Sunday, May 22, 2011
UPDATE 23 MAY
Awakening on Saturday 7 May at Stonehaven Anchorage to rain once again. Not a great deal to do here after a while as we have been here before but it is a good place to keep out of the weather.
A lazy day was had with T-bone steak and Salad for dinner.
Sunday morning we headed for Nara Inlet. This inlet is about 2.5 miles long and is surrounded by mountains and is a good protector from all winds. Water here was very calm. We launch the dingy and went over to shore where there is walking track consisting of stairs carved out of stone and nearly 45 degrees straight up. All this led to a lookout and the promise of an aboriginal cave full of paintings craved into the rock. The lookout was good, timber decks and stainless handrails. The cave itself also had a handrail across the front of it, but the excitmenet that had given us the strength to carry on up the steep track earlier was soon squashed only to find there were 2 maybe 3 handprints barley visable. There was however an information pole where you could press a button on various different aboriginal subjects and listen to some elder rabbit on about eating grubs or some shit like that. Anyway back down the stairs and feeling culturaly fullfilled we hopped back in the dingy and headed down stream a bit further this time with the promise of a flowing waterfall
and a lap pool that had formed at the bottom in the rocks. Once again our disappointment didn't disappoint. A trickle of water from the so called waterfall and an area at the bottom that was full of jaggared rock and bird shit. Somehow I think my profanities on the way up the stairs to the cave might have disturbed the souls of the sleeping elders and they decided to stop the flow of water to the fall and make the lap pool impossible to enter, this could be the only explanation because in the brouchers it was completely different. Never mind back to the boat as the rain starts to fall again and tonight its Prawn Fettucinni from the galley.
Monday was again spent in Nara doing some chores on the boat and trying to stay out of the rain.
Tuseday morning we headed to Able Point Marina to restock etc. Our time at the marina was spent doing the usual, washing , refueling, food shopping etc. This time we also had the engine serviced, went out to Hoggs Breath Cafe for my birthday Wednesday night.
Thursday we headed off from the Marina again and decided to go back to Nara for one night as thats where the wind was taking us. The sail was a good sail and the seas were calm. Arriving at Nara about 3pm we realxed for a while prepared our dinner, lamb chops, lemon potatoes and veg, then turned in for an early night.
Friday we were up early and headed to Sawmill Bay to do a bit of exploring in the dingy in hope of seeing a Dugong as this was a breeding area, unfortunately they were no where to be seen. I pondered if the aboriginal elders had put a curse on me. Anyway we waited for Screensaver to turn up as they were still near the marina getting some final mechanical work done. They arrived about 8pm. The next morning we all headed over to Long Island Resort. Anchoring just of the beach we headed ashore for some bar therapy. Sitting in the resort for a few hours watching the sunset over the mountains behind our yachts was lovely. Earlier the resort sport mangager had tried to get us to play a game of beach volley ball with the guests , but we were happy realxing with our drinks. As the wind had dropped we decided to stay the night on anchor where we were. A terrible night was had here as the winds picked up and the anchor chain dragged across the coral which intern eminated throughout the boat even with the snubber on. Up and down all night checking we hadn't moved. At about 4.30am we decided to stay up and wait for the sun to come up. The winds today were going to be high along with the seas , we decided to leave about 6.30am and head for Nara to hide out while the crap weather passed. Nara ia about 15 mile from here and it felt like 25 miles. Terrible seas and wind. Finally arrive and got a good anchor spot. Basicall the next 5 nights were spent here as the weather was shit and couldnt go anywhere. we had booked back into the marina on Friday 20th so we left early to get there. Thankfully the seas had died down and crossing the whitsunday passage was pleasent. It was good to move on even if it was to the marina as 5 days in Nara is enough to send you batty.
The usuall chores were done once again a the Marina. 2 nights out for dinner was good. Stocked up on enough supplies for 2 weeks. Left the marina and sailed to Macona inlet where we caught up with screensaver . Afew small beachs here. We decided to go ashore with a few drinks and have a beach fire and tell some stories. Higly illegal to have a fire in a national park but we thought what the hell.
