Hinchinbrook Island cruise (trip #17), road trip & Dungeness (Day 1)

Thursday 24 Sept 2020.

 A long awaited trip to Hinchinbrook Island was finally possible. The Island is a large continental Island National Park located between Lucinda and Cardwell. It is uninhabited with no permanent buildings, except for a few camping grounds which hikers and boaters can pitch a tent. The Island is about 35 km long N_S and 25 km wide up at the northern end. Yet it's "hidden" between Townsville and Cairns on a beautiful stretch of wet-tropical coastline. Small farming or forestry towns are dotted along the coastal fringe, backed by world heritage listed rain-forested mountains.  Boating is mostly done in the  Hinchinbrook channel near Lucinda (Dungeness) or Missionary Bay at the north end (from Cardwell) but when the weather is right some boats visit the east coast or nip-out to the great barrier reef. 

It was to be Teria's biggest cruise to date. It's about 140 kilometers by sea to go around the whole Island, and having never done it before estimated it may take 7 days. My 1980's copy of "Cruising the Coral coast" by Alan Lucas helped trip planning. 

I packed 42 litres of petrol and 60 litres of fresh water, as well as 10 days of food supply aboard. (26 litre icebox for first 2 days, then dried and tinned food after) It was probably overkill, but the boat could carry it and better to be safe than run short miles from anywhere.

water supply

Fuel supply

The other supply and camp gear items were also checked over. Stove/fuel/matches, cutlery and dishes, insect control, sunscreen and protective clothing, batteries and chargers, Navigation, toilet gear, safety gear..the list is long and even one critical item left out could make a huge difference or wreck the trip.

Hinchinbrook Island region

After final preparations, the ute with Teria on trailer, departed at 11.30 am. The road trip from Townsville to Dungeness harbour is about 140 km's. Holiday traffic and Highway roadworks south of Ingham cause some delay. Turned off  onto a quiet local road and was soon at the boat ramp at Dungeness, the southern gateway to Hinchinbrook Island (and Palm Islands).

Although the 4 ramp lanes were busy with speed boats, there was still no hassle at the generous rigging up lane near the park and ramps. Once rigged i waited until there was a lull in the ramp traffic and backed Teria into the sea. The boat slid off and was tied to the floating pontoon dock at the side of the ramp, while the ute was parked among the many trailer rigs. The car-boat trailer park is huge, with plenty of overflow unmarked dirt parking space as well, but found a sealed park up the back. 

Dungeness, boat rigging lane

Dungeness is well facilitated - Pubs, convenience store, boating resorts with docks, public toilets and bait/tackle/ice shops. Charter boat companies operate from here - renting fishing boats, houseboats and water taxis to take hikers over to Hinchinbrook Island.  

It was 3pm as Teria left the dock. Bit like a beached seal entering the sea, slow and ungainly on land ,, then comfortable in it's true element again. The conditions looked too rough outside the river entrance with a 25 knot Sou'Easter  kicking up a nasty looking chop. So best to anchor in the sheltered estuary for the night and depart early to get clear of the port before the daily seabreeze stirred it up too much.

Motored upstream, past many moored vessels and found an open patch to anchor. Re-heat dinner and make a cuppa on the Trangia stove and get a good nights rest in calm waters. 

Anchored in Enterprise channel, Dungeness

Sunset over Cardwell ranges

Cabin, fore-peak well stocked. Pop-top in "dodger" position.

But a navigation error became apparent at 10.30 pm when the keel grounded as the tide fell.  Teria slowly tilted over, so had to place everything that could fall over or move on the low side.  We were bilge-on sandbank by midnight. Investigators sit at 30 degrees heel when dried out. This might not sound allot but it's fairly uncomfortable and slow to move around. Found the anchor with a small search light, safely away from the hull, so got some sleep as she rose up imperceptibly with the incoming tide (about 2.4 m  or 8 ft range that night, its floor to ceiling height in a house).

A level seat..

30 degrees heel, dried out.

