Captain G and Mr K go up the Great Sandy Straits

A quick update on the whereabouts of Captain G and his crewman, Mr K, aboard the good ship Southern Belle.

After a really rainy weekend the intrepid two pulled out of Mooloolaba Marina on Monday night at 10:00pm ... Destination - The infamous Wide Bay Bar and the Entrance to the Great Sandy Straits. 

It rained or drizzled most of the night and blew a steady 5-10 knot cold northerly breeze which meant they had to motor the whole 10 hours.  The journey up was uneventful but, as happens on rainy moonless nights, it proved to be long and tiring.   A requirement to travel over the bar only at high tide meant they had to leave at night to be in place and ready to make the manoeuvre on the incoming tide.  All was successful and they crossed at 8:20 am.  The report on the phone that morning was, "It was easy!  Good conditions but the breaking waves made it a bit uncomfortable once we were in the inside channel.  But all good, don't know what all the fuss was about."  That comment had me reminding him, "Don't be cocky!  We have to come back that way."

The Great Sandy Strait is a body of water running 70 miles between the Australian mainland and the world heritage listed - largest sand island in the world - Fraser Island.  The scenery is supposed to be spectacular...as you can see from these photos.  (Since Captain G still hasn't sent me any photos - and I'm still having to vicariously enjoy this trip from the confines of home and my broken foot - here are some I lifted from Flickr.)

Fraser Island and one of the many anchorages on the Great Sandy Strait.

Southern Belle caught up with her sister ship - Sabatical II, with Greg and Heidi aboard - along the route from the entrance up to Garry's Anchorage and SB followed them in to anchor for the night.  I've read before that this is a pretty spectacular place ... as you can see from the photo below.  The only problems they had were mosquitoes and sand flies trying to eat them alive when they went ashore for a look.  Luckily we were forewarned about the insects during one of the seminars at the yacht club so Captain G was ready with everything on the boat to keep them off them and the boat.

Garry's Anchorage at sunset - From Flickr

Mr K caught a fish off the back of the boat but when I asked what kind he just said, "small".  So it went back to live and grow for another day.  He also almost "caught" a mud crab that had just decided to hold on to the line on the way out of the water.  Unfortunately, for the hungry sailors, once he - the crab - saw daylight and the men peering hungrily at him he let go of the line.  Dinner was steak that night.

Today they upped anchor and travelled up the Strait to the Kingfisher Resort - the only resort on Fraser Island.  This afternoon - again once the constant rain squalls pass - they are planning to go ashore for  swim in the resort pool and a few cold ones in the bar.

Jetty leading up to the resort.  From Flickr

Kingfisher Resort through the trees.  From Flickr

Tomorrow the adventurers will be off to somewhere in Hervey Bay, I guess.  Mr K has to fly back to Sydney on Saturday so they will be in Bundaberg by Friday of this week.  The next yacht club rendezvous is Saturday at the Bundaberg Marina. 

My next x-ray and doctor appt is June19 and - regardless of the outcome - I'm planning to meet Captain and get back on board Southern Belle by June 22!!!