G'day Folks,
I'm fleshing out my plan to bring a boat back from Airlie beach late August/early Sept.
Due to crewing requirements, the trip is split up into three 5 day legs, with opportunities to stop wherever we can on each leg.
Airlie to Mackay
Mackay to Bundy
Bundy to Manly.
The boat is a 30 footer and unfortunately does not have a macerator fitted to the heads.
So my challenge is to use my discretion to find an interesting and enjoyable route, with picturesque stops, that will minimise our chance of inadvertent discharge in sensitive areas.
Now, I'm not overly familiar with this part of the coast, but I understand there are some real gems of locations that we will have the opportunity to vist; Whitsundays, Great Sandy Straight, Pancake Creek to name a few.
For you folks with the local knowledge:
- Are there must see/stop at locations that would greatly enhance my once off trip over there?
- Will my toilet situation preclude me from some of the more interesting locations? (looking at getting chem toilet and stopping at places with facilities as much as I can)
- Any particular publications that will assist with my planning? Marina and anchorage details, expected weather and swell, local courtesies and regs?
I'm keen to try check out some off the beaten track locations and maybe a big name tourist spot or two (just for stamps)
We could just marina hop all the way down, but this is too good an opportunity to see places I probably won't have a chance to get to again.
Cheers
D3, are you in WA still? I will lend you my Alan Lucas book and the Rob Someone passage planer if you like and have a beer or two and chat about what I would do. I went from Brisbane to Perth last year,
But for me, I would say after spending some time in the Whitsunday area (including Cape Gloucester if you want to go there)
1. Scawfell Island
2. Middle Percy (in my opinion a must)
3. Pearl Bay
4. Rosslyn Bay if you need to stop for some supplies otherwise just spend some time at Kepple.
5. Straight down into the Sandy Straights or Hervey Bay if you need.
I personally do not know why anyone would be bothered with the Narrows and Pancake Creek. I realise it seems to be the pilgrimage route but I don't see the attraction (for me the Narrows were too shallow anyway).
6. There were a few nice anchorages in the Sandy Straights with Garys being the most popular it seems and Tin Can Bay was a nice little marina too.
I went direct from the Redcliffe area (Jode5, where did I leave from????) to Tin Can Bay so I can't help south of there but you do have Mooloolaba along the way.
For me, I am deadset going to retire at Roslyn Bay. Percy, Pearl Keppel area to me was magic.
Three books you need and the rest you will figure out yourself.
100 Magic Miles of The Great Barrier Reef.
Noel Patrick's "Cruising the Curtis Coast" and
Maritime Safety Queensland's "Beacon to Beacon Directory". Most of the regulations are contained therein.
If you have a larger size porta potti and a 10 litre plastic paint bucket with clip lid for back up, the boat cops should deem you compliant.
Raw sewerage is legal to dump in open waters but may be required to be masticated first, whoops, I meant macerated. 
If you miss Middle Percy Island about a day south of Mackay, you will have missed something you will not likely see anywhere else in the world.
You are still likely to have sou'easters in September so carry plenty of fuel.
Which breed of 30 footer will you be sailing on??
Check out the comprehensive guidance on marine sewage in qld here :
www.msq.qld.gov.au/Marine-pollution/Sewage.aspx
One thing to note is that, if you have a fixed marine toilet you MUST have a macerator fitted, even if the toilet is never used.
Other than that, there are then restrictions on where you can discharge.
We simply fitted a macerating toilet when we got to the Gold Coast. Never inspected, but felt more relaxed. The output from a macerator is certainly less obvious!
Cheers
Bristol
Check out the comprehensive guidance on marine sewage in qld here :
www.msq.qld.gov.au/Marine-pollution/Sewage.aspx
One thing to note is that, if you have a fixed marine toilet you MUST have a macerator fitted, even if the toilet is never used.
Other than that, there are then restrictions on where you can discharge.
We simply fitted a macerating toilet when we got to the Gold Coast. Never inspected, but felt more relaxed. The output from a macerator is certainly less obvious!
Cheers
Bristol
D3, I can also lend you the Magic 100 Miles. As Cisco mentioned, the Beacon to Beacon is a good source if only for its simplicity, but from memory is only good from Gladstone to the Tweed (so yeah, covers most of your trip). But in any case, IIRC, it's free off the net.
I will agree with much that has been said here - there are lots of gems on the coast.
Be careful about planning too heavily. To get south at this time you need to go fast when you can and stop when you have to. Doing anything else will be very nasty. The seas in wind against tide near the Broadsounds and Whitsundays are very uncomfortable and slow.
So what I do to get south fast is put my south delivery mindset on. Whenever you get an easterly, light soueaster, or heaven forbid a northerly - you go - and keep going. Don't stop until late at night for a quick sleep. Unless Meteye is very firmly guaranteeing you fair winds later on.
You may get two weeks of very strong soueasters if you are unlucky. If lucky you may get a good run but as you want to do a quick run, don't stop at Percy (a real gem) if you have a good northerly. Just keep on going because the southerlies may come back in with a vengeance. Then you sit there waiting, whilst the boats that got 100 miles further south can get easterlies or northerlies.
So you should give yourself more time, or if you can't, be flexible and go fast when you can, you may not get another chance for a week or two. There have been tales of boats running out of food at Percy, whilst waiting out southerlies, and having to sail back north to stock back up at Mackay - but I never have had to.
Study the cruising guides so that you have lots of options for whatever the weather throws at you but don't make an itinerary - schedules and boats don't mix.
Kankama is spot on here.
if its not fresh from the SE then keep moving coz it can blow for a month solid 25 knots SE. It seems you get more east and northeasterlies once you get past the Percys but ive been stuck for 6 weeks before trying to get out of the Whitties before.
Might take a bit longer with a lot of pointing or bumpy motoring. November to December could be more enjoyable if you're able to do so as the trades will be less consistent and even pull out a big sail regularly. Plenty of times I've sailed off a mooring on mps and pulled it down at a destination while headed south from there.
Thanks Gents,
The common guidance seems to be to make sure that I keep the long term outlook of where I need to be, don't be afraid to motor to make more ground if the wind is looking like it will hold me back.
Toph - I'm down in Rockingham and would definitely like to take you up on our kind offer of borrowing some books.
Cisco - We'll be on a Jarkan 925, I'm looking at lashing a few extra jerry cans to the deck as well as picking up a porta-potti.
Bristol - Thanks for the link, someone had sent me a PDF that was not very clear. That page laid it out clearly and has useful maps.
Kankama - Thanks for the tips. If I can expect mostly strong winds from the South, I figure I'll come up with a list of contingency stopover points. ie- If i need to make the most of a window to get south, skip Middle Percy and aim for Island head creek or even down towards Gladstone.
I will definitely be reading up on some of these guides. While we will be doing a couple of overnight passages, I would like to avoid having to be sailing every night of each leg if I can avoid it. so maybe getting some miles in early and then staying longer a day or so out of the final destination is probably a better option.
I've got a bit of extra time for the leg from Airlie to Mackay, I will try visit a few islands. It will be the next two legs that I will really need to pay attention to the forecasts and try to get ahead as needed. Having alternative stopovers will be the key.
Any one have any nice locations in the Whitsundays they want to share?
Much obliged,
Select to expand quote
Any one have any nice locations in the Whitsundays they want to share?
Nara Inlet, Macona Inlet, Butterfly Bay. Someone further up mentioned the 100 Magic Miles book, it's well worth a read.
