Migrating south

4 mile beach, Port Douglas

Never smile at a crocodile!

We have always loved Port Douglas, from our first visit together in 2003 to celebrate (with the other directors) 10 years of Valcor, to our honeymoon in 2010 and our 2017 cruise north. It is a lovely, friendly town with lots to see and do. When we arrived here on 21st July, we imagined many cruises out and around the north tropical waters, with visits to Port Douglas in between. Instead, we had only one cruise north, and many road trips out and around far North Queensland as we waited for the winds to ease! It has all been lovely, and in our last week there we managed to collect two kayaks, take a Daintree River croc spotting cruise compliments of friends, Jill and Alan, have dinner out twice, lunch with boating friends, a romantic night at Palm Cove and to restock the boat ready for travel. 

Lunch with friends, Palm Cove

Farewell, Port Douglas

Two months after we arrived, it is time to be starting the migration south again. We untied the lines on Sunday, 20th September. Our first stop was the Low Isles, a perennial favourite, where we were pleasantly surprised to pick up a courtesy mooring. We were keen to try out our kayaks, our wedding anniversary present to each other (so we “don’t rock the boat” - get it??), and we spent hours paddling around over reefs and shallow sandy beds, into the mangrove lined creeks of Woody Isle and across to the beach at Low Isle for a swim. Conditions were perfect; a slight breeze, no waves, sunshine - we were amazed there weren’t more boats around. 

Low Isles

Trying out our kayaks

On Monday morning we let the mooring go and headed east, nine nautical miles offshore, to Tongue Reef. The wind and waves picked up as we were cruising and we entered the U shaped reef with some trepidation as the sun was in front of us and it was difficult to see where the coral was amongst the deeper waters. We dropped anchor not far off the reef and had a cuppa, contemplating our plans - the wind and waves made kayaking or snorkelling unappealing! With no sand cay to walk on or swim off, we decided it didn’t offer what we were looking for, so we retreated back to the Low Isles where our mooring was still available and the conditions were more kayak-friendly! All the tour boat operators visited that day, with people snorkelling, paddle boarding and even kite surfing - it was busy during the day but we returned to peace and tranquility as the sun set.

Michaelmas Cay

Tuesday morning saw us drop the mooring just after sunrise, ready to begin heading south. Once we left the protection of Low Isles the conditions were “lumpy”, with short, sharp waves on the bow. We arrived at Michaelmas Cay just before lunch and paddled ashore in our kayaks for a swim. It was a bit wavier than we were used to, with a current running out, so it was hard work to get in but easier on the way back! There was a large tour group ashore, snorkelling and photographing the multitude of terns who call the island home. While there were less birds than last time we were here, they were still quite noisy!! After lunch and a relaxing afternoon, when the tour boat had left, we dropped the dinghy in the water and went ashore for a lovely swim - the water is clear and warm. We enjoyed a beautiful tropical night 20 nautical miles offshore, and the first mate even attended “virtual” 40th birthday drinks with a group of Melbourne friends!

Foxy's @ Fitzroy Island

We started Wednesday morning with our exercise routine, then went ashore for a well deserved swim before breakfast. We cruised on soon after, across to Vlassoff Cay, where we had a cuppa then jumped in the dinghy to go ashore, where a helicopter had landed on the island and set up an umbrella for a bit of shade. However with the tide dropping and no clear way through the coral, we abandoned that idea, returning to the boat and lifting the anchor, making our way to Green Island for lunch, then moving on again to Fitzroy Island, a perennial favourite. We kayaked ashore for a swim and a walk, returning to Manookatoo to freshen up, drop the dinghy in the water and head over to Foxy’s Bar for sundowners.

The summit, Fitzroy Island

Farewell our friends!

Next morning, after breakfast, we kayaked ashore with our shoes and water bottles for the summit walk, a difficult uphill climb up through the rocks. Fortunately we had a breeze and were in the shade for most of the way up! After reviving ourselves at the summit we picked our way down a rockier path to join the road to the lighthouse. Here we could see all the coral reefs and sand cays to the east of the island, somewhere we are keen to explore tomorrow. We returned to the shore via the old, concrete road, quickly jumping in the water to cool off. It was very shallow and rocky as the tide was low so we didn’t stay in for long, padding back to the boat for a cuppa and a well earned rest! In the afternoon we watched as our friends on Tranquility Base arrived, and later we met Yvonne and Andrew for sundowners at Foxy’s. They, too are heading south, but at a faster rate than us, so we probably won’t see them again on our travels.

