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"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!"
OCTOBER 2022
SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND CRUISING YACHT HAVEN Located ON Brisbane's Moreton Bay, Scarborough Marina provides visiting yachts with easy access to the many anchorages and the islands of Moreton Bay, including Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks. The City of Brisbane and the Brisbane international airport are only 40mins away, with Public Transport right at our door. The suburb of Scarborough is home to families and retirees who form part of the safe & friendly community. With the convenience of waterfront Cafes, Clubs & Restaurants plus major shopping centres and medical services nearby and our popular weekend farmers & craft markets, Scarborough really is a home away from home!
Recognised by the international cruising community as the preferred destination when visiting the Brisbane Region. Safe Enclosed Harbour Protected from swell & unaffected by flooding. Clean, Modern & Well Maintained Facilities Modern Cruisers Lounge with TV and free WIFI Electronic gated Access, with 24 Hour CCTV Monitoring 24 Hour Fuel Wharf Full-Service Boatyard with 35 Tonne Travelift On-Site Chandlery DOWN UNDER RALLY PARTNER DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS
Tangalooma Anchorage Moreton Island
PH: +61 7 3880 0300
SCARBMARINA.COM.AU info@scarbmarina.com.au
Inside Ahoy Latitude Louisiades Cruising Vanuatu - The Central & Northern Islands
Fishing Catching On Passage Cruising Queensland - The Bowen & Townsville Coasts Cruising The West Coast Cruising The Kimberley
We hope you enjoy AHOY!"
OCTOBER 2022 AHOY is published by: Down Under Rally Pty Ltd
Contact John Hembrow - Director Website: downunderrally.com Email: admin@downunderrally.com ©Copyright 2022 Down Under Rally Pty Ltd Ahoy Newsletter is published monthly and distributed electronically via the world wide web. Original editorial content & advertisements in this newsletter are copyright and the exclusive property of Down Under Rally Pty Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Down Under Rally Pty Ltd. The comments and views in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Down Under Rally Pty Ltd.
Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw CONGRATULATIONS... ROSLYN D - MEMBER NUMBER 278. This month's winner of our PredictWind Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw Each month the Down Under Rally draws the name of one of our members as the winner of the member's prize draw. The winner gets to choose any item from the woman's or men's range of PredictWind Clothing plus a PredictWind Cap.
predictwind.com/clothing-shop downunderrally.com/membershi
Latitude Louisiades By Steve and Jody s.v Enavigo
Latitude Louisiades “Steve and Jody set off from Southampton, U.K., in June 2016, for an around-the-world adventure in their Grand Soleil 45, SV Enavigo. The journey so far has taken them across the English Channel to Europe, into the Mediterranean, and then across the Atlantic to Trinidad and Tobago. They sailed up the Caribbean chain, up and down the eastern seaboard of the US from Maine to the Florida Keys, then over to Cuba. From there, it was Grand Cayman, the San Blas Islands, through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific. After cruising in the Galápagos, the Marquesas, Tuamotus, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, Tonga, New Zealand, Fiji, and Vanuatu, they joined the 2019 Go West Rally in New Caledonia to Bundaberg. Having spent 2.5 years in Australia due to Covid travel restrictions, they are finally on their way again, heading back to the U.K. via Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.”
Steve & Jody
s.v Enavigo “Where are you planning to go after Australia?” was the question we were asked by the owner of a powerboat we met whilst tied up to the public dock in Brisbane. We said, "Papua New Guinea (PNG) and then Indonesia." "Are you going to the Louisiades?” he asked. We’d never heard of the Louisiades, but the more he told us about them, the more intrigued we became. And then, the more we researched them, an alternate plan began to form. Now we just had to wait until the borders opened and people were able to start moving around again. Cairns was the logical departure port, and we arrived there in late May, expecting to leave in June. We applied for our visas online without any problems, but they took about two weeks to be processed. It was now mid-June, and we’d just missed a good weather window. So we waited...
Cairns Marlin Marina
Latitude Louisiades
Strong southeast wind warnings for the Coral Sea were nearly continuous for over three weeks, which was extremely frustrating. We only needed to get about halfway across before entering a more moderate weather system. Finally, we decided to go for it in the second week of July. It still looked a bit dicey in the middle of the Sea, but less than it had been. We started with two reefs in the main, which was a good decision. THE PASSAGE: Day 1, we had 15-20 knots, SE to ESE; a beam reach, a bit lively but tolerable. On Day 2, the wind increased to 20-25, backed to a steady ESE, and was now forward of the beam. The boat began leaping about; there was about a 2-metre swell, with wind-driven chop on top. Uncomfortable, especially since we were only getting our sea legs back from being stranded by Covid for so long! We suffered for about 20 hours, then on Day 3, we sailed into the new weather pattern – 12 knots and sunny! We shook out the reefs, and although the wind was still from the ESE, it turned into an enjoyable sail. We entered the Louisiade Archipelago through the Duchateau Passage and anchored at Panuwabobaiana Island just before sunset. The passage took three days and 9 hours.
We suffered for about 20 hours, then on Day 3, we sailed into the new weather pattern – 12 knots and sunny! We shook out the reefs, and although the wind was still from the ESE, it turned into an enjoyable sail.
Latitude Louisiades After a good night’s rest, we headed for the Blue Lagoon, meant to be a well-protected, beautiful anchorage at Panakuba Island. It was a cracking sail, 12 knots from the east. However, charts of these parts are known to be inaccurate, and as we approached the pass, we could not see a way through the reef, although our chart indicated we were right at the entrance. All we could see were breaking waves. As we draw 2.3 metres, we decided to bail out and headed for Bagaman Island, a few miles to the west.
Bagaman Island Anchorage
"Bagaman Island has a well-sheltered, north-facing anchorage and was our initial encounter with the locals." We were the first yacht they’d seen in 5 years due to the pandemic, and we received a steady stream of visitors throughout the day as they paddled out to the boat in their outrigger canoes. The Louisiades are virtually a cashless economy; islanders rely on visiting yachts to trade fruit and vegetables for goods that are hard to source due to their isolation. We traded rice, sugar, flour, noodles, fishing hooks and line, laundry soap, and instant coffee sachets for bananas, papaya, limes, coconuts, green beans, eggplant, eggs, and sweet potato. It was a good trade, as most of our fresh produce from Australia was gone. We were also asked for pens, paper, clothes, tools, and batteries.
Visiting canoes
Latitude Louisiades It was here at Bagman Island we met a wood carver, Wiaiki, who made bowls, masks, and models of their traditional sailing vessel, the silau. He asked us to assist in getting a message to a company called Ethos based in Shute Harbour, who had sent him a letter saying they had sold several of his pieces. They would send him the money if he could provide his bank account details. Unfortunately, Wiaiki has no bank account, and the only way of getting in touch with him is to sail to Bagaman. Any yachties who plan to visit The Louisiades could help by contacting Ethos on +61 7 4946 7704, mobile 0429 307 131, or email at info@ethosfairtrade.com.au. www.fairtradeanz.org It would be more beneficial to Wiaiki to bring coarse sandpaper and woodworking tools rather than cash. Further, yachts returning to Australia could possibly bring back more of Wiaiki’s items for sale*. *(subject to biosecurity & customs approvals)
Bagaman Village
Latitude Louisiades We rowed ashore to visit the village and meet Chief Gulo. We felt like the Pied Piper as about ten kids followed us along the beach. We had a tennis ball with us, and the children had a great time playing catch with Steve.
