Friends, Waterfalls, Croc Bars and Parades - Fun in Cairns



Home with Tim and his lovely dog Callie.

We're still in the Cairns Marlin Marina.  There was a plan to move to the Half Moon Bay Marina in Yorkey's Knob tomorrow ... we drove over to have a look at the Marina in our rental car a few days ago and decided to stay here in Cairns for another week.  There isn't a lot around the Marina over at YK and we still have 3 weeks to go before the Louisiades Rally departure so we thought we'd stay here in the "big smoke" of Cairns one more week.  And we haven't been idle.

On Saturday we rented a car and drove up the coast.  Originally the plan was to check out the Yorkey's Knob marina and then look up Tim's house and come on back to the boat.  But when we got to YK there wasn't much there so we drove on up to Port Douglas for a look around.  The drive up the coast is pretty spectacular and Port Douglas was humming with the usual tourist.  The Captain and I had a quick lunch at the pub and decided to hit the road back to Cairns with a stop over at Tim's for a cuppa on the way.  All up the drive is only about 60km but with the winding roads hugging the coastline and hillsides it took an hour and a bit to come back.

Saturday night the Cairns Festival kicked off with a big parade down the Esplanade.  We went down to watch it and had a surprisingly good time!

The whole of the Cairns community and its surrounds participated in the parade and, as usual, there were lots of colourful floats and children in costumes!

There is a large community of Chinese and Japanese here and they were well represented on the floats! 

We went out for an Italian meal afterwards - multi cultural all the way!!  And over our glasses of wine and Caprese Salad entre we missed the fireworks.  Another good night in the far north.

The plan on Sunday was to co-cook a dinner at Tim's house and stay the night.  But over our wine at dinner the night before the Captain suggested we get up early (groan) and drive up to the Atherton Tablelands for a quick look before arriving at Tim's around 4:00pm.  First thing is you don't just have a "quick look" at the Atherton Tablelands - the area takes in a large area of tropical rainforest wonders and small to medium villages.  In a more sober vein early on Sunday morning we decided to drive up the mountain to the small rainforest town of Kuranda.

On arrival in Kuranda I discovered it was a village right up my "alley" and full of "my tribe"!!  Hippies and People after an Alternate Lifestyle running little cafes, shops and nature museums ... all under the canopy of the rainforest.  Heaven.  There was a cool feeling to the air - no more heat from beside the water - and the smell of the air was intoxicating. 

We started out with a walk around the market stalls and then a coffee and a muffin and after the walk to Barron Falls we had lunch.

There are stairs between the levels of shops in the rainforest canopy.  All in all there are about 3 or 4 levels of little Hippy type shops.  At the top of this stairway is a Japanese Tea room!  Beautiful.  You can sit there and take in a pot of green tea with a view over the tree tops in perfect serenity. 
 

We had lunch here in this wholefoods organic restaurant...again sitting out amongst the trees.

In between coffee and lunch we drove to the "canopy walk" through the rainforest to the Barron Falls.  What a spectacular sight!  Again, as has happened so many times on this trip, we didn't know anything about the falls or the area.  The walk was great....a raised walkway right in the treetops and down to a sudden reveal of the Barron Gorge and Falls.

The lower walkway - we had come down from the treetops.

The Barron Gorge and Waterfall.  The picture just doesn't do it justice.  It's really deep and almost gives you vertigo looking down into it!  Beautiful.

After a full day exploring Kuranda we drove back down to Tim's house for dinner and a good catch up.  We see Tim way too little and it was so good to spend time together.  We went for a good long walk on the beach with his dog Callie and then sat in his tropical gazebo having reef fish for dinner!  The captain and I are looking forward to spending a lot more time with Tim over the next few weeks.

Dinner in the night breeze next to the pool ... tropical bliss.

And one more thing.  We went for a beer in one of the pubs way in the back of Cairns the other day and I had to take a photo of the bar - its a crocodile!!!  I do love this place.

Love the bar ... and check out the crocs above as well!

