20:30.00S 149:02.00E

 

We left Mackay in grey, blustery conditions to sail 40 nm to Shaw Island where we spent the night with our anchor firmly buried in sandy clay whilst gusts of 35+ knots danced us about. Not the most restful night so we headed off the following morning to Refuge Bay in Nara Inlet which according, to the cruising guide, is protected from every angle in every velocity. We spent a pleasant afternoon at anchor in slightly less blustery conditions with some much missed sunshine. None of us felt tempted to swim. Too cold was one reason but the vast array of critters out to kill you in these waters was the main deterrent. At around 5.00 pm our neighbour dinghied over to invite us to share sun downers with him & his crew. We grabbed a bottle, leapt into his dinghy and went off to enjoy some fine Aussie hospitality complete with delicious oysters gathered by our hosts that morning. Up early the following morning, we waved our thanks to our hosts and headed out into black clouds, rain and strong winds. The Whitsundays are billed as one of the greatest cruising grounds in the world ..... not for us!  Our next stop was Dunk Island, a fast but uncomfortable, overnight sail in 35+ knots, pouring rain, big seas and cold. We anchored in time for an early lunch, a well-earned bottle of wine and a snooze. Dunk Island was home to an exclusive resort which was trashed in a cyclone in 2011. The shore facilities have yet to be rebuilt so we felt no need to launch the dinghy and battle our way to shore. Favouring sailing over an uncomfortable night at anchor, we set sail at 10.00 pm after a leisurely supper. Eleven hours of 35+ knots and all the treats of our previous passage felt very reminiscent of some ghastly British sailing school exercise. However we arrived to the tranquillity of Marlin marina, Cairns. Bliss! Fantastic facilities, right in the centre of the city. Humungous mud crabs and Sauvignon Blanc for Sunday lunch at the Raw Prawn made the trip worth it.

 

We had 6 wonderful days in Cairns enjoying the local restaurants, mainly good weather and a trip on Skyrail (a cable car) to Kuranda, a village in the mountains with the return journey aboard the scenic railway in a beautifully restored, old carriage. Tim and I took advantage of some of the local produce available; we now have a couple of kangaroo skins adorning the saloon seats (we weren’t the only boat that fell for that), a couple of pieces of aboriginal art and Tim’s new toy – a didgeridoo. He managed about 4 hours of lessons before we left Cairns and, according to his teacher, he’s a natural. The rest of us on board are thrilled! Hours of farting noises.