Saturday 2nd August - Coral Sea Marina
Today is the day we leave the Whitsundays behind and start making progress heading north.
But first, a Parkrun. This is our first one we’ve managed since being down at the Southport Marina back in March!
The Airlie Beach Parkrun starts at the marina just up the ramp from us.
The run is a two lap out and back along the foreshore heading west from the Marina.
Emma and Kristie chose stay onboard; Kristina and I jogged/walked in just over 40min.
Short walk back to Lazuli and showered before we all went out for a nice breakfast.
At the run briefing they mentioned they head to a cafe just down the road (as most Parkruns do!), so we ended up heading there rather than one of the expensive marina cafe options.
They bake all their own bread, croissants and sausage rolls. Lovely breakfast with a good view.
With breakfast done it was time to get ready to head off. We were only planning to get as far as Bowen/Queens Beach today so weren’t in too much of a rush.
Viv and Russ called past in their tender, so hugs and sad goodbyes to them. Kenny, Nic, and Charlee came past in their tender just as we were leaving the dock.
Shouted our goodbyes to them. We’ve had a lot of fun, drinks, and catch-ups with these two boats since we first met them in May at Fraser Island.
They’re hanging around the Whitsundays for a while longer so we may not see them until we return south :(
We had 10-15knt SW winds, which made for easy sailing and flat seas.
Coming around Cape Glouster we saw something odd in the water. Getting closer we could make out it was a Whale tail, the Whale just hanging upside down by it’s tail by the looks of things.
We thought it might have been dead, but after 5min or so it started moving and swam on.
Had the trolling line out when we could. Hooked something big and tried to get it in. A few jumps out of the water before it pulled free of the lure :(
We got around to Queens Beach without any trouble.
Got in as close as we could to minimise any wind chop.
Sunday 3rd
I hadn’t made any firm plans of where to be tonight.
I’d see a few boats anchored on the eastern side of Cape Upstart the night before so figured we’d get as far as that.
So with no rush, we had Pancakes for Breakfast.
We eventually got moving, but not until 10am. Sails up and off we went.
We dropped sails and went in to check out that bay on the eastern side of Cape Upstart - but no good. Too much swell wrapping around for us.
Figured we’d head over to the western side of Upstart Bay (pretty much due west of the top of Cape Upstart).
The charts said “not adequately surveyed”. We were motoring in towards the coast, depth was showing 9m.. then 2.5m… 2.4… all when the charts said it should be 8m+!
We quickly turned around and got back to deeper water.
With this area out of action, and still 10-15knt SW winds there weren’t many other places we could stop and it was getting towards sunset.
With no other obvious anchorage in a SW we made the decision to kick on to Magnetic Island.
This was 60nm away!
I cooked dinner while it was still light and got what I could ready for a night motor.
Kristie took the first shift until 10pm. I tried but failed to get any sleep.
Emma went to bed at the usual time and was fine, however Kristina needed (wanted?) to sleep up on deck.
So she slept on the floor on a seat cushion.
We didn’t have any traffic to dodge so a pretty easy passage.
Motored through the night to Maggie arrived 2:30am (about 10min after the moon set!).
Anchored out the back of all the boats there, wasn’t worth trying to find a spot closer in at that time!
I was in bed by 3am.
Monday 4th
Work & School.
Lowered the tender to head into the beach. Got halfway in and realised there was a large spot we could move Lazuli to.
So back we went and shifted in closer. We were going to be here for a week so worth getting a good spot.
One of our neighbours got down on his back step with his laser sight to see how close we were getting to him (not close!).
Back to beach, fish and chip lunch. I ordered a family pack of chips, and we actually got a proper family serving of chips (that we didn’t / couldn’t finish!).
Ice cream after lunch.
Kristie walked up to the campground that her parents would be staying at later in the week. It’s only 400m down the road.
I hung out at the swings/beach with the girls.
Back to Lazuli, and there’s now another boat between us and the other guy that thought we were too close!
Dropped Kristie to beach so she could go for a walk and do some exploring.
She ended up walking to Balding Bay, discovered it was a clothes optional beach!
Then walked back up the hill and down to Radical Bay. Saw a cute echidna there.
Back on Lazuli for dinner.
Tuesday 5th
Work & School.
Early lunch then we took the tender around to Radical Bay.
Kristina wanted to stop in at Balding bay but there were a few people there enjoying the freedom of no clothes, so we didn’t stop!
We enjoyed a good play on rocks (jumping rock), exploring the beach, swimming, and playing with the ball (piggy in the middle).
Headed back around to Lazuli. Dropped girls back then Kristie and I went to shore to try to buy some milk.
