We have left the Gold Coast. It was about time we got some vitamin sea! It feels so good: the wind in our sails, the air on our faces, the movement of the boat in the slightly choppy sea, the sense of freedom, the relief to reclaim our sea wanderers’ life at last! After four months in the Broadwater, we also feel a bit rusty! But regardless, we are taking you on our first cruise for the season… lots of photos to share.
We waited for the wind to pick up so we could sail instead of motor and escaped on Sunday. And since sailing buddies on Anapa had battery problems and could not leave, we opted to go the ocean way, and give Tangalooma a miss. We were much keener to sail than snorkel! And sailing we did: strong wind warning on Sunday, with 20 knots on our tail. The screecher was up early and it did not take long to catch up to Zenitude who had left an hour before us… a good opportunity for photos of each other’s vessel under sail. The sea was a bit lumpy but we did not care! We sailed all the way to Yellow Patch – Cape Moreton.
Double Island Point Lagoon
The next day was a spinnaker sail to Double Island Point. It was a long and slow passage with a lot less wind but the great thing about spinnaker runs is that they are cruisy once you have remembered how everything is set up!
We reached our destination just on dusk. There were 8 boats in the lagoon and three on the outside. We managed to go further in than usual. The sand spit appears to have lengthened toward the western beach and the navigable part of the lagoon seems slightly deeper but narrower than last year. What a gorgeous place to anchor in for a few days. It is a nice spot to socialise, go for a few walks and a paddle; even Bengie likes it and has a bit more spring in her step!
With a brilliant calm few days, the drone got an airing! From up high you can see how the boats congregate near the entrance. The further you go in, the shallower it gets. Anui is in 1.6m at low tide.
Chris was lamenting about how narrow a view the drone takes even when flown really high, until she thought: “I might have to make the drone hover, take a series of shots from left to right then stitch them together in Lightroom” as a panoramic. It worked – should have thought of that earlier! Here are the first attempts:
We left the lagoon and crossed the Wide Bay Bar yesterday afternoon and are now anchored at Inskip Point. The plan for the days ahead is to slowly cruise along the western shores of Fraser Island. Wade still has a medical consult scheduled, which requires reliable internet and phone coverage… so no dash out to the Reef until that is done!
Sv-Anui 
Thank you for your hospitality whilst we were in the Double Island Point Lagoon. Having met you and seen your magnificent floating home we now almost feel like part of your story.
Thank you Baz & Roz – nice to meet after all this time! See you further along the Sandy Straits.
What a treat and perfect timing to open and read this post.
Will have nearly 4 months on the hard here in Puerto Vallarta Mexico for rudder system rebuildand upgrade.
Was looking into how to get my body home, but your post cheered me up!
Hi Jeffrey – glad we have brought you a bit of light relief. Maintenance work is hard when it takes so long.
GREAT!! Have a wonderful passage, enjoy your trip! 🙂 👍
Thanks HJ. It is good to be on our way again!
Great looking weather at the lagoon!
It was fun, Trish, light southerly to start with, then a day of northerly and return to southerly yesterday… the proof the lagoon offers good all round protection.
It’s great to see you guys doing what you love again, be safe and well! Anui looks beautiful. 😎🌴🇦🇺
Hi John … a lot more fun than feeling stuck. The return to normal cruising life was overdue!
Great pics Chris … especially the drone shots! Panoramas worked so well. It’s always exciting to find a new trick with the camera. A
Hi Amanda, I was missing my wide angle lens on the SLR, but figured I could try stitching single shots. I later discovered you can do it in-camera with the drone with the latest software update, so I will try that too – less control over editing in post though!
It is so exciting to see you cruising in a way that is close to being “normal”–not full of worries about maintenance or covid-related issues. The varied colors of the water are spectacular, particularly in the wonderful panoramic shots that you were able to stitch together. Photoshop makes pano-production pretty easy and, in fact, I was using that same feature today. In my case, though, it was not beautiful landscapes, but was instead images of a large snake. As always, it was fun to see Bengie on dry land, enjoying a walk. My favorite photo might well be the one of the eastern end of the lagoon–there is something that really appeals to me about the curves of the sand and the placement of the three boats. Wow!
As usual, Mike, it is great to get your reactions to the post and images. I always look forward to your comment. The lagoon is spectacular and the colours change at different times of the day and weather conditions. We were amazed to see how blue the ocean was, after months of brown water on the Gold Coast, and how green the lagoon was.
Thanks, Chris. I think you know that many of us live vicariously through you and that we admire your courage in taking the risks that you do to like the kind of life that you choose to live. For most of my life I have tended to choose security over risk and that sort of comes with a cost. I am now at a point of my life where I don’t really care much about what others think–I am going to do what I am going to do and be who I am in the most authentic way that I can, without apologies. In some ways my blog is an expression of that attitude–it is pretty much an accurate reflection of who I am, how I think, and how I express myself.
I enjoy your blog too for the stunning wildlife photography and your reflections, Mike. Agreed that doing what we choose and living the life we want is what matters. When other people enjoy what we share it is a bonus!
Loved the pics. My favourites are of Bengie and the green water of the lagoon looking out to the blue of the sea. Have fun
Thanks Sue. It is nice to be able to take photos again. Glad you like them.
I love the Double Island Point Lagoon; didn’t know it existed ! Great shots too.
Enjoy the Great Sandy Straits with your relatively shallow draft; I’ve usually been hampered by a 2metre draft.
Hi Doug, the lagoon has only appeared last year and may not be there for long so we make the most of it while it lasts! The Sandy Straits can be tricky with the sand banks, tides and shallowness but they are peaceful and scenic.
The lagoon looks fantastic. Hope its still open when I get there. Preparing the boat for a coppercoat bottom job at present
Hi Graham- sure it will be for a while longer… when are you hoping to head off and where to?