Airlie to Fitzroy (Cairns)

by | Sep 30, 2019 | Australia, Coral Sea, Queensland Coast | 2 comments

After our guests left us in Airlie Beach we gathered some more provisions with the courtesy car(ute) from Abell Point Marina and left the next morning for Cape Gloucester. The passage between Cape Gloucester and Gloucester Island is a little sketchy, but with some careful navigation from Cap’n Jac we managed to find an anchorage outside of the resort. Next day we headed across the bay to Bowen for a little explore. Got ashore at Queen’s Beach and went looking for the Woolies for a couple of extra items. After the hike to the store we caught the bus to Bowen Jetty for some fish and chips, not the best and from here we got a look at the marina for future reference. Looked to be only a few berths and the rest were pile berths. We wouldn’t make it in there anyway because of MAD’s draught.

No bus for the return to Queen’s beach they all stop at 1pm!!?? Had a little overland trek which amounted to about 12km hike back to retrieve the dinghy, which by this time is anchored at high tide. If you have ever tried to get into a dinghy while swimming, it can be a challenge. The ride back to MAD was wet and wild and the nights sleep was a little rocky.

Next day it’s Cape Upstart for another uncomfortable sleep. But the Spotted Mackerel was great! After that we tried for Cape Bowling Green and Bowling Green Bay (probably gets its name because it is literally like the green you find on a bowling green) Turned out to be not worthy. Put the anchor down and it ended up underneath the boat twisting around. So we added on a few extra nautical miles to Cape Cleveland.

Next: Magnetic Island

Anchored in Horseshoe Bay and went ashore to find the IGA for some more stuff, like my bananas 🙂 Even found the Horseshoe Bay Fish and Chips, but it’s not Trolls.

Little known fact:

Magnetic Island was named by Captain Cook, whose compass played up when he sailed past in 1770.

And then we continue … trying to get to Port Douglas where we will put in for a few days.

Next Stops:

  • Palm Island – Casement Bay (good anchorage) – has an aboriginal settlement here with a small airport. To go ashore you need to call the counsel for permission. (we didn’t go ashore)
  • Hinchinbrook Island – Cape Richards (good quiet anchorage) – very shallow so we were anchored quite a distance from the shore
  • Mourilyan Harbour – Entrance to the Moresby River (good anchorage, but the bugs come out at night). Mourilyan Harbour exports raw sugar and molasses from the Innisfail, Babinda, Tully and Atherton Tableland sugar growing districts.
  • Fitzroy Island outside of Cairns – Weren’t going to go into Cairns because we will hit it on the way back, but on Fitzroy Island we couldn’t get a mooring buoy and then Mission Beach was on fire! Well, part of Cape Grafton, so we opted instead for the entrance into Cairns for a calm sleep.

These notes I make about good anchorage, bugs etc is really notes to self so we can remember which was good and which ones were bad.

Fishing:

Caught some fish on the way. The Spotted Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, another shark, a Barracuda (ugly slimy fish that went back) and some mysterious thing that grabbed the line and kept going. Was not able to prevent the line from streaming out. Fully locked and still going, so think it may have been rather large. Line snapped. Fish, or whatever it was, gone and yet another lure lost. After that I switched it out for the 100lb line.

2 Comments

  1. Pete & Deb

    Looks like an active couple of weeks for you guys,…best get some rest before your next set of visitors come aboard! Love the sunrise / sunset (?) pic btw. ?

    Reply
  2. JACEK LASZKIEWCZ

    Nice catch! I bet it was tasty with a flavour of white vino.

    Thanks for the Fitzroy story. That reminds me of a trip to Patagonia where one of the most stunning mountains is also called Fitz Roy :-). In fact, Fitz Roy was one of the first explorers who made maps of large parts of the Patagonian coast. Anyway, a bit of rubbish knowledge for you both…lol.

    Reply

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