Steve playing catch with the local kids at Bagaman Island Chief Gulo gave us a village tour, and we signed his guest book. He asked for a newspaper; fortunately, we still had a copy of the Weekend Australian on board.
Chief Gulo & Friends visiting Enavigo
Latitude Louisiades With time being of the essence, we needed to keep moving. Our plan was to sail from Bagaman Island to Panasia, where the pass through the reef required good visibility. As luck would have it, a nasty squall hit with heavy rain, and we couldn’t see 200 metres ahead of us! So we diverted to Motorina Island and anchored in Riman Bay, on the northwest side. This anchorage had a bit of a swell running through it, which made it a tad bouncy, but it had to do.
Our Welcoming Silau Almost immediately, the villagers came to visit. Anna, with her daughter Lucy, came with oranges and asked for a needle, thread, and paracetamol for her husband, Johnson, who had been injured. Matthew came by with greens, potato, and a bush egg, which was at least twice the size of a hen’s egg. He asked about watching a movie, so the following night we had about 15 kids sitting in the cockpit watching “Hook” on the laptop! They all got back into their canoes and rowed ashore in the dark when it was over. No health and safety issues here! Movie Night Feature Film 'Hook' in the Cockpit of Enivago
Latitude Louisiades The next day, William and his wife and son came on board for coffee and afterwards, we went ashore and got a tour of their garden - spinach, tapioca, and yam. We had two invitations to dinner while at Motorina - Anna and Johnson and William and family consisting of cooked chicken yam, served with a chicken and coconut broth. (Although our hosts sat with us, they did not eat with us. Then, once we had finished, they wrapped up the leftovers for us to return to the boat.) The mobile phone came out for pictures and selfies, a big hit.
Dinner with William & his family
Saturday was Sports Day at the school on the island's north side, and William and Johnson invited us to attend. There were four soccer games and women’s netball. We had a tour of the school and were given chairs to sit and watch the games. We felt like royalty as everyone else sat around on the ground. We were also given fresh coconut to drink and some passionfruit to take back to the boat.
Motorina Primary School "What You Learn Is What You Read"
Latitude Louisiades The following day the weather was fine as we approached Panasia, and the entrance through the reef was easy to see. This was a beautiful anchorage and very well-sheltered. There was only one house on the beach where John and his family live. John needed some fuses and a USB cigarette charger. Glynne, his wife, had a swollen knee, so we gave her some ibuprofen. In return, we were treated to a delicious lobster tail dinner!
Panasia Anchorage
The next day, we took the dinghy around to the other side of the island, where there is a large limestone cave. We didn’t know exactly where it was, so we beached the dinghy at the village and soon had the local children guide us. When we returned to the boat, Mackenzie, wife Janet and son Norman sailed over from Little Panasia with giant clam meat. He needed canvas, sail repair material, fuses, and cable. We gave what we could. Another stream of visitors brought papaya, fish, and a beautiful nautilus shell, which we exchanged for sewing needles and shampoo. Sadly, we had to decline another invitation to dinner for the following day, as we needed to be on our way.
"Another stream of visitors brought papaya, fish, and a beautiful nautilus shell, which we exchanged for sewing needles and shampoo."
Latitude Louisiades We left Panasia via the Cormorant Channel. There was no wind, but lots of flying fish and dolphins. Nivani is part of the Deboyne Island group, and a Japanese Zero from WWII was ditched there. It is nearly intact and lies in about 2-3m of water, making for an easy snorkel. It’s now home to lots of colourful fish. We then moved to Panapompom to anchor for the night. More visitors, more greens and some chillies. The next morning, there was a nice breeze, so we took advantage of it and started our 400+ nm passage to Rabaul.
There were many islands in the Louisiade archipelago that we didn’t get to, mainly because we didn't want to go further east, given the prevailing wind and time constraints. It is a beautiful cruising ground where one could easily spend six weeks cruising. The people are lovely; we were never harassed, and nothing was stolen. We felt woefully underprepared to meet their needs. We wished we’d brought clothes (especially children’s clothes) from the charity shops, batteries, and old tools from the market. We had a wonderful experience and encourage other yachties to make the journey. It’s well worth it. Steve & Jody
SAILING TO AUSTRALIA
FREE INFORMATION SESSION WHERE & WHEN?
OCTOBER 2022 | PORT MOSELLE | NOUMEA Thursday, 13th October 2022 15:00 - 17:00 Le Bout Du Monde Bar & Restaurant Port Moselle Marina (Upstairs in the private function room)
WHO IS INVITED? The captain and first mate of all vessels that are interested in visiting Australia
WHAT INFO WILL BE SHARED? Ports of Entry | Passage Planning | Pre & Post Arrival Formalities Customs and Biosecurity Inspections | Cyclone Season & Vessel Storage options East Coast Cruising info | Question and Answer Session
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GO WEST WITH THE DOWN UNDER RALLY TO WIN TOTAL PRIZE POOL VALUED AT OVER $5000.00 Here a just a few of the prizes that you could win if you join the Down Under ‘Go West’ Rally!*
2 x VOUCHERS FREE LIFT + FREE WATERBLAST
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WIN ONE OF 5 CRUISING QUEENSLAND GUIDES
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PLUS MANY MORE MINOR PRIZES *2002 Go West Rally Participant Only *Participants must be present during the 2022 Down Under Rally Welcome Week Cruising The East Coat of Australia Seminars in to be included in the prize draws. *Maximum of One Major Prize per vessel
WELCOME WEEK DOWN UNDER A FUN & INFORMATIVE INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIA! Go West Rally participants are invited to attend the Down Under Rally Welcome Week in Bundaberg. The Welcome Week activities below are a mix of informative presentations, fun social events and relaxed gettogethers and are included in the Go West Rally Entry Fee.
FREE SERVICES & SOCIAL EVENTS Free daily shuttle bus to local shops & the city Welcome to Country Cocktail Party. Fun Social Events Beer & Prawn Party (free beer & prawns for all) Cruisers Cove Hootenanny /Jam sessions Pot Luck Dinners & BBQs Free Yoga Classes by Yoga4Yachties Done & Dusted Party
FREE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SEMINARS Surviving Down Under VHF Channels & Weather Land Cruising Down Under Presentation East Coast Cruising Presentations x 4 1. Bundaberg to Gold Coast 2. Gold Coast to Sydney 3. Bundaberg to Cairns and Beyond 4. Sydney to Tasmania
Tours to local attractions* In addition, there will be the opportunity to join tours and visit local attractions, including Bundaberg Rum Distillery, Hinkler Hall of Aviation, Snakes Down Under Reptile Park & Zoo, Wineries, and Boutique Breweries. (not included in rally entry fee*)
Meeting The Locals Snakes Down Under Reptile Park & Zoo
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"The most popular port of entry into Australia, Bundaberg Port Marina has been welcoming visitors from across the globe for decades"
TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR
Bundaberg Port Marina 15-17 Marina Drive Port Bundaberg QLD 4670 AUSTRALIA P: (+61) 7 4159 5066 E: info@bundabergportmarina.com.au W: bundabergportmarina.com.au
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LOCATED AT BUNDABERG PORT MARINA.
