Townsville to Fitzroy Island (Cairns)
Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Wed 29 Aug 2012 11:02
|
We left Townsville and sailed for three hours to
Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island (named by Captain Cook) where we anchored for a
day and two nights.
 We then sailed to Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island and
saw some humpback whales with calves migrating south as we passed northwards. A
little too distant for good photographs.
 We will try and get closer next time!!
From Pioneer Bay we sailed across to the entry into
the Hinchinbrook Channel. Due to the shallow water there was a three mile long
sugar loading conveyor belt
 we motored through the shallow entry channel
(2 metres)into the slightly deeper water (7 metres) and twisted and turned
looking for crocodiles, to no avail, on the mangrove and jungle
banks.
 It was a spectacular landscape and a fascinating 27
mile passage through the channel
 after exiting the channel at Cardwell we sailed 20
miles to Dunk Island where we anchored off for the night----the resort
buildings had been destroyed in the cyclone eighteen months ago. We had a great
63 mile sail the next day to Fitzroy Island which is 15 miles outside Cairns.
True Great Barrier Reef sailing; a steady 14 knot wind just aft of the beam and
in a flat sea. Fitzroy Island has an exclusive resort hotel and separate
facilities for day visitors to the island. Crystal clear water and good
swimming---no crocodiles or snakes to be seen!
  |