After taking Bengie back to the vet, we have left Cairns and are slowly island and reef hopping south. Our southern migration has begun. It feels good to be on our way.
Although our stay in the Cairns region ended up being a little too long and somewhat restrictive because of the strong weather, we used the time as best we could: small bits of maintenance on us, the boat and Bengie, voting YES early in the referendum (for our overseas friends this is to approve a change to the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia), catching up with cruising buddies, and of course the obligatory visits to offshore reefs when the conditions allowed. But overall it was not how we had envisaged our time in Far North Queensland. Yet again, potential guests weren’t ready when we were, the weather was frustrating, and things dragged on. It was time to change gear and direction!
We left Cairns after Bengie was given the all-clear by the vet and her second dose of antibiotics. She is quite contented, enjoying her morning, afternoon, evening cuddles, and really any other time you sit down!
We left in southeasterlies. We could have waited for the elusive calm conditions to arrive, but we wanted to break the cycle of boredom that had settled and recover a degree of control over where to be and what to do. In our slightly obsessive weather observations, we noticed that if we were underway by Tuesday 10th, a lighter patch of weather with SE winds of 15 knots max as opposed to 25 would follow us. We would be in this little bubble of milder conditions motor-sailing south, while everywhere else was blowy and rainy. We could also see several days of reef window at the end of the week and wanted to be at a good dive spot then, not travelling during reef weather. It is important to have fun along the way!
Our island hops into light headwinds were a little tedious but not uncomfortable: to Fitzroy Island, Dunk, Garden (near Gould) and finally to the northern end of Hinchinbrook. We had to motor all the way but we are not purists! We managed a beach walk for our Bengie at Dunk Island, a short rainforest walk for us at Garden Island and we finally tackled the hike to Shepherd Bay at the northern end of Hinchinbrook Island which we had missed during our last visit. But we had to wait a few hours for the tide when we got back to the dinghy! Here is a glimpse of our last few days’ activities. Click on the first image in the gallery then arrow right. To see the captions, click on the ⓘ symbol.
And today as we post this, we are heading out to the reef until early next week, then we plan to call at Magnetic Island and Townsville when the wind picks up again. More on this in our next post.
Sv-Anui 
Very glad Bengie is ok & hope weather is kind for hop south
Hi Lindy, we are relieved too! We have 5 weeks to get down to Boat Works so should be ok.
Terrific to see Bengie is on the mend!!
Hope all else is well?!
Beautiful pictures Chris.
Happy travels!
Cheers
Waz
Thanks Waz, all good our end.
So glad you are moving and more so that Bengie-girl seems to have shrugged her problems off. Have just had some ‘weather’ pass us far too far south to ever reach you . . . must get myself to the cliffs above Wollongong a few weeks down the track to wave madly . . . 🙂 ! With so many of us firmly in the ‘YES camp am furious all the logic will go to waste!!! Even bought a political T-shirt for the first time in my life which I’ll stubbornly wear t’out summer !!!
Hiya Eha, logic does not seem to guide the referendum and respectful debate does not either! Still, we can only hope! I have been reading a fascinating but shocking book: Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe… truth telling in action. Next will be David Marr’s Killing for Country. Highly recommended even though hard to read.
We won’t be going past Wollongong till some time in December but sure to give you a yell when we get close!
Chris – Huge hugs and thanks for my next books to buy – Had meant to get ‘Dark Emu’ before. At the moment flattened by the tragedy in the Middle East . . . no easy answers there either if any . . .
Not a dissimilar cycle of invasion, destruction, appropriation and loss.
Hello Eha,
Yes has the best T-shirts!
I was listening to ABC Radio National this morning. In the Sunday Extra program, there was a 13 minute segment where the pollster Kos Samaras was interviewed by Geraldine Doogue. He provided a number of thoughts I found interesting on how the campaign for and against the Voice went, and the kinds of things that seem to be needed to achieve success in referenda. Perhaps you’d find it interesting too https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/saturdayextra/kos-samaras/102975424
Sat pm – thank you Murray – shall read! Obviously mistakes have been made . . . and that on both sides. To me this was such a ‘simple’ matter! Eha
A little later . . . thank you again – everyone should listen to this – in a very simple way it does explain . . . and, more than sadly I do accept . . . E
Thanks for the link, Murray, and yes it is interesting. I wish the Yes campaign had been handled a lot better.
I wish Mr Littleproud and Mr Dutton had chosen differently too.
Kos Samaras also tweeted yesterday “The best way to look at this is to just focus on who votes for it. There will be millions. Yes, not enough but still millions.” [ https://twitter.com/KosSamaras/status/1712788415169831241?t=9WGJcMr0FrW8r1TD8bNbZw&s=19 ]
I find some consolation in that, if (as seems likely) the constitution is not changed by today’s referendum.
I have read a lot over the past days – no one has put things as well in the one sentence . . . thank you, hoping you can find some peace on the ocean wave . . .
We wish you fair winds and following seas!
Hi Chris and Wade,
We really understand your desire to make the decision to start to head south and could identify with your reasoning and your dilemma. In a much smaller way we have been trying to make the decision to head south from Hamilton Island and have just set off today, heading south. Like you we have been waiting for a weather window after a week ( for us) of relentless and strong south easterlies, and now we seem to have one- or at least a break in the south easterlies. Heading from Lindeman to Brampton tomorrow, and then probably St Bees. Then, possibly will press on to Curlew, unless it looks like the south easterlies are back for a prolonged period.
As always , love your photos. Hope your journey south is pleasant, safe and relatively uneventful.
Meredith
Meredith & Brian! Great to get your comment! Reading this made us laugh… it certainly describes well the constant thinking back and forth – shall we… shan’t we… are we going a bit mad? It has been particularly difficult this year.
Did not realise you were on your boat and in the Whitsundays! Are you enjoying it?