Day 1- Rosslyn Bay to Pearl Bay, Thursday 23rd July 

Leaving Rosslyn Bay before dawn gave us plenty of daylight to comfortably complete the 49-nautical-mile passage to Pearl Bay we had planned. With a strong front having just swept up Australia’s east coast, we knew we’d be riding the fresh south-easterly trade winds all the way north.

As expected, the sea state was lumpy and confused. With the wind on our beam, Stars End 2 spent the morning enthusiastically reminding us that “comfortable” is a very subjective word! We rolled, we rocked and we lurched our way north without using the engine once.

By early afternoon we’d altered course enough to improve our angle to the wind and suddenly everything settled down. The afternoon rewarded us with some glorious sailing under mizzen alone, happily slipping along at around 6.7 knots. By 3 pm we were tucked into beautiful Pearl Bay.

Pearl Bay is a secluded little gem hidden behind a headland between Port Clinton and Island Head Creek. The entire coastline forms part of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area under the control of the Australian Defence Force, so access is restricted to the beach itself.

Towering peaks surround the anchorage, providing excellent protection from the wind while creating a spectacular backdrop. After the morning’s washing machine ride, it was a welcome sight.

We enjoyed a surprisingly good night’s sleep with only a gentle roll before weighing anchor after breakfast for the short 21-nautical-mile hop to Cape Townshend.

Day 2- Pearl Bay to Cape Townshend

Sailing close along this remote coastline was fascinating. Endless deserted beaches stretched northwards, all lying within the Defence Force training area. Once again, the trade winds delivered perfect sailing conditions and by 1 pm we were safely anchored.

Unfortunately, the beach wasn’t exactly inviting. Large white warning signs politely suggested that being on shore during bombing exercises might not be the best life choice! We anchored well offshore because of the shallows and were content to admire the scenery from the cockpit instead. A steady 15-knot south-easterly kept us gently rocking through the night, but it was another worthwhile stop on our journey north.

Day 3- Cape Townshend to Hunter Island

Our next destination was Hunter Island in the privately owned Duke Islands.

Once again the trade winds performed beautifully, pushing us along at well over six knots under foresail alone. We briefly considered continuing another to Curlew Island,totalling over 60 nmiles in all,  but the wind became patchy, the sea turned uncomfortable and we realised we’d be pushing our luck arriving before dark. Sensibility won for once, and we stuck with the original plan.

 

One of the highlights of the day was spotting whales. The Duke Islands lie directly on the annual migration route and we were lucky enough to watch several pods passing nearby with their calves.

We dropped anchor in just four metres of water (at low tide) by 12.30 pm. Once the tide had risen a little, we took the dinghy ashore for a walk.

Well… that was memorable!

Warning signs informed us we were on private property. While I happily wandered the beach fossicking for shells, an almighty bellow suddenly echoed across the island. I nearly levitated back into the dinghy.

Frank, who found this considerably more amusing than I did, pointed out that another sign mentioned the owners had introduced deer to the island… and also warned visitors they might hear rifle shooting.

That seemed like an excellent cue to retreat gracefully back to Stars End 2.

Day 4- Hunter Island to Curlew Island

 After another slightly roly but decent night’s sleep, we were underway again by 6.30 am.

The wind quickly increased from around 15 knots to between 22 and 25 knots, sending us charging along at over 7.2 knots. Unfortunately, it also proved too much for our autopilot, so I hand-steered for much of the passage until we reduced sail a few miles before Curlew Island. (Frank doesn’t enjoy hand steering as much as I do).

Just before entering the anchorage we crossed some impressive tide rips. Thankfully the wind and tide were travelling in the same direction because, had they been opposing each other, it could have become a very unpleasant stretch of water.

Curlew Island, part of the Northumberland Islands National Park, was absolutely stunning. A long sandy beach sat beneath a dramatic volcanic peak with its summit sliced away at an angle, making it one of the most distinctive islands we’ve visited.

The afternoon was beautifully calm, lulling us into thinking we’d finally found the perfect overnight anchorage.

At 8 pm the wind shifted.