No milk available in the shop today, but was told milk day is Wednesday.
Wednesday 6th
Work & School.
Lunch left girls on Lazuli and jumped in the tender to drop off rubbish and get milk.
Still no milk. Kristie and I enjoyed coffee & cake instead.
Walking back to the tender, we noticed another tender coming in with three kids. As we’re always on the lookout for other kid boats we walked over to say hi.
Turns out they’re a UK family, doing the ARC (around the world crusing regatta). We had a quick chat with them.
They’re only on Maggie for one night. They had less than a month to get to Darwin ready to leave with the rest of the fleet!
Back to Lazuli for more work.
Thursday 7th
Work & School.
Early lunch.
Tender to shore, and then up to the campground to meet Rod & Chris who’d just arrived.
There was a Koala and it’s joey in tree right next to their campsite!
It eventually shifted for a better view.
There were also two chooks roaming around, so the girls fed them as well (Emma especially wanted to catch it and pet it!)
Rod drove us all over to the start of the Forts walk (two quick trips - it’s only a minute or two down the road).
We saw a wallaby, and then two different Koala’s in the trees right next to the path.
A base had been constructed on the island during the 2nd Wold War, primarily to host two cannons to protect the entrance to Townsville.
We stopped at the ruins of the women’s latrines, and then the mess/kitchen.
Unlike our tour around Bear Island (Botany Bay), there aren’t any actual canons still in place on the island.
On the last walk up the hill we had a competition to see who could guess closest to the number of steps to the top.
The prize would be a handful of skittles. Grandma won.
The viewing hut at the top had some good views, as well as the machine to tap out morse code. The girls got to tap out their name.
Back to camp for sips ‘n dips.
Rod and Christine had brought up Birthday present for Kristie and I. I opened up mine and poured some into a cup straight away :)
They also brought up a supply of homemade teats for us:
- 5 jars of relish (no onion)
- 2 bags of anzac biscuits
- 1 large choc brownie and icing!
- 2 large bag of choc-chip/fruit biscuits
Thanks very much for the presents and supplies!!
Tasty bacon and egg burgers at camp, and then Rod dropped us back to the boat ramp and a quick tender back to Lazuli in the dark.
Friday 8th
Quick bit of work before starting the day on land.
Tender in to the beach, quick stop at the inconvenience store - still no milk.
Walked up to the campsite to meet Rod and Chris, and then drove across to Alma Beach.
The weather forecast had suggested it should have been southerly winds which would have been nice.
However, the “surf” we encountered when we got there suggested the forecast was wrong!
We still had a fun time exploring the beach and playing around on the rocks. We enjoyed a swim in the waves… no snorkeling.
The girls did hopscotch in the sand with Grandma.
Rod and Kriste went for a quick drive to the Post Office, pharmacy and then Food Works.
Kristie brought back a hot chook for lunch back at camp.
I went back to Lazuli for a work meeting.
The girls and kristie fed chickens, kookaburras (it stole food) and a wallaby.
Kristie had purchased two broom sticks back in Airlie. These were to become “Sniffy Sticks”.
We had taken these to camp, along with some twine (the left over from our anchor markings) and glue.
Grandpa and Grandma helped the girls take off the labels then glue the rope on.
They all walked back down the road ice cream, and then spent some time playing on the tyre swing at the beach.
The girls enjoyed playing on the beach with the newly made sniffy sticks, and then onto the tyre swing.
I was still on the boat, but getting ready to come in, so we could all go back to camp for dinner.
I had made the noodle salad sauce to take in. I had it in a plastic jar.
While getting in the tender I noticed it was leaking from the bag.
I burnt my fingers getting it, and I had inadvertently dropped the rope to the tender.
I only noticed that when it was about 10m away and drifting off!
Lightning quick change into boardies and a quick swim and I was back at Lazuli for a quick rinse off and gather the sauce ingredients to take in and make there!
Back at camp the girls fed the birds (4:15pm every day) at the camp.
The rainbow lorikeets have sharp claws and had previously left quite a mark on the girls arms.
Showers all round, then sips and dips at camp.
One of the kookaburras swooped down and stole some sausage as it was being cooked.
When it was our turn to eat, both girls stood guard duty over us with their sniffy sticks to keep the birds away.
Another lift down the beach from Rod.
Saturday 9th
Breakfast and then into the beach to meet Rod and Chris at 9am to then walk over to Radical Bay.
It’s a fairly steep walk - up and then back down to the other side.
Did it without any complaints from the girls.
Oh, and a few skittle stops.
The girls enjoyed showing Grandma and Grandpa the rock they were jumping off.
There were more people at the beach than the other day. A least three of the tourist boats were here.