1:150,000 scale chart of Lucinda

Chartlet in CCC (that i didn't look at when anchoring, the sandbank is well indicated)

The phone alarm clock rang at 4 am, floating free with one hour before high tide turning, so motored off and anchored in the deep Chanel area, between moored vessels to get more sleep.

I had forgotten to pack my 1:50,000 scale chart and the GPS aboard was for hiking (with no marine charts loaded). The 1:150,000 scale chart aboard didn't have enough detail. Tiredness from the road trip etc (and being too blase' as anchored here before) could also have been factors.

Anyway this incident was enough motivation, to vow to become more diligent at navigation in future to avoid tidal strandings or worse. Have the correct scale and detailed marine chart of area aboard. Also a marine GPS and electronic depth sounder (to check depths when anchoring) were on the wish list.

This was a good place for the lesson, in a sheltered river on a soft sandbank..far better than an offshore coral head or rocky reef. Also as it occurred overnight meant no sailing time was lost.

Magnetic Island (trip # 16) Day 4

Up early for a cuppa, then sailed off quietly across Horseshoe Bay and headed westward along the North coast of Magnetic Island.

This coast is nearly all National Park, there were no boats or people to be seen and mobile signal was cut off. It seemed a world away so nick-named it "The far side" (more like the far side of the moon where radio signals are lost, not the cartoon) . I've never really explored this coast before, just sailed past a few times at a distance so the Investigator was living up to its name at last.

Sailing out of Horseshoe Bay

Broad reached before a strong SSE then rounded the first headland, to be met by calms and strong bullets of headwind. So furled the jib, motored into Maud Bay on a high tide to temporarily anchor in order to reef the sails down. One slab reef in the main and change to the smaller No 2 jib. Expected strong headwinds on the final leg to Townsville, but being solo it's better to reduce sail area early in a nice calm bay rather than out in rough conditions later on.

Motored off in the sheltered lee of the tall hills. Norris bay was moderately exposed and had a fair shore break happening, fair weather place only.

Continued on and anchored in Wilson Bay. It's very small with rocky headlands each side and had a 90 m long nice sandy beach (but looks allot smaller than that!). It was much better protected from swells, so had lunch and admired the scenery. The shore break was small, a good place to go ashore.

Wilson Bay

Wilson Bay (Maud and Norris bays behind)

Huntingfeild Bay was a bit like Norris bay, more open and exposed so more shore break at the beach. The eastern end of the beach was calmest. It's the last bay in the Northern coast bays (and beaches) of the Island.

Home made tiller brake

The home-made tiller brake system worked well. Picked the general idea up from Paul Mullin's, a leading member of a Facebook group called "Dinghy Cruising NZ", (thanks Paul!). Run a line between the side rails under the tiller and it's tensioned by two sliding hitches. Then a 6mm shock cord is clove hitched around the tiller and line, and its tension can be adjusted too. Very handy for fore-deck tasks like anchoring or dropping the sails etc. It also allows the boat to self-steer awhile when close hauled or beam reaching. So other things like navigation can be done while sailing along.

Huntingfield Bay

Rounded "Liver Point" which stands out having a different smoother rocktype that hardly supports any vegetation. (Most of the Island is a Granite which weathers into large well rounded boulders, allowing plenty of spaces for trees to take root)

Liver point

Rollingstone Bay takes up most of the 1 nautical mile of the NW coast, the shore is a rugged rocky one without any beaches. A few small aluminium "tinnies" were anchored there for rod-fishing in it's calm lee. Approaching West Point, I spotted a Hartley TS16 sailing around from Townsville. It was the only other trailer sailer i saw in 4 days. I think they knew how to avoid difficult seas by going clockwise around the Island. Sail down wind with the strong SE'er in the semi-sheltered waters of the channel (1-2' waves) then motor eastwards along the sheltered far-side to Horseshoe Bay perhaps was their plan. 