Our well-stocked family-owned, and operated ships chandlery has been helping cruising yachties for almost 20 years!
WE CAN DELIVER YOUR CHAIN/ANCHOR TO KENCO GALVANISING PH: (07) 4159 4399 E: info@captainschandlery.com W: captainschandlery.com
CUSTOMS INFORMATION FOR AUSTRALIAN & VISITING INTERNATIONAL YACHTS When you arrive in Australia, there are a number of clearance options depending on when you intend to leave. If you intend to leave within twelve months, you may be granted a Control Permit, asked to provide a security for temporary importation or to formally import the craft. A Control Permit will be issued to the Master of the craft if the ABF are satisfied the craft is transiting Australia for noncommercial purposes. Control Permits may be issued for a period of 12 months or the length of the Master's visa, whichever is less. Extension of the initial control permit may be granted on application for up to two years, provided that you meet eligibility requirements and have an appropriate visa. The maximum period of time the vessel will be permitted to remain in Australia before it will be required to be imported is three years. A person eligible to apply for a Control Permit must be a tourist or a temporary resident of Australia. Australian citizens are not eligible for a Control Permit unless they have overseas residency. Satisfactory evidence of overseas residency is required. If you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia or migrating to Australia on a craft purchased outside Australia, importation of the craft is required. Customs duty and tax are payable on any craft imported into Australia upon its arrival. See the following page of the Australian Border Force Website for more information: www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/entering-and-leaving-by-sea/yachts-and-pleasure-craft
AUSTRALIAN VESSELS RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA. If your vessel has departed from Australia, it is likely that you will be required to re-import your vessel when you return to Australia despite having not exported the vessel when you departed. You can clarify this yourself with the Australian Border Force by emailing the Bundaberg Office of the ABF using the following email address. bundaberg@abf.gov.au. If the vessel was tax paid when it left Australia, you should not have to pay import duty or GST again; however, only the ABF can confirm this. If the ABF confirms this is the case, they will likely inform you that you will need to complete some paperwork on arrival to re-import the vessel and that they strongly recommend you employ a customs agent to assist with the completion and lodgement of the associated paperwork.
The Down Under Rally has a long-standing relationship with DAZMAC, who are customs brokers. The Down Under Rally recommends contacting DAZMAC to get a quote from them to act as your agent should you be required to import or re-import a vessel. You can make an obligation-free enquiry with Dazmac via the following page of the Down Under Rally website: www.downunderrally.com/agents. Discounts for Down Under Rally Members.
East Coast Marina, Manly Boat Harbour, Brisbane, Australia offer 330 secure water berths, catering for boats up to 18m.
Located less than 10nm to the south of the Brisbane river mouth Manly Boat Harbour is the perfect base for visiting yachts and East Coast Marina has long been a favourite of the international yachting community.
A variety of public transport options that will take you directly to Brisbane City and the Brisbane International Airport are within walking distance of the marina The Manly Village is only a short walk away, offering a grocery store, post office, news agency, chemist, coffee shops, restaurants and more. Markets are on some Saturdays and every Sunday.
EAST COAST MARINA Phone: +61 7 3393 3811 Email: info@eastcoastmarina.com.au Location: Latitude…27º27.6′ S Longitude…153º11.2′E VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.eastcoastmarina.com.au
DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS OFFER. *15% off casual marina berth rates *subject to availability at time of booking and confirmation of current DUR membership.
CRUISING VANUATU PART TWO THE CENTRAL & NORTHERN ISLANDS
By Richard Chesher, Rocket Cruising Guides
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
PART TWO CRUISING VANUATU’S CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ISLANDS In the September AHOY we explored the Southern islands of Vanuatu and Efate. This month, let’s continue on to the Central and Northern Vanuatu Islands. Once you have completed your shopping and exploration in Port Vila, toured the island of Efate, obtained your outisland sailing permit from Customs and extended your one-month immigration status, it’s time to continue your cruise north through the Vanuatu islands. You'll want to plan your cruise through the central and northern islands of Vanuatu so you can attend one or more of the festivals. The dates when they are held and the kind of festival vary each year and can change unexpectedly, so when you are in Port Vila, stop by the Vanuatu Tourism Office to find out the latest festival news.
THE CENTRAL ISLAND GROUP
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
The Rocket Cruising Guide offers suggested GPS routes between island groups, and you'll see these in more detail when you zoom in by clicking on a region or an island.
Yachts leave HAVANNA HARBOUR on Efate and either day-hop north via EMAE ISLAND or sail 51 nautical miles to Revolieu Bay on EPI ISLAND and then on to Lamen Bay, a favorite anchorage for yachts. Both Epi anchorages have good holding and are reasonably calm except in Westerly winds. From Epi you'll plan your cruise north through the central island group.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
The rich cruising grounds of Vanuatu’s north central island group.
THIS IS DAY SAILING AT ITS BEST! Plenty of deep water, few offshore hazards, and lots of good anchorages with a genuinely wonderful, welcoming culture. You'll decide which way to go depending on if you want to attend a particular festival, how long you have available if you intend to return to Port Vila or clear out in Luganville, and the wind forecasts.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
MALEKULA - VANUATU’S SECOND LARGEST ISLAND.
Malekula has more good anchorages than any other Vanuatu island, annual festivals, wilderness walks and a diverse and interesting culture. The east coast, from the Maskaline Islands in the South to Vao island in the north, has 22 anchorages, and there are nine anchorages on the southern and western coasts. You'll want to go to Ambrym to see the volcano and the traditional magic. Ambrym's art and dance emerge from the ecology of a live volcano; powerful, primitive, and potent. The annual traditional dance at Southwest bay in August is simply amazing.
There are 5 major art forms, sand drawings, tam tam drums, magic rocks, fern tree carvings and the holistic blend of costumes, movements and surroundings of Ambrym's Rom Dance. You can see the artwork anytime, but the Rom Dance only takes place during the Back to My Roots Festival in August. Yachts are welcome to attend and there is a per person fee for most Vanuatu festivals. The people in rural Vanuatu have very few ways of earning cash and contributing to the villagers by attending the festivals is the best possible way to offer some financial assistance.
