 |
| Mission Beach looking across to Dunk Island |
Exploring NQ –
Dunk Island, Mission Beach and Orpheus
We decided
whilst conditions for the next couple of days were favourable to make passage a
little further from Hinchinbrook Island to Dunk Island and Mission Beach.
Terry wanted to
catch up with an ex co worker of many years ago who is now Chief Engineer,
water and sewage with Cassowary Council.
WE experienced
very calm conditions to explore Dunk Island which was a very popular holiday
destination for nature lovers until Cyclone Yassi damaged the resort. It has
yet to be rebuilt but camping grounds are still fully operational. Terry was most interested in seeing what
damage can be done to buildings by a cyclone, in his opinion the bones of the
buildings are sound and it would not take much to redeem the buildings and
infrastructure. A caretaker is onsite and main reception and dinning buildings
seemed to have been restored, pool is operational and the airstrip is
maintained. Lets hope that the owners eventually reopen the resort.
Dunk is covered
in tropical rainforest and is only a couple miles off the coast giving easy
access from mission beach to explore its many coves and walk the forest tracks.
It is popular
with day visitors who traverse across mission beach in Kayaks, small tinnies,
jet skies, and all manner of sea vessels.
As the waters
between the Mainland and Dunk were like glass we took the tender over, a short
10 mins away and the following day we decided to move the boat off shore at
mission beach to meet up with Terry’s ex co-worker Geoff Smart and his wife
Denise.
We were given a guided tour of
the area and had lunch at a quirky little cafe.
Mission beach is a very relaxed uncomplicated holiday village with good
restaurants, cafe's and artisans galleries.
It has all the usual modern amenities but still retains a very casual
seaside village atmosphere, set on a pristine coconut lined beach. A favorite of the Grey Nomads as most
camping and caravan sites along the whole coast were full.
 |
| Landing on Mission Beach |
From a small
hilltop headland to the boating ramp the view was spectacular overlooking Dunk Island and the Group of Islands Called “Family Islands”. Looking down into the
crystal clear waters watching a 5 meter Tiger shark cruising very close to the
shore line was a reminder to be diligent when snorkeling and swimming in these
waters.
 |
| View to Dunk Island from Mission Beach Lookout |
Our tour did
not include a sighting of a Cassowary bird, signs are everywhere but Geoff and
his wife told stories of encounters with these big birds who can be very
aggressive.
Delightful area
that we hope to return via vehicle in the future.
We left Dunk
Island and zigzag through the Family group of Islands passing the very
exclusive Bedarra Island. The waters in
this group of islands are crystal clear with most islands having sandy beaches
fringed by tropical rain-forest and coconut trees. Very lush compared to the
islands of the Whitsundays and south.
We made passage
back pass the seaward side of Hinchinbrook to make anchorage at Orpheus
Island. Passing Lucinda Sugar Jetty, the
largest service jetty in the Southern Hemisphere extending almost 6 miles out
to sea.
Orpheus Island,
unfortunately, we arrive just as after the turn of the tide and late in the
afternoon which negated me snorkelling or doing a walk amongst the giant Clams.
I did take the Tender to view just under the water and they are amazing.
The giant clams
some measuring up to 2 meters and weigh 200kg on low tide create a natural
fountain spurting out grit and sand. I
have taken the liberty of using a Photo Courtesy of the web page of James Cook University
research campus which is situated on the Island.
This island I
would love to explore more and hopefully I will get the opportunity to do so in
the future.
 |
| Orpheus Island from the Air |
 |
| Giant Clams Orpheus island Photo from James Cook University |
 |
| The Army Landing Vessels Anchored at Orpheus Island |
 |
| Fishing and viewing clams from the Tender |
Our passage
from Dunk Island we were followed by three huge Army landing ships, who also anchored
for the night at Orpheus. This conjured
up our imagination and Terry and I went into competition in story telling on a
grand scale of conspiracy theories of what the Army was up to in these waters.
We traversed
the Palm Island group making passage to Magnetic Island, but on arrival and
getting up to date weather forecast we made passage to Townsville which for the
short 12 nautical miles was an horrendous passage. We stayed a few days in protection on the
marina from the winds and large swell. Enjoyed local restaurants and the
historical building walking trail through the main street, many of the magnificent buildings lay dormant of activity waiting to be restored and
reopened.
 |
| Leaving Townsville |
 |
| Marg, Lizzy and I enjoying Cocktails and a catch up |
By chance the P
& O cruise arrived in port with our dear friend Marg Haebich with her
sisters and Mum.
