Tangalooma Wrecks - Moreton Island
Quartermoon
Mike Share & Sammy Byron
Sun 22 May 2011 09:29
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Leaving Mooloolaba was exciting, we
exited the river into a large rolling swell. It's quite odd motoring just out
the back of a surf break but we couldn't head out for a while due to
shoals. The wind had dies so we had to motor south heading for Tangalooma
wrecks. The passage was pretty uneventful except for planning which of the many
confusing shipping channels to avoid and take to our anchorage for the night. No
fish again, I think this coastline has been well over-fished as with our
newfound skills as fisherman we've had a pretty dry run since getting
here.
We navigated down through Moreton bay
and could see the wrecks in the distance as the sun was starting to dip. We
don't generally like doing the last, usually more complicated navigation during
dusk or dark but the days are so short here now it seems every day passage is
the perfect distance that you cant quite do it all in daylight during winter!
You either start before first light or finish after sunset.
We had to pass the wrecks before
turning up and inside them to anchor. Slowly was the name of the game
as we anchored in almost dark, again owing a lot to electronic charts and
probably relying on their accuracy and the depth gauge a bit too
much!
   Next morning and what a weird sight!
There are 15 or so good size wrecks scuttled on a sandbank to create some
shelter to the channel area of Tangalooma. They don't do too much to stop swell
or wind but do look cool and beg for an explore. They looked a bit too old and
rusty to go clambering on but you can easily see what type of ship they were,
some of the wood and most of the superstructure and hulls still in tact. The old
whaling vessels were particularly eerie so I grabbed my mask and went for a
snorkel through the wrecks. The water was murky and cold with a strong current
running, so Sammy made the wise choice to stay on QM and drink tea! It was
worth it though with heaps of fish life; we'd love to come back in Summer with
clear water for a proper look around.
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