Gladstone harbour won’t be the same without that blue boat featuring prominently for nine weeks. Anui has finally left the shipyard and migrating south in the company of Humpback Whales.
Monday 15 September was D day. D for dread, deliverance, departure… Dread because we were dreading the scary splash back, deliverance because we were released after 63 endless days, and departure… well because we finally got the hell out of there!
At low tide on our very last day on the slipway, our rudders were re-installed (no small feat, requiring some trimming of the bearings before the shafts would fit) and aligned (also fiddly). No longer rudderless, we then waited for near high tide to be lowered back in the water, this time all the way in so we could float off the cradle – another scary episode – and we returned to the jetty. Wade then spent a couple of hours scrubbing the boat, while Chris was on laundry duty. Coal and boatyard muck are horrible and coat everything. But by evening we were celebrating our cleanliness and freedom. Big shout out to the Port City Fabrications team who took good care of us. They say they’ll miss us, but to be frank, we hope not to see them again!
Bound for K’gari
We left Gladstone early on Tuesday and motored to the quaint coastal settlement of 1770, anchoring in the outer bay for the night. We did not want to come into the inlet which is a very tight, busy and shallow anchorage only accessible at high tide. But we were happy on our lonesome on the outside; no more harbour noise, no more coal dust, just some gentle swaying!
Then it was onto K’gari (Fraser Island) to spend a few days whale watching.
The calm, protected waters between Hervey Bay and K’gari provide a unique stopover for hundreds of humpback whales to rest, nurse their calves, and play before continuing their journey to Antarctica.
They practice diving, breaching, spy hopping, tail flapping … all this incredibly close to the anchored boats. Floating around with them at Rooney Point, watching the spectacle and getting serenaded by whale song is just what the doctor ordered!
On our first dawn at Rooney Point, at the northern end of Platypus Bay, we were treated to a pod slowly swimming past Anui. Their vocalisations and blows woke us up and we rushed out on deck. The magic of a glass out and the soft early morning light were such a delight. Click on the first image and arrow right to see each shot in full screen.
These are the first of what we hope will be many photo opportunities over the next few days. Looking at the weather forecast, we will be here for a few days, then will head south.
We even caught up with our friend Chris and his daughter Madeline on Outback Dreamer. Chris is an old paragliding friend of over 30 years and we had not seen him for several years.
More punishment in sight
If you are wondering why we are not returning to the Swain Reefs, or even to just the Capricorn & Bunker Group, it is because time is marching on. We are booked at … wait for it… the Boat Works in early October! Yap, as if we had not had enough mind-numbing time in a shipyard, we are hauling out again to have the topsides (the whites) painted because they have started to flake. The boat must be in a semi-enclosed shed for that process, so we booked this ages ago. It was not something we could get done while in Gladstone. We will also have the engines serviced and the bottom antifouled while we are on the hard stand. It’s a punishing few months we are having. We did not want the paintwork to deteriorate even more while Anui sits in a marina down in Victoria for a few months next year and we take a break from cruising – or should we say from boat maintenance!
But we have a couple more weeks before that, so enjoying our freedom.
Sv-Anui 
Oh my gosh! So many fabulous photos, Guys! Thanks for sharing them, I am so glad to see Anui back in her native habitat. The old saying is still true… A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money. Be well, you two! 😎🇦🇺
Thanks John, and yes the saying is true…
You’re welcome, enjoy the beauty!
Beautiful shots there Chris. The last sunset one is a stunner! Can feel & see the joy in this post. Enjoy!
Thanks Amanda, it’s good for the soul.
So glad you are up and running again, and fabulous whale shots. We had a great trip recently in and out of Cairns and really appreciated your information. Also we know about the coal dust at Gladstone. We were also stuck there ( well the boat was) for a few weeks about 3 years ago also with rudder trouble ( the Achilles heels of catamarans), but it did seem to clean off fairly easily. Hopefully once you are done with Boatworks we may see you on your journey further south.
Good to hear your reef hopping went well, Meredith. How did you find the coral? We’ll likely make a stop at Port M.
Coral was much better than we expected (and certainly better than further south).
We generally had good weather and a small window of about 4 days suitable for reef hopping (especially for the inexperienced like us).
We got to Sudbury Reef and Michaelmas Cay. Both had excellent visibility and coral looked to be in good condition off both the cays where we snorkelled. Michaelmas was busy during the mornings, as expected, but my daughter has become a very keen birdwatcher and she really enjoyed the birds (common noddies, brown boobies, frigatebirds and bridled terns all starting to nest there). We managed to get moorings at both locations, sharing Sudbury with a smallish superyacht that you can charter for $99,000 per week, which made us think we had excellent value and picking up the same mooring twice at Michaelmas after vacating it for a few hours (dont ask).
That sounds good! Glad you got to see decent underwater life as well as bird life.
We are heading to Indonesia (by plane) in a week, back on October 16 and then home for an extended period. Hopefully your trip further south will coincide with that.
It should. We are booked at TBW for 2 weeks from the 7th, but also have medical stuff to deal with 😞.
Great to hear you are finally heading South. Love your photos of the whales. Make sure you stop off Noosa Main Beach … a great anchorage in a SE wind.
Cheers Phil & Lindy
Thanks Phil, well overdue! Doubtful will stop at Noosa as will be coming down in a northerly. Big hugs to you and Lindy and a pat for Ella Bleu.
Great to read that you have been released & you have whales escorting you south. So you won’t be visiting Gladstone for a while.
Flaking paint yes good job getting onto that it can get away quite quickly as I have found & trying to address a slow restoration process.
Cheers
Mick & Lyn
Hi Mick & Lyn
Not a fan of Gladstone! But now enjoying a few days of freedom before the next instalment.
A late hello – took awhile but Mr Google was kind 🙂 ! Glad you are afloat. Love the photos and I always find your maps useful – the one today is teaching things I did not know! You can’t get away from the practical, can you with ‘The Boatworks’ ahead !!! All the best and enjoy the sailing in between . . .
So pleased you managed to see the post, Eha, with your computer problems. You are in our thoughts a lot. It has been a really special time here, not just because we are free at last, but also because nature has a way of delighting us and taking our minds away from boat and health concerns.
It was an absolute joy to see you both at Rooney Point. Spotting the passing whales was enjoyable as was the relaxed beach walk. Madeline will remember this catchup for years to come. Keep smiling and we will see you down south.
Chris
It’s always fun to arrive at an anchorage and see friends… especially after so long. Too short, but great to reconnect in person. See you again soon, Chris.
Amazing!