The 7th Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club Rendezvous took place at Montes Reef resort and Cape Gloucester Resort from the 24th to the 28th August. “Four days and three nights of riotous fun and frivolity in aid of prostate cancer awareness and research”
View from Esprit
Esprit anchored amongst about 150 yachts in the Gloucester passage for this event, which is an endurance event for livers. Day 1 was the meet and greet event at Montes reef resort with music by “Rocket Source 3”. Dancing barefoot on a makeshift dance floor and the beach was a good workout for the baby boomers. We were able to catch up with old sailing friends and meet new ones, exchanging ideas about the best weather to sail into the Pacific.
Rocket Source 3
Sunset at the meet and greet.
Day 2 started with Tai Chi on the beach, which we missed because of hangovers. Morning tea at 10am on one of the neighbouring yachts allowed us sufficient recovery to attend the iconic Shag Islet Party at 12 pm. After meeting more new sailing friends, we retired for a Nanna nap from 3 to 4pm to be fresh for the entertainment at Montes from 4:30pm by “Rhino and the rock wallabies”. We threw caution to the wind and had an early night!
Shaggers
Kite flyers
View from the hill
The DJ’s of Radio Coconut
Day 3 and we made it to the Tai Chi. This was followed by the “Hands across the Blue” raft up in the shape of the prostate cancer foundation of Australia logo. At 5pm we all assembled for the aerial rendezvous group photo on the beach, before the “Parrot Head” party with music by the “Barbary Coasters”. Dinner was a seafood basket of fish, calamari, prawns, scallops and chips, followed by the Quantum sails fireworks display.
Day 4 and we dressed up for the “Pirates parley” and farewell at the Cape Gloucester resort. A traditional roast lunch was served as we eased into a relaxed Sunday afternoon. It was hard to say goodbye to new friends made at this event, but we were already planning to meet up soon in different locations. We reluctantly packed up and on Monday headed off to Bowen marina about a two-hour sail to the North. This is where Esprit will stay for the next two months, while we travel to the UK, Europe and Cambodia, before continuing on with the next leg of our sailing. Stay tuned!
Karen arrived at Hamilton island airport on Monday the 15th August, after running the City to Surf on Sunday. She spent 5 days with us for R&R before her upcoming interviews for orthopaedic placement and her surgical primary exams.
Is this child getting taller, or am I getting shorter?
The weather didn’t fully co-operate and we had 4 days of strong winds and heavy rain. The breaks in between allowed us to explore Hamilton island, Airlie Beach, Stonehaven and Whitehaven beach.
Inside the All Saints church on Hammo.
Renewing our wows. (Is this woman getting taller, or am I getting shorter?)
Cheeky bird trying to grab my vanilla slice.
Bugger off magpie, this is my customer!
She flew back to Sydney on Friday to prepare for interviews in Hornsby and Lismore the following week. The wind then suddenly dropped and the sun came out! She didn’t complain and said that being able to relax was the big prize.
Ja well, no fine! The water temperature in the Whitsundays is between 24 – 25 deg C at this time of the year. Ideal for snorkeling, with a rashie to keep warm. We have had Frank, Penny, Gale and Vic with us for 12 days, to explore as much as we could.
We started off with a visit to Nara inlet, followed by South Molle island. We climbed Spionkop hill which afforded good views across the Whitsunday passage to Hooke, Whitsunday and Hamilton islands.
Walking up Spionkop.
Lots of grass trees on the way up.
Looking down to Esprit at anchor in the bay.
Happy hikers at the lookout.
The wind has been variable, with strong S-E winds forcing us to stay put in Sawmill Bay for 3 days. We then worked against the wind to Hamilton island to fill up with diesel and water. Our Kiwi visitors zoomed around the island on a golf buggy, before we had a wet sail to Whitehaven beach. The weather then improved for the remainder of our time together.
Waiting for the wind to settle.
Hill inlet at Whitehaven beach.
On the way to our private beach.
Anyone for a swim?
Senior surfers.
After a night at Tongue Bay, snorkeling at Manta Ray bay and a beach soiree at Luncheon Bay, we headed off to Bait reef, about 18 nm out to sea. The conditions were perfect to overnight in the middle of the ocean, after enjoying spectacular snorkeling on these unspoilt reefs with an amazing variety of fish.
Vic with our resident Maori Wrasse.
Vic with a friendly black Trevally.
An inquisitive turtle.
The retirees on the way back.
Cosmo pin-ups.
Back in Airlie Beach, our guests kindly helped clean the boat, do the laundry and lavished more booze on us. Much appreciated!
After 3 months of using our water filters for re-filling in various marinas, it was necessary to replace the sediment and carbon filters which proved that mains water is not always clean.
Our water filters.
Three month old filters in the middle, new filters on the outside.
Joe Schady and Mary Griffiths visited us at the end of July. We managed to show them some of the islands in the Whitsunday group during the five days they were onboard.