"As If !!!!!!"

Busy, noisy, bustling Cairns Marlin Marina

We're in the tourist centre of Cairns in the Marlin Marina.  We hadn't planned on being here until Sunday or Monday but ended up coming in after night fall on Saturday night. 

The reason for the 'early' entry and our first night time marina approach was the unbearable roll at anchor off Fitzroy Island.  We had planned to stay a day or two at FI and take in some of the walks and maybe try out the resort's restaurant but, after anchoring and going ashore to have a cold beer and enjoy the feel of solid land under our feet, we returned to the boat to awful rolling.  Honestly, it was almost impossible to walk around.  Hopeless!  After about 15 minutes of both of us trying to endure it quietly the Captain suddenly said, "we're leaving!".   And we motored - FAST - for the leads to the Cairns channel. 

Going into a port for the first time in the half light of dusk takes concentration.  Can I just say right now, "God Bless the Furuno Chart Plotter!".  What an amazing piece of equipment it is.  I can't imagine (well, I can and let's just say I wouldn't want to) trying to do this without it.  I was steering the boat at full speed - 8 knots and a bit - hurtling into the unknown with the plotter as my guide while the Captain was busy on deck getting the fenders and lines ready for the marina.  Luckily - AGAIN - the crew on 'Whimaway', who we thought we had said a sad farewell to at Dunk Island, were here and with one phone call they were standing at our marina berth with a flashlight to guide us in through the dark.  It was just on 6:30pm.  God love & bless them! 

Tired, a bit stressed (me, definitely) and smelly from our marathon day on the water - up at 5:30am to leave Mourilyn Harbour and then another 2 hours from FI - we washed up quickly and joined Peter, Rob and Donna for a celebration of Donna's birthday at an Italian restaurant near by.  Great night .. and we slept like logs for over 9 hours that night!  The past couple of days we've walked all over the town exploring and last night hosted drinks on 'Southern Belle' for 'Whimaway' and Anne and Barry from 'Momentum'.

This morning I was sitting on the back of the boat watching all the boats going in and out of the marina and feeling quite reflective.  I'm amazed I'm here, on the boat, in Cairns!  I recall when we started planning this trip that - during the months of putting everything together - I consistently wondered if I would make it.  "AS IF, I would say to myself, I'll make it there!".  The Captain was working a lot of the time which left me to collect the guide books and charts amongst other things.  I remember looking at the new charts as I labelled and packed them into their sleeves and wondering if I would see the exotic places they hinted at.  Places like the Hinchinbrook Channel, Cape Bowling Green and Magnetic Island.  I did it - I've seen them all and we're pretty much at the end of the current set of charts and books.

Now its time to buy more charts and more books for the Louisiades trip.  New listings of exotic places in a new country.  I must say I feel as apprehensive as I did earlier this year and then some but this time I know that I will make it there and back and eventually back to my home and dog in Sydney.  The experiences we've had so far have been amazing!  And the ones in the 'not so amazing' category make for good stories around sundowner drinks but don't stick in the mind as awful - just as events like the others.

As I watched the boats in the harbour this morning I thought about each individual person on them.  The boat loads of tourists - families and backpackers some from far away countries - going in and out headed for the reef .. What have been their experiences?  The sailing boats down at our end of the marina - some big and expensive and some small and modest - with the couples on board who are mostly retired looking folk like us ... Where have they been and where are they going, I wonder.  I guess all of us are fulfilling dreams or aspirations the best they can at this particular time.  One thing I know with certainty is I'm so GRATEFUL that the Captain and I are so blessed to be able to do what we're doing.

We'll be here for the remainder of the week and hope to catch up with our friend Tim soon.  Then we'll move into the marina at Yorkeys Knob to prepare for the Louisiades Rally.  More soon.

Last day at Dunk Island and Mourilyan Harbour

A "selfie" photo at the top of Mt Kootaloo.  I told the Captain that we had to pout like Victoria Beckham - that everyone doing a "selfie" had to look like that.  He just stuck his tongue out...same effect really.

