 |
| The anchorage, Fishermans Beach, Great Keppel Island |
The weather forecast for this weekend was sunny, warm and calm so we thought it would be a good idea to get to the fuel jetty in the Keppel Bay Marina before 7.30am when it opened. We could imagine the number of stink boats that would be lining up to fill up with fuel prior to a weekend fishing trip. We were the first ones there and after a perfect departure, (didn't look like running into anyone!!) we slowly eased along side the fuel jetty after pushing through the mud bank on approach. It was near low tide and a mud bank runs across the track to the southern end of the fuel jetty. This is something to watch if you have a keel boat. $265 later we dropped the ropes and motored out for a 6nm trip to Great Keppel Island.
The first day we anchored on the western side as the winds were very low from the NE. Many boats were anchored off the resort and tourist boats motored in and unloaded people on the beach most of the morning. The resort is still closed and looks very derelict now. However, there is a bar/restaurant next to the beach, a café come nic nac shop and a pizza place to serve the visitors. The sand spit where the bar is situated is being eaten away by the sea and that building is close to being washed away. Like Dunk Island, further north, large tractors etc are moving huge quantities of sand to halt the erosion. It doesn't seem to be working!! The ocean appears to be winning here. We had a lovely walk along the beach, over the hill path to Leekes Beach, on the northern side and then back along four wheel drive tracks, over the hill, to the resort. We thought we had earned a coffee which we had at the beach bar before going back to Olivia for lunch.
 |
| Negotiating the steep track down to Leekes Beach |
We had watched several boats make their way around to a southern bay called Long Beach and as the wind was still in the north we thought we'd like to take a look. What a gorgeous beach. You can anchor quite close to the white, sandy beach in beautiful clear water. I could see the anchor lying on the bottom as we gradually swung over it in the calm conditions. The chain wound it's way along the sea floor like a long skinny snake. Three Remora were lying next to the chain pretending they were invisible. Later we walked along the beach enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.
A Long Motor to Pancake Creek
At daybreak we were on our way to Cape Capricorn. We are leaving the tropics behind after three and a half years. However, when we arrived at lunchtime we thought the anchorage there looked uninviting in the light northerly breeze, so we revised our plans and kept on going to Pancake Creek. We arrived after sunset and with darkness overtaking us we anchored in the outer creek. Everyone else was upstream in the inner anchorage due to the northerly winds. It was too dark to proceed with any confidence so we would have to put up with any discomfort if necessary. Luckily the wind stayed light and we had a peaceful night there.
Lady Musgrave Island
 |
| Beautiful Lady Musgrave Island |
The weather forecast was still for light northerly winds so with the neap tides we thought this was a great opportunity to visit the outer Barrier Reef and Lady Musgrave Island. Whales were again everywhere, tail slapping, poking heads up and generally having fun. At midday we slowly motored down the northern side of the island and reef to the narrow man made entrance to the lagoon. It is clearly marked, but once inside it is necessary to have someone keeping a good lookout on the bow to spot the bommies. Most of them are very deep and we realised that the dark coloured ones were too deep to cause any problems. Beware the browny/yellow shades!! About twenty other boats were anchored in the lagoon for the two nights we were there. There was plenty of room in the centre of the lagoon where most people preferred to anchor.
Having satisfied ourselves with a tasty lunch we dinghied to the shore and walked around the whole island, (about half an hour) and then discovered a forest walk through the bush. There are huge Pisonia trees growing over much of the island. They are like shrubs gone ballistic. The wood is pithy and fibrous and when a piece breaks off it often just keeps on growing. The whole island is covered in bird nest burrows, but they were not nesting when we were there. We did see many tiny ground dwelling birds that reminded me of the ones we used to call Water Chooks, in Albany, as kids. They even have the same clicky tail, but are much smaller. They were skittering about all over the island. We think they might have been Buff Banded Rail - according to a National Parks sign.
 |
| Pisonia Forest Walk, Lady Musgrave Island |
It was so lovely here that we decided to stay another day. We explored the lagoon between us and the entrance and slowly drifted over some of the most amazing coral. Turtles swam under us as we quietly drifted by. I've never seen that before. They are very beautiful creatures. Many coloured fish inhabited all the coral bommies. What a gorgeous place to visit in this wonderful weather. The tourists visiting on the large cat from Port Bundaberg could not have ordered a better day for this trip.
With a forecast of stronger NW winds for the next couple of days we thought it would be a good idea to get some miles south under our belt. We motored out of the lagoon at 6.45am. Having explored the route out the day before we were confident of avoiding any stray bommies on the way to the marked channel. The strengthening wind piled the sea up against the north side of the island into a very lumpy, choppy mess and we decided to wait until we were past the reef before we put up the sail.
 |
| Lagoon Anchorage, Lady Musgrave Island |
Port Bundaberg to the Susan River
We had a boisterous sail in the NW winds and arrived at Port Bundaberg on dusk. Motoring down the channel was uncomfortable as the waves rolled in from the north across the channel. Once behind the rock wall things settled down and we found a spot just past the Burnett Heads Harbour to anchor for the night. You could not anchor here with a wind anywhere in the east, but for us and three other boats is was comfortable for one night and avoided having to negotiate the sugar port and go further up the river.
Again NW winds up to 20kts were forecast so we left early, ran the gauntlet of the lumpy channel again and turned south for the Great Sandy Strait. Our destination this time, Kingfisher Bay Resort on Fraser Island. At 50nm it would take most of the day. On arrival the wind was still blowing and the anchorage there did not look inviting. We had researched earlier, thinking this might be the case, and came up with a recommended anchorage in the entrance to the Susan River on the western side of the Strait.
The Susan and the Mary River both converge around North Head and tucked under the River Head side is a secure anchorage in the NW winds. The tides are strong here as the water pours in and out of the river systems and collide near the North Head. The current is something to behold as we found out when we came to take the dinghy ride back to Olivia after a walk ashore. I resigned myself to a good wetting, but was relieved when we only copped an odd splash.
There is a scenic bush walk along the Susan River bank, under the tall gum trees, which winds along in front of the large, expensive looking houses. After a pleasant walk we came to a street and walked to a small shopping centre where we had coffee and cake (what else!!) At the IGA we stocked up with chocolate and bread before going back to Olivia for lunch.
Tomorrow we will probably motor further south down the Sandy Strait to another sheltered anchorage as the wind is set to continue, this time from the SW at over 20kts for a day or two.
 |
| On Our Way Again |
No comments:
Post a Comment