We left Mackay and headed North for the Whitsunday or Cumberland Islands that were discovered by Captain Cook in 1770. We have been having a relaxing time sailing about very slowly to the islands of Keswick, Brampton, St Bees, Goldsmith, Thomas, Haslewood, Whitsunday (several anchorages), Dumbell, South Molle, and the mainland at Airlie Beach for a short stay in the Marina to get supplies, do washing and get rid of rubbish. There are a lot of charter boats operating in the area, but we have spent some nights anchored in a bay by ourselves, or one night we had the whole small island (Dumbell Island). The scenery is beautiful, the sea and sky a wonderful blue. Weather good, but cool at night as it is winter here. The islands are the remnants of volcanoes, once part of the mainland Australia until water levels rose, there are rocky tors on the skyIine reminiscent of Clachnaben. We have seen lots of humpback whales – it is the season for their migration up the coast from Antarctica, also dolphins, turtles, Sea Eagles and Ospreys. We haven’t yet had any really good snorkelling, at least nothing like we remember from when we were here 17 years ago. The visibility is not that good, maybe we haven’t yet got to the best places, but there are reports of coral bleaching due to raised sea temperatures and extensive damage due to cyclone Debbie from March this year.

The picture is of lovely Whitehaven beach on Whitsunday Island- some lucky folk come by seaplane.

Now that we have left the rally we aren’t on the World ARC tracking, but you can find us at: https://my.yb.tl/Timshel81. Or the AIS tracking should work too.