Instead of being protected, the breeze now blew directly into the bay from the entrance we’d sailed through only hours earlier. Cue another night of rocking, rolling and interrupted sleep. We were beginning to think this voyage north came with complimentary motion therapy!

Day 5- Curlew Island to Scawfell Island

By now our routine had become something of a “Groundhog Day.”

Up at six.

Anchor up at 6.30.

Sail all day.

Rock all night.

Repeat.

Today’s 48-nautical-mile passage to Scawfell Island began in a gentle 10-knot southerly before building once again into those familiar 20-knot south-easterlies. We made excellent progress between 6.5 and over 7 knots, sailing under mainsail alone as we passed Mackay and the long line of coal ships anchored offshore.

By 2.30 pm we were safely anchored in ten metres at beautiful Scawfell Island.

Remote and uninhabited, Scawfell is a national park island blessed with crystal-clear water, secluded beaches and dramatic granite cliffs. It certainly looked every bit as idyllic as the brochures suggest, but we needed to keep north to be in a safe location by the time the front arrived.

 

Day 6- Curlew Island to Shaw Island

Our destination was Burning Point on Shaw Island, another 41 nautical miles north.

The wind strengthened early, once again overpowering the autopilot with too much weather helm, so it was back to hand steering. Fortunately, once we’d reduced sail later in the morning, the autopilot decided to cooperate again.

Even better, the sun finally had enough warmth that I could take off my sailing jacket for the first time all week. It felt wonderful simply sitting at the helm with the sunshine warming my back.

We arrived at Burning Point by early afternoon and dropped anchor in ten metres. Despite the wind continuing throughout the night, it turned out to be the calmest anchorage we’d enjoyed all week.

Even more exciting, we finally had mobile reception!

In my enthusiasm to reconnect with civilisation and catch up with everyone, I completely forgot to take a single photograph of the anchorage.

Oops.

Day 7- Shaw Island to Airlie Beach

We planned to stay for a couple of weeks, partly to wait out yet another approaching front, but mostly because our son Michael and his beautiful fiancée Stacey were flying in to spend a few days with us.

As had become the pattern during the week, the morning began overcast before the sun gradually won the battle. The wind was kinder too, allowing a leisurely sail down the main Whitsunday passage.

Near Lindeman Island we were treated to another magical whale encounter, with an entire pod passing only a couple of hundred metres off our starboard side.

Of course, by the time I’d grabbed my phone they had disappeared.

These days, thanks to my rather stubborn knee following double knee replacement surgery, I can’t dash around Stars End 2 as quickly as I once could. It frustrates me enormously because my brain still thinks I’m thirty and agile!

That’s usually when I recruit Frank to climb onto the cockpit targa for the better camera angle, especially in the roling seas.

Mind you… on more than one occasion he’s managed to switch the camera off instead of on.

So instead of spectacular whale footage…

…we’ve recorded absolutely nothing!

Never mind. We still have the memories, even if the camera doesn’t.

As we sailed past the Molle Islands, the sun finally warmed the cockpit and reminded us why we’d come north in the first place.

By 1.00 pm we were carefully picking our way into Airlie Beach, anchoring between the Whitsunday Sailing Club’s moorings in surprisingly shallow muddy water with over 40 metres of chain laid out, ready for the next front.

Joining the club as temporary members gave us access to their excellent dinghy facilities and made for an easy trip ashore.

After six days of trade winds, roly anchorages, hand steering, whales, military warning signs, deer, forgotten photographs and plenty of laughs along the way, we’d finally reached the Whitsundays.

Now it’s time to slow down for a week or two, catch up on a few maintenance jobs, dust off the paint brushes, spend time with family, and continue having fun building my little social media adventures.

Keep Following Our Adventure

If you’ve enjoyed reading about this leg of our journey, I’d love for you to join us over on Instagram, where I share short daily reels and videos from our sailing adventures aboard Stars End 2. They bring the blog to life with the sights, sounds and sometimes the rather roly reality of life at sea!

Follow us on Instagram:

@nikkiloolah

https://www.instagram.com/nikkiloolah

Fair winds, and thanks for coming along for the voyage!