On our last day at Dunk Island we took the National Park pathway to the top of Mount Kootaloo (height 271m or 894 ft).  The park sign said that the walk to the top was 5km long and would take 2 and a half hours round trip.  My foot has been getting better and better so off we went.  It was a hot and sunny day - with an emphasis on HOT.

The path here was good.  Shady for the most part as we walked up through the rain forest.  And, thankfully, there weren't any rocks to climb up or climb down.  Just a flat pathway angling upwards.

Lovely views down through the trees to the bay and pier below.

The Captain wanted to do the walk because there is a relic from WW2 on top of the hill.  During the war Dunk Island was part of a network of surveillance points along Australia's east coast.  The airstrip that was used for the resort was also built for the war in 1941.  A part of No 27 Radar Station, at the top of Mt Kootaloo, was still evident and the skipper wanted to see it.

As we approached the top of the hill and this sign - and I was still coming up around the corner - I heard the Captain exclaim, "Is that it!"  Yes, this is all that's left of the No 27 Radar Station.  Still it was interesting to read the sign about how soldiers had to walk up the hill through the jungle with the parts to build it and monitor it.  That would have been very hard work.

The viewing platform at the top of the mountain was pretty spectacular on such a fantastic day.  We have been very blessed with weather on this leg of the trip.  Thank You Universe!

After our walk we went back to the boat and had a bit of a lie down.  My foot was killing me - ache, ache, ache.  I wonder when it will be perfectly well again!  Just on sundown Barry and Anne, from the boat 'Momentum' - who we've seen on and off all the way up the coast - came over and invited us over for drinks.  They are lovely people and we had a great visit and chance to get to know each other.

This morning we left early to start the last few days of sailing before arriving at Cairns - our last stop in Australia before going to the Louisiades.  Again there wasn't any wind to sail, except for a bit here and there with the MPS (spinnaker like sail).  Our destination - Mourilyan Harbour - a strange little harbour that is virtually invisible in the hills until almost alongside the entrance.  I don't know how they get big ships in here - but they do - for bulk sugar loading because the entrance is so tight and the harbour so small.

The view from our anchorage.  The entrance to the harbour is just on the right - literally through the trees to a narrow opening.

We were warned there are crocodiles here but, of course, that didn't stop the Captain getting out the crab traps and motoring alone into the mangroves all along the side of this "harbour" to set his traps.  I knew if I protested it wouldn't do any good so I didn't bother.

Tomorrow we will leave early for Fitzroy Island - after the crab pots (and the crabs the skipper just said) are collected!

OH Look!  It's wine o'clock.  More tomorrow.

Dunk, Drunk, Mission Beach .. and Fare thee Wells!

This is what Dunk Island resort looked like before cyclone Yassi. From Flickr.

Dunk Island is lovely.  The view from our anchor spot is the picture of a South Pacific haven - blue/green crystal clear water, palm trees and calm breezes.   This island has a long history of refuge.  The original European settler (after the indigenous Aboriginal people disappeared) was Edmund Banfield, a journalist in Townsville who, with failing health, was searching for his personal paradise.  He moved on to the island and established a home for many many years.  While there he kept a diary of the wildlife and the beauty of the island which later became 4 famous books - the most well know is "Confessions of a Beachcomber" published in 1908 and still available today (on e-books no less!).  When he died he wanted the island to become a research centre for tropical biology .. but it didn't.  Dunk Island became a very popular resort for families in Australia and around the world.

There also used to be a very famous artist enclave on the island dating back to 1974.

Sadly, this is what's left of the resort today.

Pretty much total destruction.

Unfortunately Dunk Island, the resort and the artist enclave, took the full impact of cyclone Yassi - a category 5 cyclone - in February 2011 and there isn't much left but ruins.  The federal government together with the local council have replaced the old wooden pier with a new concrete one and they are working to get the camping areas back up to scratch.  According to the news the resort was bought by someone who is planning a super upmarket resort on the site.  It will cost a lot of money and time to do that here.