I usually go anti-clockwise around Magnetic Island, with the idea to get plenty of wind  across the open windward east shore..but its often quite rough up to 6-7' waves out that side on a 25 knot wind day. Might try the Hartley's route next trip if the winds are strong. Their boat was a very nice traditional wooden one with a seagull outboard, varnished wooden cabin and a red ensign on a small flag pole aft. It's allot lighter weight than an Investigator with a steel center-plate and crew weight is needed to hold it upright.  Shallow draft makes it easy to beach and get ashore.

Hartley TS 16

Rounding west point, the 20-25 knot SE'er hit hard on the nose. I soon anchored off the beach there, to distribute some heavy weight further aft for the windward bash home. Moved the heavy anchor and chain from the anchor locker, right aft to the cockpit transom area. Also moved a couple of 10 litre water containers to the aft end of the cabin. With the bow much lighter and buoyant Teria was better at lifting over and parting the relentless seas in the strong head wind. Donned full wet weather gear and adapter-cap on as the spray was soon flying sub-horizontally back into the cockpit.

Weight aft to lift bow

Adapter cap

strong headwind motoring inside channel

The trusty Tohatsu sailpro 6 pushed Teria into it at 2.5 to 2.8 knots, a comfortable speed in the conditions. Stayed close to the reef flat as the wave height was reduced by this barrier.  Had the centerboard down for depth sounding. just as well, as it started hitting the coral/sand bottom so slowed down, did a 90 degree turn and went out to deeper water before resuming course.  

Motored into it for what seemed like ages before setting course for the Casino (landmark for the Duckpond) Passed the western navigation beacon pole of middle reef to port. Finally gained enough upwind ground under motor, so unfurled sails and could lay the Marina end of strand close hauled on port tack . It was a hard pressed sail across the bay, eased the main and luffed up a bit in gusts.

Motor-sailed into the Duckpond (jib furled) mid afternoon, to drop anchor and main. Was a bit weary after that heavy bash, so rested and had a nice cuppa coffee water and food sustenance. Some sea water had leaked below, no-where as bad as the last time i bashed into 25-30 knot headwinds, as allot of windows etc had been silicone sealed since then. but suspect some got under the unsealed hatch coamings but only the windward side bunk and gear got wet. So had a few things out drying in the sun and breeze..(Put allot of items into zip-lock plastic bags, also makes a difference if hatches leak)

Drying out and resting at Duckpond

Revived by 4 pm so sailed on tacking upwind for Ross River,  the wind still 20-25 knots with knarly 2' seas. Less spray flies over when sailing compared to motoring, as the heeling raises the windward gunwale and free board allot. Spray just shoots over the bow and foredecks.

One yacht came out for the Yacht clubs Wednesday night social race. Followed them for awhile, a 30-35 ft modern design with mylar mainsail. They had no competition but a nice sail. 

Tacked and could lay Ross River Entrance on port tack. This leg took about 2 hours (compared with a 20 minute calm morning motor) but it was satisfying sailing it.

Kept about 100m to windward of the Ross River channel rockwall, close to the red port Nav beacons (no need for road rules, no other boats, too rough) Had an incoming tidal flow, which flattened the waves and helped speed, so could broad reach in under the reefed mainsail and anchor in the flat water behind the sand spit just as the sun was setting.

A hot cuppa, before derigging the mast and washing the decks with excess water (took 38 litres out and used half up). 

Mast down..

..to get under this bridge

Motored back to the Boat Park after dark but safe in sheltered waters with plenty of shore lights and nav lights around. Tied up at the well lit pontoon around 7.30 pm.

The Haulout onto the "new trailer" was a breeze. Teria floated about 1/2 way on and an easy angle to winch up about 2.5 m without tilt function.  The modified trailer is it's a great improvement on the original setup.

