Friday 28th September
We have left Airlie Beach for the last time. We will spend a couple of more days in the Whitsunday group of islands as we head south back to Brisbane. The weather is giving us a chance to explore a few bays we haven’t been able to previously.
The usual south easterly gave us a good sail across to Hook Island and we moored up in Butterfly Bay once again. As we sailed the point to come in a powercat (rent a boat) raced past us and cut across in front of us to beat us to any moorings available. He powered off down the west side of the bay as we continued to the east. As we got closer to shore we spotted a free mooring straight ahead of us. As we got closer we saw the powercat emerge from the west side (obviously no moorings there) with the throttle down going to cut us off again. He didn’t quite have enough speed to get there before us. He could see we were going for the mooring but that didnt stop him coming right up close. We think he was counting on us missing picking up the mooring and having to go around to try a second time and he was going to squeeze in behind us and take it. Not with Imagine’s A-team! We went straight up to it, hit reverse and stopped over the mooring making it a piece of cake hooking the mooring.
The powercat eventually anchored in the bay, but not before powering up to boats on the other moorings in an intimidating way, hoping one would relinquish their mooring.
The winds turn easterly overnight so in the morning we will sail past the famous Whitehaven Beach and tuck in to White Bay on the southern side of Hazelwood Island. There should be good snorkeling and diving.
Are you guys likely to stop at Bribie Island on your way back to Brisbane.
Lydia you were 4yrs old when we were at Whitehaven Beach. You swam in freezing old water at it was June.