The drunk in the title of this blog refers to our first night here and the pot luck dinner on 'Bogart'.  We weren't really "drunk" .. but let's just say the wine flowed freely!  As 'Southern Belle' and 'Bogart' left The Hinchinbrook Channel and approached Dunk Island - Sharon sent me a text saying that she was inviting us and 'Whimaway' to a pot luck dinner that night.  "Sounds Good!", I replied.  So after walks on the beach and swims we joined everyone for dinner that night about 6pm.  The company, conversation and food was excellent - as usual - and the night kicked off in high spirits.  Once dinner was finished the music was cranked up and we danced!  Well Sharon, Donna and I did the best we could to dance in the rather restricted confines of a 45ft boat with 7 people aboard!  What a fun night!  I don't have any photos - probably a good thing - because I left my camera on our boat.  But Sharon documented the whole thing .. so its there somewhere.

The next day - Wednesday (I'm finding I have to think really really hard to remember days now because it doesn't matter at the moment!) - yesterday - the wind was completely non-existent.  We were running low on supplies of a few things and with the town of Mission Beach only 3 or so miles away across the bay we decided to take the dingy across.  Normally you wouldn't try to cover that distance in the little dingy with only a 6 hp motor but it was so calm we did.  Ian and Sharon went across first and we followed later.  We had to wait for the Captain's banana bread to come out of the oven ...

At dinner the previous night Donna was saying they had some over ripe bananas that they were going to have to trash.  The Captain, in his best conserving mode, said that he could make banana bread from them and we could half the loaf!  I had my doubts if he could remember the recipe but he said, "Of course I can!"  So the next morning Rob brought the fruit over in the dingy and Captain G was locked in.  I had to call my BFF, Jae, in Atlanta to try and get the recipe but she didn't know where her book was so he made it the way he remembered.  It was great and everyone on 'Whimaway' were duly impressed (as was the Captain).

The destination of Mission Beach and the state of the ocean - glassy.  This is how far we had to motor in our little dingy - you can't hardly make out the town on the far shore.

Dunk Island in the distance ... bags ready to load up for the motor back.

We made it to Mission Beach - after a 40 minute motor in the little boat - replenished some necessary supplies like tomatoes and headed home. 

This morning 'Bogart' and 'Whimaway' left our little bay.  We're not sure if we'll see them again on this trip.  I've become so fond of everyone - especially Ian and Sharon and Pete because they've been here from the start - that I couldn't help but shed a tear or two as their boats disappeared into the distance.  We've shared so much together - the times that you arrive at an anchorage or a marina and you know someone is there to welcome you or grab a line and help the boat into a berth, and the laughs and conversations - that it's easy to quickly grow great friendships.  I think its people that makes cruising by boat such a special endeavour.  Certainly for me, and the Captain, its what has made each and every day filled with so much to remember and cherish.  I know we'll catch up again back in Sydney but, goodness, I miss them so much already. 

'Whimaway' leaving Dunk Island with 'Bogart' a spec in the distance.  "See ya'll later!" 

We're staying here today - there are a few walks on the island to explore - and we'll head on up north tomorrow and plan to arrive in Cairns on Sunday or Monday.  Can't wait to see Tim in Cairns!

Remarkable Wilderness

First of all the Captain has caught 7 Mud Crabs!!!  News and pictures below.

Last night and the previous day we anchored amongst the mangroves in one of the most awe-inspiring & stunning places I've ever been to or seen - The Hinchinbrook Channel.  The past couple of days have been full on and, just like I said in my last post, just getting better and better. 

The exhibit pool at the James Cook University Research Lab on Orpheus Island .. with Haley, the unit manager and our tour guide.

