Today was the day to explore Goldsmith Island. After breakfast we tried to up our anchor. It was stuck fast. It took a number of attempts or rasing, lowering, raising and lowering but it eventually came up with... a huge lump of clay. We moved back into the shallower water and anchored, in mid tide on a falling tide, in 6m of water. Estimate is that we should have 4m under the bottom of the keel at low water. Anchor appears to be holding firm.
Wind squalls continue with occasional rain squalls as well.
With a small opening in the rain after lunch, we took the opportunity to attempt to explore the beach.
Jasmine helped daddy lower the tender off the davits and then lower the engine onto the tender. We started the engine and started to head off but... something was wrong! It was as though the engine had no power ... there were currents and the wind was still squalling, making it a challenge to row back if the engine failed! Ahhh, quick get back to the yacht. We turned around and made it back with the engine coughing and Jasmine tied up the tender with a couple of half hitches. Phew!
Now what could have caused that, just what we don't want, a broken motor just as we arrive in the Whitsundays, gee great!
We took the engine back off the tender and put it on the more stable bracket on the transom of the yacht and opened the hood. There is was, obvious to see, the choke switch was stuck in the 'on' position and the plastic choke switch lever had simply disconnected from metal rod. We simply popped it back together. Engine back on the tender, and started like a charm. Lesson learned.
We headed back to the beach and given the falling tide and some small waves, we threw both anchors out 3m from the shore and waded in.
The beach was wonderful and the water lovely. Daddy had a small swim with goggles on along the southern end looking for fish and coral.
Walking along the beach we found the tiny camp site, probably room for only a couple of tents in and the bush toilet. Jasmine pointed out that although there were back and sides, the front had no door and thought that strange. We got a photo in front of the signs put up by the National Parks Authority with the name of the island.
There was no-one else around and you could still see the damage from the cyclone with many of the trees having minimal leaves, scattered debris at the high water mark with tree branches and some heavy erosion in a couple of places where 0.5m deep troughs had been cut by rain into the high embankments behind the beach. Many of the trees had broken branches and a few were knocked over.
Walking to the end of the beach we found a large shell, about 15cm long, which Jasmine was extremely excited about. It was bleached white but was intact and ... yes it had the sounds of the sea inside. :)
When we looked back, the tender was now on the edge of the beach and the small waves were washing against the side, so we headed back and recast the anchors again, 3m off the beach.
Daddy had a quick swim to explore on the rocky ledge looking for coral but the rain was approaching and the wind was making things cold. We headed back to the yacht for a shower, dinner and a movie.
Tommorrow we will headto either Shaw Island (2hrs away at 6 knots) or Cid Harbour just above Hamilton Island and on the Western side of Whitsunday Island (4 hrs away at 6 knots) and closer to Airlie Beach. As we don't have any phone signal it is difficult to get weather reports. We can see Shaw Island in the distance, so if the weather outside the shelter of Goldsmith is not good, we can either head back to Goldsmith or persevere on to Shaw Island where there should be some shelter from the South East wind and Seas.