for me to see such perfect conditions for snorkeling and having to keep going. I had kept asking myself whether we could we fit in just one quick snorkel at Hook Reef? Now that we were maintaining a good speed, theoretically we should have enough time and still get to Mackay before the wind kicked up again. The problem was the timing. If we changed our course to Hook Reef, we would not arrive there until about 5 pm, which would be too late to snorkel, and would have to leave by midnight to get to Mackay before the increase in wind.
Glassy conditions as we motor through the northern Whitsunday Islands
If we really knew what the winds would do, we probably would have time to stop in the Whitsundays for some snorkeling and hiking, and still make stops at Mackay and the Capricorn Group of reefs before getting to Moreton Bay in late October. But we were just not that confident about the weather being fully cooperative and, as they say, we also had a bit of the mentality of “the horse is heading to the barn”. So, sadly giving-up on a stop in the Whitsundays, I hope that we will have time to dwell in the Capricorn Group for a few days of snorkeling. From there, the winds are more likely to be favorable for the final passage to Moreton Bay, probably going offshore of Fraser Island. We could take the Great Sandy Strait if the wind was not favorable for long, but that puts us at the mercy of good conditions to cross Wide Bay Bar. Decisions, decisions...
As we entered the relatively narrow channels between the Whitsunday Islands, the favorable tidal currents and freshening wind allowed us to motor-sail between 6 and 7 knots. Now we had to decide whether to turn off the engine and slow down under sail, or keep motor-sailing fast enough that we could stop for part of the night?
With only about 4 knots of true wind, we decided to keep motor-sailing, and we had several target destinations for the night from Shaw Island south to Brampton Island. Finally, decided we would reach Goldsmith around 5 pm which seemed the best option.
The beach on Goldsmith Island at Roylen Bay
We were going to anchor in the southern part of Roylen Bay as that looked the most protected area between Goldsmith and Farrier Islands. However, there were already two boats in the small anchorage and the narrow entrance might be a little hazardous to navigate when we left in the dark the next morning. We also realized that one of the two public moorings in the northern part of the Bay was vacant, so we took it. The site was a little exposed to the evening’s northwesterly wind but it was not strong so we were quite comfortable. It was good to turn the engine off and get a peaceful sleep, even if it was only for a very short night.
Sun setting beyond Ladysmith Island, as seen from Roylen Bay, Goldsmith Island