On Saturday morning all 7 of us from 3 boats went over to visit and have a tour of the Research facilities in Little Pioneer Bay.  The tour was really interesting.  Haley, the manager, met us on the beach and was very generous with her time and information.  I don't think they get a lot of passing boats making contact - the opportunity was outlined in the guide book "Going Troppo" - and, at the Captain's suggestion, I called and asked if we could come over.  She was very welcoming.  Haley showed us around and talked us through how the facility works.  They cater to many people from School Groups over for a weekend to PhD students working on their thesis.  There are also qualified PhD researchers from all over the world who come there to study the reef.  There was a woman scientist there who is studying sponges and, in that area alone, has discovered and identified over 30 new species.

The view from the front of the research facility... beautiful but very isolated.  Hayley told us about the cyclone damage and tornado damage the place has had to endure over the past few years.  They don't get a lot of funding but they are adding much to our knowledge of reefs & oceans from their small lab.

On Saturday night we hosted sundowner drinks on 'Southern Belle'.  'Echo Beach' with Graham and Leanne arrived just in time for a terrific night.  The next morning 'Southern Belle', 'Whimaway' and 'Bogart' said goodbye to 'Echo Beach' who are staying around the Orpheus area and left for the crossing to the Hinchinbrook Channel.

The "gang" on board for drinks and conversation.  I love these sessions!

I've been on the boat for well over a month now - 7 weeks actually - and we've been through lots of different conditions.  Some challenging and some idyllic.  But the mornings when we get up early to prepare for a new day and a new destination - especially if that destination or journey means doing something that may be remotely challenging - I get a bad case of butterflies in my stomach.  I felt that way Sunday morning as we prepared to enter the Hinchinbrook Channel.   The route into the mouth of the channel is very shallow and to enter a vessel has to navigate off and along a massive sugar jetty/conveyor and then when lead lights are aligned turn and keep on a specific steering course until almost to the conveyor building.  Underway the depths got down to just over a metre of water under the keel ... but we made it.

The ocean end of the sugar jetty.  The jetty travels out into the ocean from the town of Lucinda for over 3 kilometres - in fact it had to be altered at the end to make allowances for the curvature of the earth!  Ships use this to load up with bulk sugar. 

Again, the Captain and I had no idea or expectation about The Hinchinbrook Channel and again we were completely knocked out by the majestic size and vision of the place.   The Channel runs between Hinchinbrook Island - which is HUGE and covered with rain forest jungles - and the mainland.

This is the view as the boat finally clears the channel markers and enters the channel proper... vast and completely wild.

Of course in keeping with all expectations of the wild and somewhat deadly Australia there are saltwater estuarine crocodiles here (the massive ones that eat anything they like including people).  We didn't see any but it sure looked like snake and croc country!

Our first anchorage - with Ian and Sharon from 'Bogart' - was off a little island called Haycock Island which lies right in the middle of the channel.   Turns out this it was a good call to stop there for the night because the crew of 'Whimaway' travelled on up the channel to Gayundah Creek and fought off mosquitoes and sand flies all night.

It was here - at Haycock Island - that Captain G caught his first mud crab!!!!  And then caught 6 more over night!!!

Captain G and Ian motoring off into the mangroves to set the crab traps.

We went over to have drinks with Ian and Sharon after the first poor crab was in the pot and cooked.  The captain reset the traps and left them overnight.  The next morning - very early the next morning - he was up and off to the mangroves on his own to check on them.  I wondered if he was going to encounter a croc but there was absolutely no stopping him or getting him to wait until Ian was up to check them with him.  He was gone awhile.  Then I heard the sound of the outboard and saw him coming around the bend with the traps on the front of the dingy.  He had another 6.

Intrepid hunter back home with his prey!

Getting the crabs out of the traps and sorting on the deck.  One was a female and two were smaller than regulation size so they had to go back and one got away over the side before the Captain could catch it!  But the two remaining were BIG and were marked for dinner for 4 that night.

The Captain was so happy and pleased with himself .. and I don't blame him ... the crabs were magnificent and delicious.  'Southern Belle' and 'Bogart' moved up the channel - amongst spectacular scenery - to an anchorage called Scraggy Point for the night.  Ian and Sharon came over for a dinner of fresh crab spaghetti and salad - SO GOOD - and Sharon made a peach cobbler for desert - EXCELLENT!   Good wine, good friends and fresh caught food from the sea....doesn't get much better!

