Position 26 41.18 S  153 07.65W

 

30th October 2012 onwards

 

Sailed overnight to Mooloolaba.  Left marina at 0415 and arrived at 1500 on the 31st October.  From Bundaberg we went out and around Fraser Island. There is a passage between the island and the mainland but we would need to stop every night – and it takes about 3 nights to reach the pass at the bottom of the island.  The weather has not stayed calm for more than 2 days so far and we did not want to have to anchor at the pass waiting for good weather to get across the sand bar that sits there.  Apparently, you need wind 10 to 15 knots and no wind with any South in it.

 

 

 

Just a bit rolly – what a change.

 

Swarms of jellyfish welcomed us to the river. Lots of different sizes, maximum length was about a foot. All with blue sheen. The ones with a bright blue edge around them sting slightly apparently. Australians refers to stinging jellyfish as ‘stingers’. The worst are the box jelly fish, but from descriptions, it sounds like might get Portuguese-men-of-war as well. These blue guys are harmless but we aren't swimming with them!

 

 

Found these on a deserted beach not sure if stinger and not touching to find out.

 

One of Queensland miles long almost deserted beaches.

 

 

Mooloolaba marina sits near the mouth of the river.  Literally the other side of the road from the marina is the sea.  Queensland has miles of sandy beaches with little life guarded sections. On the movies it looks like whole beaches are patrolled but, in fact, it’s any where between 100 to 300 m.  Either side of the swimming section is the surfboard section which extends for about another 50m.  You look down the beach and see all these swimmers and surfers clumped together in the patrolled sections.  Spot the patrolled section.

 

 

The entire seafront has been turned into a walkway.  This is at the seaward end of the walk.

 

The land has been reclaimed on the opposite side of the river and further inland.  The whole consists of a canal system.  Lots of waterfront houses, virtually everyone with a jetty and a boat. None of these have gardens, just patios and lots of shady places.  It’s very hot here. We are heading into summer and its already 35C+ outside.

 

 

Just for the boys:

 

 

This is a bird nest on a catamarans anchor.  Mum had just flown off.  A few days later little beaks were spotted.

 

Mooloolaba marina from other side of the river.

 

 

 

Whilst here, Karacool has been holed by a tourist harbour cruise boat.  The cruise boat said that Karacool's bow was beyond the end of the pile at the end of the pontoon, and that the piles are there for boats to bounce off.  Presumably this was one he hit earlier ... and lets hope he gets no where near us as we are hanging over!