Cruising north 2011

I set off with my mate Steve Davis on Friday 27th May, and we sailed up through Moreton Bay. Steve is a comedian, and we have sailed a lot together over the years.

Steve playing 'Air ukelele'

Winds easy and mostly following, with the kite up a lot of the time. A particularly good romp from Tangalooma on Moreton Island to Mooloolaba, much of it at 15 knots boat speed. Then across the Wide Bay Bar into the Great Sandy Straits. A large fish got on the line, and carried off the rod-holder, rod, reel, hook, line and sinker!


Up to Garry's Anchorage, and a night in Platypus Bay, before a rendezvous with George in Burrum Heads, a little settlement on the west side of Hervey Bay. Steve drove George's car home.

Nimrod in Platypus Bay

Platypus Bay, storm brewing

Burrum Heads

Burrum Heads

The Womens group in the Burrum Heads caravan park.
The brollies are to protect against poop from rainbow lorikeets roosting at dusk!

Burrum Heads fisherman

June 2nd, George and I carried on north to Burnett Heads, and then to the town of 1770, where we met up with our friends in their new Lightwave 45 'Blue Spirit'. I made a video of the launching a few weeks ago.

A trawler in the Burnett River at dawn.

1770

1770

Blue Spirit

As I write we are motoring out to the Great Barrier Reef in calm conditions. We hope to do some diving this afternoon at Fitzroy Reef, then go one tomorrow via Heron Island to North-West Island, before ducking back to Great Keppel Island. These reefs are better visited in calm conditions, so this is a good opportunity. We will try out the kayak and Dive-master 12v air-compressor.