Lianne:
Our next anchorage was Goldsmith Island, part of a stunning group which takes in Ladysmith, Tinsmith, Linne, Lockmith and Farrier islands. We arrived just in time to get the link sheet up to cover the cockpit from the rain, but at the wrong time to get into shore so we stay all cosy onboard. Sundowners were on Pyrenees tonight and our guests had the joy of the swell wrapping around the point just as they arrived for drinks. Murphy was at play though as it settled down a little as they departed.
With the winds turning to the Northeast, we now had to decide where to head to for the next night. Thomas Island was our initial choice but anchoring there would result in the wind and sea coming straight in, equalling another rolly night. I tried to play navigator, as my current one is not managing to find a pleasant night’s rest – not sure if I should trade him in 😊
As many of the Whitsunday anchorages face NE or are affected by currents (more rolling) in spring tides (which we are at the height of) there was not much to choose from. So off to Cid Harbour, probably one of the most secure bays in the Whitsundays. We had a great sail up; the seas were a bit swelly but settled once we were in the shadow of Shaw Island. Then a wave as we passed Hamilton Island, and we tucked in at the end of Whitsunday Island to get into the Harbour.
We have spent many nights in this bay, and tonight it was like all our previous visits, providing a very calm night (yay) and turtles popping up their heads, though not as many as we had seen previous times. With the boat secure and a final goodbye to our “companion” boat Cat -man-do we got the dinghy off and headed out to explore.
Sawmill Beach was as rocky as we remember and a small break on the shore provided access for the dinghy. It was the sight of an old Sawmill back in the early 19th century and a few remnants of train tracks are scattered on the beach, The Allied Forces also used the bay as a safe anchorage during World War 1. Many of the walking tracks on Whitsunday Island start or finish here, though they are known for being quite steep and strenuous. From Sawmill we meandered through the boats and went turtle spotting, though they are all camera shy.
Sawmill Beach
A very quiet night, both on the social front and on the seas. We sat quietly and watched a tourist boat get caught out by the spring tide. It was stuck in the rocky shore of the beach and unable to be pulled to deep water. They had to wait for the tide to turn and the water to rise again – hope none of the guests had a dinner reservation that night!
As the sun set (always great from here) we set up for movie night. A homemade screen stretched across the back of the cockpit, my laptop, Stuart’s little data projector and a packed media drive gave us everything we needed. Of course, pillows, rugs and some nice wine added to the ambience! It is only the third movie we have watched in almost 8 weeks onboard. Most nights we play board games or read – (Stuart is the Backgammon and Sequence champ whilst I lead the Scrabble competition.) I think we are one of the few boats without a TV, it was a decision we made when purchasing her and to this day do not regret it.
We stayed at Cid for another night, before we headed over to the mainland coast. En route, we passed islands that people will have heard of Daydream, South Molle and North Molle. National parks had a helicopter flying over North Molle, dropping firebombs. It was interesting to watch as they ran the ridgelines and about 3minutes after they turned to another area, the smoke would start. As we reached mid-way along the Island, it was enveloped in smoke and by the time we had rounded the Northern point, the smoke was all but gone.
Just north of Airlie Beach, is Wood Wark Bay. It is well protected and surrounded by National Park on all sides except the southern end, which is a private holiday house (you and 17 friends can rent it). The vegetation is very lush and the beaches mainly coral rubble. We explored many of the beaches over the next day or so and I managed to get some photography in whilst Stuart tried his hand at Rock Sculpture Art! The highlight though was on our first night, as the tide went out, we watched (no pictures unfortunately) a pod of dolphins feeding in the shallows. They were very active, jumping and thrashing, we presume they were feeding on the fish coming out of the nearby mangroves.
Out an about at Wood Wark Bay (and Stuart’s rock art)
We had not planned on stopping at Airlie Beach (Coral Sea Marina), but some necessary sail repairs required a few nights stay. So, with a sailmaker organised we left Wood Wark and headed to civilisation for a few nights It is a lovely marina, a nice walk from the main street. Has a few restaurants to choose from, a laundry with a view and great loan cars. It is also the location that “Below Deck” Australian series is being filmed and we were pleased that filming ceased the day we arrived, otherwise the continual blasting of the boat’s horns would drive us silly!
We took the opportunity to catch up with friends who live there, and we have not seen for years. Cat-Man-Do also arrived, surprising us with a visit, but this time a true goodbye as they flew back to Tasmania and left their son with the boat (it is his, they were the delivery crew!) John and Di have become lovely friends and we will miss seeing their smiling faces as we arrive at anchorages!