Today Monday the rain is here again. We have about 4 more places we want to see in the Whitsundays then we will move on up the coast towards Townsville.
A lazy day was had with T-bone steak and Salad for dinner.
Sunday morning we headed for Nara Inlet. This inlet is about 2.5 miles long and is surrounded by mountains and is a good protector from all winds. Water here was very calm. We launch the dingy and went over to shore where there is walking track consisting of stairs carved out of stone and nearly 45 degrees straight up. All this led to a lookout and the promise of an aboriginal cave full of paintings craved into the rock. The lookout was good, timber decks and stainless handrails. The cave itself also had a handrail across the front of it, but the excitmenet that had given us the strength to carry on up the steep track earlier was soon squashed only to find there were 2 maybe 3 handprints barley visable. There was however an information pole where you could press a button on various different aboriginal subjects and listen to some elder rabbit on about eating grubs or some shit like that. Anyway back down the stairs and feeling culturaly fullfilled we hopped back in the dingy and headed down stream a bit further this time with the promise of a flowing waterfall
and a lap pool that had formed at the bottom in the rocks. Once again our disappointment didn't disappoint. A trickle of water from the so called waterfall and an area at the bottom that was full of jaggared rock and bird shit. Somehow I think my profanities on the way up the stairs to the cave might have disturbed the souls of the sleeping elders and they decided to stop the flow of water to the fall and make the lap pool impossible to enter, this could be the only explanation because in the brouchers it was completely different. Never mind back to the boat as the rain starts to fall again and tonight its Prawn Fettucinni from the galley.
Monday was again spent in Nara doing some chores on the boat and trying to stay out of the rain.
Tuseday morning we headed to Able Point Marina to restock etc. Our time at the marina was spent doing the usual, washing , refueling, food shopping etc. This time we also had the engine serviced, went out to Hoggs Breath Cafe for my birthday Wednesday night.
Thursday we headed off from the Marina again and decided to go back to Nara for one night as thats where the wind was taking us. The sail was a good sail and the seas were calm. Arriving at Nara about 3pm we realxed for a while prepared our dinner, lamb chops, lemon potatoes and veg, then turned in for an early night.
Friday we were up early and headed to Sawmill Bay to do a bit of exploring in the dingy in hope of seeing a Dugong as this was a breeding area, unfortunately they were no where to be seen. I pondered if the aboriginal elders had put a curse on me. Anyway we waited for Screensaver to turn up as they were still near the marina getting some final mechanical work done. They arrived about 8pm. The next morning we all headed over to Long Island Resort. Anchoring just of the beach we headed ashore for some bar therapy. Sitting in the resort for a few hours watching the sunset over the mountains behind our yachts was lovely. Earlier the resort sport mangager had tried to get us to play a game of beach volley ball with the guests , but we were happy realxing with our drinks. As the wind had dropped we decided to stay the night on anchor where we were. A terrible night was had here as the winds picked up and the anchor chain dragged across the coral which intern eminated throughout the boat even with the snubber on. Up and down all night checking we hadn't moved. At about 4.30am we decided to stay up and wait for the sun to come up. The winds today were going to be high along with the seas , we decided to leave about 6.30am and head for Nara to hide out while the crap weather passed. Nara ia about 15 mile from here and it felt like 25 miles. Terrible seas and wind. Finally arrive and got a good anchor spot. Basicall the next 5 nights were spent here as the weather was shit and couldnt go anywhere. we had booked back into the marina on Friday 20th so we left early to get there. Thankfully the seas had died down and crossing the whitsunday passage was pleasent. It was good to move on even if it was to the marina as 5 days in Nara is enough to send you batty.
The usuall chores were done once again a the Marina. 2 nights out for dinner was good. Stocked up on enough supplies for 2 weeks. Left the marina and sailed to Macona inlet where we caught up with screensaver . Afew small beachs here. We decided to go ashore with a few drinks and have a beach fire and tell some stories. Higly illegal to have a fire in a national park but we thought what the hell.