The Rom Dance during the Back to My Roots festival on Ambrym.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
PENTECOAST AND MAEWO - THE EASTERN CENTRAL ISLANDS Pentecoast and Maewo - the eastern central islands - are great to explore if the winds are SE to E, but the anchorages are totally exposed to the west so when you are cruising there, you'll need to keep a close watch on the weather.
If a cold front is approaching and winds are expected to shift counterclockwise through the north and then blow hard from the west, use the cruising guide to pick out the nearest anchorage with protection from the north and west winds and get moving right away.
Sky diving on Pentecoast This June event is a bit early in the cruising season for most visiting yachts.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
ESPIRITU SANTO, VANUATU’S LARGEST ISLAND Espiritu Santo has lots of good anchorages protected from westerly winds. Santo is Vanuatu's largest island and Luganville is the second largest city and a port of entry. When you arrive in Luganville, you need to check in with Customs and Immigration. The Rocket guide shows you exactly where they are located and how to get to them.
Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu’s largest island has excellent anchorages and truly fascinating experiences ashore and underwater. Luganville Harbour on Santo is a port of entry and you need to go see Customs and Immigration even if you cleared into Port Vila or Lenakel. After checking in with the authorities you can resupply with food from the village market or one of the supermarkets in Luganville. If you need a lot of fuel, you can, if there is a calm spell or winds from the north, tie up to the commercial wharf and have a tanker bring the fuel, but if you don't need much fuel, you can bring your own containers to the service station in town and fill them there.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
ESPIRITU SANTO, VANUATU’S LARGEST ISLAND There are very few places to anchor around Luganville and yachts often go to the protected north coast of AORE island and get a mooring at Aore Resort or Aore Adventure Sports and Lodge. Aore Resort has a shuttle so you can go to Luganville for a day’s shopping. Or, if you have a good dinghy, you can motor across to Luganville yourself.
Moorings at Aore Adventure Sports and Lodge
When in Luganville, I recommend doing the Millennium Cave tour. It's a really fun trek through a jungle, a giant cave - there is even a waterfall inside the cave and down an exciting river gorge. To set up the tours, check on the Rocket Travel Guide to Vanuatu.
I also recommend doing a traditional village tour even if you've done them before elsewhere in Vanuatu because the Vilvil village tour is so enjoyable. Custom Village tour on Santo
You can then explore the 16 anchorages on the east coast of Santo and, depending on your mood, schedule, and the weather, either day hop back to Port Vila via Ambae and the eastern islands or head north to visit the Banks Islands.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
THE BANKS AND TORRES ISLANDS
Visiting the very remote Banks and Torres Islands is such an interesting & rewarding experience. Gaua is 48 nautical miles from Port Orly, Santo. Gaua is thought to be the first island settled in Vanuatu some 4000 years ago. It is a live volcano with a lake in one of the craters and the largest waterfall in the Pacific Islands; a great two-day trek from Losalava anchorage. Vanua Lava is only 16 nautical miles north of Gaua and you'll want to head for Sola, on the east side of the island. Sola is an official port of entry and the district centre for the Banks Islands. You can organize a trek to the top of the volcano, a visit to the Sulfur river to see crocodiles, or do some limited shopping.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
THE BANKS AND TORRES ISLANDS
Snake dancers at Rah Island, only 10 nautical miles NNE of Sola. If you call ahead the Rah Paradise Bungalows will organize traditional dancing and lunch. Uriparapara is even more remote and the Lorup bay anchorage is actually inside the volcano crater. While you are looking at the anchorage on the Rocket Guide, be sure to click on the bottle with the note inside for a fascinating story about the yacht Bamboo Free.
"The yacht Bamboo Free’s amazing encounter at Ureparapara is something the islanders there will never forget."
From Uriparapara you can go 56 nautical miles west to the Torres islands or 22 nautical miles South to Waterfall Bay on the west side of Vanua Lava, and then begin planning your return to Luganville and/or Port Vila.
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
During your adventures in Vanuatu you will, no doubt, make friends with some of the villagers and find anchorages you really enjoy and want to return to again.
You'll also discover you just can't go to all the places you'd like to explore and do all the things you'd like to do in one cruising season. The next time you return to Vanuatu you'll have a much better idea of where to go and what to do. It's always like that; the second time you go you'll be ahead of the game The Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides offer you the perfect way to experience Vanuatu so when you arrive for the first time it will be like you’ve been there before.
WATCH Our Cruising Vanuatu Presentation Video on the Rocket Guide Youtube Channel
CRUISING VANUATU By Richard Chesher Rocket Cruising Guides
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Richard and Freddy Chesher have cruised the South Pacific since 1976 aboard their Kelly Peterson 44 Cutter Moira. They were residents of Vanuatu from 1997 to 2005 and are now residents of New Caledonia. Richard is a PhD marine scientist, and Freddy is a professional photographer. Together they created the Rocket Cruising and Travel guides to New Caledonia and Vanuatu in 2000 (5 years before Google Earth existed) and have updated the guides continuously with the latest information. The guides are interactive programs – not books - and work on Windows or Macintosh computers (not Ipads or Android tablets). Rocket Guides offer thousands of full-colour, high-resolution images from space, professional aerial surveys, drones, and surface and underwater images illustrating an encyclopedic amount of detailed and carefully surveyed information on every aspect of cruising and tourism in both countries.
Down Under Rally Members Get 20% off Rocket Guides MORE INFO HERE.
THE CRUISING SAILOR'S HOME IN PORT VILA, VANUATU.
FUEL DOCK & MOORINGS
SEA WALL MARINA
WATERFRONT BAR & GRILL
DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS RECEIVE *10% OFF MARINA & MOORING FEES AT YACHTING WORLD VANUATU. The friendly staff at Yachting World Vanuatu provides a complete service for visiting yachts, including Sea-wall marina, lots of swing moorings, laundry, serviced apartments, fuel, dinghy wharf, WiFi Internet, and a restaurant. They are also happy to assist with your yacht mail and air freight, trash disposal, and friendly advice on cruising in Vanuatu. Down Under Rally Members Discount Offer Conditions: 10% discount is for all sea wall berths and deep water moorings only. (The discount is not applicable to fuel purchases or any other services or goods provided by Yachting World Vanuatu.) Offer available to current Down Under Rally Members. Members must show their current membership card when booking a mooring. (via the DUR Members Portal app or an image/screenshot of membership card)
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By Rod & Christine s.v Pneuma
FISHING CATCHING ON PASSAGE By Rod & Christine. s.v Pneuma
Fishing is one of the most popular topics that are discussed over a sundowner or two at the end of a passage. A lot of cruisers fish whilst on passage but by comparison, only a few actually do any catching! We have had some success ourselves over the years but I would define our success as inconsistent. On the other hand, Rod & Christine of s.v Pneuma, who have participated in the Beyond The Barrier Rally in 2021 & again in 2022, consistently catch fish whilst on passage whilst others who are cruising in the same location at the same time do not. So I asked Rod & Christine if they would share some of their secrets to success...