Anchored amongst the coral!

After another lovely, peaceful night, we raised the anchor and headed due east, to check out Sudbury Reef. Conditions were perfect for the short, ten nautical mile cruise, and we were lucky to get a mooring there. We put our snorkelling gear in our kayaks, dropped them in the water and paddled ashore, walking around the sand cay before hitting the sea to check out the coral. There was quite a strong current, which made snorkelling a challenge! Returning to the kayaks and paddling back to Manookatoo, we unhitched the mooring and headed south west, stopping midway for lunch and reaching Normanby Island later in the afternoon, just as the tour boat was leaving. 

Normanby Island

We cheekily took their mooring, knowing they wouldn’t return until tomorrow! As it was further out, we went to shore by dinghy, walking around the southern half of the island and taking the boardwalk through the mangroves and rainforest to the eastern side. We returned again to shore for sundowners, appreciating the quiet and stillness with only one other boat nearby and nobody else onshore.

An early start!

On Saturday morning we made an early start, cruising past the Johnson River (Innisfail) and Mourilyan Harbour, rounding Purdaboi Island and picking up a mooring at Dunk Island in time for lunch. Many boats, both large and small, were here, and the camping areas are full as it is school holidays. Ski boats and jet skis whizzed around and even the Police boat was anchored there for a while. It was very busy after the quiet of yesterday! Later in the afternoon we went ashore for a swim and then back for sundowners, but there are plenty of March flies around so the aerogard was necessary! Marookatta, with friends we had made at Lizard Island, arrived late in the afternoon and we made plans to catch up the next morning. We enjoyed a three course dinner on the back deck that evening, enjoying calm seas and balmy conditions.

A long way to paddle!

Ian and Angela, Marookatta

After our morning swim on Sunday, we visited Angela and Ian on Marookatta for morning tea and to catch up on their adventures at Lizard Island. There had been a crocodile attack since our time there, a shock as it is so far from the mainland! We were glad we had snorkelled and swum there before this happened - we may not have been so keen now! It was lovely to see them again and swap stories, hopefully we will meet up a few times as we are heading in the same direction. Later, as they raised their anchor and headed off, we paddled the kayaks ashore and walked to Muggy Muggy beach. We had planned to swim there but the low tide and coral underfoot, coupled with aggressive March flies, had us returning to Brammo Bay. In the afternoon we tackled a longer kayak trip across to Purdaboi Island, where we had a refreshing swim before the long paddle back.

It has now been over a week since we started our southerly journey. We have loved being back on the water again and only hope that the benign weather continues for a little longer as we continue cruising.

Captain's log Port Douglas to Dunk Island:

Distance travelled - 150 NM

Fuel - 151.8 litres

Travel time - 26 hours, 20 minutes

Fickle winds and unfavourable forecasts

                      After a week in Port Doughlas Marina, with no sign of the winds abating, we decided on another roadtrip, this time up to the Atherton Tablelands. We travelled up the Rex Range Road, passing Mt Molloy and Lake Mitchell and stopping at Mareeba, where we enjoyed a delicious coffee and marvelled at the Heritage Museum, a veritable wonderland collection of local history on display. We continued onto Atherton, visiting the Information Centre to find out what might entertain us in the region and coming away with armloads of brochures from a very helpful volunteer! We were keen to explore the "food bowl" region so we headed out to Gallo Cheese factory, on the road to Malanda. Unfortunately, with Covid, there were no tastings on offer, but we chose two likely cheeses and bought some of each for later. We continued on to Malanda, where the waterfall crosses the highway, visiting another informative visitors centre and admiring the water cascading over the rocks. From there we continued to Lake Eachem, a volcanic crater lake where the water is clear, blue and very deep. Some hardy souls were kayaking and swimming, but the temperature of the water - and the surrounding air - kept us away! After a short walk we continued on to Yungaburra, enjoying a "Yungi burger" at the lovely old pub. From there we drove out to Tinaburra, on Lake Tinaroo, to see the impressive and very moving Afghanistan war memorial, which was conceived and built with local donations to remember the lives of all Australian soldiers lost in that war, in particular Ben Chuck, a young local boy. It is a beautifully designed and fitting memorial to a tragic war.                               