Track around Magnetic Island. (Blue = day 1, Red = day 2,  Yellow = day 4)

Magnetic Island (trip #16), Days 2-3, Horseshoe Bay

 A cool mid winters morning of...11 deg C caused this acclimated tropics dweller to rug up with a beanie, jacket etc. Sleeping on expanding foam filled flotation tanks 6"- 15" thick is also like a very thick thermal mat, 

Around 8 am a 5-10 knot SSE sea breeze came in, so sailed off the anchor and could lay course for Cape Cleveland. Crossed the shipping channel doing 2-3knots as a huge bulk concentrate carrier with 2 tugboats was inbound. They first appear to be going very slowly, with almost no bow wave, but this is an illusion and half way across the channel with 5 knots of breeze (doing 2-3 knots) realized the floating monolith was closing fast (at 5-10 knots?) got an extra wind gust to get clear (was thinking about the iron tops'l a bit!) (So lesson learnt, next time better to sail the other way for 10 minutes and wait for them to pass safely) 

Set the drifter which pulled Teria along at 5.5 knots, hull speed. Was overtaken by a 40 ft ish cruiser-racer doing about 6-7 knots heading for Cape Cleveland and maybe south onto Bowen?. She look brilliant under sail. 

Held the drifter for 15 minutes before the wind increased to 15 knots,  The wind then slowly backed to the SE then E as is usual, but unusually it abated to 5-10 knots offshore (forecast 15-20 kts) . The 2 ft waves had a 1 foot cross set, producing a bumpy confused sea with allot of sail slap, spilling all the wind, mainly from the jib. But had already gained plenty of easting sea room (thanks to early SSE land breeze) and could bear off and set the whisker pole for a broad reach for NE point, Magnetic Island.

The whisker pole stabilized the jib, allowing it to draw nicely. It worked perfectly. It also helped stabilize the main sail. (Previously the pole had a broken end fitting so never used it. These fittings cost about $80, so never repaired it. But before this trip tried a shoestring repair/hack..a plug of free wood and a 6" galvanized nail to go into the clew cringle. (Figured the wood might isolate the nail from aluminium pole? experiment on)

Whisker pole and kayak deck storage at sea, heading for NE point (Orchid rocks), Magnetic island

The iron tops'l was used from off Florance bay onwards, to round NE point as the wind abated running before it. The waves kept us rolling about though.

Dropped anchor in Radical bay for a lunch break. A 40ft yacht was tucked in close to the headland and beach. so i anchored a bit further along. Did some rig maintenance, sprayed the sticking sail luff slides with RP47 spray, which fixed it and was easy to haul the main up. Teria rolled around uncomfortably in the swell, so motored off after only about 20 mins there. It's probably not a good bay for a TS overnight stay as a bit exposed to the Easterly swells.

Lunch stop at Radical bay

The headland for Balding Bay

Motor-sailed around to Horseshoe Bay to anchor. . It's nearly always a calm place to TS camp aboard for a night. The cruising fraternity definitely agree. Was next to Maxim 380 cat "RePoRava" and  Ketch "Saleisi". Many fine vessels were peacefully sitting on their anchor, about 30 or so. Some were reef cruising cats , others were salty world cruisers. I've never seen this anchorage so full before.

Anchored near the beach with the shoal draft catamarans

Moonrise

Anchor lights

Avian neighbors night roost

World cruisers

Landing area

Beach and Bay

Waterfront

Paddled ashore in the kayak, not far from the bus stop and waterfront shops. Washed a bit of salt off at the public amenities and stretched the sea legs out on the beach a bit. It was quiet on the beach. Watched the sun getting low, and checked in with home base before dusk.

Next day, Tues 7th July, saw strong 25 knot SE winds blowing, so it wasn't hard to stay an extra day. Took the kayak on a longer paddle around the bay, and there were more tourists, some also out on hire kayaks. Had to hug the shoreline to stay out of the stiff breeze getting through between the hills.

The fresh breeze never interrupted "Big Mama's" schedule, She's a family run large charter ketch that does day sailing trips out of horseshoe bay. All the other yachts remained anchored.

