Sailed/motored out of Horseshoe Bay at 9am. Broadreached at 3 knots to "white rock", then motored along the north coast of Magnetic Island to Huntingfield bay.
It was the first time to anchor at this absolutely beautiful pristine location. It's part of the National park which covers over half of the Island.
Dropped the main anchor onto a 15ft deep sandy bottom. Removed the rudder for it's own protection (not a kickup type). Put a stern anchor out up the beach, and adjusted the anchor chain and stern rode to keep Teria just clear of the shore break. It was about waist deep water to go ashore.
It was good to be able to chill out away from civilization for awhile. There is no mobile signal on Maggy's north coast and there were no people within kilometers or even any sign of passing boats or watercraft. So it felt reassuring to carry the handheld 2-way VHF radio and PLB (emergency satellite beacon) ashore with me.
The tide was fairly low, and rock oysters were exposed and the sea looked crystal clear. There was a small lagoon/creek behind the beach dune. Rugged vegetated unpassable steep granite boulder hills rose all around the bay. I don't think there is any land track in. There were no other footprints below the high tide mark and only a small stone firepit indicated that some humans had been here quite some time before.
Around 1pm a light wind began to blow in from the north. So up anchored and motored along the coastline, past Liver Point and Rollingstone Bay.
The wind increased to 10-15 knots from the NNW, so raised full sail and raced along at a good clip on starboard tack. This wind wasn't forecast but was more than welcome. Teria soon passed Bay Rock, a few miles off Maggy Island. We kept going with the bow pointed towards Rattlesnake Island in the distance. This was the furthest north i'd ever sailed out of Townsville.
However the time was mid afternoon, so gybed about and headed back for Townsville about 3 hours away. It was a good run downwind to Cape Palleranda. Had to stay clear of the Capes' northern shoals and avoid Magnetic Islands' wind shadow as well.
Sailed in near Palleranda beach, then the wind changed direction from ~ NW to ~ NE. This may be due to Magnetic Islands geography, bending the winds around opposing coastlines. Teria close reached on port tack and anchored at the Duckpond in time for a golden red sunset.
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