Island Hoping from Brampton to Cid Harbour

It is a short distance from Brampton Island to Cid Harbour but there are many islands in between and we decided to stop at Goldsmith and Thomas for a day each. 

Everywhere you look is a beautiful scenery. We found Goldsmith full of marine life with fish jumping all over the place and many turtles coming to the surface to breath all around the anchorage. We anchored at the south tip of the island and it was just us for the night . Late afternoon we went ashore for a walk, the tide was quickly filling the beach but as it is very flat, it was a long walk from the dinghy up to dry sand in the beach.   

Goldsmith - Minne Hall Bay

Invasion at Thomas

The weather was settled and next day we sailed to Thomas. This island is especially attractive to Oscar as spearfishing is allowed and there are lots of good spots promising good fishing. We were having a quiet time at anchor with just a couple of other boats when a caravan of motor yachts invaded the place with loud music and shouts of excitement, and we thought, here we go, party tonight. But the peace of the place must have overcome them as very soon all was quiet, the music gone and nothing else was heard after that.   

On our way again the next day we had a look at Lindeman Island but the anchorage seemed exposed to the SSE winds blowing at the time and we decided to come to Cid Harbour instead. This is a much protected anchorage and very popular but it is wide with plenty of space for all. 

We are now planning our next exploration spots while we wait for a band of small squalls to disappear as it doesn't feel inviting to go anywhere at the moment. 

Cid Harbour

G.

Brampton Island

After a good time in Mackay where we stayed a lot more than initially intended we left the marina this morning and are now at anchor in beautiful Brampton Island. The trip was short, just 20 miles with the wind dead on the back and seas on that washing machine style, just 15 to 20 knots wind  and in no time seas become quite messy in this shallow area. Happy to arrive and drop anchor in a quiet place just before lunch.

With forecast of 20 to 25 knots for the next couple of days we plan to stay here until Monday.

Sunset at Brampton

The beach at Brampton, beautiful and deserted

There is a resort but it has been abandoned

Beach Stone Curlew

G.

Around Mackay region

Mackay Marina is located a bit far from town and even though there is a bus that takes you to the main shopping areas we decided to rent a car to move around. We did a good weekly deal with Budget rental car in town. The bus took us to Canelands Shopping Centre which is a huge and modern mall. Mackay area seems to be booming and has grown in the past years so everything we need we can find here. From the mall was an easy walk to the rental car office. Mackay is a great place for provisioning before going island hoping and also there are several places worth visiting. 

Pioneer Valley and the Eungella National Park

With promises of seeing great subtropical rain-forest, waterfalls and the famous platypus in Eungella (pronounce it Yangala if you want to be understood) we left one morning for the 1.30 hour drive to the town of Eungella and from there on a winding scenic road to the park entry. The drive from Mackay is nice as it passes through the sugarcane fields with their charming country townships, where the farms are linked together by the local sugarcane train.

We took lunch with us and plenty of water, which was good as the only café in the park was closed that day. 

We were not disappointed, it’s a magnificent rain-forest with outstanding trails and views, however no platypus came to swim in the Broken River to fulfill the tourist office promise. After lunch we walked an easy trail that took us to a beautiful water fall and as per the guide recommendation, once in a while along the way we stopped, looked up and listened to the birds.

On our way back we stopped at the Pinnacle Hotel to buy the famous Pinnacle Pies for dinner, they are worth their fame, big, juicy and delicious with a really yummy dough. 

   

Looking Up

Always .....

..... wanted to do this

Up the river

A wild turkey

No platypus but little turtles on the Broken River

Cape Hillsborough

Two days later we packed our lunch again and went to visit another national park a bit north of Mackay, Cape Hillsborough. You can follow an easy track to the top for outstanding views of the coast and then visit the beach where one can, at low tide, appreciate the huge tidal range and the work of art left by the hundreds of little crabs as the water recedes.

We were supposed to see lots of wild life including wallabies but the park was full of kids in school holidays and there was not an animal to be seen, except for the only one we saw eating in the road side when we left.  

