Wednesday 6th July
Yesterday we left Airlie in the rain. It was still persisting down and cold when we got to Maureen’s Cove, so the diesel heater went on while we watched movies. It’s not often that you can see waterfalls in the Whitsundays, but waterfalls were teaming down the rock faces.
This morning we set off at daybreak. The rain had stopped the wind had died and the sea was calm. Not a good day to sail anywhere, so we motored out to the Great Barrier Reef. We did a few zigzags as we passed about 20 whales on the way. The Dophins that joined us were great but not as impressive as a Humpback Whale breaching.
Inside Hook Reef the half meter swell subsided and we made our way deep inside. Jack took to the mast to lookout for bombies. Soon after anchoring Toni and Jack were amazed to be able to see from the deck, the sea grass dotted amongst the sand in10m of water.
After lunch with a light breeze and warm sun we just chilled out after our early start and so that we are fresh and ready for tomorrow.
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Monday 4th July
It has been almost a week and we are still at Airlie Beach sitting out the weather. It’s been high winds, raining and cold. We managed to get a few maintenance jobs done while waiting for the good weather to arrive. It’s predicted to get better from tomorrow.
With the promise of good weather Toni and Jack come back onboard tonight. We are going to make the most of the break in the weather and head out to the Barrier Reef for a few days. Hook Reef should be sheltered enough from the remaining swell to allow great snorkelling and maybe spear some fish for dinner.
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Tuesday 28 June
The weather turned on a doozey for taking Toni, Jack and Liz ashore. Andrew was the first in the dinghy riding the waves as he poured petrol into the outboard and got the dinghy ready for departure. Then came Toni and Jack with their “body bag” and backpacks duly covered with a tarp (We all knew it was going to be a wet ride!). They rode the messy seas holding on as the waves crashed over them with the faint echoes of Yee Haaaaa following them from Sue standing on the bow of Imagine. Once dropped off at the boat ramp they made their way to the bus terminal, normally a pleasant short walk but would have seemed like miles with their bags.
Due to currently unfavorable weather conditions Toni and Jack are travelling north to continue their adventures, first to Townsville where they will catch up with Jesse and Emma on “All the Stars” who we met on our trip up.
Andrew returned to Imagine totally drenched ready for his next thrilling daredevil ride to shore, this time with Liz who is travelling to Melbourne to spend time with family. Another exciting ride to shore followed. After dropping off Liz and her bags Andrew returned and quickly dried off and changed into some warm clothes.
Early afternoon it was our turn as we had booked the outboard in for its service. By this time the wind and waves had much eased, our issue was to make it to shore whilst there was still enough tide to get ashore (there are some particularly low tides at the moment so timing our shore visits around these is important). Andrew caught a cab to Cannonvale with the outboard whilst Sue went shopping. Once he dropped this off he caught the bus back to Airlie Beach. The tide was too low for about another 1.5 hours so we decided to have a cuppa and some hot chips down at the beach. Finally, enough water to get the dinghy out and back to Imagine. Tomorrow we reverse the process when we go to pick up the outboard.

We’ve come to the end of our run here on Imagine, but what a run it has been! It’s crazy to think how much we’ve fit into just 7 weeks, despite the weather trying to derail our plans. We will miss not just boat life, but this boat life – onboard Imagine with Andrew and Sue. We have learnt so much about sailing (with no query being too silly), which has made us question the sanity of these two letting us behind the wheel initially! We have gotten to see and experience amazing places, guided by Andrew and Sue’s knowledge meaning the weather never seemed too big an issue as there was always a bay paradise to escape into. We’ve refined our poker faces (and probably gained some trust issues) over some intense games of Monopoly Deal. And we’ve eaten incredibly well, with the apparent never ending supply of Whittaker’s and Tim Tam’s being a real comfort for us kiwis.
So a huge thank you to Andrew and Sue for the adventure and for making us feel so at home on Imagine!
Cheers, Jack, Liz & Toni

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.