After breakfast we made a decision to head towards Shaw Island and Cid Harbour. Shaw Island is on the same path, so we can easily alter course and continue on if we wish.
Same challenge getting the anchor up. We had to raise and lower it several times, this helps to work it loose and usually works. Once again there was a lump of clay on the end. We tied it up and headed off.
Once we left the shelter of Goldsmith Island we were buffeted by strong winds that were over 30 knots. Seas seemed lower (at least so we thought). We decided to make the dash for Shaw. Wind and rain squalls continued. As we approached Shaw Island Daddy asked Jasmine if she wanted to stay there or go on. Seas at that stage were again rough and the wind was again blowing foam across the seas.
Jasmine said she wanted to go on, so we continued on to Cid Harbour. As we passed Shaw Island at about 3nm we could see in the distance the masts of several boats anchored in the shelter of Shaw Island. We could also see Lindeman Island and the resort in the distance and we continued past Shaw Island and Lindeman Island. The wind got stronger, and stayed in the 30knots with some occasional gust just touching 40 knots. Spray and foam blew across the tops of the waves. This is NOT the typical weather for the Whitsundays at all, normally, 90%+ of the time the wind is below 15knots and seas under 1m. Here we were with wind hitting 40 knots and seas over 2m.
We were again surfing the waves and this increased our speed. As we approached the passage on the Western side of Dent Island (which is an island to the West of Hamilton Island) the wind stayed in the high thirties and regularly hit 40+ knots. With the tidal currents flowing through the passage, the seas were particularly choppy. The sky was dark with rain squalls and at one stage Daddy considered turning on the navigation lights it was so dark.
For the first time it really felt like we had arrived in the Whitsundays as we could see some of the building (the tops of some of the high rise towers) on Hamilton Island and the golf course on Dent Island. In the close distance was Whitsunday Island.
As we passed Dent Island and approached the bottom, south Western end of Whitsunday Island we saw about 8 hire sailing catamarans and a large motor cruiser heading out of the protection of Cid Harbour. The motor cruiser, about 60 foot long and triple decked, was heading much too fast as it entered the heavy seas from Cid Harbour and as soon as it hit the waves it sent massive spray sheets off the bow higher than the cruiser. They very quickly slowed down. The cats were making a slow going of it as they all headed for short trip and the shelter of Hamilton Island.
We now, less than 1 nm away from the entrance to Cid Harbour, picked up a small period of phone signal. Daddy downloaded the 3 day weather report, which predicted (for the 10 May, wind 30+ knots and seas 2.5-3m). Yep, it sure was :)
We entered Cid Harbour and found a three masted massive yacht anchored at the bottom of Cid Harbour just north of Hunt Channel. The yacht was over 100 foot, a cruiser, not a racing maxi. It had a large inflatable tender and speed boat as tenders. They were rolling in the swells that were wrapping around the end of Loriard Point into Hunt Channel, so we continued further up the channel into Cid Harbour. The ideal mooring location with maximum protection in Cid Harbour is Sawmill Bay, however as we approached we could see it was packed with anchored hire yachts which extended right out into the bay quite a long way from the shore. We decided therefore to anchor in 7m water off Hughes Point, close to the shore and our own small private sandy beach. The shore shallows quickly, and was less than 30m away, so we had to be careful the anchor was holding but this afforded good protection from the wind and the waves. It was funny to watch less than an hour later the large 3 masted cruiser up their anchor and move over next to us for the night. We were out of phone signal again, most likely as a result of the island to the West of us, Cid Island, which helps to provide protection to this Western side of Whitsunday Island and which gives the bay it's name. Whitsunday Island has on its Eastern side the famous Whitehaven Beach.
We will explore the beach and Cid Harbour tomorrow.
Shower, dinner and a movie.