Ashore there was a few more people out.  Evidence of Qld's SARS-cov2 health regulations everywhere. The pub's sidewalk seating was occupied (but no standing up allowed) Businesses had social distancing (1.2 m) stickers on the ground etc,  al-fresco footpath outdoor (no indoor) dinning permitted. Opted for burger and chips and went to a beach side table at the lifesavers and swimming stinger net area. Even though the official virus count was zero in Townsville area, travel was back to "go anywhere in the state" and there was a few dozen or so of known (and isolated) active cases mainly around Brisbane - Gold coast area. Wearing of face masks was deemed not necessary by health authorities (except in confined public spaces, like public transport, at your own discretion)  I don't go anywhere public without the pocket sized hand sanitizer handy and use it after any shop transaction. 

World cruisers and a sunbeam

Kayaking - The anchorage is in the eastern corner of bay

Big Mama sets sail

Low tide - Teria anchored (small yacht on right side)

 

Magnetic Island (trip #16), July 2020, day 1

 2020, the Covid 19 epidemic shut down most of our outdoor activities in Queensland from about Feburary to May (first wave). International and State border restrictions plus other measures such as, closing shops, stopping large crowd gatherings, quarantining, isolating, heavy testing and contact tracing have bought the active cases down to a handful (in isolation) for a population of 5 million people. The far North's geographical isolation, low population density and outdoor lifestyle helped us further.

The boat ramps and National Parks reopened. So a few weeks later it was safe to venture out again.

Final preparations - Testing the river motoring mast raise crutch, outboard run and recharging 12v battery.

Checking weather forecast and tides

So on Sunday 5th July Teria was back in the sea for a 4 day cruise to Magnetic Island.

This time launched at the recently built $25m Townsville recreational boat park for the first time. The rebuilt modified trailer operated very smoothly. It went in far deeper than before so the boat almost floated off, the keel rollers turned easily and the winch had to be used in reverse, to lower the boat down gradually.! (a far cry from the energetic pushing and shoving when it was stuck fast on the old trailer every trip)

Ross River Recreational Boating Park (RRRBP)

Launching Teria - she almost floats off now

The ramps have center-line floating pontoon docks and ramp gradient was perhaps a bit steeper than the old ramp. There was a choice of 4 pontoon/ramps (each with 4 lanes! so 16 ramp lanes..only a few boat there) so chose one that was sheltered with room to maneuver away)

Soon  Teria was doing test runs of the new motor, up and down the Ross River with my daughter and her friends aboard. It cruised at 5 knots with about half throttle of the 6 HP available. After they were driven home by my wife, i head off for another solo trip.

Dropped the crew off at Pontoon B, there are 4 floating pontoons for 16 ramp lanes. Plus another floating dock behind Pontoon B for crew and gear transfer.

The anchorage seemed to be unusually full, so decided to anchor the night around at the Duckpond a couple of miles away. Teria was rigged up outside the Port Bridge and motor-sailed out into abating 15 knot head winds with an outgoing tide standing the waves up sharply. 

Route from RRRBP (ramp) , under port bridge, mast rigging area. Note red line shows new rockwall under construction

Passed a marine construction site for the Port of Townsville. Large excavators and trucks were adding tonnes of rock to a new break wall extension at the mouth of Ross river. They were about 100 plus meters out from the SE corner of the ports last reclaimed land. The rockwall level was still quite low, just surfacing at low tide, so at higher tide a bottom holing temporary artificial reef would be there. The channel is well marked so basically don't try to cut that corner for a few months (and update charts etc)! Its the beginning of a huge port land expansion project to seaward of the existing wall.

The wind kept dropping under 5 knots but a very uncomfortable lumpy confused sea  caused by rebound off the ports breakwall made the sails slat around badly. So furled and motored on easily, the sailboat propeller at the end of the deep ultra-long shaft works brilliantly in bad conditions like this.

"The Duckpond" is a great overnight anchorage, it is used by live-aboard cruising yachts and motor-launches etc with cheaper mooring rates than the 2 marinas nearby. The sea surface in there is usually dead flat (hence the nickname), and there's almost no powerboat wake, so a trailer sailer won't have any rolling to disturb cooking dinner or a nights sleep. (No ducks, but plenty of seagulls screeching on the breakwall) 

 Moonset over "Duck Pond" Townsville