For the third and last post in our August 2023 Coral Sea Series, we are making another hop to a different atoll to take advantage of the last days of calm weather. This time we sail to Flora Reef, 75nm NW of Flinders Reefs.

Passage to Flora Reef

We left from the top of East Ribbon Reef at North Flinders before 6am, for a passage under main and screecher. It was obvious as we dropped off the edge of the atoll: we went from 60m depth to multiple hundreds, the sounder gave up and the ocean swell picked up, making for a rock and rolly start to our sail. We were flying initially, but it did not last. The breeze was highly variable – sometimes 15-18 knots SE, other times below 5 and we had to turn an engine on for half the trip to ensure we’d get to the Flora lagoon in good light. We took the opportunity to top up our water tanks, making water underway when the port engine was on. Throughout the passage, the sea was lumpy as it generally is in the Coral Sea: short, sharp NE ocean swell which makes the boat roll and SE swell from the trade winds which makes it pitch. The motion is reminiscent of Bass Strait crossings! Only it is over 1000m deep here, not 50!

One thing we had not expected to have to do was boat maintenance underway! We had to check on our port escape hatch (or re-entry hatch as it is called) every 15 minutes. Would you believe it, it is leaking! We found puddles of water on the floor in the toilet… and no, it was not Bengie missing her litterbox. Guess who tasted it to be sure? No, not the skipper, the first mate!

We have ascertained that the drips are coming from the seal at the top of the hatch. Every time the waves or chop wash over the hatch, sea water dribbles in. You can see the drips on the top right hand side and the towel at the bottom to catch them!

As a temporary measure, we have to smear some silicone around it… but that means opening the hatch and we are not doing this underway! In fact we need totally calm waters because even small chop can splash up there and pour into the hull! And if our little vent in the bedroom was bad enough, a re-entry hatch failing is a major disaster which is why a few years ago we got our shipwright to make us an emergency cover – just in case! We are glad to say it did not come to that.

Wade did the temporary fix at Flora, then once back at the Boat Works we will deal with this properly. There is not a week when we are not mending something on this boat of ours! Does this count as maintenance in exotic places?

The Flora Lagoon

We averted sinking or flooding and reached Flora Reef by 5.00pm. This is a ring reef with a lagoon in the centre, named after the sailing ship Flora which frequented the area in the mid-1800s. The entrance to the lagoon is on the NW side of the reef through a narrow pass with depths of 8-10m. The lagoon has a beautiful white sandy bottom with an average depth of 12m.

Although the official anchorage is in the centre of the lagoon, we anchored at the southern end in 5 or 6m of water. You would think the reef wall which encircles nearly the entirety of the lagoon would offer great protection. However because the rim of the reef is narrow, conditions at high tide are choppy. We were walking around the boat like drunken sailors and if we roll on Anui, it’s bad! Here we were, thinking that we might stay for the two days of strong weather if it moderated afterwards! Having spent an uncomfortable night in only 5-8 knots of wind, we gave up on the idea of staying in 25! We have come to the conclusion that out in the Coral Sea, it is best to anchor at an atoll with an island to hide behind, to avoid swell and current and be well sheltered in stronger winds. Anchoring alongside a reef is the sure way to an unsettled stay.

The next day was sunny and calm – the last of the gorgeous conditions for a while, so we enjoyed our surroundings. While all was quiet, we sent the drone up. One of the challenges with taking aerial shots is conveying the vastness and scale of the seascapes. The only way is to have Anui in them, even if it means having her looking so tiny in the immensity that she is difficult to spot! We hope you get a sense of how large these atolls are. The other challenge is keeping a keen eye on the GPS when flying far from the boat, so you don’t become disorientated and have trouble finding your way home while the drone battery becomes dangerously low… don’t ask!

As usual we suited up for a snorkel at near low tide. Unfortunately yet again the Coral Sea offers us moments of wonder but also sad reminders of its state of health. We tried different spots: isolated bommies marked as a dive site, along the gutters…. It was all a mass of barren grey outcrops. But on the rare patches of coral fighting for survival, you could see interesting little critters, especially the Gobies and Damsels. You really had to make an effort to focus on the small gems or you’d feel disheartened. They provided a little bit of colour and visual relief from the greyness. Also interesting were the many Humpnose Unicornfish with their bulging protuberance on the front of their head, and a few Titan Triggerfish which always appear to be on a mission to get somewhere fast and as they are very territorial, we are not inclined to try and get close to them!

Return to shore

By Saturday morning the weather conditions were due to gain strength. The updated forecast showed 25 knot SE with gusts up to 30 and staying strong for as long as the 7-day forecast showed. It was time to head back inshore!

We made the decision to use the last of the calm conditions and head back west, leaving the protection of Flora Reef late Friday afternoon for an overnighter of 110nm. It was a gentle passage.

It did mean a motor part of the way, but it beats sailing in the dark with 30 knots on the beam and the sea state to boot!

We stepped back up onto the Continental Shelf at dawn, re-entering the Great Barrier Reef near Milln Reef and continuing on to Cape Grafton and Mission Bay, just southeast of Cairns. The wind was now brisk and the sail fast once inside the GBR. We thundered into the shallow bay and were anchored by 9.00am on Saturday, just in time for bacon and eggs!

This concludes our August escape to a few of the Coral Sea Atolls. It was a little short, but a week in the blue yonder is better than nothing. We had fun discovering new spots in the wilderness and we hope you too enjoyed virtually accompanying us on our adventure.

For those interested in reading about other Coral Sea atolls we visited last year, here are some links:

East Diamond Islet

Chilcott Islet

NE Herald Cay

SW Herald Cay

Holmes Reefs

What now?

We have refueled, topped up the food supplies and left Cairns to head … wait for it… south! Why? Where to? You’ll just have to read our Friday’s post!