First Cruise from Whitsundays to Cairns - Any Advice ?

[Jaz_n_Gav]

Hi to everyone in the cruising world, we have almost finished a purchase on a 37ft Seven Seas yacht and are about to bring it from the Whitsundays to Cairns (where we live). Has anyone got any advice they can share whether its about stocking the boat for food or anything about the trip that you found helpful we would be most grateful! We have sailed a much smaller yacht for a few years and also a small catamaran since we married 21 years ago and are now taking the big plunge with our first big boat!

[atoll]

an up to date cruising guide for the area is very usefull,we used alan lucas's guide to "cruising the coral coast" lots of useful info

[MarkJ]

Its a very easy and nice trip.
I think we went from Nara Inlet to Dunk Island to Fitzroy Island, stayed a few days in each and then went into Cairns.

280 miles inside the reef in beautiful flat water with a nice wind up the starboard butt.

Atol is right about the guide, but Alan Lucas does like the mangrove swamps more than he loves the reef so read it thus.

High Island is another spot you can drop off. Hinchinbrook Passage is meant to be great (watch the mozzies!).

You can sail at night in that area without any difficulties provided you can navigate.

Avoid Palm Island, of course.

With provisioning: DO NOT NOT NOT try to buy stuff on Hamilton Island. 1 bit of steak costs double the value of your boat!
Go into Arlie beach and anchor near the marina, dinghy into the Marina and turn right out of marina walk 1.5kms to the supermarket and then return by taxi

If you are flying in from Cairns consiuder taking an esky full of meat etc. to tide you over till you get to Arlie Beach.

Have fun. You will enjoy it

[Factor]

Lucas is good - i would never say otherwise, but 100 Magic Miles and Going Troppo are two guides specifically for that area, magic miles is Mackay to Bowen and Going troppo takes over from there.

Mark J is right - its a great trip.

And if the weather happens to suit stopping at Zoe Bay, then do it. Its rare to get the right weather for the most beautiful anchorage on the coast.

[Jim Cate]

G'Day J & G,

Yep, this is a nice trip! One that can easily be done in day hops, with decent to excellent anchorages every night, some on offshore islands, some on the mainland.
If you do get the chance to go to Zoe Bay, from the left hand end of the great beach (facing in) you will find a trail. Following it a short way into the bush you will find a delightful small freshwater lake with a waterfall pouring into it, a rope swing to leap from, and clean rocks to sun-dry upon. Take some lunch, enjoy... a top spot indeed.

Oh, do watch out for crocks along the creek...

Cheers,

Jim and Ann

[Jaz_n_Gav]

Helpful advice guys, thanks! This is our maiden voyage so it sounds like a good first trip to go on. We have a Lawrence GPS which we will use to navigate with so we may try to do a bit of night sailing if possible. I have to say the nerves are kicking in a bit as this has been a dream of ours for years and now that it is finally happening it all seems a bit daunting, but very excited as well. We are hoping to be live aboards in a few years time, just waiting on the chicks to leave the nest and then off we go! Can't wait to meet anyone who might be in the area, look out for us, our yacht is called Clear Water.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Looks like you are already getting great advice.
kind regards,

[Gemini369]

Hi Folks, I'm about to sail my first yacht from Cairn to Noosa so enjoyed reading these posts. I've just listed my own topic about my trip. All the best. Vic