Colin and Dawn do the Loop: To Whitsunday Islands Queensland Australia Part 1

As our boat is sitting on the hard in Mobile, awaiting our return in February to continue our loop, here is a little on one of our trips up the coast of Queensland Australia.

This was our Second trip North in our 36ft Fairways Fly bridge Cruiser Blue Mist. Powered by a
single 240Hp Perkins Diesel, it was an economical engine using 11 litres Per hour (3 gallons) at 9 knots but capable of 16 Knots if needed. She would make a perfect Great Loop boat as it had good fuel and water capacity and only a draft of 3ft 3inchs. We started from our Marina at Hope Island on the Gold Coast, took the inland waterway to North Stradbroke Island to spend the night and wait for the weather to clear. We had been waiting 10 days for a break in the weather, as it is about 100 Nautical mile open water trip to Double Island point where we anchored overnight for an early morning trip over the notorious Wide Bay Bar at Inskip point. Enough chatting will let the photos tell most of the story.

After waiting out 20+ knots of wind
this is what we awoke to

Glassy sea , no wind.

Put the hammer down and on our way

Not great for sailboats

Anchorage for the night

Through the Mangroves of the Great Sandy Strait

Sunset Rosslyn Bay Marina

Maiden voyage of a self built cruiser, elderly owner
spent 7 years building this.

This is one special Grand Banks,38ft, one of 5 built to order
by the CIA, as spy boats in south America, the present owner
found it in New Zealand, restored it and motored across the Tasman
Sea to Australia, Her apt name, Shadow Trader.