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Horseshoe Bay
taken from the small bluff I climbedWoke
Wednesdayto the first sunny morning of our trip.
We had plans to head further north but the westerly winds were not good for anchoring on the west side of Moreton Island and without any other anchorages that attracted us strongly and as we had perfect conditions at Peel (sheltered and few other boats which is rare) we decided to stay where we were.
Took the dingy through the beautifully clear water for a beach stroll before lunch, and I climbed the small bluff at the eastern end of Horseshoe Bay, giving me a nice shot of the bay.
Relaxed on the boat in the afternoon, it was nice to be warm for once. Had my first shower of the trip!
Alex had an extra long nap as did Naomi in the cockpit (thanks to phenergan- that's Naomi not Alex). I tried and failed to fix the VHF radio speaker... at least we still have the handheld one.
Thursday we got up unpleasantly early to head north, leaving Peel Island at 6:40 am. From this point onwards was was now the furthest we had taken Luna Ray from the Gold Coast. It was cold
and grey.
As we rounded Peel Island's west side, Alex kicked Naomi's cereal bowl sending milky Nutrigrain all over the cockpit floor. Later on as the wind picked up and the boat heeled over, 2 glasses fell out of the cupboard and smashed on the floor too!
We were hoping the weather prediction would return to the usual southeast winds but it remained westerly so Moreton Island was still out. We had considered Deception Bay (just south of Bribie Island) to stay in but as we made our way there I noticed a well sheltered and closer spot off the beach at Margate in the "Beakon to Beakon" guide.
The weather remained cold and miserable and at times we were treated to light showers.
We reached Margate, had lunch and then took the dingy ashore. So far this was our first landing on mainland Australia!
Came across a local tribesman who was down on the beach with his 2 daughters. He spoke with a language very similar to english which meant we able to communicate on a basic level. He was drinking a local beverage called "XXXX Gold". I asked him what sights we should
take in and he suggested Woolworths, a hairdresser and a bottle shop.
The girls were curious about us living on the boat, told Naomi she was pretty and that they thought we must be there to get a shower.... must of spotted Naomi's still unwashed hair!
Actually we had quite a long walk down the boardwalk - what's left of it after the heavy storms in January - down to the lagoon and pier/jetty. Came back via Woolworths for some bread and milk.
There was a slight swell in the bay which rocked the boat gently all night. The stars came out and we were surrounded by the lights of Margate, Brisbane CBD, Fishermans Wharf and the Gateway Bridge, soothed by the roar of planes landing and taking off.
Today,
Friday, up again early, 6 am, before sunrise, as we had a long trip to Mooloolaba planned. Clear skies, which made Margate look a lot nicer, but still chilly. All day we had beautiful views of the Glasshouse Mountains along the way.
Headed across Moreton Bay and up the Pearl Channel, then joined the Main Channel.
Not many tankers around, but
using our new radar made it easy to track where they were going and avoid collision, especially when one wasn't even in the shipping channel.
We had to motor up the Spitfire Channel as we were going into wind and I was wary of the currents getting strong if we hung around too long as the tide was starting to rise.
As we turned north again and hence able to sail, we pulled out full sails. Just our luck, as we did this, out of the blue came a strong gust, heeling the boat over and we lost another piece of crockery. One of Naomi's favourite cups fell out of the sink and smashed.
From here we had a good strong sail up the coast, passed Caloundra, with frequent gusts up to 25 knots, rounded Point Cartwright, and entered the Mooloolah River. Called up the Wharf marina and arrange a place for the night.
Naomi's first priority was to have a shower. I had one too although I didn't need it.
The Wharf marina is a great location, right on the wharf with shops/restaurants and Underwater World. Took the 5 minute walk to the beach
front, got an ice-cream and took in the view of the bay. Strange that after 8 and half hours sailing today that we would want to take in the sea-views !?
Treated ourselves to Fish and Chips but it wasn't very good. Time to plan our next leg to Wide Bay and crossing the notorious Wide Bay Bar.
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Steve
non-member comment
Well done
Hi guys, out on the open ocean at last. I guess you haven't heard of polycarbonate dinner ware for boaties, some call it plastic, but we know that's wrong. Keep an eye on Naomi Luke, sounds like she might go feral anytime!