This morning the Skipper caught another crab at Scraggy Point - he's sure he is an expert at this now.  Once the traps were loaded on board the two boats pulled up the anchor and travelled to the beautiful Dunk Island.  We'll be here for a day or two.

Here's another photo of the breathtaking Hinchinbrook Channel.

'Bogart' motoring ahead of us into Gayundah Creek.

Paradise? Yep ... and it just keeps getting better

Radical Bay on Magnetic Island

We left Magnetic Island at 6:30 am yesterday after a wonderful time.  It was the BEST place we've visited - in my opinion - so far.  I said that last night when we were having sundowner drinks on 'Whimaway' and Rob said it just keeps getting better and better from here on up to Cairns.

But let me bring you up to date ....

Flowering tree ... bush walk on Magnetic Island.

There are numerous National Park walks on Magnetic Island - some difficult and some easy.  We took a "medium" difficulty one up one side of a large hill of boulders and over a rise to a bay called Radical.  The landscape is very rocky and dry and the walks are a combination of pathway and rocky "steps" going steeply up and then steeply down.  In keeping with Australia's reputation for having many many things that will kill you - you are told to watch out for the prevalent snake in these parts - the Death Adder - one of the most venomous snakes on our beautiful planet!  We didn't see any thanks to me beating a stick along just in front of me the whole way.  At one point Captain G turned around and said, "you're not doing any good, there's been so many on the path today that the snakes have long gone".  "But it makes me feel better", I said.

Me and my stick.

The beach was beautiful and almost deserted.  We saw a couple of Bush Stone Curlew birds.  They have the odd behaviour of standing very still when threatened.  They blend in perfectly with the scrub and I guess that behaviour would have once aided their survival but not so much anymore.  Their eyes are truly stunning - almost like mammal eyes - and they have a shrill call which echo's loudly at night.

A pair of Bush Curlew at Radical Bay.

On Wednesday morning we moved from Horseshoe Bay into the Nellie Bay Marina for a couple of days of washing and gathering supplies.  I hated to leave Horseshoe, I loved it so much, but it was time to think about moving on and we already had a bag of laundry and needed LP gas and some water.  Also the marina was closer to the Arcadia Pub where the Wednesday night Toad Races were to be held!  Ian and Sharon bravely said they would come with us to the races.  If you haven't been to a Toad Race (and I certainly had not) then its a "must" when visiting northern Queensland!



The "Toad Arena"

This is what happens in the Toad Arena .... First a lot of people gather outside a pub under the palm trees and a classic banty legged elderly man starts to excite the crowd.  One by one he pulls a hapless toad out of an old green garbage bin and holds it up to the crowd.  He spruks the hopping merits of each toad and holds an auction for the rights to "own" that toad in the race.  Some of the toads went for up to $200 from punters in the crowd.  One by one he drops six toads into a bottomless plastic bin in the centre of the ring and then - when the betting is finished and after one more wind up to the crowd - he lifts the bin and the toads start hopping.  The first to pass the white line is the winner!  It was a fun night.

Yesterday morning at 0630 we pulled out of Nellie Bay harbour with Ian and Sharon on Bogart just behind us and headed for our next destination of Little Pioneer Bay on Orpheus Island.  We had absolutely NO wind to sail so motored the whole distance of 40 nautical miles. 

Greeting us on arrival to the bay was a mother and baby humpback whale on the surface of the water just hanging around.  The yacht Whimaway and her crew had been here already for a day and, once we were moored up on the National Park mooring they invited us over for sundowner drinks at 5:00.  While sitting in the cockpit of Peter's boat we saw a pod of about 5 whales just at the entrance of the bay again hanging out on the water.  Peter, Rob and Donna (on Whimaway) told us the whales had been all around their boat the day before.  Fantastic.

