The chart shows a brilliantly straight run across from the Howick Group - because, we motored.The wind just died completely at 0200. As we had by then passed the Howick Group and the possible anchorage at Coquet Island,it was just as easy to go on, to anchor in daylight at Lizard, as it was to return, to the Howick group and try anchoring in an unknown location in the dark.
We needed to stop to sleep as it had turned out to be a 48hour run from Portland Roads , as we had tried to make best use of the changing winds. It is so much easier to sleep when anchored securely in a bay out of the tide/current stream and without the constant nagging thought of dragging the anchor and being awoken by crunching/grinding noises.
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The anchorage , for us, was pretty crowded. A mixed dozen or so, of sailing yachts and engine powered vessels.
We anchored, rigged the shade cloths, as there was no sign of any sort of breeze developing and then slept.
After sufficient snoozing, it was time to use the opportunity to check under the hulls again. I haven't been in the water to check since Kupang. Darwin was out due to the definately not clear water and crocs, Seisia, crocs and current and probably sharks .The same for Savage River and Portland Roads. SE Asia did definitely have some obvious advantages!
First though, we went for a snorkel (swimming or drifting along with the dinghy in tow) over the nearest coral. Not the worlds most stunning coral, but a high bench mark has been set already on our travels. Then we set off to check out the "visitor mooring" as denoted on the chart, which is around in a bay on the northern end of the island. Here on the mooring, but in a depth of water, the clarity of which was so good, the coral appeared very close, we met a couple heading north on a Seawind 1160.
Returning to K'Gari it was time to check out what she was like underneath. Pretty damn good actually. The worst I could see was a green slime above the water line which had first appeared in Darwin and hadn't just washed away as we sailed south as I had assumed it would.It was now fairly solidly stuck to the gelcoat, but didn't appear to be getting worse. All the through hull inlets were in good shape, clear of growth.The ground plate was a bit of an oyster patch again, but then as the HF was in Darwin being repaired, it didn't matter that much. The antifoul was looking great and less than a dozen barnacles had tried to tag along for the ride.
Back on board and hanging up the de rigeur stinger suit to dry, what did my startled eyes alight upon in the water , a three foot black tip reefy (shark) meandering by, on this beautiful afternoon. Just as well we had already been in the water.
Time being of the essence just at the moment, we decided to not do a Capt Cook, and ascend the peak , as that would require both time tomorrow morning and effort, and we have perfectly adequate charts showing us the way to go home.Perhaps another time, the middle of winter seems like a much better idea to me.
We did go ashore in the afternoon.Obviously not to the resort, which does not welcome yachties, but a wander along the beach and as far as Mrs Watsons cottage- well, what they think might be a corner wall of it!
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| .Photo © Queensland Museum 2010 |
If I thought the anchorage was busy when we arrived, it certainly filled up towards sunset. close to two dozen game fishing boats and a couple of larger cruisers arrived for the night.
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| Looking out from the beach at sunset. If you click on this photo you can enlarge it and actually see the boats in the anchorage |
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