We caught up at
a bar looking over the Townsville main beach, caught with local mountain news
from home over a few cocktails. It made
me a little homesick to see my family and friends.
We departed Townsville
and committed to a long passage to Cape Bowling Green. It was horrendous conditions with waves 3
meters standing up in a short swell.
Blue water on the bow as it hammered through the sea resulted in a small
weld fracture on the bow pushpit and the forward cabin hatch leaking. The cascade of water through the hatch soaked
all bedding. We got to Cape Bowling
Green and anchored long enough to do running repairs on the hatch and get some food prepared as we decided that holding was not good and we were too exposed to
the elements.
It was a very
hard day at sea when we finally got to calmer waters at Cape Upstart it had
been a 12 hr journey of relentless hammering into the waves. After fixing up temporary sleeping bedding
for the night we went to bed exhausted.
Next day we did
it all again to Gloucester Island but it was a shorter trip and bearable.
The following
day we arrived at Airlie Able Point Marina where we will stay for a few days in
safe harbour. WE needed this time to fix
hatch and wash all linen and dry out bedding and forward cabin. I got my hair done which was a little me time
as I looked like the “whore of the Hesperus”.
WE accidentally
caught up with the ex GM of Newman's group of companies which Terry worked for
a decade or more ago. We had a delightful dinner of mud crab at the Rum Bar
enjoying the good company of Ian Carson's and his wife Jo.
Provisions done
we waited for the Arrival of Terry's current boss Greg Alder on his 110ft luxury super yacht Sovereign Lady. 
Dinner on
board and a full tour of this boat. Greg
and I went to the engine room for about 30 mins which was impressive. by the
time I came back to Capt Teza and Crew Nick had explored the extensive
selections of rum at the Ships Bar.
It was very
evident that I needed to get the captain home to Sens de la Vie and navigating
the wobbly happy sailor over a kilometer of docking was a challenge.
 |
| Hungover Capt Teza |
 |
| Macona Inlet |
 |
| On the helm |
 |
| Macona Beach Oyster Collection |
 |
| Cervice Coconut chilli and lime Fish with Fried Wontons |
 |
| Collecting Oysters |
 |
| Oysters Three Ways Shooters, Tempura and Natural |
Fishing
successfully on this journey has eluded me.
Small fish thrown back in or species I don’t particular like to eat.
Rays and sharks
are very active in this inlet and yet tourists on charter boats are jumping
into waters known for shark activity at sunset from the back of their charter
boats.
I learnt since
that the very next day at Cid Harbour was an incident of a woman being bitten
from swimming at 5pm from the back of a charter boat and I can’t help wondering
if this was the same family at Macona.
Cid harbour is
a very popular anchorage as it offers great protection from wind in all
directions but because it has a lot of boats who through food scraps overboard,
sharks are present.
The charter
boat companies need an overhaul in practices.
We got chatting to one staff member of a well know company who stated
that they hire to anyone and there prerequired experience is not as strict as
other countries. The debrief and
assessment of a hirer is now basically a lecture how to rather than, assessing
if they can do.
Certainly, what
I witness over the weeks in the Whitsundays is a disregard to boating rules,
protocols and the natural environment by hirers of charter boats, in particular
catamaran yachts. Running to close to whales, running over turtles, dropping
anchor on the reefs, swimming off back of boats at shark feeding time,
anchoring too close to other yachts, using public moorings past allocated time
restrictions and general poor seamanship.
At the Marina I witness the so called debrief given and it lacked hands
on involvement by the hirers who stood around watching not doing or being
assessed by the charter operator.
 |
| Saying Goodbye to Whitsundays a whale waving us goodbye |
Making passage
homeward we hope to be an enjoyable experience rather than a chore, with little
hops down the coast to our favorite islands.
Our passages are dictated by wind and sea conditions, time and safe
anchorage to the conditions.
 |
| Farewell Whitsundays till next we sail your waters |
On a beautiful
day that happen to be our 38th Wedding anniversary we sailed away
from Whitsundays passing Thomas Island, the much-loved Percy Islands putting
away a 100 nautical miles behind us to anchor in Island Head creek where we
will hunkered away in safety until the foretasted warnings of 30knot winds and
3 meter swells dissipate.
No comments:
Post a Comment