The Long Paddock is the affectionate name for the 200nm passage between Yeppoon and the Whitsunday Islands. It is a lovely passage with lots of uninhabited islands and interesting anchorages. In July, the SE Trade winds are reliable and it makes for a downwind run the whole way.
We had a 2 week gig on our share-catamaran 'Antidote' from July 15th to July 28th
We provisioned with the help of the courtesy car from Keppel Bay Marina on the Saturday, and headed off on the Sunday morning to North Keppel Island.
Considine Bay on North Keppel Island.
Considine Bay was rock'n'rolly in the SE Trade conditions.
Then on the Monday 17th we headed on north with a single reef in the main, and the genoa goose-winged using the snatchblock. The system works OK when there isn't much sea, but it is quite unstable when the boat is rolling around. We missed our whisker pole. The wind was too strong to fly the kite.
We got into Island Head Creek without difficulty and found a comfortable spot.
Island Head Creek
One challenge was to get through the Shoalwater Bay Training Area before live firing started on the 20th as part of Exercise Talisman Sabre.
The High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is fired by the US Army during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 in Shoalwater Bay training area . The live fire display is a combined exercise capabilities from Australia, the US, Japan, South Korea, Germany, France and New Zealand.
So on the Tuesday 18th, we pressed on to the north side of South Percy Island.
Another easy run, goose-winged. Then on the Wednesday 19th on to Curlew Island. We saw several whales.
Humpbacks
A comfortable anchorage. About 17 boats there.
Leaving Curlew Island at dawn.
Another dead-downwind run with single reefed main and goose-winged genoa. Several more whales. We got to Scawfell Island, where we picked up a mooring. A very pretty anchorage.
Next stop Thomas Island, a particularly gorgeous island.
From Thomas, we sailed up to Whitehaven Beach, taking the route to the east of Shaw Island. A pretty sail with several whales.
We towed a hand-line....
It is important to be aware of Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zone Maps. We forgot to check!
See the green zone on the east side of Shaw Island. My bad!
Busted!
From here we went north through the Solvay Passage and spent a night at Whitehaven Beach, and went for a walk.
Whitehaven lookout
Pentecost Island
Monday July 17th. A lovely kite run from Whitehaven up to Hook passage, then south to Mays Bay, with coverage at last.
Tuesday 18th. Weather looking unpleasant. A swell making Mays Bay uncomfortable, so we shifted round to Cid Harbour.
Cid Harbour is good for unpleasant conditions, and has a couple of great walks, one to the top of Whitsunday Peak.
Cid Harbour.
Coverage exists, but is patchy, so on Wednesday 26th we moved round to Beach 23 just outside Gulnare Inlet. Much better coverage.
Gulnare Inlet
Altogether, a lovely cruise.