The water and beach conditions here were much nicer than Alma beach the other day.
Chris had a quick snorkel.
Walked back. Emma got a bit of a fright by a snake that was trying to get away from Rod’s boots.
We all went back to camp.
I went back to Lazuli to get all the shower stuff and swim stuff (and mermaid tails).
After dropping them back to the beach I went back and did some more work.
Girls looked through the photo books and then had a mermaid swim with Grandma in the pool at the campground..
Showers for the girls, then bird feeding, this time with gloves.
They then needed a second shower as they ended up with bird food through their hair!
I met them on the beach for nibbles, then followed by fish and chips for dinner. Lovely sunset tonight.
The girls (and I) enjoyed more time at the tyre swing before heading back to Lazuli.
Sunday 10th
Grandma paddled all the way out on her kayak to Lazuli to come onboard for a cuppa and say hi.
Fun and games getting her on board (we didn’t have the ladder down.)
There are Markets on every Sunday at Horseshoe Bay. With Grandma back in the Kayak and on the way into shore we got ready to come in.
There wasn’t as much as we were expecting. No food stalls. I enjoyed a coffee and Kristie a hot chocolate from a local cafe
(I was done waiting for the girls to choose something to buy, so went wandering instead!)
Back to camp with Rod and Christine. Christine had brought up a collection of beads and other assorted crafting materials so the girls could make necklaces
(The girls had really liked the necklaces that Jess on Nauti Kitty had made and we taking some inspiration from her).
We needed a few supplies and the local shop wasn’t much help. Rod and I drove over to the IGA for a quick shop.
Lunch, followed by a swim in the pool.
Rod opened the coconut that Emma and Chris carried back from Radical Bay. Wasn’t much in it and perhaps not worth the effort in carrying it back :)
We have been making good use of the camp facilities… we did showers and a load of washing.
More nibbles back at the camp site, then wandered down to the bird feeding area at 4pm.
They also have darts and a ping-pong table, so the girls and I used them for a bit.
(we all had turns throwing the dart and having it land on the concrete!)
Sunday night they have a pizza oven truck there, so pizza for dinner.
I enjoyed the “Red Devil”, spicy salami, gorgonzola, and caramelised onion! Yum.
A bit more ping pong and then time to head back to the beach.
The girls enjoyed another tyre sing back, and we enjoyed a final beach sunset with Rod and Christine.
Monday 11th
Quick school and a bit of work for me.
Rod and Chris were heading back to the mainland this morning, and we’d arranged to come in and meet them for one last hug goodbye.
Tender in and got to the beach before 9am.
Christine had made some custard the day before and we’d forgotten to eat it… so we had that for a 2nd breakfast :)
Hugs and farewells. We really enjoyed the catch-up and thankful that Grandma and Grandpa could drive all this way to see us.
The girls had really been missing Grandpa’s lolly box… I also enjoyed helping the girls clean it out a bit ;)
More tyre swings for the girls.
With some windy days ahead, and the need to stock up a bit, I called Breakwater Marina and booked us in for a few nights.
It’s about a 2hr trip from Horseshoe bay to the marina. Kristie at helm while I worked.
The marina advised a “1.5m LAT” for the channel on the way in. We only just made it in with the tide.
We would have been ok if it actually was “1.5m”… it’s more like 1m or less!
2.4m was the lowest I saw on the way in on a 1.5m tide!
Easy enough tie up with some help from a dock hand and another boatie.
Tuesday 12
Kristie had registered with Tracer the night before, and got the early call for a day at a local school.
She followed the directions on google maps only to end up walking to the wrong school first! After both yellow cabs and black and white cabs both cancelled her ride due to lack of drivers, Kristie finally managed to get an Uber to the right school with 7 minutes to spare.
THe school is aware of the problem with Google maps (apparently this is a regular occurrence) and put in yet another complaint to try and get it fixed.
Back on Lazuli I combined work and school for the girls with daddy in charge.
At one point in the morning I hear some commotion from the boat in the pen next to us.
Their neighbour (who was part of the ARC) had taken off and messed up. They were on the blow-off side, and ended up rubbing the entire way down our neighbours.
I think the big rub-strip saved the boat, but at one point it looked like their solar panels hanging off the side were going to be toast.
Kristie stopped at Coles on the way back for some more supplies.
The girls (mostly Kristina) had been on us for a movie night for a while. Being in the marina was a good time :)
Kristina chose “Spellbound”. Dinner followed by popcorn.
Wednesday 13
School.
Kristie had invited her Aunty Robyn (who lives about 45/50min north of Townsville) to come and visit us onboard.
The visit was the kick we needed to get Lazuli tidy.