W
e were absolute novices at fishing when we first brought in a marlin off Shute Harbour onto the tramp of our previous boat (a Farrier trimaran). We are still by no means experts, but we are happy to share our methods which are the result of persistence & a lot of learning by trial & error (read plenty of trials and errors!) in our delightful Schionning catamaran PNEUMA over the past two years.
Typically we are cruising along at 7-9 knots in a decent breeze, and suddenly the “zing” of the line going out causes the relatively passive event of having our lines out turn into action overload. What an adrenaline rush with the expectation of a feast that evening and fish to share with others! We generally have 2 rods in holders rigged with 50lb+ strength line to a quality ball swivel, to 70+cm wire trace, and always a red and white ’Qantas’ lure with double, triple hooks on one rod and a suitably sized different lure on the other rod.
s.v Pneuma Beyond The Barrier Rally 2022
Just one of the many fish Rod & Christine shared with the fleet May 2022
FISHING CATCHING ON PASSAGE By Rod & Christine. s.v Pneuma
THE 'ZING' OF THE LINE IS OUR CALL TO ACTION WHICH GOES LIKE THIS. 1. BEGIN THE PROCESS OF SLOWING THE BOAT DOWN. If on the wind, release the mainsheet and set the auto helm to wind mode and hold the boat sailing on an eased headsail alone between 2-4 knots, ideally around 40 deg apparent and ensure the boat is stable and adjust wind angle heading to attain slow, steady speed. If sailing off the wind and the wind is strong, the only option is to drop or furl the downwind sails and then turn upwind to slow the boat before all the line is gone off the reel. Often this is too hard, and these days we don’t fish on fast downwind legs unless the freezer is empty. If the wind is light enough, turn to 170 degrees true, blanket the headsails, and pull them in tight behind the main to keep them from flogging. We may also consider reeling in the line of the other rod to avoid any in water overlap with the line with the fish on it.
2. BEGIN THE WRESTLE WITH THE FISH. Plan to allow the fish to really tire before it gets to the boat whilst getting all the necessary equipment ready, often around 30 minutes from the strike. This usually includes a life jacket & harness with tether (when white capping is our safety gauge), gloves on, gaff at the ready, fish donger, long-nosed pliers, a sharp knife, and a bucket. With a big fish, we use a stomachstrapped rod holder to brace the rod end while sitting on the transom steps. Whilst the wrestling match is in progress, someone is managing the boat. This sometimes requires speeding up to maintain boat control or slowing down further to help bring the fish near. We avoid using our engines and risk a line around a prop. Checking on traffic and our position relative to land or obstacles is so easily overlooked when facing backwards, concentrating on bringing the fish in and not paying enough attention to what’s happening with our vessel or others!
FISHING CATCHING ON PASSAGE By Rod & Christine. s.v Pneuma
3. BEGIN REELING IN THE FISH. With our vessel managed, we begin reeling in the fish adjusting boat speed and direction as required keeping the fish below the surface and behind the boat. When the fish is finally near the boat, and over its panic at seeing the boat, Christine takes over with the rod with a softened drag to avoid the shortened line breaking and sits further back from the transom, still reeling in whilst Rod is holding the line and keeping the fish to the outside of the boat with gaff ready. If the fish runs again or goes frantic, let it run as too often this is where we have lost such wonderful fish.
4. GAFFING & DISPATCHING THE FISH. This we don’t find easy, nor is it at all enjoyable. We go for the top of the fish (not the underside) up to 1/3rd length from its mouth, ideally in the head, yet the speed of the boat and thrashing of fish makes it difficult. Once the fish is gaffed, the rod is reattached to its tether and placed back into the rod holder. One of us will stun the thrashing fish by hitting it on its head behind the eyes with a baton whilst it is already beginning to bleed out, hopefully from the gaff injury, or by a sharp knife into its head. The bucket is tethered, and fish tethered by a tail fin in the bucket or across the transom steps when it’s a big one. We try to bleed the fish tail up by first slitting it behind the gills, then kept in a bucket with sea water till able to fillet and dispose of the carcass appropriately. When filleting, we try to keep the blood & mess isolated to the back transom steps by placing a tethered fold-up table on the lower step and then sitting up two steps with the fish tethered on the table. Another good method we’ve heard of in mono’s is to hang the fish up by the tail above a bucket and fillet everything dropping the mess direct into the bucket, which sounds nice, but we can’t do that.
FISHING CATCHING ON PASSAGE By Rod & Christine. s.v Pneuma
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS & SUGGESTIONS Fish recognition is tricky for newbies like us, so we rely heavily on the use of a handy-sized laminated flip chart with size details, which is significant to keeping our oceans filled with fish in the future. Fish releasing with long nose pliers or a long-handled hook is another area to become more skilled in to ensure undersized or undesirable fish species aren’t taken.
"Shark hookups have created some hairy moments after a long, disappointing fight where it can be the safest option to lose the lure still attached to the angry, aggressive shark by simply cutting the line!"
FISHING CATCHING ON PASSAGE By Rod & Christine. s.v Pneuma
We have also found at times it necessary to bring our lures in when hungry birds are convinced the lures are the real deal and an easy feed, so give it their best shot to dive on the moving lure. Fortunately, we haven’t had a bird strike, but at anchor, we’ve had the rods sitting out in their holders with the lures hooked back up into the eyelets and had a cormorant think he was in for an easy feed and got his webbed foot hooked up. Safely released, he flew off a little stunned with a small nick in his foot but able to fly and live another day. Diligently watch out for GBRMP prohibited fishing ‘green zones’ at all times. Keep your maps on the table, and learn how to identify green zones on your chart plotter. Diligently avoid injury at sea, from sharp hooks and fish teeth, fish spines, knives & gaffs, falling overboard, or from one another… Take your time; it’s just not worth it! We can add up to an hour onto a passage for a fish brought in, so if pushing for time to reach your next destination safely, bring the lines in.
RODS OUT & SAFE SAILING! Rod & Christine White
P.S We have been fortunate to enjoy two Down Under Rally - Beyond The Barrier adventures in May 2021 and May 2022, sailing to incredibly remote destinations in the Coral Sea. The company, snorkelling, weather and fish caught whilst on passage have all added to making these a highlight of our sailing life. Preparing for the rally with John’s valuable courses, advice, experience and eye for detail brought us and the boat up to speed relatively easily. We are looking forward to joining the 2023 Go East Rally to Vanuatu & New Caledonia and some more Catching On Passage ! Cheers, Rod & Christine
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West Coast Cruising Nuclear testing history, shells and no shoes!
By Donna Watson
Image credits Andrew Maffett
West Coast Cruising
By Donna Watson
Image credits Andrew Maffett
Like many, we had been planning a sailing trip beyond Australia for almost three years – and then COVID hit. Despite being disappointed we couldn’t go as planned to Indonesia, my partner and I decided to explore Western Australia’s vast and remote coastline. We set off from our home port of Fremantle to the Montebello Islands, off the north coast of Exmouth. The group comprises about 70 limestone and sand islands with good anchorages, surrounded by coral reefs. The Montebellos are now a conservation reserve rich with animal, plant and marine life – we saw wallabies, lizards, quolls, sharks, stingrays, turtles, dugongs, and so many fish!
