Manookatoo Adventures: June 2021

We have been told, by many other Boaties, that we should be heading north, like them, to escape winter. But we did that last year, and this time we are doing our best to be available for family commitments, so a large airport, with direct flights to Melbourne and Sydney, and a safe place to leave the boat, is what we must seek this year. We will still have plenty of cruising fun, along with some trips in the caravan, between commitments, and as always we will make the most of every opportunity!

Sunset, Tin Can Bay

We spent two nights at Tin Can Bay Marina. The captain replaced the impeller in the generator, we took some walks to the shops and the point, we borrowed the courtesy car and drove to Cooloola Cove shopping centre. Tin Can Bay is a nice little village with a large fishing fleet and a lot of retirees, the facilities for boating folk are very good and it has a nice, relaxed vibe. On Wednesday, after a delicious lunch of local fish and chips, we cruised out from the marina, dropping anchor just off Snapper Point, east of Tin Can Bay, for a night on anchor, enjoying the calm conditions and the twinkling lights from the village. The next morning we cruised north to Pelican Bay, where we took the dinghy across to Inskip Point for a walk on the sand, watching the car ferry take 4WDs across to and from Fraser Island, thinking this is something we would like to do one day. We returned to Manookatoo in the late morning, putting the dinghy up and preparing the boat for departure, eating lunch and watching to see when other boats started crossing the Wide Bay Bar, an infamous crossing to be attempted only on a rising tide with calm seas! Right on one o’clock we raised the anchor, contacted the Coast Guard, and started our journey.

The Wide Bay Bar is crossed by following a set of waypoints, regularly updated by Marine Services, as the sand shifts and channels move. The captain had entered these into the chart plotter so he had a reliable course to follow. Conditions had softened after a large swell off the coast so everyone was on the move, and as we approached the first waypoint we encountered 15 boats coming the other way, all part of a “Riviera rally” heading for the Whitsundays. Many more yachts and power boats followed, all heading in, and coupled with lumpy conditions caused by northerly winds, the crossing was certainly “interesting”! We were glad to get through it and into the ocean. We cruised along the coast, past Rainbow Beach and the coloured sand cliffs, before we reached the sand spit which has temporarily turned Double Island Point into a lagoon. We had information from others about waypoints into the lagoon and safe anchorage, so we followed the sand spit in, anchoring in calm waters just after 4pm. Many others were already there, including a large flybridge cruiser which would need much more depth than us! We spent a comfortable night on anchor, with occasional wave slap and a couple of light showers the only noise we heard.

Sand cliffs, Rainbow Beach

Early next morning, the captain was up before dawn and we raised the anchor at first light, happy to follow the larger boat out of the lagoon and into the ocean. We passed the Double Island Point lighthouse as the sun rose and we turned south, following the coastline.

Double Island Point, pre-dawn

Conditions were beautiful as we cruised along, with only a small swell and light breeze moving the water. Just after 1pm we crossed the Mooloolaba bar, mindful of the “Notice to Mariners” highlighting shallow depths on the port side. We stuck to the starboard side of the channel and had at least 8 feet below the keel all the way in. The breeze sprang up as we approached the marina berth, and our weight lifting exercises came in handy in securing the boat to the jetty! We enjoyed lunch on the flybridge then walked up to the fishermen’s co-op, buying some Red Throat Emperor for our dinner. Later in the afternoon we walked to the Mooloolaba surf club for celebratory drinks, returning to Manookatoo for our delicious meal.

Sunset at Mooloolaba

Passing Caloundra

Another early start on Saturday morning had us crossing the bar again before sunrise, turning south after rounding Cartwright Point and following the coastline past Caloundra and Bribie Island. The sea conditions were very benign and there was little to no wind, but the captain complained that the breeze coming through the flybridge as we motored along was most chilly! Fortunately, the first mate had recently knitted him a beanie so his head was nice and warm. We turned into Moreton Bay and headed west, the clear conditions allowing views all the way to the city. We continued west and entered the Scarborough Channel just before midday, tying up at the Moreton Bay Boat Club jetty soon after. The boat club has a lovely restaurant on its big deck, overlooking the marina, and we decided to “celebrate” our return to the bay with a seafood platter for lunch - most delicious! The Moreton Bay bugs, eaten as we looked out across that bay, were a real standout. We had a lazy afternoon and enjoyed a sunset walk along the foreshore and past the seafood restaurants before a very small dinner and a quiet night in.

Moreton Bay Boat Club

We didn’t have to rush out of bed the next morning but we were still up reasonably early, untying the lines just after 8am. Conditions were very calm again, so we did some exercises as we cruised along, able to complete them with hardly a wobble. After breakfast we cruised across the shipping channel and continued south, rounding Peel Island and stopping at Horseshoe Bay for lunch, surrounded by at least 35 other big boats and plenty of smaller craft as well. Testament to the beautiful day, everyone is out and about!

Horseshoe Bay, Peel Island

Later we continued south, choosing the Canaipa channel, with its prettier scenery and lack of large vessels, over the wider and busier main channel. We dropped anchor for the night just off Canaipa Point just before 4pm, appreciating the quiet and serenity.

Canaipa Point

Next morning, before breakfast, the captain raised the anchor and we continued cruising south, past Russell Island, with its lovely houses with jetties on one side and the tree lined banks of North Stradbroke Island on the other, a sunken yacht reminding us of the importance of boat maintenance and constant vigil when cruising.

A sobering sight

We continued to Slipping Sands, where we stopped for breakfast, then on to Tipplers, on South Stradbroke Island, our anchorage for the day. We were joined by Jenny and Simon, who cruised up to have lunch with us and then later in the afternoon, Sal and Peter, from Music Maker, came aboard for sundowners on the flybridge. It was a lovely, social day - a reminder of why we like being here!

Safe anchorage

On Tuesday morning we walked across to the ocean side of South Stradbroke Island, ours the only footprints on the sand, although three powered paragliders flew overhead, surprising us! Returning to Manookatoo we had breakfast then raised the anchor again, to cruise down to Runaway Bay Marina, our final stop. This will be the end of our travels for the next while, so we have taken a longer term berth at the marina, where we can stay on the boat whenever we are here, walk (or take the dinghy!) to the local shops, catch a bus to town, also where we have friends nearby to spend time with who will also keep an eye on Manookatoo when we are not around. Our cruise may be over for the foreseeable future, but we’re sure the adventures will continue!