We continued back to Atherton, exploring the main street and deciding that dinner in the pub where we were staying was the easiest option after a big day of driving and exploring.

On Monday we headed southwest to Herberton, the first and, once, the largest regional town, with miners attracted to large tin deposits in the surrounding hills. There is a very comprehensive and informative historical display at the information centre and we spent an hour reading and learning about tin mining and its effect on the local area before continuing to the Herberton Heritage Centre, a "village" consisting of many local buildings which were moved to the site to create an amazing educational resource. Every building contains a comprehensive collection - from potions at the pharmacy to vintage cars in the garage, historical toys at the toy shop, fashions of a bygone era at the drapery and ancient, lovingly restored John Deere tractors in a shed. The school is full of memorabilia including books I remember reading when I was a child (some I even used when teaching!), the workshop is full of tools the captain knows how to use. The blacksmith was busy making new things out of old metal. There is a beautiful old house, Elderslie House, built for John Newell, one of the original founders of Herberton, restored and filled with lovely old wares. The only thing not working were the tearooms, closed until Covid recedes. We had a fascinating time exploring and only left when our tummies were rumbling for lunch, which we enjoyed on the banks of the Wild River. In the afternoon, we continued on a round trip through Wondecla, joining the Kennedy Highway and stopping at Mt Hypipamee National Park where we walked to the crater lake and on to Dinner Falls, enjoying a cuppa in the park before returning to the car and on to Atherton. That night we ventured out to the Carrington Hotel for a delicious dinner before a well earned night's rest.

      
 

We walked up to the top of Hallorans Hill on Tuesday morning, through dense Mabi rainforest where we both spotted small kangaroos and heard many interesting bird calls. Leaving Atherton, we continued through Tolga, stopping at the Rocky Creek memorial park, on the site of the largest WW2 field hospital in Australia - over 60,000 soldiers were treated here over the time it operated. There are many plaques representing different squadrons and divisions of the armed forces placed on large rocks in the park. It was very interesting. We decided to return to Port Douglas via Kuranda, taking the very steep and windy Kennedy Highway down the mountain range. Unfortunately the markets were not operating today so Kuranda was very quiet and we continued on to Palm Cove, where we had planned to have a picnic by the sea. The wind and waves were quite intense, so instead we enjoyed lunch in the surf club, before returning to Port Douglas and Manookatoo.

Rocky Creek Memorial Park

           

The wind continued to blow. Fortunately, Port Douglas is a place we like, with lots to keep us occupied. We went walking most mornings, either up across the bluff and down onto Four Mile Beach, or along the inlet and across the peninsula to Four Mile Beach, often enjoying a swim before returning for breakfast. Other days we got on our bikes and rode along the old sugar train track to St Crispins, continuing across the top end of the peninsula and onto the other end of the same beach, riding along the sand with a tail wind pushing us until we reached the lifesaving club - a good 15 kilometre cycle on mostly flat terrain. The local shopping centre is easily reached on foot, as are a few nice "watering holes" including the "Tin shed" community club and the yacht club. Sometimes we would spend time with other boaties, all bemoaning the windy weather and wondering when we could get out to sea again.

Same lookout, different days!

 

After another week had passed, the Captain went to see Fiona, the friendly hire car lady, and we took off on another road trip. We travelled north along the Great Barrier Reef drive, passing through Mossman and continuing along to the Daintree River. In 2017 we had cruised, in Manookatoo, up this wide and winding river, full of crocodiles, anchoring just near the ferry crossing and making our way ashore before deciding there was not much to see on foot! This time, we took the ferry across the river and drove up to Cape Tribulation. It was perfect weather for entering a rainforest - lots of rain! Up to four metres falls every year up here, and the plant life certainly reflected that. We stopped at Alexandra Lookout, but could see nothing but clouds, then continued to the Daintree Discovery centre just as the rain started bucketing down! Armed with a range of brochures and some great ideas, we continued on, stopping at the Marrdja boardwalk as the rain stopped, enjoying the fabulous range of foliage along the creek and surrounding wetlands. The drive along the road through the Daintree is beautiful but winding and hilly, a place to take it slowly and enjoy the views. We saw no cassowaries but plenty of signs warning us they were in the area. Arriving at Cape Tribulation before lunch we were lucky enough that our room at the Ferntree Rainforest Lodge was ready and we could settle in, but we were keen to keep exploring so once we had unpacked we continued along the road until it becomes the 4WD Bloomfield Track, where we could go no further in our little machine! We stopped at Kulki Boardwalk, on the cape itself, where we climbed to the lookout and walked along the beach, hoping for a glimpse of Mackay Reef offshore but not spotting it. After lunch in the picnic area we took a walk along Myall Beach on the southern side of the cape, then returned to our accommodation to leave the car and walk into the small township. As with so many other places, some things were closed due to Covid 19, but we could explore other accommodation alternatives, check out the (almost empty) supermarket and enjoy a drink at the Cape Trib campground before returning home. Dinner that night was at the Cassowary Restaurant at our accommodation, where we enjoyed an "Aussie platter" of barramundi spring rolls, kangaroo, rump steak, salad and chips - even though they'd run out of crocodile skewers it was very nice!