Rewarded with the views from the top

Receding tide and the crabs work

Little crab art

Wallaby is out on the road

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From Great Keppel to Mackay - Arriving at the Whitsundays' southern gateway

After much consideration on how to do the 167 miles from GKI to Mackay (route, weather and Soccer World Cup considerations), we decided that this time we'll miss the beautiful stops along the way and instead we'll do a 28 hours non-stop sail. On Thursday 26 June we left at sunrise and with the wind at 10 to 15 knots dead in the back for most of the trip we motor-sailed to keep good speed, with following seas the trip was quite comfortable.

We arrived at Mackay Outer Harbour next day at around noon, after dribbling 3 of the dozens of cargo ship moving around in this busy area. Our AIS is not behaving properly with the new navigation system as it looses the GPS connection to transmit our position, but at least it behaves properly in showing all info about the other ships. It was good enough but we need to work on that.

We are now in Mackay Marina that is very big and modern and quite reasonable priced. With strong winds forecast for next week plus the need of stock up on provisions before heading to the islands we are planning to stay here until Friday. There are also a couple of national parks we'd like to visit, It seems that Mackay is booming and there is a lot to do and see around here.

      

Mackay Marina

Great Keppel Island - Stunning with good weather

With forecast of good weather we left Rosslyn Bay and came to anchor in Svendsen's Beach in Great Keppel Island. What a fantastic place. I think everybody around the area had the same idea as there must have been around 20 other boats by the end of the day. But the anchorage is very wide and the beaches are fantastic. The big question mark was TV reception and luckily there is, so no problem for Oscar to watch the world cup and we can enjoy beach life all the same for as long as this nice weather lasts.

At anchor in GKI

Stunning beaches at GKI

A long walk along the beach

One afternoon a 'frog race' was organized and everybody on the boats at anchor gathered at the beach. It was great fun and a good opportunity to catch up. We had previously been in a frog race in Bundaberg and were now expecting to see the little live frogs jumping all over the place. With great expectation everybody waits for the opening of the box that contains the frogs, to everybody's surprise here come the frogs and they are paper frogs!:

We all had a turn at driving the frogs while bets added to the fun.

A fire was also lit to keep mosquitoes away, not that there were any mosquitoes around

And a perfect sunset

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Rosslyn Bay - A visit to Yeppoon and Rockhampton

In Rosslyn Bay we stayed at Great Keppel Bay Marina, which is a great marina with very friendly people. The first thing we were warned off was of the crocodile that was seen lurking around the marina boat ramp. So, please be warned:

As the weather was not behaving too well we decided to stay until Saturday and have a look around. A bus ride took us to Yeppoon where we did some shopping and had the miss fortune to take the bus back at the time when the normal bus becomes a 'school bus'. Soon the bus was full with very noise kids and the bus driver had to stop every two or three blocks to try and put some order. No wonder we were the only 'non school elements' in the bus. After an hour of going around collecting kids in different schools we were finally back at the marina. Whatever bus you take in Yeppoon do not take one between 2.30 and 3.30.

Next day we rented a small car at the marina for just 49 dollars to visit Rockhampton, the beef capital of Australia and Emu Park where the Singing Ship, a monument to Captain Cook is overlooking spectacular Keppel Bay. The monument commemorates the legacy of Captain Cook's explorations in this part of Australia's coast. There was not even a breeze when we came to the monument and hence could not hear the musical sound that is produced through the fluted pipes. Definitely a place to come back with some more wind.

The Singing Ship

In Rockhampton we got lost and finally found the Information Centre and the Tropic of Capricorn Spire to take the picture with one foot on each side and officially consider ourselves inside the tropics. 

The tropic of Capricorn, one foot in, one foot out

After that we had famous beef for lunch in the famous Heritage Hotel and a visit to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo. We did try the Heritage Village but by then it was late and they didn't let us in. 

Spot the Koalas

Back in the marina and we got ready to leave towards Great Keppel Island as the weather was warming up with forecast promises of shinning sun.

G.

Bundaberg to Rosslyn Bay - In the tropics now

We are now in beautiful Rosslyn Bay after a good 24 hour sailing trip. We are planning to stay around Keppel Bay for about a week and will probably move to Great Keppel island tomorrow, hoping it will get a bit warmer. The tropics are a bit disappointing right now so we will do the land tours first.