This morning we're going over to the remote marine research station on this island - run by the James Cook University - for a tour.  Should be interesting!

Magnetic Surprise .. and Mexican Hoot

Fantastic!  Horseshoe Bay ... from our anchor spot looking towards the village.

The sail from Cape Bowling Green - that weird ocean "lake" - to Magnetic Island was a mixture of many things ... all pleasant!   The wind was minimal and the Captain insisted on hoisting the MPS (spinnaker like sail) for the whole trip.  We travelled the 8 hour distance at a boat speed of about 4 knots under the big red sail.  That's slow but on such a beautiful sun drenched day it was lovely for the most part and with no wind to whip up waves the boat didn't roll either.  I actually could read my book underway without feeling like heaving over the side!

The big red MPS sail with Cape Cleveland in the distance.

As we were approaching Cape Cleveland - the next headland before Magnetic Island - we saw 3 humpback whales playing about half a mile off our port side.  The water was so flat that you could see them surface and blow and slap their pectoral fins on the water.  We had the pleasure of watching them from our barely moving boat .. the wind had really dropped and we were just barely moving through the water.  In fact I don't think I've ever seen the ocean as flat and calm as it was then.  Our experience was good with these leviathans but Ian and Sharon on Bogart had a different experience with them.  On their passage later that same afternoon a group of whales in the same spot decided to give them a fright when all 3 (maybe 4 I can't remember the exact number they said) came at their yacht broadside swimming fast only to duck under the keel at the last minute.  It was great hearing the story from them last night but it would have been frightening at the time.  My favourite part of their story was Sharon telling us, "I was happily taking pictures of the whales playing but as they came straight for the boat I had to stop taking pics and hold on!"

The rocky terrain of Magnetic Island.

The Captain finally succumbed to my pleas to start the engine and move a bit faster to our final destination of Horseshoe Bay on the northern side of Magnetic Island.  Neither one of us had ever been to this Island and, in fact, we hadn't heard anything about it or completed any research.  We were just expecting it to be like the other islands we had encountered through the Whitsunday group.  On approach it certainly looked a lot different ... gone were the green lofty hills and mountains of the others.  As we approached the south-western side  we saw a lower rocky landscape with many large boulders.  The view was impressive. 

Then as we rounded the corner to Horseshoe Bay we saw a large beach with a good number of boats at anchor and a township.   Graham and Leanne's yacht 'Echo Beach' was anchored off the beach so we pulled up behind it, dropped our anchor and got ready to go ashore and explore.

What a surprise to find a bustling little village with a terrific vibe at the edge of the water!  We dragged the dingy up the sand and walked from one end of the street to the other.  Jae - my BFF in Atlanta - you would LOVE this place.  Even the Captain said that.  It's sort of a combination of Tulum Mexico tropical laid back and Virgina Highland neighbourhood cool.  The kind of place you immediately feel at home in!  We met the crew of 'Echo Beach' at the pub sitting out on the front sidewalk having a beer and joined them.  I Love this place!

The gang together again at Noodies Mexican restaurant before the pitchers of Margaritas kicked in.

The 4 boats & crew are here for the RPAYC rendezvous now and we met at the pub in Horseshoe Bay for sunset drinks last night.   We decided to make a night of it and moved to the local Mexican on the foreshore for dinner.   The night was a HOOT!  With every pitcher of Margaritas you get a sombrero and you can see from the photos there were at least 3 consumed!  Being the American I explained the menu to the group who had never had much Mexican food before.  Not the best Mexican I've had but certainly a great night... as you can see from the pictures below .....

Happy Hombres Graham, Peter and Captain G

And we laughed ....

And laughed ... with Rob and Ian joining in.

Eventually all the other patrons left the restaurant - we were pretty loud - and we had our dinner.  The Captain and I hadn't expected to stay out late and we hadn't left any lights on the boat.  Luckily Graham and Leanne had and they had the foresight to bring a flashlight as well - it gets really dark when the sun goes down and you're out in the ocean!  So - after long goodbyes on the shore - G & L led the way back to the boats via our dingys. 