The next morning we started our day with the Dubuji boardwalk through the mangroves and onto Myall Beach. It was another beautiful walk through stunning foliage. After breakfast we packed up and continued driving, this time south, detouring out to Cow Bay and then on to Jindalba, where we enjoyed a very challenging climb up through the rainforest, crossing creeks and admiring waterfalls and treetop views before returning via a boardwalk through the forest on our way back to the carpark. We stopped again at Alexandra Lookout and this time we were rewarded with sweeping views across the Daintree River and out to Snapper and Low Isles, continuing down the hill and taking the ferry back across the river. We stopped in Mossman for a lovely lunch, picked up some supplies at the shops and continued back to Port Douglas.

  

It looks like there will be another week of wind before anything improves, so we have more time to enjoy Port Douglas, stock up the boat and get ready for - hopefully!! - our next cruising adventure.

Cruising the Coral Coast

The title of this post is that of Alan Lucas’ book, owned by almost all east Australian cruisers and containing a wealth of information about where to go and what to see in and on the waterways of Queensland. As we have now reached as far north as we intend to go, from here on it is all about cruising and discovering or revisiting beautiful destinations. It is also about staying north while the weather is beautiful and we are unable to go home. So this book, plus information gleaned from fellow boaties, is what will guide us in our travels for now.

Dawn, Coral Sea

Ribbon reef 5

The captain was up before dawn on Saturday 15th August - just like Captain Cook 250 years ago he was keen to get moving, but not away from Australia! We wanted to continue our reef hopping adventures, in safety, with maps and technology to guide the way. At first light we raised the anchor, rounding Lizard Island and heading south east, passing numerous reefs and small islands, in a slight breeze and a rolling swell, glad of our chart plotter to show us how to avoid the dangerous rocks and shoals. We enjoyed breakfast and lunch as we cruised along, with breaking waves getting closer on our port side, reaching Ribbon Reef number five just after 2pm. We made our way past coral bommies in the clearest water we have ever seen - you could see the rocks and sand way below us in depths of over 50 feet! We picked up a mooring in the deep water, then lowered the dinghy and jumped aboard with our snorkels and masks, spending the next hour exploring the reefs nearby, hanging over the sides of the dinghy with our heads in the water, marvelling at the coral and fish we saw. The surf boomed less than half a kilometre away - this is the very edge of the continental shelf and the water depths reach the thousands just beyond the reef, breaking along the edge on the low tide, rolling in across the sea and rocking the boat as the tide rose. After a restful night we were up again but not quite so early; we waited until we had good visibility before moving. The Captain had made a track in on the chart plotter, so we followed it out again - the safest way to avoid the outlying coral bommies that rise up out of the depths. This was a shorter cruise, from Ribbon Reef 5 to Ribbon Reef 3. As we cruised along the swell increased and so did the breeze, rocking us as we travelled along. We spotted the mooring and made our way towards it - picking it up was a challenge in the windy conditions but with the first mate at the wheel and the captain wielding the boat hook we accomplished it in one go! We sat back, pleased with ourselves. Unfortunately the breeze continued to rise so we abandoned the idea of snorkelling or even going out in the dinghy, preferring to relax onboard Manookatoo and marvel at the reef surrounding us from the safety of the boat.

