Thursday 6 June Fitzroy Island

Fitzroy island is two miles off the mainland coast and 15 miles to the east of Cairns. It had been another good sailing day in 25 knots following winds up the coast and the island looked like it would give us protection from the wind overnight. As we discovered the ever present swell found it's way into the bay but not too uncomfortably.

Goana by side of track

David on the track

Again we were in front of the resort with good access to land the kayak while we went for a walk to the top. Fitzroy isn't big but it is steep from the sea to the summit. In WW2 it was used as a look out and a gun emplacement to protect Cairns from attack. We followed the original cement road along the north side of the island, up beyond the gum tree limit and a climb up rock steps to the very summit and a view to the outer reefs. An hour of vigorous exercise got our hearts and legs moving. A quick hop down as a rain squall hit kept us going down hill even faster though we did find some shelter behind a large boulder. I tried not to imagine the snakes living under the rock. Descending back to the road way we skipped out to the lighthouse – the only ceramic tiled lighthouse I've ever seen – before trotting back to the beach where the trusty kayak was waiting.

The time was now right to sail into Cairns with an ingoing current. The wind was good too – we were sailing at 7 knots up the channel and only had to switch on the engine when we had ferries passing close to the port. From the sea side approach Cairns has a high profile - high rise hotels, a busy port and many yachts either in the marina, on the pile moorings or anchored in the 'skating pond'. The skating pond is so named because of it's dubious holding. There are many of our friends here; many familiar boats all here provisioning and doing boat projects ahead of our trip up to Indonesia.