Which Way Do I Go From Townsville?

[resilientg]

I'm in a lucky spot.

My boat is just about ready to launch, just painted the anti foul on her.

Shes getting picked up tomorrow and taken to the boat yard so i can finish off a bit of painting on the hull and then hopefully within a few days be put in the water for her maiden voyage.

She has been waiting for over 40 years to get launched.

She is a 28 foot steel yacht.

My question is simply, if you were me and you were in townsville, Queensland, Australia, which way would you go?

I am thinking to just do little coast hops from anchorage to creek, to small island etc.

My first thought was just to putter off to the duckpond to test everything for few days then head towards hinchinbrook and hang around there prior to a slow migration towards cairns.

Weather seems to all be blowing in the wrong direction for that though.

But maybe other people more familiar with this area will have other advice?

I dont want to go for a thousand miles sail as the boats new, so realistically i am thinking that it is sensible to hang somewhere a days sail from supplies or spare parts if need be while i put both her and myself through some sea trails.

Need to be close to safe spots to hole up just in case the weather goes putrid as it is hurricane season now.

Oh lastly, haha, if there's heaps of fish and no mozzies that would be cool

Let me know if you have any good ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Matthew

[Far Star]

Hi Matthew
Whitsundays is the best next to you 24hr sail south. specially south of the main bareboat area around Thomas Island, smith group . heaps of great islands to explore
But be carefull with the Cyclone season,tides and coral bommie heads

PS there are places to hide from Cyclones

ciao
Terry

[Auzzee]

Hinchinbrook channel is also a good option. The northerlies may make getting there a bit of a challenge, but once inside the channel, there are some great cyclone hideaways, you are close to some good towns, with excellent provisioning and Hinchinbrook is a spectacular island to explore. The approach past the Lucinda wharf requires a little care as does the initial mile or so into the channel as you turn right into the marked channel.

[Wotname]

Well at this time of the year, I would first go to Magnetic Island for week or so and get used to the boat and still be very close to "home".

Then probably south to the Whitsundays and slowly south to Brissy. Spend the summer in the south and be ready to head north to Cairns (or even Cape York) next dry season.

[ozskipper]

As someone else said. Head to maggie.. maybe an overnighter towards Palm Island and back (maybe).

But a few short hops near home first. So you can shake the dust off her a little. Then go south from there towards Airlie and further south at your leasure. There are no stingers once you get far enough south too :-D

But I would have a yarn to a few old salts at the yacht club. They will know the best hidy holes in that region.

[resilientg]

Thanks for the replies everyone,

Options Option Options, Hehehehe.

Just sitting here waiting for my crane and truck to come and lift and move me to the local marina.

Don't know which way to go yet, all are good options, isn't this the fun bit

Matthew

[44'cruisingcat]

This time of year, head South! Cyclone season is coming. Plenty of Northerlies around, and it's cooler and less humid down South. Go North in autumn.

BTW Congrats! Nothing beats launch day for stress!