Magnetic Is. to Dunk Is.

 

S 17^o55’.80’’, E 146^o08’20’’

 

Maggie to Dunk Island

Left Horseshoe Bay on Maggie Is after several lovely days and then up to Orpheus Is, and passed what were probably our last lot of humpback whales, breaching clear of the water.

Lynn, Mike n Jo at Radical Bay.
No radicals here?

Orpheus Is. has a small resort, a marine research station which we visited, and some very good coral reefs which was my first dive this year. Water still seemed chilly at 23.5C – I must be becoming a Qlder. A lovely display by a group of  large 6 manta rays off the back of Kirra Kirra one afternoon had us enthralled. Flying at speed under water.

Then sailed via the small (read tiny) town of Dungeness to take on water and a huge pub meal. It is a sugar export place - with picturesque Hinchinbrook (surely called Hinchy) in the background.  

5.4 Km long sugar conveyor for loading ships.
That's a ship at the end.

Sugar train - cute eh?
The fat controller may be had eaten too much sugar?



The beautiful side of Dungeness - Hinchinbrook in the background

Dungeness looking lovely

More of Dungy

Then outside Hinchinbrook Is. to Zoe Bay for a 1 day stop at anchor. The mountains on Hinchinbrook are spectacular – to 1100M. The swell at anchor in Zoe Bay was a pain but worth the hassle for the walk to the superb tropical waterfall and pool, complete with schools of large fresh water fish. No crocs in that pool!

Creek at Zoe Bay - croc warning meant quick to get the dingy to land

Beach at Zoe bay

The Qld Govt actually says in a croc awareness pamphlet:
If there is no warning sign, crocs might still be about!! 

Jungle nymph at pool

Jungle perch in said pool. I think the eyes have it.

Nice funghi

Big funghi at Hinchy

The big goanna on Hinchy

 

Qld looking less than perfect

Then up around the north head of Hinchinbrook Is, past abandoned Hinchinbrook resort  to Goold Is.  A delightful place in super weather so we stayed 3 nights, just chillin’. The only sound to be heard one evening was a dugong swimming and snorting (breathing) for some hours around the boat. Hard to see and even harder to photograph these rare mammals.

Goold Is sand spit - feel the serenity

Then a nice sail up to Dunk Is., site of another resort wrecked in cyclone Yasi in 2011.  Celebrations on catching our first Spanish mackerel by trolling (are called Spaniards up here in FNQ). An easy walk up Mt. Kootaloo to admire the view and see the remains of one of the early WW-II radar units.  

 
 


Jungle path - Dunk Is

WW-II radar turn-table. Shame its not preserved

Yep - Welcome

To a wrecked resort

Lovely Coral-Flame tree in flower - Dunk Is

Truly shitful rubbish weather for the past few days here at Dunk Is. where we have sheltered in Brammo Bay.

Comment: Qlds weather certainly aint perfect all the time. Winds are predicted to blow 20-30 Kts for the next 5 days.  We plan on being into Cairns within the next week.

Highlights of the last 2 weeks:

• ·          The water fall and jungle pool at Zoe Bay, Hinchinbrook.

• ·          Manta rays playing off  the back of Kirra Kirra at Orpehus Is.

• ·          Enjoying 3 simply perfect days at Goold Is.

• ·          Catching our first Spanish mackerel – excellent eating

WHAT'S IN A NAME

30^th July 2014

BOAT NAMES

As we noted and blogged last year, out on the water we see and hear on the radio boat names that bring a smile – or a grimace. 

Now naming a boat might reflect the nature of the owner, their passions or fetishes, hopes or aspirations or even disappointments, and certainly after spending many $$$ on a floating liability, you would think that the name would at least show some respect for the craft that they and their crew’s lives depend on.   But it ain’t necessarily so.

Go figure these boat names from 2014 and 2013:

2013

Ø  ARE WE THERE YET?

Ø  STOOL PIDGEON

Ø  PORK CHOP

Ø  THIS WAY UP

Ø  GOT MY WAY

Ø  LIFE’S A BOAT

Ø  BLING and THE BIG COHUNA (one a motor boat, one a yacht – guess which is which )

Ø  BOAT  -  yeah just Boat  - not funny Jan.

