20th October
It was also the site of the demise of Lyndal’s waterproof camera. Ed had decided a water level photo of Suzanne in Pearl Bay would be very artistic so swam out with the camera. Unknown to both of us the side battery hatch was not completely sealed – result: one kaput camera and no artistic photo! Fortunately a very helpful bloke at Hervey Norman Gladstone was able to extract all the previous photos on the camera card, which we thought had been lost.
With the surge coming in round the point it would have been an uncomfortable night there so, ever the optimists and hoping conditions might have eased a bit, we headed out at 1200 only to find the sea the same if not more so. Suzanne battled her way down to Port Clinton – a very long hour. This time the chair Jon was sitting in went over the other way (a first) though this time he was unhurt, only stranded upside down. Have decided that the chairs are (a) very strong and (b) lethal in heavy weather – and Jon has now had his third incidence and should be fine from now on.
We got in to the southern arm of the harbour bit after 1.00 and dropped anchor at 1.30 in a beautiful sheltered spot.
We had a very pleasant afternoon exploring our part of the harbour in the dinghy. This was an unexpected paradise which we would never have discovered where it not for the weather. There were birds everywhere – enough to excite any bird watcher – and plenty of turtles and fish.
Looking west over Port Clinton with the south arm on the left
At first we thought the turtle was dead but on closer inspection found it was alive but had an injured flipper and was obviously taking time out to recover. Apparently when turtles are mating, rival males try to unseat the incumbent male by biting his flipper and trying to drag him off. There were amorous turtles in the water, including a couple in a very interesting position. Unfortunately with only our i-phones to take photos (and extremely reluctant to risk them) we got no photos to share.
We found a beautiful bit of beach and rock to walk on – all in all it was quite idyllic and a continuation of the theme of our progress south: fairly hard days of cruising followed by beautiful and wild remote anchorages.
21st October
The forecast was for light winds (finally!) and we had a deadline: Jon had a flight booked from Rockhampton and the airport minibus was leaving Keppel Bay Marina at 11.30. So it was early start again and we had the anchor coming up in the “picaninny light” of pre-dawn. We headed out of Port Clinton into the dawn of a pleasant day – it takes a bit of self urging but the dawn starts are worth the effort and quite delightful.
We had a good run down to Keppel Bay and tied up at 10.30. Breakfast together at the very nice little Marina restaurant and then we saw Jon off on the bus looking very relaxed after his adventures in the wilds of the Queensland coast.
The south-easterly was getting up again the next day so we cancelled our plan to stay in the marina overnight. Our plan to catch up with Richard and Libby Wilson (the owners of the marina) seemed doomed as far as 2017 was concerned. We headed out of the marina at 12.30 and on to the Narrows behind Curtis Island where we anchored just short of The Crossing about 4.00pm to await the next morning’s high tide. A very peaceful spot being in the midst of thousands of hectares of mangroves means only one thing: midge and mossie paradise! So it was bring out the mossie coils and batten the hatches. We had so many mossie coils burning round the decks we looked like our own private smoking ceremony.
22nd -23rd October
The mornings high tide was 10.50am, so a leisurely start was in order for the first time for many days. It was spring tide so we had plenty of water over the crossing – one of the few places outside Moreton Bay where we feel 2 meters under the keel is “plenty of water”. We started the anchor up at 10.00 and crossed at 10.30.
A pleasant run down through the sheltered Narrows
and into busy Gladstone Harbour followed and we tied up in the marina at 12.30.
We had a busy afternoon with Lyndal taking over the laundromat, where luckily being Sunday afternoon every machine was vacant, and Ed washing down and filling water tanks on the Suzanne and also picking up a hire car. In the evening we had a nice reef fish dinner at the Yacht Club.
In the morning the diesel fitters from GMM arrived to service our main engines as they did last year. Keiran, the son, eyed the generator with horror and suggested we think of replacing it. He is very taken with the Volvo engines and thinks the generator is a total eyesore! He told us he could make our engine room look truly beautiful – not an adjective you usually hear to describe engine rooms! His father, on the other hand, is of the old school and thinks ‘if it aint broke leave it alone’
It was re-supply time to get ready for Sandra and Tim’s arrival a few days ahead – and of course we can’t stop at any town without visiting Bunning’s and Dan Murphy’s. We also acquired a couple of replacement waterproof cameras. All in all it was a busy day but we managed to fit in a very nice lunch at The Dock followed up by the mandatory gelato. Unfortunately we were running short of time to get the car back so Ed was not able to order the Donut Stack topped with Gelato and accompanied by a syringe of Nutella, which he lusted after – sigh – maybe next time.
We had to make do with donuts to take away!!
Supplies stored and cabins readied for the next occupants it was time for bed to ready ourselves for tomorrow and the trip to Pancake Creek