Sunday 29th June 2014
Well we are in Townsville, we made it here Saturday afternoon.
The night before we made it to Cape Bowling Green, I just can't get over why they have no many crazy names for these Bays, but coming in here sure explained this one at least.
It is the most flattest place I have ever seen, there are no mountains, hills nothing just flat land, and the bay is huge, and shallow, it seems this is the norm at the moment, we anchor in very shallow water, we watch the tides very careful and try not to anchor in anything less than 3mtrs, but it always feels like we are anchored in the middle of the ocean, we just can't get in close to land at all.
This anchorage was a shocker with the wind blowing us one way and the tide blowing us the other, which meant a very uncomfortable night, I tried in our cabin for hours to get to sleep with the rocking and water slapping, until I was so sick I felt like I would throw up, so up I jump pillow in one hand doona in the other and came to sleep up in the cockpit, the movement and the noise was no better up here but at least I had a bit of a breeze around me, did I sleep?
Not really, I read most of the time, but managed a few hours sleep so I guess that was something.
The next day we had to get moving early, and I was not such a happy camper, but spotting some whales in the distant change my mood real quick.
I was going down the companion way when I happened to stop and look around, it's a habit I always do, I stand there and just have a good look around scanning the horizon looking for danger...haha
Well just making sure we are not going to run into reefs, boats rocks islands etc, when I spotted I long black fin in the water, it was at least a nautical mile away which is around 2klms so your eyes can play tricks on you at that distance, which we know only to well.
So at first I didn't say anything, than I saw it again, well that had me racing for the binoculars, The Captain grabs a pair as well we slow the boat down and just look at these magnificent creatures, there were at least two of them and they were just rolling around in the ocean being all lazy they would just have a fin up, or half a tail, we tried to get a bit closer but then they disappeared, we scanned the area for a fair while then had to give up and get moving again, but man did it put us in a great mood, whale spotting is one of our biggest thing we do out here we are always on the lookout, we have never got up close and personal at all which is a shame, but you never know one day we just might just not to personal I hope...haha
Ok getting a bit distracted here, I just looked up and watched a huge cargo ship come in beside us, it just looked so whimpy, here they are these big mothers of ships and it's following a tiny tiny little red boat, and getting pushed in by a tug boat, well it looked whimpy to me anyway...haha
Ok getting back, we finally make it to Townsville and at around 7pm we head into shore to pick up Robin The Captains son, he was flying up here and combining business with pleasure and spending a few days with us.
After a lot of headaches trying to work out where to come ashore and get in, this place is not very pleasure boat friendly, with its low tides, shallow waters and really nowhere to land a dingy, we had to go to one of the marinas fuel dock to pick him up, but all worked out fine and before long we were back on the boat having a lovely catch up.
Sunday we decided to go over to Magnetic Island, for a day sail and get some grocery's yeap it was actually easier to go ashore there and shop then try to get into Townsville itself.
What a pretty little island this is, we walked around some and then found a nice little place for lunch, and just had a really nice time.
Back to the boat we get and make our way back to the anchorage in Townsville, as Robin needed to get back to business, it was a short visit but a nice one. I'm sure there will be plenty more.
Tomorrow we will take this vessel of ours into the sane fuel dock and fill her up, and then set off once more, we will day hop up the coast until the next big port being Cairns.
Well tomorrow us another day.