Ø  SEA SLUG (last years’ trophy holder)

2014

Ø  LADY HOG

Ø  THUG

Ø  MUD CRAB (only marginally better than Sea Slug)

Ø  COCONUT AIRLINES (on a Pacific roaming cat - not bad)

Ø  BLONDE MOMENT (WRITTEN IN REVERSE MIRROR IMAGE SCRIPT – ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD RACING CAT – ALSO NOT BAD)

Ø  LUCKY SPERM (SEEN OVERSEAS – GUESS WHERE  - YEP THE US of A  – THE OWNER THOUGHT HE WAS THE LUCKY SPERM – OH SO VERY VERY CRAS, IT ALMOST GOT THE PRIZE)

Ø  ENDORPHIN (ON A RACING CAT – NOT BAD)

Ø  DNA (LISTED HERE AS ITS JUST A BIT WEIRD – MAYBE THE OWNERS INITIALS)

 

BUT THE BEST ONE TO DATE THIS YEAR HAS BEEN AWARDED TO:

 

DILLIGAF  

A US Navy / submariners acronym for :

Does It Look Like I Give A (look it up on Google)

Brings a smile every time heard on the radio.

 

 

Will update this post with further unusual names at a later date.

Nice saying

  Food for thought for mariners:

          The pessimist complains about the wind.

          The optimist expects it to change.

               The realist adjusts the sails.

                   - William Arthur Ward (a dude from the US)

AROUND MAGGIE

S 19^o09’.50’’, E 146^o51’23’’

 

Around Magnetic Island & Townsville

We picked up friends Siv and John in the marina out at Magnetic Is. and then spent 4 fine and sunny days sailing around Maggie (as Magnetic Island is known to all – yet another aussie nickname ending in ie, y or o) before sailing back into Townsville Breakwater Marina where they jumped ship and flew back into winter (he he).

J&J, John n Siv

 

Hello sailor

Some History: Magnetic island –was originally called Magnetical Island by Lt. James Cook in 1770, because it looked like this area had magnetical anomalies - ie his compass acted up.  No such interference exists and my theory was it was probably the iron bar down the trouser leg of the bosun, carried for personal protection, or as a fetish.

Well balanced

 

Florence Bay, Maggie Is.

Day 1. Sailed slowly on just the new genoa from Nelly Bay round to Radical Bay for lunch – what a great name. After lunch of excellent chunky beef pies from the baker in Nelly’s Bay, we then sailed around to Horseshoe Bay – a lovely anchorage with a few small eateries and a even a pub.

Day 2. A walk to the WW-II forts built in 1942. Really just a gun emplacement high in the Maggie granite hills. Saw koalas, an echidna and importantly a snake – subsequently identified as a juvenile Taipan (read very very poisonous). Bloody thing moved like greased lightening too.

The WW-II observation post - nice view

 

At the fort.

Day 3. Spent the morning playing engineers assistants on Time2 and then John and I had a relaxing afternoon pretending to fish. We didn’t trouble the fish and they didn’t bother about us either, so again no edible fish. I think it’s possibly the cold water – only 21C. Our freezer has more room devoted to bait than to real food. I have told Jo it's good quality bait and we could eat it!

John, Mike, Lynn, J and Siv -
on the beach, Horseshoe Bay, Maggie

Goin' fishin'

 

Day 4. A sail in brisk breeze and motor into Townsville marina, where after a lovely sea- food lunch, Siv and John departed

 And then another few days in Townsville of reprovisioning and doing the dreary laundry.  Yes that’s right – it may come as a shock to you, but we are not above doing our laundry and still somehow have to cope with the other boring things in life.

Originally Townsville Post Office, now a brewery

 

So called CBD, Townsville.

 

Old hotel on the sea front

 

Originally the Customs House, now empty 

  Highlights of the last 4 days:

·         Having friends Siv and John aboard.

·         Exploring Maggie –a lovely peaceful place, bush and magnificent granite outcrops.

·         Seeing the wild life up close and in one case too personal. Whales, koalas, a snake and an echidna.

 

The pointy look 

 


Rock hopping level 1.01



Functional sculptures, The Strand, Townsville.
The ring-ins look a bit dysfunctional



There's that pointy thing again.
Maggie Is., Horseshoe Bay