With the sail fixed, and an engine service done we left the marina and decided Stonehaven would be a good spot for a couple of days. It is a lovely bay on Hook Island and looks over towards Hayman Island Resort. The anchorage has lots of coral bombies, all protected by no anchor areas. It also has the advantage of well-maintained moorings, so Rocky had a rest. Swimming and turtle spotting made it a very relaxed time. We reminisced about our many stays at this bay, the most memorable with the kids back in 2007 on the old Pyrenees. Whilst barbecuing sausages for dinner, Stuart stepped back and landing in the fishing tackle box and embedding a lure in his foot. He required a little bit of medical attention from the kids and I to cut the lure free, but we saved the sausages first!
The high hills dwarf a dinghy anchored at Stonehaven 
Another serene sunset
Today we have started our track to Townsville (it is out of lockdown), and motor sailed to Cape Gloucester, and have arranged a mooring at the Eco Resort. Rich lush vegetation along the coast and scattered islands to sea provided our scenic vista for the 5-hour leg. As we were heading down the bay, I mentioned we had not seen many dolphins in the last few days and of course 2 popped up just as I said it! Still waiting on the whales though.
After grabbing one of the outer moorings, we launched TT and headed in for dinner at the resort. It was the new owners first night and many locals were there to support them. The staff did a great job, happy and welcoming and the kitchen produced a very large seafood plate (not platter) for each of us!
Tonight, also marked 8 weeks since we left home.
Tomorrow, we continue towards Townsville and keep our fingers crossed that they do not go back into lockdown.
Stuart
We spent 2 nights at Scawfell Island, the first on anchor and the second on a public mooring buoy which was right next to the fringing reef and just a little out of the wind gusts that kept spinning Pyrenees around her anchor on the first night. The islands with high sides tend to accelerate the winds around or over them so what appears at first glance to be a calm anchorage can be quite windy. This was the case with Scawfell which also suffered from swell rolling into the bay. We are getting used to rolly anchorages as it is part of the territory when anchoring off tropical islands though it is better when things are not falling out of lockers.
From Scawfell Island we sailed a comparatively short 29 miles to Goldsmith Island which promised serenity in the anchorage but was quickly affected by more swell rolling around the point and winds gusting over 25 knots which was well above the forecast and combined with a spring (big) tide to create a chop that kept us awake a good part of the night as it banged under our hull.
We checked the weather forecast and a couple of models predicted the swell would be coming from the northeast and roll straight into the bay at Thomas Island where we planned to go next, so a quick decision was made to press on into the heart of the Whitsundays to Cid Harbour which is a beautiful setting and also an anchorage that we have had many calm nights at. After 30 miles of motor sailing through waters that we know very well after 2 years racing the old Pyrenees at Hamilton Island Race Week and cruising 3 times through here, we arrived in 25 knots of breeze which was again well above the forecast 10 to 15 knots at Cid Harbour. The wind eventually dropped to forecast and after a long dinghy trip around the bay and a landing on Sawmill Beach we settled in for afternoon sundowners which was an old favourite of Pimm’s to watch a stunning sunset. The temperature has finally reached the brochure levels and we both have actually felt hot today in just shorts and t-shirt. How good is that!
We motor sailed across Whitsunday Passage to Wood Wark Bay in generally calm conditions, for 2 nights as Lianne needed phone coverage and we need to be in Airlie Beach Sunday night so we can get some minor repairs carried out to our mainsail and the engine serviced for a regular 250 hours given how much we have had to use it. Unfortunately, the internet reception was patchy but the anchorage beautiful and calm even with 20 knots of breeze blowing in Whitsunday Passage.
A short trip into Coral Sea Marina on Sunday morning saw us take the opportunity to top the fuel tanks again before we settled into our pen. It was blowing over 20 knots out of the Southeast which combined with a strong tidal current running in the opposite direction to a fairly lumpy trip around Grimston Point. We love Coral Sea Marina as the pens are spacious and the staff super helpful. Apart from the planned boat repairs, I’ve got some more fishing gear to buy that may lead to improved fishing results!!
Mainsail repairs completed but we were delayed getting it back onto the boat by a persistent strong wind warning. The sailmaker was happy to put it up in the marina Thursday morning at 0730 and so we departed at 1100 hours for Stonehaven which is an anchorage at Hook Island near Hayman Island. The wind has dropped enough to allow 2 days in the Whitsundays before we begin 3 days of passage making to Townsville on Saturday morning.
Passage 1 of our journey to Townsville was a light 33-mile motor sail from Stonehaven to Cape Gloucester where we moored for 1 night at the Gloucester Eco Resort. We had some light rain on the way across Whitsunday Passage but barely enough wind to keep the sails full.
Two On The Loose 