With a longer trip on Monday morning we rose early again, once more following the track made on the way in to return through deeper water. The wind and waves had abated overnight and we enjoyed a leisurely cruise past Irene Reef and Endeavour Reef before approaching Mackay Reef from the north - however, deciding there may be coral ahead of us we took a detour to the west before we picked up a mooring, once again in 40+ feet of water. There is a small sand cay here and there were lots of tourists walking the island when we arrived. Conditions were perfect for snorkelling but we waited for the departure of the tourist boat before taking to the dinghy and anchoring on the edge of the coral. The colours and variety of both coral and fish were stunning and we spent a lovely hour exploring before returning for a swim at the beach and a lazy lunch. The afternoon was a repeat of the morning; calm water, fantastic visibility and superb snorkelling. We decided not to rush from here; the weather is only improving and we are loving the location. 

With perfect conditions on Tuesday morning, we did our exercises on the flybridge before breakfast - with hardly any rolling it was a relatively easy experience! It was quite warm and we enjoyed a swim when we finished. After breakfast, when the tide was going down, we had another fabulous snorkel, then after lunch we did it again. There is something so peaceful about making your way slowly between the beautiful coloured coral and watching fish of many shapes, sizes and colours darting in and out of little hidey holes, chasing each other around - you can even hear them chomping on coral in the silence under the water. We enjoyed sundowners on the sand cay as the sun sank behind the mountains and returned to the boat for another quiet night.

We awoke on Wednesday morning to glassy conditions and dropped the mooring just after 7am, heading west until we cleared the coral and then turning south, cruising past Cape Tribulation and Snapper Island on our way to the Low Isles for another stay in one of our favourite spots. A couple of tourist boats were there as well as our friends, Yvonne and Andrew, in Tranquility Base. We picked up a mooring on the south eastern side, then dropped the dinghy in the water and cruised over to say hello before heading to the beach for a swim. With light breezes forecast for the next few days we were looking forward to enjoying the island and coral reefs, however it was breezier than forecast, so we missed out on snorkelling for the day, instead enjoying a couple of swims and sundowners onshore with our friends. That night the breeze picked up, bouncing us around enough that we decided to make up the beds in the saloon in order to avoid the worst of the rocking!

Sea conditions were much calmer on Thursday morning so after breakfast we loaded the snorkelling gear into the dinghy and headed ashore. The colours are a little muted here after what we have seen, but we still enjoyed exploring the area. There is a pole marking when the water is deep enough for snorkelling as it shallows over the reef at low tide, exposing many rocky areas. As the tides are currently quite high and low, we made sure to be out of the water before it became too shallow. Later that morning we borrowed a kayak and stand up paddle board from Yvonne and Andrew, realising fairly quickly that paddle boarding requires a level of balance neither of us has, but enjoying the opportunity to paddle around and over the coral. After a lazy afternoon, we met our friends ashore again for sundowners.

Low Isles, sunset

Friday was a much calmer day so we took the opportunity for exercises, followed by a couple of laps of the small island and a swim. As our friends are leaving at first light on Saturday, our get-together drinks were before lunch, then the afternoon was spent relaxing, catching up on odd jobs and swimming. We had also intended to leave in the morning, but the weather and conditions are too beautiful to resist staying another day. It is predicted to be windy all the following week, so we want to make the most of our time on anchor before returning to the marina for another week! We lazed our Saturday away, walking around the island, swimming and relaxing before another delicious al fresco dinner watching the tiny new moon sink slowly in the west. On Sunday morning we finally, reluctantly, let go of the mooring, cruising across to Port Douglas before breakfast. We expect to be in port for a week, waiting out the "big blow" that is forecast.

Courthouse Hotel lunch

We like to "make the most of" our time in a marina to catch up on things you can't do on anchor, including shopping and small repairs as well as meals or drinks out! We bought some fruit and vegetables at the market, visited the newly reopened Courthouse Hotel for a delicious lunch, had drinks with friends from Docklands, hired a car and restocked our bulkier food (and alchohol!) supplies. We enjoyed another Wednesday afternoon sailing trip. The first mate has a big knitting project underway, the captain always finds jobs that need doing on the boat. The week passed quickly but the winds continued....

Captain's log - Lizard Island to Port Douglas
Distance: 123.1 nautical miles

Fuel: 127.9 litres

Travel time: 18 hours 40 minutes