Bundaberg (Bundy) to Darwin Australia Blog (May to July 2013)

Cape Upstart, Saturday, May 25

Other than a well-protected anchorage, not really much to do here and not where we wanted to be for a forecasted three day blow.  So we decided to get up early to head first for Cape Bowling Green but realized later in the day that we could reach Townsville in daylight hours.  Cape Bowling Green would not have been a good anchorage in nasty weather so it was worth the long day!

Woodwark Bay, Friday, May 24

We fueled up at Abel Point Marina and inched our way up to Woodwark Bay, delightful little anchorage about 6 miles from Airlie Beach.  Got up the next morning at 3:00 a.m. for a 4:30 a.m. departure up to Cape Upstart.  Thankfully, we had good visibility under the full moon!

Airlie Beach, Thursday, May 23

Definitely the happening place for all those backpackers under 30.  We grabbed a free mooring ball outside the Whitsunday Sailing Club for the night.  Shared a cab with Footloose and went to Cannonvale to do laundry and groceries.  Watch out for the tides – when we returned from grocery shopping, our dinghies were stuck in the mud!

Whitsunday Island (Whitsundays), Tuesday, May 21 to Thursday, May 23

We caught up with our Aussie friends Jon and Irina (Footloose) at Cid Harbor (Sawmill Beach), Whitsunday Island.  Jon needed to get his daughter Amy to the airport on Hamilton Island so we hitched a ride with them to check our Hamilton Island – very luxurious resort community with lovely shops, art galleries, yacht club, cafes and restaurants.  There is also a grocery store but it’s pretty pricey and has limited stock.

We anchored at Sawmill Beach the site of a sawmill in the 1890’s.  Now there are walking treks on former logging trails.  Cid Harbor is a very scenic anchorage with an occasional turtle and many cruising charter sailboats that make a stop here.

Lindemand Island (Whitsundays), Monday May 20

Great walking treks – we spotted many sulphur crested cockatoos that roosted in the gum trees, brush turkey, the black robin.  When you hike up the trek to the top of the island, the panoramic views of the Whitsundays are stunning.  Nice beaches with plenty of stingrays, turtles and dolphins.  No other boats in this anchorage – we had the island all to ourselves!

Shaw Island (Whitsundays) – Sunday, May 19

Very pretty island with lovely beaches to walk and nice swimming and we spotted the eastern reef egret.  We shared this island with one other sailboat.  Shaw Island is about 37 miles from Scawfell Island.

Scawfell Island (Whitsundays) – Saturday, May 18

We cruised about 50 miles from Curlew Island.  Scawfell has a stunning bay with beach – great place to kayak and explore the coastline.  We could see why this anchorage is very popular with other boaters – a total of seven boats in the anchorage.  Hard to have a favorite but this island is on the top of the list.

Birds along the shoreline were awesome – we spotted our first olive back yellow billed sunbird with purple plumage on its neck and brilliant yellow breast, yellow breasted boatbill, the pheasant coucal, dusky honey eater, and other birds that we couldn’t identify.