It’s hard to believe that in the 1950s, three nuclear explosions were detonated here by the British military - including the largest ever detonated in Australia at 95 kilotonnes - as we wander around, the landscape looks untouched. Radiation levels are now considered low but it is suggested that visits to some parts of the islands should be brief. The “Montys”, as they’re affectionately known, are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The rich marine life contrasts with parts of exploration and explosives infrastructure abandoned after the British nuclear testing. Rusty and twisted metal shells, concrete pads and remnants of railway lines lie scattered at strategic points. One wonders about how the tests were conducted and who was here at the time.
West Coast Cruising
By Donna Watson
Image credits Andrew Maffett
There are some who remember those days and recall times when their mates worked at the islands. Neil and Judy Baker are a couple of characters we met along the way. Neil talked about his friends who had lived and worked at the Montys, many of whom died from cancer.
“Old Pete, he never wore shoes when he worked there, and he got cancer. The same happened to John and Jim…and there were quite a few others.” “So, I think it’s a good idea to wear shoes!” Neil Baker 83, and his wife Judy, have been collecting shells from nearby island groups for more than 60 years. They have an incredible collection now housed in a museum in the coastal town of Onslow, not too far from the Montebellos. See "Shire shells out for collection" by Caitlyn Watts Pilbara News Credit: Picture: Chris Lees
The Abrolhos Islands are a convenient half-way point to the Montys, whilst care needs to be taken with navigation as there are many reefs and the area is notoriously windy – so good anchoring is essential!
West Coast Cruising
By Donna Watson
Image credits Andrew Maffett
Consisting of 122 low-lying and windswept ironstone islands and rocks surrounded by coral reef, The Abrolhos Islands have a remarkable maritime history, with the reefs having claimed many vessels; the most famous is Batavia with the murder and treachery that ensued. Twenty historic wrecks have been discovered in the island waters. John Fitzardinge (72) lived on North Island, Abrolhos, for more than half his life. These days the rock lobster fishing season brings many fishermen to the islands, however, John and his wife Beth were one of the pioneering fishing families back in the 1980s.
“I went there with a mate and his family when I was
about 18 and helped them with rock lobster fishing.”
“Those were the days" John said. “There were about 25 families, we had sports competitions and a fully
Image Credit Australia's Coral Coast Instagram. www.instagram.com/australiascoralcoast Donna with s.v Infinity at anchor in The Abrolhos Islands
licensed bar. We worked hard and played hard.”
The young fisherman always loved boats and the ocean and built his first small boat in the front yard of his Perth home when he was just nine years old. Schooling in Perth, followed by a short period of studying architecture and surveying, didn’t satisfy his desire to be around fishing and boats so an invitation to visit the Abrolhos with a mate and his family was too good to refuse.
“It was a pretty good life and when I wasn’t catching crayfish, I was drawing boats – designing, I guess.
My mate’s family liked what I did and struck a deal
to build them a boat, which I did, in the front yard. I
began designing and building boats in the front yard, and with the increasing success of fishing around
Dongara, there was more demand for boats, so I built a shed nearby, which is now Dongara Marine.”
The veteran fisherman continued to fish for rock lobster while some of his work involved building boats for clients ranging from WA Police and various search and rescue organisations to offshore supply boat clients in Singapore and Vietnam. These days John drops into the “sheds” at Dongara Marine most days to see how things are going. The company employs more than 35 local people and offers shipwright apprenticeships to young men and women (one young woman had won a scholarship to become a professional dancer in London) and has now swapped her ballet shoes for steel caps, studying to be a shipwright. John continues to take his 50-ft cray boat out for fun and is involved with several fish research organisations around WA.
West Coast Cruising
By Donna Watson
Image credits Andrew Maffett
As we were sailing back down the coast towards Fremantle, I was thinking about sailing, sun, surf… yoga – and how great it is for the soul. I couldn’t believe it when we stopped at Batavia Coast Marina in Geraldton (a great marina with excellent facilities and within walking distance to town), and I bumped into Yeni.
Batavia Coast Marina Yeni Canelon is a gorgeous young yoga and surfing instructor I met in Bali a few years ago. She has recently returned to Geraldton with her husband following the COVID outbreak after running her business Salti Hearts (yoga and surfing retreats for women) for 10 years in Indonesia. This gentle Argentinian soul is now teaching yoga in Geraldton whilst continuing to support her friends and employees in Bali. Yeni is continuing to enjoy her “salti livin’” down under and hopes to return to Indonesia when she can.
So, now as we are permitted to venture beyond Western
Australia, I’m even more in the mood for yoga, sun, surf, oh, and usually not wearing shoes…or anything at all when sailing off the beaten track on our own yacht!
Follow our journey on Instagram chasing_horizons.
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CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (Part Four)
By Chris Rose
Sailing SV No Regrets
Waking up to a perfectly still glassy morning, we launched to drone for a morning flight over Mia Cove to get a bird’s eye view of the spectacular anchorage we had just stayed the night. With a very short motor of only 5 miles we moved a little further north towards Jar Island.
CRUISINGTHEKIMBERLEY (PART FOUR) By Chris Rose
There are a couple of significant Aboriginal art sites on the northern and western sides of the island where ancient artworks can be found. Deciding to first anchor directly out from the beach of the northern art site, we took the tender into the white sandy beach between a couple of large rocky outcrops. After a short 250-metre walk through the spinifex and over the smooth sandstone rocks, the art site can be found under the overhang of a very large rock.
Returning to No Regrets, we up anchor and make our way a little further around to the western side of the island. Great care is required in this uncharted area as there is a significant pearl farm in operation and the pearl lease boundary extends quite close to the western side of Jar Island. There is also a submerged reef on the western side which extends out from the beach quite close to the pearl farm restricting access further. The Kimberly Cruising Yacht Club guide suggests it is safer to anchor just north of this shallow reef, and as we were not intending to stay the night, we chose to keep north and avoid the risk. Taking the tender to the beach, we followed the meandering path across from the sandy beach,
CRUISINGTHEKIMBERLEY (PART FOUR) By Chris Rose
The sandy path from the beach soon changed, and we now found ourselves climbing between rocky crevices to reveal a lagoon dotted with mangroves and filled with water. With our concerns about crocodiles very much on the forefront of our minds, especially with many of the risk factors being present in this location, we decided it wasn’t a good plan to wade across in this very remote lagoon.
Climbing back up the rocky ledge, we jumped from rock plateau to rock plateau across crevices that were becoming increasingly deeper as we ventured further around the lagoon. After nearly two hours of rock and crevasse jumping, climbing through treetops extending from the ground up to the top of the rock plateaus, we finally managed to get across the lagoon and climb up to the elevated rock art site.
CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (PART FOUR)
By Chris Rose
The rock art is located up under the overhangs in an elevated location, spectacularly looking over the lagoon and bay. The artwork is quite extensive and well worth the effort to see.
