Saturday 25th June Another morning in Butterfly Bay and Liz, Jack & Toni jumped back in the water to check out another part of the reef in the bay. The visibility was good and they saw some beautiful coral formations and colourful fish. We had lunch on their return then ventured out into the high wind. A 15knt wind and easterly swell took us around the point heading back to Airlie.
As we passed through the Narrows again, the wind dropped below 10knts and the swell became westerly. As we past Stonehaven the swell turned southerly to match the southerly wind that steadily increased to 25knts. The 25knt wind gusting 30knts on the beam made for a good sail, reaching speeds up to 8.5knts.
It only took two and a half hours to reach the shelter of our anchorage at Airlie Beach.
Sunday and Sue & Andrew ventured ashore in the dinghy to get a few groceries. For the others it has been a day of reading and playing cards as the wind whistled through the rigging and watching the white caps out past the point.

Thursday, 23 June
At Stonehaven we were waiting for the sun to shine. Just after 11am we got a hint of blue sky so Andrew took Liz, Toni and Jack across in the dinghy to the reef area for some snorkeling.
After seeing some colorful coral and a few different fish they came back to the boat. The “easterly” swell was coming in from the Southwest and had increased in size so it was decided we would try around the top of Hook Island. It was all hands on deck to get the boat ready for the short trip through ‘The Narrows around the point past Butterfly Bay to Maureen’s Cove where we are on a mooring for the night, scoffing down lunch on the way.
There are still some wind gusts but only a small swell at the moment. It didn’t take long before Liz and Toni were in the water for a short snorkel.
Friday 24 June
We had a lovely night at Maureen’s Cove. This morning we snorkeled around some more of the reef in this bay before heading over to Butterfly Bay West. We all jumped in for a snorkel before lunch then again after lunch. There was colourful coral and colourful fish and the water temperature was pretty good when you weren’t in the cool breeze.
Toni and Jack carried on to shore, finding it strange to be walking on land again as it’s the first time since leaving Airlie Beach that their feet have been on terra firma!
Liz, Andrew and Sue returned to Imagine and found it interesting to watch the fights for moorings. One boat came over and grabbed a mooring that was undersized for their craft, soon to be told off by one of the charter boats so he moved to a larger mooring. Another put his foot down to grab the mooring first, nearly taking another boat out that had been headed that way first (the biggest motor won). Another, after nearly clipping the reef, then took at least 20 minutes to manoeuvre onto a mooring and he had stern and bow thrusters and twin engines but still had difficulties.

Wednesday 22nd June We left Butterfly Bay Monday morning and headed around the corner to Stonehaven. Toni guided us through the Narrows, the channel between the reef extending out from Hayman Island and the reef coming off Hook island. This time we anchored in the bay. This meant there was no mooring bouy to bang up against the bow in the middle of the night.
We spent Tuesday just chilling on the boat, with the occasional swim around the boat.
Wednesday we motored the short distance to Langford Reef. The sea was a little choppy but we all piled in the dinghy and headed to where we thought the last two underwater statues were. The first one we found was the Anthozoa (a 20,000 times sculpture of a single coral polyp). It didn’t take long to find the turtle not far away. Andrew took the dinghy ashore while everyone else swam. After a short walk on the sandspit it was time to get out of the chilling wind and head back to Imagine.
Leaving Langford we headed back to Stonehaven for lunch. The idea was to check out the reef in Stonehaven after lunch, but after the morning’s snorkeling and the big lunch everyone just chilled. We’ll check out the rest tomorrow.
FYI the weather hasn’t been conducive to moving around the islands easily with strong SE winds and E swell. Even though there are some big hills, the wind sends bullets down and the swell sometimes whips around the island coming in more southerly and when you get wind against tide the sea can be quite messy.

Sunday 19th June
We spent another day at Blue Pearl Bay. Everyone went snorkeling determined to find the underwater Mauri Wrasse sculpture. Andrew and Sue headed straight to the spot as they had seen it before. Toni and Jack followed suit, but Liz got a slight leg cramp so had to return to Imagine.
The bay looked like Grand Central Station when a charter boat unleashed a load of snorkelers on the bay. We found it interesting that the charter boat guide didn’t know there was a statue in this bay although he knew the ones at Langford Island and Manta Ray Bay.
This morning we headed for Butterfly Bay. Turning the point of Hayman Island we sailed into 1.5m swell and 20+ knots of wind (with gusts up to 28 knots). This meant several tacks to make it to Butterfly Bay.
Toni, Jack and Liz discovered a bommie with colourful coral and loaded with a range of fish life while snorkeling the bay. Andrew climbed the mast and replaced a couple halyards that were jamming. Then it was more chilling until dinner.

