For the first two weeks of our adventure the winds blew 20 to 30 kts and we had no need of our light air sail. For the last few days we’ve been drifting with winds below 10 kts, but we didn’t have all the gear to hoist our gennaker and had no idea how it all fitted together anyway. (I’m not complaining as it allowed us to float past some beautiful places with nothing to do but enjoy.)
Yesterday morning we finally repaired all the running gear and successfully raised our gennaker only to have the wind shift so we had to haul it in again. Today the weather gods clearly grew tired of playing pranks and gave us a lovely 10 kt breeze from the north east. Up went the gennaker along with our speed. A sail has never looked more pretty.
We’re moored up at Cape Bowling Green now watching an armada of ‘mozzie fishing boats’ descending on our peaceful haven. From three of us bobbing in the lee there are now a dozen. Sadly they’re all hauling in fish and we’re having steak for dinner…
Still, Zeus is a happy staffy so everything’s right in the world! A successful day for all 🙂
Thanks for that, Brett, we’d been scrambling to look at options after your earlier comments. We’re under motor as the wind is less than 5 kts so we’ll keep heading north and see whether Orpheous is still an option time wise or whether North East Bay will be better. Rattlesnake would have made tomorrow a very long day 🙂
Helene forget what I was saying about Orpheous, was having a senior moment and thinking of Acheron. Orpheous is fine but if your getting there towards dark remember the reef extends a fair way off shore. Saw a large game boat almost go up on the reef there at dusk one evening. Around the resort bay just moor outside the pontoon.
Also Havanah and Pelorous Islands are nice spots. If you have light airs overnight North East bay has very good bottom holding and all sand right up to the beach with just fringing reef down the southern side of the bay.
Orpheous is not a great anchorage in any sort of a sea Helene. It is a beautiful little island if its calm but the bottom is not great for a pick in and any sort of swell comes straight around it. If you get up around Rattle Snake Herald Island off the north western end near the beach is a better anchorage than Rattle Snake and its a lot easier to get ashore. The beaches on Rattle Snake have reef and bommies a fair way out off the beach itself.
Not looking like a quick trip under sail, Brett. We’re hoping to push on further than Magi and hopefully make Rattlesnake at least if not Orpheous. Looks like the south easters will return just in time for us to moor up at Blue Water 🙂 If we do end up at Rattlesnake then we’ll check out North East Bay. I remember you mentioning it when we flew over the top 🙂
Looks like light north west to nor easters for the next few days for you. Hopefully not to much west in it and it should be a nice reaching run.
Townsville or Magi Island tomorrow?
When you get up to Palm Island if you have time and haven’t been there before North East bay is just beautiful and my favorite beach. If there’s been any recent rain there’s a fresh water stream and pool at the far western end of the beach.