We sailed to Magnetic Island off Townsville two weeks ago, about a 130 nautical miles Northwest of Airlie Beach.
For anyone looking for a quieter boating experience, the region North of the Whitsundays have much to commend it. As reported in an earlier post, Magnetic Island is a 4 – 5 day sail from Airlie Beach. The various capes and bays along the way are quite spectacular, offering good lee shores for the prevailing Southerly trade winds.
A planned two-night stay at Maggy island marina, turned into a four-night stay. The hospitality of Lance, the manager and his lovely wife Cammy, plus various boaties like Doug, Paul and Clare, long dinners and drinks was the reason. Difficult to leave, but in the interest of our livers, we motored to Horseshoe Bay on the North shore of the island. The weather then brought much needed rain to the region, resulting in long wet walks on the beach and drinks in the pub for two days. After that, sunshine, swimming and paddle boarding.
We had to return to Airlie Beach to welcome Annie’s brother Joe and his partner Mary, so we set sail South West for a four-day journey to Abell Point marina on the 21st July.
We anchored off Saddleback island the last night before we reached Airlie Beach. A beautiful anchorage with Gloucester Island to the North and the passage where we will be attending the Shagger’s parties at the end of August.
