Five Go Landlubbing in Bundy

Time has passed in the absence of internet coverage so we must flash back to over a week ago...

Manicured, well watered lawns...perfect for grazing cane toads

With our water beginning to run down and more importantly, our coffee, it was time to return to port. We set a course for the Port of Bundaberg - an uninterrupted westerly track across Hervey Bay from our hidey hole on Fraser Island. For a change there was nary a shoal or hazard to be negotiated. The bottom gently dropped away from Fraser and much later on met the dredged channel into the Burnett River. Trolling lines were deployed immediately. The Captain scented possible mutiny when the First and Third Mates insisted on raising sail cloth despite the complete lack of wind. The request was denied and mutineers were put to work sunbaking and playing computer games.

Easter at Platypus Bay - a natural wonder

Platypus Bay was spectacular.

Sunset Platypus Bay Thursday April 17th, 2014 after anchoring north of Coongul Creek.

A visit from the Water Police and a swim in the pool at Kingfisher Bay

 

We spent Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th April anchored slightly north of Kingfisher Bay Resort. The resort occupies a peaceful position east of Maryborough and was lovely and sheltered.
The crew enjoyed a swim in the resort pool which is open to day visitors. There were also some basic showers at the Sand Bar pool which had hot running water.

The Great Sandy Straits

Arjuna at twilight. Photographed from Twilight. (c) SV Twilight

As the First Mate points out, it may be a bad sailing omen to start a voyage on a Friday but probably no worse than quoting Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem on dying in a previous blog post. As we and the internet can attest, the Wide Bay Bar was survived (if the truth be known, the swell was worse on the journey up than that on the bar itself) and we lived happily overnight at Pelican Bay - or at least as close in to it as we felt comfortable with.

Gale force winds at Fraser Island and a lunar eclipse.

Arjuna in finer weather - note keel positioning.

The low pressure system from Cyclone Ita met with a high pressure system from the Tasman sea somewhere over the southern Coral Sea to bring us gale force south easterly winds.

We found a good anchorage at Sheridan Flats on the west coast of Fraser Island on Sunday morning, set our anchor well, crossed our fingers and toes and bunkered down for a storm that lasted through Monday and Monday night.