"After sitting in what seemed like a purpose-built armchair overlooking the bay, you can’t help but wonder how many first nations people have also sat in the chair, taking in the picturesque view over the past 50,000 years."
CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (PART FOUR)
By Chris Rose
After appreciating the beauty of the location, it was time to return to No Regrets and onwards to our next anchorage.
Having been high up and looking down upon the lagoon and not seen anything suspicious, the prospect of rock hopping back the way we came and jumping over the deep crevices, which was quite dangerous, was not that appealing so, it was decided that crossing the lagoon may be a safer option. Keeping an eye out, our party scout waded across waist-deep water through the lagoon 50 meters to the other side. The distance doesn’t sound very far, but when you are wading through waste deep water in and around mangrove trees, keeping a very active lookout for crocodiles, it was certainly further than we really wanted to be crossing.
Once our scout was safely across the lagoon with nobody having observed any sign of crocodiles, the rest of the party then made the crossing with the lookout duties now being undertaken from the other side. There was certainly a sigh of relief from everyone once we were all safely across. As if to remind us that caution must be exercised in the Kimberley and the risks of what we had just done, we spotted a crocodile swimming around the lagoon entrance as we crossed back to the beach. Although we had assessed the risk and crossed safely, it was certainly possible that a crocodile could have been a little too close for comfort.
CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (PART FOUR)
By Chris Rose
"Exploring many of the sites in the Kimberley requires careful timing around the large tides. The best plan is to head in 2-3 hours before high tide and return 2-3 hours after high tide. The creeks will have sufficient water to permit motoring in the tender and allow sufficient time to explore the region before the outgoing tide becomes too low to exit. Being able to sound the depths was an advantage as we could determine the depths and plan to exit the area on a level lower tide than we entered once we had depth sounded a deeper water passage. It is not a good idea to cut this too fine as getting stuck with an outgoing tide would result in a rather long wait for the tide to return, most likely into the dark with active crocodiles and no escape from the countless biting insects." Back on No Regrets it was a short 10-nautical mile sail up to Freshwater Bay. After carefully avoiding the extending reefs and setting the anchor in the middle of the bay, we made a very short trip in the tenders to the first of three freshwater falls and swimming holes, located directly in from the anchorage.
As we navigated our tenders up the mangrove-lined winding creek, we were also carefully keeping an eye out for any lurking crocodiles. Arriving at the rock bar, we tied up the tender where we planned to return with the outgoing tide a few hours later.
CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (PART FOUR)
By Chris Rose
Walking up the rocky riverbed, we found several water monitors sunning on the rocks and swimming in the clear freshwater pools.
There is an idyllic swimming hole complete with a small waterfall to be found just a short walk up the creek, where we enjoyed a refreshing swim to cool off from the Kimberly heat before retiring to No Regrets for a well deserved sundowner.
CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (PART FOUR)
By Chris Rose
The following day we continued our tender tour further along the coast to second & third creeks
We discovered that Second Creek has a much tighter entrance where you need to push through the mangroves with your tender. This creek is much smaller and only a tiny plunge hole was found for a squeezy cool off in a pool barely enough for just one person. The creek is still very pretty and walking along in the shade under the trees in the creek bed, wading through the shallow water keeping your legs wet was enjoyable and refreshing.
CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY (PART FOUR)
By Chris Rose
A little further west you pass Boab Beach as you head to the third freshwater creek. Passing this lovely beach where we had planned to stop, we spotted several very large and freshly made crocodile tracks. These tracks came out of the water and up around the boab tree before returning into the water. Seeing these multiple fresh tracks left us not feeling quite so keen to land the tender on the water’s edge and explore this beach, so we gave it a miss.
At Third Creek, we made our way up the creek bed, where we found another small swimming hole where the boys had a swim. The ladies, however, were far less impressed with this swimming hole as it was quite shallow and had some algae present. The boys were determined to get in and made the best of it by sweeping the algae and vegetation away.
Having explored 2nd and 3rd Creeks on the same tide, we returned to the tender before the tide had receded too far and we became stuck. That evening we caught up with a couple of fellow cruisers where we exchanged information about anchorages visited and the sights to see over dinner and drinks, which is something we really enjoy as part of the cruising lifestyle.
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Congratulations, Rod & Christine, on your new Aurora Tender from Rib Force Inflatables
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From The
Galley
By Leanne
Ahoy friends of Yoga, Health & Sail Wellness™️with Leanne
EASY PEASY PIZZA
Unfortunately there is no pizza delivery at sea, so for years now I have been making pizza using wraps as the base.
One of the most surprised and excited looks I received from Captain and Crew on passage was when I served up pizza for dinner. Food brings with it so much pleasure and can be such a moral booster in the ocean. Wraps are a versatile, easy-to-use alternative to bread, they have a long shelf life and make a great Pizza base! DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS DOWNLOAD THE RECIPE VIA THE MEMBERS PORTAL
UTENSILS Large Frypan with Lid INGREDIENTS BASE Wraps Tomato Paste, Pizza Sauce or Tomato Sauce Italian herb mix (Hoyt’s is a favourite with garlic herbs & spices) METHOD Cut up small portions of preferred toppings and grate cheese and set aside Spoon 2 tablespoons of Pizza Sauce the middle of the base of the wrap/s & use the back of a soup spoon to spread sauce over the entire wrap base Sprinkle with Italian Herbs Layer your ingredients of choice, finishing with cheese Place non-stick Frypan on the stove to heat, reduce to 3/4 1/2 Heat Spray or wipe a small amount of oil in the base of the pan if a not using a non-stick frypan Place fully loaded pizza in frypan and place on the lid Check base with a spatula after 2 min to see if browning. Adjust heat to suit how fast or slow the base is cooking. You want to allow at least 5-10 min to cook the top and bottom of the pizza through. Season, Slice, Serve and Enjoy
Tip: Use oven on high heat or use Grill to brown cheese after frying the pizza.
SUGGESTED TOPPINGS The best part about Pizza is that you can use pretty much anything. Here are three of our favourites. THE DUGONG (Vegetarian option) Eggplant Zucchini Capsicum Mushrooms Onions Cheese ( option to use parmesan / or vegan cheese )
THE GREAT WHITE (For The Meatlovers) Pepperoni Ham Minced Beef Mushrooms Capsicum Spinach Pineapple Cheese
THE NEPTUNE Green or Cooked Prawns Fish Mushrooms Capsicum Spinach Cheese
By Greg Luck
PART 7 RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS This is Part 8 of the Ahoy magazine series of articles based on information in Cruising the Queensland Coast, the eBook by Greg Luck. In the September edition, we cruised the Whitsundays and in this edition, we cruise the Bowen and Townsville coasts. The maps below show the anchorages and marinas on these coasts. They are detailed in the book.
The Townsville Coast
© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4
The Bowen Coast
© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4
Bowen Mean Maximum Temperature
CLIMATE AND WEATHER Both coasts are well inside the cyclone belt. The cruising season is during the months of May to October.