Friday 17th June
This morning we made our escape. Setting sail for Blue Pearl bay we sailed past the passenger ship anchored off Airlie. They were shuttling people back and forth in one of the life rafts and some of the local tour boats.
It was a good sail reaching 7.5 knots. We made it to Hayman Island in just over two hours. Toni and Jack maneuvered Imagine onto the mooring as if they had done it many times, no pressure even though they were competing for the mooring with two other boats that put their foots down to try and get their first.
A quick dip and it was lunchtime. Not long after lunch Andrew pointed out the Batfish around the boat. Toni and Jack hand fed snax biscuits.
After a few hours chilling Toni, Jack and Liz ventured back in the water for a snorkel. With the visibility being about 5m they saw an array of fish and coral.

Thursday 16th June
Four days of exploring Airlie Beach, surrounding town and catching up with friends, everyone is ready to get out of town.
The part for the steering arm was ready so Andrew caught the bus out to Cannonvale first thing this morning. He collected Liz on the way back, just in time for lunch back on Imagine. After lunch Andrew fitted the part and reconnected the steering. Sue and Toni went back to town to do the grocery shop for the next couple of weeks.
We are ready to go. Good time to be getting out of Airlie, apparently the first cruise ship arrives tomorrow so there will be 2000 passengers in town.

Sunday 12th June
We are off again. Liz and Andrew hauled anchor and set sail to Airlie Beach. Toni, Jack and Liz took turns on the helm. The first couple of hours produced speeds of 7 to 8knts, then the wind dropped and we were back to 3knts. Even so we still made Airlie in what seemed to be no time at all.
Monday 13th June
We all went ashore. Liz went off to meet her friends and stay the night. Sue, Toni, Jack and Andrew headed to the laundromat. While waiting for the machines to finish Toni and Jack went off to explore the town. They had checked out Airlie from one end to the other and got back to the laundromat in time for the washing to come out of the washing machines.
We headed back to Imagine just after midday, ever mindful of the tide. You can only get to and from shore at mid to high tide, unless you want to push the dinghy through waist deep mud.
On one of the return trips Andrew came to collect Jack and Toni. While trying to depart the jetty, Andrew pulled on the cord to start the motor but instead of starting the cord remained out and wouldn’t return! After 10 minutes of paddling from Jack and Andrew while the sun set, Warren a half local came to our rescue and dragged us home to Imagine. Next morning the motor was apart and pull cord all sorted for more use!
Tuesday 14th June
Again mindful of the tides we headed into town and caught a bus to Cannonvale (the next town) where there is a 20 shop mall. Andrew went to an engineering place to get some parts welded, while the others checked out the shops.

Saturday 11th June
The weather has turned cold and it’s predicted to continue for a week. High winds and swell in the mornings dropping off late afternoon means we at least get sleep at night. This is keeping the water visibility to a minimum, which means poor snorkeling. So we have decided to head to Airlie early.
We left Thomas this morning and sailed across to Shaw Island. To make Shaw we had the wind and swell, off our back quarter. As we reached Shaw Andrew got Toni (on the helm) to point Imagine towards the wind, as if we were going to head South. We pounded into the waves for a few minutes then we turned north. Everyone was amazed at the difference between pounding into the waves and sailing with them. How quiet everything became. How fast we were going (6.5 knts) with little sail up, yet everything felt calm.
Upon rounding the point Jack and Toni were told they had to pick a place and anchor Imagine on their own. Jack dropped the main, then they took Imagine from one end of the bay to the other checking for the most sheltered place to anchor. They chose well.
After anchoring we had lunch and spent the afternoon chilling out. As the wind dropped both Liz and Jack ventured into the water. It wasn’t the water temperature that was a problem more the wind chill factor when getting out.

Friday 10th June We set off for the next island early in the morning. Well early for Toni and Jack. A quick breakfast and hauled anchor by 9:20.
A reefed main and a staysail and we reached a nice speed of 6 to 7knts. It only took a few hours before we turned into our bay on Thomas Island.
After lunch Liz swam ashore while Toni and Jack kayaked around checking out the next bay.

Thursday 9th June Goldsmith Island
We rose to a beautiful blue sky. Unfortunately we still had a very cool breeze creeping over the island. This made the water not very inviting. By lunch time the temperature had only reached 19 degrees and we were all rugged up. What happened to sunny Queensland???
Toni and Jack took a loaf of freshly made bread across to All the Stars the boat that had given us the tuna. This gave them the opportunity to check out another boat design.
Toby and Tara on Flossy arrived in the bay and anchored next to us. They had been enduring the 1.5m swell and 30knt winds all the way from Curlew. Andrew called them on the radio and invited them over for sundowners.
We went ashore for a walk and to leave a hammock for visitors to the island.
Jess and Emma from All the Stars joined us for sundowners on Imagine. Toby and Tara brought Sally (their dog ) along as well. More stories and drinks were exchanged well into the night (7:30pm). Boaties are real party animals.