Good times and we've only been here 2 days!  We don't have to be in Cairns for awhile and this is such a great place we'll hang around and explore the area.  There are a lot of National Park bush walks here and we're only a 10 minute ferry ride to the regional city of Townsville.

FIRST BLOOD!!! - The skipper catches a fish (finally)

A happy man!

Today it happened after 3 months of trawling a line behind the boat.  With absolutely no wind blowing and motoring along at 7 knots we were complacent in the cockpit - the skipper reading and I was about to go below - until the hand line reel clamped to a side cleat suddenly went off with a loud "CLACK, CLACK, CLACK" as the line started to shoot out.  "Shit!", I shouted.  "What's that?" 

The skipper jumped up from his book with a look of extreme excitement, "A fish!  It's a fish!  I've caught a fish!"  He ran to the back of the boat and started wildly pulling in the line while unfastening the life lines on the back of the boat. 

Me, in my role as safety officer, had to say in the calmest, but sternest way possible, "put on your life jacket and safety tether first".   "But I'll lose the fish!"  he exclaimed while still unhooking the back lines.  "No you won't.  I'll hold it...go on".  And then the drama of landing a small tuna unfolded.

I hadn't wanted to go through the blood and guts ordeal of having a fish landed on Southern Belle .. but I knew it would eventually happen one day and I, for one, was glad it was a calm day like today.  It took a bit to pull the line in because - 1. it was out a long way and 2. the poor fish did not want to be dragged into the boat.  Captain G succeeded in getting the unlucky thing up to the stern and then on to the deck at the back.  It was a beautiful fish and I was mesmerised for a moment until it started to flap about and spray blood everywhere!  The skipper dispatched it as quickly as possible and then put a rope around the tail to bleed it over the side.

All I could think of as I saw all that blood in the water was the movie 'JAWS'.  You know the scene when the shark comes bites the back of the boat and the hero says, "We're going to need a bigger boat".  Luckily that didn't happen and it looks like we're having fresh tuna for dinner tonight.



There were so many other things I was going to blog about tonight but the Captain catching the fish certainly made everything else fade into insignificance.  Here's a quick pictorial of what's been happening over the last couple of days.....

If you remember from the last blog we were on a mooring off the Gloucester Eco Resort.  No kidding the area is  REMOTE - nothing anywhere but mountains and ocean.  We went ashore in the hopes of getting an OK lunch and were greeted with this .. a lovely dinning area and pool.  We had a look at the cabins and they were all very basic but clean and neat.  The lunch and a couple of glasses of wine were very very enjoyable and a great surprise.  

This is the view looking back from the dinning area.  It was so lovely sitting there in the middle of nowhere having lunch.   The Captain kept saying to me, "See, aren't you glad you put up with the sailing bits you don't like when we can discover places like this!".  "Yes", I replied.  "But I still don't like it when it blows over 20 knots.  That will never change."

At lunch.

Little me behind the big wheel of the boat while underway.  The trip from Gloucester Passage to Cape Upstart was just on 50 nautical miles so we had to be on our way at first light.  The Captain kept trying to take a picture of me looking quite feral but I wouldn't come out behind the wheel. 

The anchorage in Cape Upstart bay - very pretty.  The clouds brought a lot of wind during the night but then it calmed down to nothing today. 

We are currently anchored in a place called Cape Bowling Green.  The actual Cape itself is nothing more than a very large and low sand spit encircling a huge shallow "lake" from the ocean.  We motored as far down into the area as we felt we could go because it is so shallow and dropped the anchor.  It feels like we're just stuck out here in the middle of nowhere.  Off tomorrow to Magnetic Island. 

OH...one more thing!  I baked another loaf of bread yesterday and it came out perfect!!!  Thank You Amy for the honey and yeast tip.  AND Ian P.  you'll be glad to know I followed your instructions implicitly.  THANK YOU BOTH!