Off to Airlie

Monday 31^st August 2015

It looks like another great day coming with a lovely sunrise. We pull up our anchor at 7.30 am, and motor through the Gloucester Channel at mid tide, with plenty of water under our keel.

Carole navigates us through the channel 

One of the channel markers is a perfect place for an eagles nest

We leave Shag Islet and the remaining boats still at anchor as we head through the channel

The incoming tide provides up with a boost of 1.5 to 2 knots so we get through the channel in good time and head out past Saddleback Island, before turning further South on our way to Airlie Beach.

No prize for why they call it Saddleback Island

The wind is variable 0-10 knots, so we do not bother to raise a sail, but keep on motoring taking full advantage of the favourable current. The breeze was mostly on the nose throughout our trip.

Several boats left at the same time as us and there was a bit of traffic through the channel, all in our direction, but directions quickly diverged once through, with some boats going out to the islands, and others heading to Airlie, like us.

Once we rounded Grimstone Point, and into Pioneer Bay, the breeze picked up to around 10 knots on a more consistent basis, but we were almost home so motored on. When we called the marina to get our berth allocation, we were advised that our berth was not yet ready, so we effectively had to waste an hour. Up went the headsail, and we had a relaxing sail around Pioneer Bay until our berth was available. We were tied up by midday, and after lunch, had to attend to the normal marina jobs. Carole put the laundry on, we had the gas bottle filled and I repaired a leak in the dinghy that was causing one side to deflate.

We met up with many of the people we have seen along our way as everyone seems to have gravitated here after Shaggers, or other cruising, for a few days reprovisioning etc before heading back out again.

We caught up with Steve and Kim from Wilparina, and Bill from Our Dream for dinner. It was good to catch up with them again and I am sure we will see more of each other in the next month or so.