June 2021
We left Airlie Beach for Hook Island which was to be our first stop in the Whitsunday’s for our week of exploring, snokelling and sailing. That week we had Hugo’s sister Holly on board and as such only had that week to show her the beauty of the Whitsunday’s. This meant that we didn’t dawdle too much wanting to see and do as much as possible. So that first day we didn’t waste any time and were weighing anchor and heading off after a lovely breakfast. That day we were heading for Stonehaven on the western side of Hook Island which was 15nm from where we were anchored at Airlie Beach. However to get there we had to push though a brisk headwind. This was the first upwind sail we had done in many, many months. Although luckily it was of an angle that was sailable and with 20-25kts of wind we charged along nicely.
Even though we were sailing at 4kts it took us the better part of the morning to get to our first destination, dropping anchor right on lunch in Stonehaven Bay. However once lunch was out of the way we wasted no time in getting our snorkelling gear together and jumping in the dingy to head over to the fringing reef.
This was the first time Hugo and I had truly swum in warm tropical waters and with an air temperature of only 20 degrees and the water sitting at 25 it was lovely and warm. We spent about an hour in the water marvelling at the beautiful coral formations and abundance of small fish. However even though the water was warm eventually we started to feel chilled and had to head back to Allagai, warming up with hot drinks and warm clothes.
The following morning we decided to weigh anchor and head over to nearby Langford Island. At only two miles away we were picking up a visitors mooring in no time and heading ashore. Langford Island was a tiny sand island surrounded by a huge reef which we thought would offer good snorkelling. However before swimming we decided to land on the beach first to walk along the sand spit.
It was while ashore to our utter surprise and delight that we found there was a small walking track to the top of the islands small peak. Unable to resist the short walk we headed up the track and had an amazing view out to Stonehaven Bay and could just see Allagai bobbing in the distance.
After our island walk Hugo and Holly had a quick dip, snorkelling along some coral reef just off the beach while I trailed behind them in the dingy. Although not long after we headed back to Allagai and had another amazing experience as three huge Bat-fish came right up to the edge of the yacht curious by some orange peel we had dropped in the water. They were obviously used to boats and people as they swam around curiously and eyed us off as we starred down at them.
After our morning on Langford Island we decided to drop the mooring and head off in search of more coral to explore. Our cruising guide recommended many of the best spots could be found on the north side of Hook Island so that’s exactly where we aimed for. That day we were forecast for the best weather for swimming with clear skies, warm air and barely any wind, we couldn’t have asked for better weather. The first anchorage we tried that day ended up being in Luncheon Bay about 5nm from Langford Island. When we arrived it was approaching low tide so we could clearly see the reef from Allagai, with some parts even poking above the surface.
So it was no sooner that the anchor was dropped we were in the dingy heading to the reef to explore. With plenty of large bommies, coral, fish and an open top swim through we spent about an hour in the water enjoying the snorkelling and marvelling at the fish. However this wasn’t set to be our only stop that afternoon. There was a second bay we wanted to visit which our cruising guide recommended for good snorkelling which was Manta Ray Bay. Luckily this bay was very close as it was the next bay over and less then a mile away so we decided that since that day was still young we wouldn’t waste the opportunity.
When we arrived in Manta Ray Bay there were two snorkelling tour boats with a multitude of passengers swimming in the water. However we didn’t let this deter us instead we made ourselves at home picking up a visitors mooring before heading off to explore the reef in our dingy. Again we were amazed by the coral and could easily see fish darting beneath us. But it was just as we were finishing our swim that the tour boats were leaving and we had noticed that they had been feeding some fish. So as soon as they departed we decided to head over to the spot where they had been feeding the fish and we weren’t disappointed by what we found. The tour boat had been feeding and attracted some of the biggest fish I had ever seen. Circling around the dingy were huge Bat-fish, Giant Trevally and three large Moari Wrasse. It was completely amazing the size of the fish and since they weren’t known man eaters we couldn’t resist going for a swim with them. The fish were obviously used to people as they weren’t fazed in the slightest by three people swimming with them. However the day was getting in late and as much as we wanted to stay swimming with the fish for hours the sun was dipping below the hills and we had to find a more sheltered anchorage for the night. So after one last swim and look at the huge fish we headed back to Allagai and dropped the mooring leaving the extraordinary fish in Manta Ray Bay behind. That night we dropped anchor 2nm away in the eastern inlet of the popular Butterfly Bay amongst about 20 other yachts.
Since we’d arrived so late to the busy anchorage we missed out on the good moorings so instead had to anchor on the outskirts in fairly deep water. However first thing the following morning most of the yachts departed and left us a multitude of moorings to pick from. We had decided we wanted to check out the snorkelling here before heading off and so picked up a mooring deep in the western inlet of the bay. Once again no sooner was the engine off that we were all piling into the dingy in search of a good spot of reef to snorkel on, which given the amount of reef wasn’t hard to do. As usual time got away from us and we spent nearly two hours out snorkelling admiring the coral and fish. However we did have another interesting encounter finding two giant gastropod, snail like things with shells the size of a football slithering over the coral and sea floor. It wasn’t long after these encounters that the cold got to us and we had to return to Allagai shocked by how long we had been away.
That day we’d decided that we had spent enough time on the north side of Hook Island and so after our long swim left the mooring field behind. Although in hindsight we probably should have waited another day before leaving. The forecast for that day was for 20kts from the southeast, but in Butterfly Bay we had not a single breeze making us complacent. Outside the sheltered bay the trade winds were in full force blowing from exactly where we wanted to go which was Nara Inlet, 11.5nm away. For us this was quite troublesome as this headwind made it difficult to get to our destination as this time it wasn’t from a sailable angle.
Even though we only had 11nm to go it took us most of the day to make that distance. Meaning it was just as the sun was dipping below the hills that we finally dropped anchor in Nara Inlet. This had been a very trying day of fighting both wind and tidal currants and vowed we would pay more attention to tidal directions in the future to avoid repeating that days event.
The following morning we woke up in the beautiful Nara Inlet and decided to check out the a short walk to an Aboriginal Cultural site on the inlets eastern edge. After many days spent swimming and sailing we were keen to step foot on dry land and stretch our legs. However the walk was quite a bit shorter then expected but what it lacked in length was made up by the information it provided. The short trail led to a old cultural site which was a cave filled with ancient paintings and along the way were many signs depicting old food sources and the history of the area.
Following our short morning walk we headed back to Allagai but had a whole day while we waited for the tide to change. This led to our second exploration for the day of taking the dingy to the far end of the inlet which actually turned into quite the adventure and interesting trip. As at the far end of the inlet we came across a small creek which fed from a huge rock face. Our old cruising guide had suggested that there was meant to be a waterfall in the area so we decide to tie the dingy up an go and investigate.
To get to the waterfall we had to scramble over large boulders and rock climb a small cliff face, but eventually we found it. However being the dry season the fall was only just flowing, fed from a small lagoon from above which only Hugo was brave enough to climb up to.
Following our waterfall adventure we headed back to Allagai and decided to weigh anchor and move closer to the inlet’s entrance so we would be in prime position to leave when the tide changed a few hours later. This was set to be our last anchorage on Hook Island as when we weighed anchor that afternoon we would be heading for Dugong Inlet which was on Whitsunday Island.