1/10/2020 Slipped out of Monkey Beach anchorage at 3.30 am heading south to Pancake Ck. Sailed past many ships awaiting port Gladstone entry. Alongside entry to Pancake Ck at 3pm but sailing so well continued through the night to Rooney Pt Fraser Island 90 nm . Bright moonlight , some slapping from waves. Kym on watch till midnight, wind 10-15 till 4am when Greg woke me to furl the screecher and start engine.
2/10 Arrived 7am and anchored . Off to bed till 9.30 am. Needed to reanchor as a little close to other boats.Ashore for a walk. Lovely moonlight calm night and hearing whales through bedroom hull!
3/10 Woke up to a whale blowing 10 metres outside bedroom window, he then broached and continued on past the other yachts in anchorage. Wind now from SE 15 knots so after walk on beach we had a glorious sail in 12-18 knts south to Arch Cliff area for more SE/E protection. Whales along the way, long beach walk and barbecue dinner.
4-5 /9 Stayed Arch cliffs. Beach walking , swimming. Wind E/SE 10-15. Brief trip down to Moon Point for internet which was pretty sparse. Joggly NE chop so sailed back to Arch cliffs by 6 pm. Dead calm anchorage. Organised Lou and Stephan for weekend sail.
6/10 Moved to Lagoon anchorage.
7/10 Lovely beach walks. Moved 1 km further north late in day. Large turtle beached at low tide. Unsure if it was sick or resting till high tide. Very clear water.
8/10 Beach walk and turtle still there. Swim then great slow sail 28 miles to bottom of Woody Island for NE protection On the way a small runabout parked in our obvious pathway, DICKS!Passing humpbacks and used screecher most of the way.NE 5-10 and great sailing but winds to increase tonight.
9/10 Stayed Woody Island. Boat tidy and clean ready for guests and ready to get around to Scarness in the morning.
10/10 Motored around to Scarness early, picked up groceries then coffee with Lou and Stephan before dingy back to boat. Lovely sail 10-15knts SE to arch cliffs on Fraser. Anchored overnight. Usual walk and swim on beach.
11/10 Sailed up to lagoon anchorage. Dingy around lagoon, walk and swim in the lovely clear water. Lots of fish around back of boat at dusk and attracted by the light after sunset. Stephan caught some fusilier fish but too small to keep.
12/10 Fast sail back to Scarness doing 9 knots in 15-22 knts, choppy on anchor before a settled night . Ashore for fish and chips.
13/10 Louise and Stephan ashore after breakfast and farewelled. Met Trevor for coffee then back to boat. Greg ashore at 2pm for a game of golf. Still lumpy and gusting to 23 knts. Settled overnight though.
14/10 Motor sailed into the Fraser Straights past Kingfisher to South White Cliffs for some SE protection. Winds gusting to 25 knts but comfortable anchorage.
15/10 Started at 6 am following other boats through the shallow 1 hr before high tide. No probs then on to Inskip Point. Still up to 25 knts bumpy wave action for 2 hrs till around Inskip. Into Pelican bay mid tide. Got down to 0.4 metres. Lovely calm anchorage despite winds outside. Alone and other yachts lining up at the point ready to cross Wide Bay Bar.
16/10 Walked ocean front at high tide to watch 6 yachts cross the bar. Still a rocky ride. We had planned to cross today but talked with Tin Can Bay VMR who said better to wait till tomorrow. Wave ht today 1.7 dropping to 1.1 tomorrow and winds more northerly. So wont stop in double Island point just sail on to Mooloolaba after crossing.
17/10 Still alone in Pelican bay but overnight 17 yachts waiting at Inskip. Stampede for the bar started at 5.30 am. We took our time weaving out of Pelican bay where we had been sitting smugly on our own. 2 hrs before high tide, depth 0.4 metres. Smooth crossing as second last boat just about on high tide but heavy current mid passage needing both engines to make headway. Mild swell and 8 knots NE. Slow trip down coast , wind picked up off Mujimba Island to 15 knts. Tide running in at 4 knots and wave action on the bar due to badly needed dredging. Dredge on eastern side of channel which remained there our 3 months with little effect! Fast current due to spring tide, nerve wracking to get the boat to dock. Lots of hands to assist from neighbouring boats. Current pushing us out. Finally put stern to and then brought bow to dock. Yeah in at last and lovely Mooloolaba. Exhausted walk down to the pub for dinner. Planning to stay 15 wks till late January. Have organised haul out at boatworks for Feb.
2020 Wandering Aimlessly 