Finally
the strong winds we've been experiencing for the last five days
abated and we were able to continue our journey north. Because we've
been held up for longer than we would have wished and with a need to
'beat feet' as Jack on Anthem used to say to reach Darwin in two
months, we opted to do an overnight passage going straight to the
Whitsunday Islands. It meant passing the Percys and Scawfell but
while there's wind to sail it's time to go. As it turned out it was
a very pleasant and easy passage with flat seas and light winds.
This
morning while David was having a nap I caught a Spanish Mackerel and
reeled him in all by myself. As you've probably guessed it wasn't
the same size as the giants Wahoos we've been catching recently which
was just what I ordered when the lines went in the water. There
still isn't enough room in the freezer for another monster fish –
we're still eating the one caught off Fraser island two weeks ago
even though we've given half away and cooked it for ourselves and for
visitors. Luckily we like fish.
 |
| view from Lindeman island |
We
arrived in the most southerly Whitsunday isles as the sun was rising
and motored, sailed, motored our way through the islands to Lindeman
which is just south of super posh Hamilton island. Our cruising
guide described an anchorage on the south side of the island near the
Club Med resort where we could use the public jetty to leave the
dinghy and have access to walking tracks. As we got closer there was
a 'something's not right with this picture' feeling; although it's a
beautiful day the beach is empty, no one's on the jetty and then it
clicked, no boats on the jetty and empty mooring buoys. Closer still
and I can see a roof at an odd angle and tiles missing from the
roofs. The resort is abandoned. It was probably damaged in the
January cyclone and perhaps there's not enough business to make
repairs viable. What it means for us today is five good strong
mooring balls available and a very peaceful spot to rest after our
trip.
In
the evening we were joined by sixty little swifts sitting on the
guard rail and a charter catamaran on one of the other balls.
Tomorrow we'll go an explore ashore.
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