No pressure from Peers

Peer Pressure pulled out ahead of us as we headed along the Lucinda wharf.

Will we ever have the patience to sail like Peer Pressure did yesterday?
We were leaving the Hinchinbrook Channel via the Lucinda end with its seemingly never-ending jetty when a Seawind catamaran Peer Pressure pulled out ahead of us (we think from the inlet near Dungeness).
With the light breeze blowing directly on the nose and no other choice than to head straight into it along this very wide bay but very narrow boating channel, we didn't bother to hoist the main, opting to make a decision on sails once we were past the loading bay at the end of the jetty. Peer Pressure however had their main up from the start even though it flapped uselessly for the next hour.
But their plan became clear as we neared the jetty end and they turned due south and put out their head sail. They're headed straight to Townsville or maybe Rattlesnake Island, we thought, as we continued slightly south-easterly to Orpheus Island and Little Pioneer Bay.
An hour and a half later we had picked up a mooring and were enjoying lunch on deck in beautiful conditions.
We could see Peer Pressure making slow but steady progress down the coast but ever so slowly gaining some easterly miles.

A meditation pyramid - or just a bit of fun with driftwood at Little Pioneer Bay?

Meanwhile we took a trip to shore, had a walk and, with crystal clear water and not a stinger or jelly fish in sight, we went swimming. It was gorgeous.
Returning to Sea Piper we noticed a sail coming up from the south and as it neared we could see it was Peer Pressure, still tacking and sailing to reach the same destination as us.
They picked up a mooring in Little Pioneer Bay around 5pm and probably had just as lovely a day as we had.

The odd Wobbegong shark didn't deter us from a swim. Maybe they eat jellyfish?

Farewell Cardwell

Today there are big celebrations in Cardwell to mark the official opening of the town's $40 million facelift after Yasi all but destroyed it in February 2011.
We were tempted to stay longer but, having deferred for a couple of extra days already, and with another weather window presenting itself for our trip to Townsville, we decided to head out on yesterday morning's high tide.

Who could resist conditions like this? Not us.

It's getting trickier and trickier to get in and out of the old marina precinct as the waterway silts up but we did notice a dredge sitting at the slipway so hopefully it's around to do some work.
The marina complex is/was privately owned (currently in receivership) so none of the $40 million was spent on this part of town.
The town of Cardwell however looks fabulous and its shops are run by some of the friendliest people around. It now also boasts a shared bike/walking path running for several kilometres around the bay. The path has recently been etched with the marks of creatures and plants inhabiting this part of the coastline.

Concrete paths are etched with all sorts of plants and creatures like these Torres Strait Island pigeons.

  

 

 

Landscaping has included sculptures, interpretive signs, lots of seating and an amphitheatre, along with the preservation of Yasi survivors, the ancient and beautiful Calophyllum trees.

Hinchinbrook Island with a foreground of a Calophyllum tree.

If you're headed north by car, it's worth a stop and a walk around the foreshore, shops, visitor information centre, museum and arts centre.


 

Dolphins and mating turtles

Dolphins in Gayundah Creek.

A pod of feeding dolphins in Gayundah Creek this morning got the cameras clicking, though we had to wait for their return journey to take pictures.
Having moved around here yesterday via a longish exploration route through several creeks, we were sitting on the back deck chatting when the first of the four dolphins emerged almost beside the boat, and heading up into the head of the creek.

They were a beautiful silvery-pink colour and we could see them even as they swam beneath the brown water. Knowing they had to come back the same way, one of us was always `lookout' for their return which happened about half an hour later.
Though the photos aren't that great, the experience was. It helped that conditions were superb with a clear blue sky and little wind, leaving the water almost glassy.
* I forgot to mention in an earlier blog that the day we left Cairns, we passed a pair of mating turtles off Cape Cleveland. At first it appeared to be a dead turtle but as we drew closer, we noticed `it' was very much alive with two heads and bodies firmly linked. 
No photos of this phenomena however as we were riding a few waves at the time - it didn't seem to worry the turtles though.

Dunk to Garden to Hinchinbrook Islands

Millpond conditions on the south side of the sand spit. It was a fair bit lumpier on the north side!

Contrary to how it looks from the sea, Dunk Island resort seems to be a long, long way off re-opening.
However the public facilities - the jetty, campground, walking tracks, picnic tables and toilet facilities have all been rebuilt/restored and look fantastic.

Dunk resort looks so much worse from the shore.

It is yet another beautiful place to visit and, with millpond conditions in our anchorage on the south side of the island, we were able to enjoy a lovely walk along the beach and a close-up view of the devastation Yasi wreaked upon the resort, even though a lot of the debris has been cleared away and the swimming pool emptied of sand and re-filled with water (though I suspect the water is more for emergency supply than swimming).
Returning to Sea Piper we hoisted the main sail and lifted the anchor, turning into a beaut 10 knot north-easterly breeze towards Garden Island.
Out went the Code Zero as well and we maintained a steady six to seven knots all the way across the bay before dropping anchor in the lee of the island for lunch.
Someone must have dropped a match north of Cardwell because the smoke pall on the mainland directly in our view gradually became bigger and bigger until it mushroomed across an area kilometres wide.

The smoke pall over the mainland.

A check on the Queensland fire website revealed it as a `vegetation fire' of `no particular concern at that moment'. It looked terrible and huge from where we were.
Again we were able to sail across to the entry to the Hinchinbrook Channel, this time with just the Code Zero then the headsail as the wind picked up to 15 knots plus.
It was a great sailing day and we only required the motors to reach our final anchorage in one of the channel side creeks.
The past couple of days have been stormy though the storms have passed to the left and right of us with a final heavy shower of rain reaching us last night.
The bream have also been biting and we kept a couple for lunch yesterday - they were delicious.