We enjoyed a lovely morning tea with Robyn.
Quick lunch, and then off the boat to go for a walk along the front to get Ice cream.
The local pier is very well set up for fishing.
Got to the end of the walk way and found the flying fox.
Booked one more night at the marina.
Another movie night, this time KPOP Demon Hunters.
Kristina had been on at us to watch it for a while, but it wasn’t until another friend on FB suggested it was worth watching with your kids that I relented).
Good fun movie to watch with your kids :)
Thursday 14th
Kristie got another early call teaching.
School and work with daddy.
Lunch then persuaded the girls to leave the boat and head off to the local water play park. A bit windy, but still good fun.
Back on the boat I got what I could ready for tomorrow. Topped up the water, and gave the decks a wash.
Woolies delivery turned up. Got that all stowed away.
Kristie finished school and got a taxi/Uber to Coles, and then walked home from there… about 7km!
Out for dinner, more walking to find somewhere reasonable.
Friday 15th
I walked up to put on a load of washing.
When filling the water and washing the decks the day before, I hadn’t fully closed the cap after filling the water, and then realised that some of the soapy water had probably flowed in.
So emptied that tank and then had to top it back up.
Kristie walked to Coles, the Post Office, news agency, and bottle shop.
Fuel dock before heading out of the marina.
Back over to Horseshoe bay on Maggie. Weather looks good for a reef visit tomorrow so best to stage out of there.
John and Katrina had posted on the Cruising Queensland FB page about a catch up on the beach if anyone wanted.
So into the beach at 5pm for a few drinks. Not a big catch-up but was great to meet them.
Back on the boat for dinner.
Emma’s recount of our time here on Magnetic Island
Part 1:
We sailed up to Magnetic Island to meet grandma and grandpa at their camp site.
At their camp site there was two chickens. I tried to feed and hug them (I only got to feed and pet them).
There were three cheeky kookaburras annoying us when we ate. They kept on swooping down and stealing our food, one even stole my bread roll!.
Mum bought some beads from a shop and delivered them to grandmas house so she could bring them up to us.
Mum told us how to thread the beads to make a necklace and I was surprised how good mine turned out! I love it.
Back at Airlie Beach mum bought two sticks for us to decorate and play with. It just so happens that the camp site was the perfect place to decorate them.
Part 2:
We anchored at horseshoe bay because it was close to where grandma and grandpa were camping.
On the beach there was a fun tire swing. Me and Kristina like to sit on the top of the swing and push each other really high.
There was some markets on the grassy patch next to the beach. I lost my purse so mum gave me 10 bucks to spend.
At the markets there was a stall that had pirates and mermaids. There was some tiny pirate treasure chests.
Originally they were just for display but they changed it so we could buy them.
I also bought a pink and purple incense burner shaped as a turtle.
Grandma bought us both a lip balm.
Part 3:
We tendered into the beach to meet grandma and grandpa for a walk to radical bay.
On the walk it goes up and down, it was also steep. Thats why we got sweets, yay!
It was a 1.5k walk so when we go there I went to the jumping rock (A rock with a easy staircase at the back into soft sand, very fun.)
We went for a quick swim on the other side of the beach.
In a little creek me and Kristina discovered a material like quicksand (Kristina couldn’t get out so I got dad!)
Grandpa found a peanut shaped coconut so I brought it back (the adults like it.)
Kristina’s recount of our time here on Magnetic Island
Part 1:
Last week we went to Magnetic Island with Grandma and Grandpa Grattan.
It was so much fun and we spent so much time with them because they had driven all the way from Logan just to see us.
One of the funnest things was the tire swing that someone had set up on the beach. You could sit on it and rest to look at the beautiful sunset or you could zoom round and round in circles if you were bored.
On the lat day we were there a big market was just up on the street. Me and Emma only liked this pirate and mermaid shop where we got a mini treasure chest and mermaid lip balm from.
Another one of the days we were there it was boiling hot. I was sweating to much that I asked Mum for ice cream and she said… Yes!
Part 2:
We visited Grandma and Grandpa at their campsite where there was so many things to do.
Every afternoon some of the people who worked there brought out a bucket full of bird food.
For free you could get several spoons of the food so that the birds would come and land on you.
On the same day that we first did the bird feeding we saw a mother koala and her joey up in one of the trees.
At first they were sleeping but later on in the day they woke up and had a snack.
It was so so cute watching the joey reach up to try and get the leaves but when it failed the mother would always just get the leaves for her baby.
Kookaburras were another one of the animals that visited the camp site daily.
On the first couple times when I fed them they were cute, friendly and I was doing it on purpose but eventually the kookaburras would swoop in and steal the food of our plates.