DUNK ISLAND

Dunk Island really lived up to the perfect tropical paradise with blue skies and a warmth in the air.

The resort at Dunk Island is currently closed, it is rumoured to have been sold to an overseas byer fro $30M, but they are keeping facilities on the island working including picnic areas, toilets, showers and running water.

We took a walk along the island past the sealed runway (built by Qantas but currently not in use) and the resort to the other end of the island, Some of the buildings have been restored to house the workers taking care of the resort and others are still as they were when they were damaged by the cyclone.

The "Dunk Island butterfly" pool is back to full working order.

Reached the end of the island which looks north towards Cairns

Really good to see Sonia finally enjoying a tropical holiday

In the late afternoon we went ashore for drinks and made used our skills to make grated coconut which one of the expert cooks used to make coconut milk and coconut cream. Pity no one could catch a fish to make coconut curry.

 

And of course you cannot finish a blog from a tropical island without ABS

The Not So Good - or what went wrong

This is a very different post, with any cruise of more than a 1000 nautical miles there inevitably will be things going wrong wit the boat. You hope they are only minor. This page is a record of the things that have challenged us.

1) The broken toilet valve (Cost $500 including the lift out)
On the way up to Southport the handle on the ball valve that closes the toilet outlet in one of the aft cabins came loose. It became apparent that the vale was broken, luckily in the open position. In Mooloolaba, Bavaria provided us with a replacement valve but we needed Galadriel lifted out of the water to replace it. We tried in Urangan but the lift was too small so in Bundaberg the boat was lifted out of the water and the valve replaced (the valve provided by Bavaria was the wrong size but luckily the chandlery at the marina had one valve the right size). You can read more about the lift out in the blog from the Blog of 13th June

2) Main sail halyard block failure (Cost $0)
We were sailing along and changed tack when one of the blocks that controlled the main sheet failed. It turned out the screw connecting the block to the rope had fallen out. Luckily we could keep on sailing. A temporary replacement of the bolt solved the problem, but luckily the next day when we were washing the deck we found the missing bolt resting against the gunwale. It was replaced but this time with some locktite to ensure it did not happen again

3) Bimini locking pin  (Cost to date $0 plus 2 cable ties)
One of the locking pins that holds the bimini in place has decided to come loose. Rather than pull it apart two cable ties has held it in place until be get back to Sydney. Only a minor issue as the pin is still in place just loose.
We also had one screw on the bimini fall out, luckily onto the deck so some more Loctite fixed the problem as soon as we stopped for the night

4) Blocked toilet hose (Cost $0 plus lots of David's sweat and skinned knuckles)
Our main cabin toilet refused to empty. We suspected a failed joker valve so in Mackay we replaced the valve. This did not solve the problem, it turned out to be a blocked hose. A lot of struggling to disassemble and remove the hose eventually allowed the blockage to be cleared.

5) Swim Platform proximity sensor (Cost $125 including a second spare)
The swim platform has a proximity sensor that makes it stop when it is being raised. This failed when meant it would not stop and would trip the circuit breaker. An afternoon of diagnosis identified the issue as the proximity sensor and some searching on Mr Google identified one supplier in Australia who had the spare part as it is not a normal marine spare. A replacement (in fact 2) was ordered but it did not arrive in time for our departure from Airlie Beach. We were eventually able to get is delivered to Cape Gloucester where the replacement as effected in 10 minutes, much quicker than the half a day to diagnose the problem and the 1 week to get is delivered. Were so lucky that someone from the resort at Cape Gloucester was driving to Airlie Beach and picked it up for me otherwise the only option was a $125 each way taxi ride).

6) Ripped Furling Reacher (sail) (Cost TBA)
Unfortunately our big yellow sail got caught on one of the shrouds resulting in a small tear. With the wind this soon became a much bigger rip. This can be easily fixed but will have to wait until we return to a marina

7) Slow leak in the dinghy (Cost $0 so far just lots of frustration)
One of the most frustrating is a slow leak in the dinghy. It is not enough to be able to detect it and will need it to be put in the swimming pool at home. At the moment we just need to put a small amount of air in it when it goes a bit soft, Just enough to be annoying.