Today Monday the rain is here again. We have about 4 more places we want to see in the Whitsundays then we will move on up the coast towards Townsville.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
UPDATE 6 MAY 2010
Monday morning we move just around the corner but still in Stonehaven just got a bouy a little bit closer to the reef, and next to Screensaver. Did some snorkeling off the dingy and went to shore to check out the sunset.
Tuesday morning we headed off to Langford Island for the morning and went ashore where we snorkled along the waters edge for an hour or so. Back to the boat had a bit of lunch and then headed off again this time to Blue Pearl Bay where we were hopeing to get a mooring for the night. Weather at this point still calm so we mortored around which took us about an hour, unfortunately there was no room there so we decided to go back to Langford and pick up a mooring there again for the night. We got a mooring fine, however the tide was quite low and the mooring line ended up wrapped around the keel. I dived down to have a look but I couldnt budge it. Back on board we made the decision to try and take the line off the front of the boat and walk down the side in the hope that it would unhook itself from the keel and we would not drift onto the nearby coral. All was go the line untangled itself so we let it go and decided to head back to Stonehaven for the night as the moorings there are better. Elaine cooked Lamb ribs and salad for dinner and an early night was had.
Wednesday we headed of back to Blue Pearl Bay in the hope of getting a mooring. We can't really anchor there as it is 18 meters deep which means we really need to put out about 70 meters of anchor chain and we only have 50. As luck would have it someone was leaving as we got there so we picked up the mooring and settled in. Screensaver also got one a little bit later so all was good. We ended up feeding some fish of the back of the boat before we went to shore. They were quite large about 400mm and flat like a plate. Went to shore and had a good snorkle along the shore here where we saw lots of fish, this is the best place we have been to so far. Back to the boat for afternoon tea, we noticed our fish friends, Herman and Morticia (Elaine gave them names) we still hanging around so we gave them another feed. Evening drinks were had on Screensaver then back to our boat for San Choy Bow.
Thursday morning we headed off around 9.30 am to a place called Butterfly Bay. Once around the head we encounted 25-30knot winds and 2.5 meter swell which made the next hour or so interesting to say the least. We only put up our Jib. After entering Butterfly Bay the winds eased and the swell basically disappeared. Navagateing into Butterfly was a bit slow as there is a few reefs so you cant go straight in, its sort of like a dog leg. There was only two boats in here and there was 7 spare moorings so we had our pick. After securing the boat on a mooring we had only sat down for a minute when who should pop its head up a turtle, now named Charlie (That was my name this time). There had been some talk over the VHF about a few Irukandji (Tiny jelly fish that kill you) about so without any stiger suits we decided that a dingy ride to shore and a stroll along the beach was a better option. Back from the shore there were several dozen pineapple trees with fruit on them so we took one with us ( the fruit not the tree). Weather was nice and warm a bit of a breeze but still lovely. The bay slowly filled up with charter boats as everyone settled in for the evening to get out of the wind. The evening was a quite one with Pork steak and potato bake for dinner, finished with a Baileys coffee and ice cream for desert.
Friday morning we were up early and heading back to StoneHaven as we needed to get some phone coverage to make some calls. Leaving Screensaver there head headed back navagating between Heyman and Hook island where half the markers are missing. Picking up a mooring we have settled in here for the rest of the day and night. The weather is rainy and windy today, so we are glad to be on a mooring and not on anchor.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
MAY BIRTHDAYS & MOTHERS DAY
As May is a big Birthday & Mothers Day month and we are unable to send cards we would like to wish both our Mum's a HAPPY MOTHERS DAY
and the following all a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
Tommasina - 3rd "37"
Grant - 3rd "big 50"
John - 8th "bald & old"
Ashley - 9th "22"
Ashlea - 10th "19"
ROD - 11th "47"
Julie - 13th "big 50"
We hope you all have a great day!!!!!
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