Kiss and release for Denise.

After a couple of days of black clouds, some white and fluffies took their place.

Making a mile southwards

Fitzroy Island

It's lucky Doug and Denise have visited Cairns before as we have whipped them out of there faster than expected.
They arrived Monday evening and, with a three day weather opportunity presenting itself, on Tuesday morning we untied the ropes and headed out of the marina southward bound.
The somewhat choppy conditions outside the leads (into the Moon River) put a question mark on the journey but we decided to head across to Trinity Inlet for lunch and see if the wind abated a bit as it was forecast to do.
And it did!
Under one motor and the with the sails up, we were across to Fitzroy Island by mid-afternoon, in time for a swim and a walk, then kicking back to enjoy millpond conditions and a beautiful sunset.

Looking towards Queensland's highest mountain - Bartle Frere

Yesterday brought more of the same as we headed off just after 5.30am aiming for Mourilyan Harbour, south of Innisfail.
The weather god was looking favourably upon us again with a light northerly freshening in the afternoon. Alternating between the head sail and Code Zero as the wind moved further north, we were opposite Mourilyan by 1pm and decided to make the most of the conditions to push on to Dunk Island.
The sea was seething with bird and fish life and we were lucky enough to score two big mackerel - enough fish to last a month!
As always, hauling them in was exciting as they have a habit of spitting the lure just as you go to bring them on board.



One happy camper!

Two happy campers

We anchored last night on the south side of Dunk Island and the sea this morning is again glassy with another light northerly forecast for the final leg to Hinchinbrook Island. Before we head off we intend to go to shore for a walk then take a leisurely sail across to the channel.

Royden surprised Denise and I with a gin and tonic on the deck as we got close to Dunk Island. It was lovely on the trampolines in the shade of the Code Zero.

Food fest - tick

Something low key and healthy for Mog - not. OK I'll admit that the other two plates belong to Royden and me.

Yesterday's food fest met all expectations - and Kal wasn't the only one with a larger-than-usual tummy by last night.
As Mog was still lamenting missing the waffles last year at the Cairns Botanic Gardens, we decided to start the day with morning tea / lunch at the Gardens café.
Yum! I'll let the picture do the talking, although Kal's healthier ham and cheese croissant didn't make the snap.

The flower of the amazing cannonball tree. Like its name suggests, the `fruit' of this tree is the same shape and weight of a cannonball. Wouldn't want one to drop on your head. As well as seeing this in the Botanic Gardens, Royden also spotted one - full of cannonballs - along the foreshore walking path. Unsuspecting people were lying under the shady canopy. Worse than a coconut hitting you I reckon.

Another beautiful tree - others will probably know what sort.

Chilling out in the lagoon.

Afterwards we walked the gardens then swam off the kilos in the Cairns lagoon along with lots of other family groups. It is the most picturesque place and well used by tourists and locals alike.

Looking towards Yorkeys from Trinity Beach rocks

We followed up with a trip to Trinity Beach for a walk and to check out the Thai restaurants which resulted in a delicious feast that evening after we'd gone back to the marina to make ourselves beautiful!

And now looking back towards Palm Cove and Double Island.

Sea creatures - good and bad

It's hard to believe another month has flown past since my last blog update.
During this time we've been to Victoria for 10 days firstly catching up with Mog and Kal (and our first glimpse at Kal's bump!) ever so briefly as they flew out to Perth on the same afternoon we flew in, then heading up to Rochy to stay with Di and Don at our house and of course catch up with Rochy friends.
The Mawsons annual `do' at Lake Cooper was a ripper - great food, tours and people.
Leaving Royden in Rochy, I headed to Timboon for a brief visit with Jill to celebrate (early) her 70th birthday, then it was back to Melbourne to meet up with Royden again and visit Stu, Tina and the boys before flying back to Cairns last Sunday. Unfortunately the logistics didn't fit in a trip to Benalla - sorry Cris, Johnno and James.

Kitting up for a snorkel on the reef

On Tuesday, Mog and Kal joined us (direct from Perth) on the boat and we've managed to fit in a trip to Mossman Gorge as well as get a couple of days at sea and some beaut sails.
We headed out to Upolu reef with little wind and a light swell then with the afternoon sea breeze picking up to around 10 to 12 knots, we sailed back across to Trinity Inlet to anchor for the night.

Upolu Reef

 

Swimming off the boat

While swimming at the sand cay and reef was lovely, Mog got a fair few bites across his arms from either sea lice or a combination of sea lice and maybe a stinger. We doused his arms with vinegar which was immediately effective and later noticed a few jelly fish in the water so that took the edge of swimming!
It must have been the day for sea creatures because on the way out we spotted dolphins, flying fish, a sea snake and a turtle in the space of a couple of hours.
Yesterday we took advantage of another 10 to 15 knot breeze to just go sailing. Mog and Kal took turns at the helm, tweaking things to see who could get the most knots out of Sea Piper. Kal won at 7.0 knots in 12-14 knots of breeze.
We headed back into Bluewater marina in the afternoon then went swimming in the Cairns lagoon while Royden went to his chiropractor appointment to ease his sore back.
Today we're going to have a food fest around Cairns before Mog and Kal return to Melbourne tomorrow morning.
Our last visitors for the season arrive on Monday and the plan, weather willing, is to head off south to Hinchinbrook Island sometime in the next week then dropping Doug and Denise at Cardwell so they can bus it to Townsville to stay with David and Vikki for a few days.

Healthy cravings - heading into Trinity Inlet after a day on the reef.

 

This huge stick insect was pretty impressive (in the car park back at the marina).