August 2021
After nearly a week on Brampton Island and a south easterly forecast we were ready to get moving and start heading back north. However the wind arrived a little earlier then expected. The day we left Brampton Island we were weighing anchor just as the first light of the day was brightening the sky giving us the perfect opportunity to start our journey back to Airlie. That day we were aiming for Goldsmith Island and because we started so early we were dropping anchor late that morning off the Islands northern side. We had spent some time anchored here on our last trip through the area and so ended up spending the rest of that day just relaxing on Allagai.
The following day we weighed anchor not long after sunrise and attempted to sail to Thomas Island. But with barely any wind it was really more of an attempt at sailing then actual sailing as the wind just wasn’t on our side. We spent most of that day turning the engine on and off as the fluky winds came and then went again. However eventually we made it and dropped anchor on the north side of Thomas Island off a stunning white beach surrounded by a beautiful green forest.
After our morning sail we were keen to head ashore and stretch our legs, however it was just as we getting in the dingy to head ashore that it started raining. We hadn’t had rain in weeks and knew from the look of the sky that it wouldn’t last so rather then heading off and getting soaked we decided to wait aboard Allagai until the rain passed, heading ashore an hour or so later.
When we finally did make it ashore it didn’t take us long to find a walk which had been mentioned in our cruising guides. The walk was barely a kilometre return long but was no less enjoyable for being short. The walk started along a dry creek bed that led through a small grove of trees which smelt amazingly earthy and fresh after the recent rain shower. Although the walk through the trees was relatively short and so soon we were walking through long grass and tall bush scrub that led us to the end of the track. The short trail which had been marked out by plastic bottles and containers washed up on the beach led us to the other side of Thomas Island and gave us a nice view out to the distant Smith Island Group. We spent a little time admiring the view before returning to Allagai for a late lunch.
The following morning we once again weighed anchor not long after sunrise and continued our sail north, that day aiming for Lindeman Island and had a wonderful sail. We set everything, including the topsail and flying jib, and carried full sail right up until we reached the anchorage. It was a stunning morning and although we weren’t breaking speed records we had a lovely sail and amazing weather. In fact the weather and sea state was so calm that day that we decided to launch the dingy while under way so that I could get some pictures of Allagai under full sail which is something we hadn’t done since our trips around Kangaroo Island nearly three years ago. While zooming around in the dingy I got some amazing photos of Allagai from all angles looking truly stunning under full sail while she charged along at 3-4kts.
It was about lunch that we finally dropped anchor in Plantation Bay on Lindeman Island which was yet another beautiful spot with white beaches surrounded by green hills. Once again we only spent the one night in this bay and enjoyed a short walk ashore before moving on the following morning.
By this point we were forecast for light northerlies and had decided that we would use the weather to explore some of the northerly anchorages in the Whitsundays that we hadn’t been to yet. So the following morning we weighed anchor after a truly stunning sunrise and motored to Hasle Wood Island, anchoring in White Bay which was on the southern side of the island.
This was yet another absolutely beautiful anchorage with stunning scenery and to our delight an extensive coral reef. It was this reef that we were the most keen to see and was the reason we had chosen this spot. It had been ages since we had been snorkelling and after our swim on the hull the other day we had been very keen to get back in the water. So as soon as the anchor was set we had a hasty lunch and then gathered all the snorkelling gear and jumped into the dingy. It wasn’t long before we had found the reef and were jumping in the water and were delighted by what we saw. The coral in this bay was stunning and healthy with fish everywhere you looked. We spent about an hour in the water and came across two turtles, a stingray and more fish then you could count, including many of the illusive unicorn fish and a dauntingly huge school of Barracuda. However eventually the chill of the water got to us and we were forced to get out, retreating to Allagai to warm up.
After our swim we decided to move Allagai to the eastern side of the bay. As when we had arrived that morning we’d had to go over quite a shallow reef with random bommies to get into the anchorage. We’d had the perfect conditions to enter the bay and didn’t want to become trapped if the weather turned foul or freshened as it was forecast to do that night. As even though we could see the bommies clearly on the way in if we had to leave in dark or in windy conditions we could easily hit something accidentally. We spent the night at our new anchorage with a short walk ashore the following morning before once more weighing anchor and heading off. By now our fresh food supply and even water, as the water maker was currently out of action, was starting to dwindle so we were keen to get back to Airlie. However with one more day of calm northerlies we decided to make one more stop.
That day we were aiming for Gulnare Inlet on Whitsunday Island, however since it was only 12nm from White Bay on Haslewood we decided to have a lunch stop. About halfway we stopped into Turtle Bay, a beautiful bay with about five white sandy beaches which had we more time I would have loved to explore. When we arrived it appeared that there was heaps of reef and after our amazing snorkel the day before we were quite keen for another swim. So no sooner was the anchor set we decided to try and go for a quick pre-lunch snorkel. However it seemed that the reef here was quite damaged. We spent about half an hour zooming around in the dingy and although we jumped in for one quick swim to cool off there was no coral, healthy reef or even fish to be seen. So although the swim was quite nice we ended up returning to Allagai for lunch a little disappointed as it was clear that at one point this bay would have offered awesome snorkelling but not so much now.
Following lunch we weighed anchor and headed off for out overnight anchorage in Gulnare Inlet. When we arrived we were approaching the bottom of the tide and as such were extremely grateful for our shallow draft as the entrance and most of the inlet was very shallow. It was so shallow that for most of the motor up the inlet the depth sounder only read 2m and at some points only 1.8m. However with a draft of only 1.2m Allagai had no issues negotiating her way up the shallow inlet and so in no time we were dropping the anchor amongst about five other anchored boats. We had gone as far up the inlet as was navigable by yacht however according to charts the inlet continued on for about another mile. With this in mind we were keen to go for a little expedition to see how far we could get in the dingy. So after a quick look at the chart we jumped into the little dingy and headed off. That afternoon there was barely a breeze so the water was flat and the reflections of the mountains around us and the overhanging trees were amazing. The air was so still we could hear the sounds of countless birds around us and the buzz of the insects in the trees and the popping sound of fish eating amongst the mangroves. The sound and scenery created a truly peaceful and tranquil environment which left us feeling like we were no longer in the bustling tropical Whisundays but instead somewhere much quieter and far less busy and more temperate. We spent about half an hour heading upstream before the the water got too shallow and we had to turn around and return to Allagai, amazed by the scenery and sounds of our little journey.
The following day we were forecast for a lovely 10-15kt south easterly, which arrived just as we exited Gulnare Inlet. That day we set everything and came roaring into Airlie Beach with full sail, including topsails, doing 6kts. We had an awesome sail and arrived in Airlie ready to head further north.
