Day 5 of the Dent to Dunk Rally - Half way there

4:59 AM Wed 17 Jun 2009 GMT

'Dawn at the Gloucester Island anchorage. - Dent to Dunk Rally' John Graham Click Here to view large photo

The fleet of 42 Rally boats are currently enjoying a 'layday' at Magnetic Is. off Townsville in North Queensland. Most are in need of a rest after yesterdays drama beginning at 0230 when a un-forecast trough with a pea soup fog (more like a front) caught the fleet at anchor at Cape Bowling Green. South to South West winds of 20 up to 35 knots caused several boats to drag anchor on what had become a lee shore with the arrival of the unexpected change.

Two boats were beached but with the able assistance from VMR Burdekin & Coast Guard Townsville were subsequently refloated on the next high tide Tuesday afternoon, without any damage & caught up with the fleet overnight.

Interesting that this 'trough/front' did not appear on any weather maps or forecasts until midnight, two and a half hours before it hit us.

'Smokey' Cape Upstart - Dent to Dunk Rally - John Graham Click Here to view large photo

The Dent to Dunk Rally began off Airlie Beach at 1030 on Saturday 13th June in perfect weather, clear sunny skies and a SW to SE breeze of 8 - 15 knots. Spinnakers up on some boats and while definately not a race, there is some very serious competitive cruising going on. Anchorage the first night was at the Gloucester Eco Resort for some serious partying.

The second day was almost the same conditions except the breeze faded in the afternoon and the NE sea breeze filled in for the anchorage behind Cape Upstart. National parks were conducting a burn-off and the resultant smoke filled the bay and was most uncomfortable.

Day 3 was mostly motorsailing to Cape Bowling Green in about 5 knots SW-SE to a NE seabreeze. Day 4, after the hurried exit from the anchorage saw a fast sail in the mostly southerly wind to Magnetic Is, with most of the fleet being anchored by midday.

For more information about the Rally and the Dent to Dunk Centenary Race that begins on Saturday 20th off Hamilton Island, go to the Abel Point Yacht Club website at ... www.apyc.yachting.org.au