8) Pelican hook failure (Cost $0 plus a piece of string)
At the stern we have two life lines that un-clip to open up the back of the boat, The pelican hook as a tiny pin that holds it closed. Unfortunately the pin has come loose and fallen into the ocean. However a ready supply of cable ties has provided a way to keep it closed. Once again a easy fix when we can access a chandlery.

CAPE RICHARDS TO DUNK ISLAND

After a lovely calm night at Cape Richards time to get ready for our last leg north before we turn around and start heading south.

First a couple of domestic pictures. I admit I was wrong, at Airlie Beach Sonia purchased some basil and parsley in pots. Despite my concerns they have done very well and have provided some fresh additives to the cooking.

Another domestic photo, we even have a miniature ironing board and iron so we do not look like complete grots.

Any way, woke up to a lovely morning and enough wind to have sail almost all the way to Dunk Island, light winds and a calm sea - perfect sailing weather

 

Even calm enough for Sonia to do some photo editing

And finally these two photos say it all. For the record distance travelled is more than 1,400 nautical miles (or for the land lubbers more than 2,600 km).

ORPHEUS ISLAND TO ZOE BAY AND CAPE RICHARDS

With the conditions improving and the forecast for light winds we made the decision to head up the outside (eastern side) of Hinchinbrook Island to Zoe Bay which was reputed to be one of the nicest bays on the east cost.

Weather was good enough for a sail up in company

It certainly did not disappoint. At the southern end of the beach is a path that takes you through the bush to a series of rock pools fed by an all year round waterfall.

 

 

Whilst Zoe Bay is a lovely place it is certainly not suitable for an overnight anchorage with the bay completely open to the swell. We headed to Cape Richards at the northern end of Hinchinbrook Island.

 

Went ashore to explore the remnants of the Cape Richards resort which was damaged by cyclone and then mysteriously caught fire.

 

 

It certainly would have been a great location, this is the view from the resort's beach

 

And of course the post ends with ABS

 

 



FANTOME ISLAND TO ORPHEUS ISLAND

From Fantome Island our next destination was Orpheus Island. Original plan was to anchor at Yanks Jetty but the SE wind and sell made it pretty unpleasant to we headed to Pioneer Bay which is also home to the marine research station from JCU (James Cook University).

With a few days of the same weather spent some time just relaxing with some drinks on the beach, a walk into the middle of the island and a trip to the research station to be shown around.

 

They even have a live webcam on the reef where you can watch the fish swimming around the coral (it is used for schools to have education on the reef)
https://www.jcu.edu.au/orpheus-island/discover

The bay is also the home to more than 3000 giant clams which were originally put there more than 30 years ago as part of a research PHD. We know this because we actually met the guy who started this when we are at the Cane Toad Races at the Arcadia Pub on magnetic island. At low tide you can drift your dinghy over the clams and see all the different colours as they are just below the surface.

 

 

FANTOME ISLAND

We departed early to go to Fantome Island which is also part of the Palm Island group. There was a settlement established on the island for residents of Palm Island who needed to be separated from the rest of the population due to various diseases. It was later turned into a leprosarium as the Queensland Govt worked out they could house aboriginal lepers on the island far cheaper than keeping them in Brisbane. Unbelievably it was only closed down in 1973 and the foundations remain (they burnt all the buildings)

 

 

 

As the island has a fringing reef ( a reef that surrounds the island) you have to anchor quite a way off and go ashore at high tide. We arrived as the tide was going out so had to leave quite quickly before we were stranded on the island

 

 

After raising the anchor at Fantome Island sailed to Orpheus Island to anchor in Pioneer Bay.

 

 

 

MAGNETIC ISLAND TO PALM ISLAND

Left Magnetic Island to sail to Palm Island which is an aboriginal settlement (well that is not how it started as it was where the Queensland Govt sent the aborigines who were not considered suitable to live on the mainland.

 

We anchored in Challenger Bay for the evening and enjoyed a spectacular sunset. Palm Island is reportedly one of the best locations in Queensland for sunsets.