Climate charts reproduced by permission of Bureau of Meteorology, © 2022 Commonwealth of Australia.
RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
This is also the dry season with little rainfall falling in these months, and average maximum temperatures ranging from 23 - 30. It gets warm up here late in the season. We find ourselves having to move to lighter weight clothing from Townsville up. I have some lightweight bamboo Hawaiian shirts and some thigh-length cotton shorts rather than the knee-length sailing shorts I normally wear. There is a difference in prevailing winds between the dry season and the wet season with October a transition month and the wet season pattern or summer pattern well established by November. Simply put, the dry season features almost no northerly wind, while the wet season does. The afternoon breezes usually have a sea breeze component perpendicular to the coast, which you can use to your advantage in all seasons. Most cruisers start coming back in October or even into the official cyclone season in November, keeping an eye on the weather.
SELECTED PASSAGES Once you leave Gloucester Island or Bowen Marina, there is nowhere to stop until Cape Upstart, and it is not protected from northerlies. From there it is a long passage to Townsville or Magnetic Island. Nelly Bay Marina is excellent and Horseshoe Bay on the northern side of Magnetic Island is an excellent trade wind anchorage. New cruisers to this area are tempted to break the long passage at Cape Cleveland. The locals don’t. It is very shallow with strong tides and 3-4nm of fetch to the southeast so it is uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst.
Passage
Notes
Cape Gloucester Resort to Cape Upstart
Passes North Rock to the north. Passes across the Abbo8 Point shipping channel 0.6nm from the Abbot Point Wharf. Passes northeast of White Rock, before entering Shark Bay.
⎈
Caution: Keep watch for shipping traffic. Abbot Point Pilotage Area has a mandatory VTS watch protocol.
2
⎈ ⎈
Dist. 47nm
RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
Passage
Notes
Cape Upstart to Townsville Breakwater Marina
Runs just to the south of a two-way shipping channel for most of the route. Passes outside of sandbanks at Cape Bowling Green. Passes outside of reefs and rocks at Cape Cleveland. Passes south of the ship anchorage area in Cleveland Bay. Route stays in 10m of depth before before crossing Townsville shipping channel near MagneOc Island and turning in towards Townsville. Enters the shipping channel (Platypus Channel) just before P14. If condiOons are built up, the depths of 2.5m LAT to 4m LAT outside the shipping channel may be insufficient in which case enter shipping channel at the first port marker (S2). Beware of ship movements.
Horseshoe Bay to Pioneer Bay, Orpheus Island Horseshoe Bay to John Brewer Reef
⎈
Cau6on: Cleveland Bay is very shallow extending out to Cape Cleveland. Uses Steamer Passage between Eclipse and Palm Islands, then to the west of Fantome Island. Most of the passage is in two-way shipping channels. Beware of shipping traffic.
Dist.
⎈ ⎈
71nm
⎈ ⎈
38nm
⎈ ⎈
32nm
Click ⎈ to import/open the illustrative routes (Warning: The Navionics route is illustrative only and the author takes no responsibility for its accuracy and suitability for your vessel).
Once on the Townsville coast, you can go up the coast. Orpheus Island is the standout destination and just beyond it is the iconic Zoe Bay on Hinchinbrook Island. Or you can go out to the reefs, with the John Brewer Reef accessible on a day-passage from either Magnetic Island or Orpheus Island. The book has a complete set of passages.
MARINAS The Bowen Marina is a small marina in Bowen Boat Harbour. There are good fish and chips just a short walk away. If you are staying longer Bowen has some great beaches. In Townsville, there are two marinas: the 324 berth Townsville Breakwater Marina with a fuel dock and the 165 berth Townsville Yacht Club with no fuel but with haul-out facilities. The Nelly Bay Marina on Magnetic Island is a resort-style marina. It has facilities but no fuel or marine trades. Given the long distances and the lack of refuelling options on the Cassowary coast, it is a good idea to refuel in Townsville. 3
RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
Anzac Memorial with Townsville Breakwater Marina behind
Photo G Luck
FEATURED ANCHORAGES GLOUCESTER ISLAND Bowen is a quieter area than the Whitsundays. Gloucester Island reflects this change of pace. It is the gateway to North Queensland which is often considered to start at Bowen. There are two small, family resorts and the general laid-back vibe and friendly attitude make this a pleasant stop. Home to the Shag Islet Cruising Club annual Rendezvous, the club takes its name from Passage Islet, in the west of the Gloucester Passage. The passage should be navigated at high tide. There are four anchorages here to suit all wind directions other than westerly, all of which offer stunning sunset vistas. 4
RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
5
RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS Sunset in Gloucester Passage, with Curlew Escape at anchor
Photo courtesy of Peter and Helen Ward
Montes Reef Resort, Restaurant & Bar
Photo © and courtesy of Montes Reef Resort
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RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
CAPE UPSTART Cape Upstart is an excellent trade winds anchorage and the only safe place to stop overnight between Bowen and Townsville. Shark Bay is closest to the point and the quickest in and out. If the winds are more northeast to north, or they will change to the south, move down to Nobbies Inlet to reduce fetch. Port Molongle is a new small boat harbour just completed in 2022 with a dredged channel. There is a Caravan park and kiosk there. Woolworths will deliver to it.
© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4
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RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
MAGNETIC ISLAND Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island is a fantastic trade wind anchorage. It is heavily visited which is Ok because it has the space. Note the 6-knot area on the southeastern side of the bay delimited by the special yellow buoys. When approaching, give the headland a wide berth. It has some rocks projecting from it. There are two wrecks in the bay. One is marked with an isolated danger mark and one is community reported, shown with a red wreck icon on the map below. Note the fringing reef along the eastern part of the bay.
8
RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
ORPHEUS ISLAND Orpheus Island lies 35nm north-northwest of Magnetic Island and 8nm from the entrance to the Hinchinbrook eastern channel, making it a convenient day passage. There are two bays on the western side. The James Cook University Orpheus Island Research Station (OIRS)is at Pioneer Bay which is famous for its giant clam garden. Hazard Bay contains the Orpheus Island Lodge, a luxury resort.
© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4
It is also within easy dinghy access to the interesting Yanks Jetty, a very pretty spot where ships and submarines were degaussed during WW2.
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RUISING THE BOWEN & TOWNSVILLE COASTS
JOHN BREWER REEF John Brewer Reef is named after a troop ship sailing from Sydney to India in 1842 that hit the reef. It was repaired. It is famous for two things: •it was the site for the John Brewer Floating Hotel, which operated at the reef for one year in 1988. •it is the site for the Museum of Underwater Art Coral Greenhouse (MOUA) It is 32nm from both Orpheus Island and Magnetic Island. You want reef weather to go out there and you should be prepared to anchor as a mooring is not assured.
That is unless you book the middle mooring at MOUA. It is available for $15 per person and is bookable via moua@townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au. 10
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