Cruising in the Whitsunday Islands

[dkm]

Planning a trip to Oz in January 2014 and thinking of chartering a powercat (Fountaine 44) for a week in the Whitsunday Islands. Weather can be a bit dodgy in January in Queensland - has anyone done this before? any tips on best time to go or good charter companies much appreciated

 

[gravygraham]

Sounds a bit exotic to us cold and windswept Englishmen.

 

[AndieMac]

The Hamilton Island Race Week is always run in September for the best weather, this is a mega-event for the area and a lot of fun and action.
Around Easter is also good.

Swimming and snorkelling is a highlight of a cruise around the islands, but unfortunately if you choose the months around January you would likely encounter the nasty 'stingers' or small jellyfish with far reaching tentacles.

Dig up MainshipTom's recent thread on this topic.

 

[Tender_aft]

I went there 20 years ago, I think it was in June or July....amazing place, fantastic weather beautiful blue seas. When you are going troppo (as the Aussies call it), you need to remember that during the summer, in tropical places, it's the wet season. That means they get very powerful storms during the summer months (Dec/Jan/Feb I think but feel free to correct me). It is hot all the year round though, so probably better to plan something at the opposite end of the year. As AndieMAc says Aug/Sept will be better.

@AndieMac do you know the name of the Australian equivalent of this forum so DKM can ask there? There will be people much better placed to give good information on that.

 

[AndieMac]

I went there 20 years ago, I think it was in June or July....amazing place, fantastic weather beautiful blue seas. When you are going troppo (as the Aussies call it), you need to remember that during the summer, in tropical places, it's the wet season. That means they get very powerful storms during the summer months (Dec/Jan/Feb I think but feel free to correct me). It is hot all the year round though, so probably better to plan something at the opposite end of the year. As AndieMAc says Aug/Sept will be better.

@AndieMac do you know the name of the Australian equivalent of this forum so DKM can ask there? There will be people much better placed to give good information on that.

What you say is correct about the tropical revolving storms tender_aft, but I'm trying to be careful not to lump too many perceived downsides into the thread or it may put DKM off going altogether it really is a stunning cruising ground.

Most other boat forums in Oz are heavily weighted towards fishing out of large dinghies, that's why I gravitate towards YBW on cruising and general boating.

I indicated MainshipTom's recent thread on the issue covered a far bit of ground, our family did the charter thing a couple of years ago and found a number of charter operators presenting tired, dodgy prepared boats, charging big money.
Operators like Sunsail, out of Hamilton Island will be my next choice (but do the bulk of the provisioning at the big supermarkets at Airlie Beach 16 miles away through a maze of closely lying islands) as will flying directly into Hamo itself, rather than the long haul from the closest mainland airports like Proserpine or MacKay to join a boat at the Airlie Beach marina, incidentally where we found the less than perfect charter operations.

 

[Tender_aft]

I'm trying to be careful not to lump too many perceived downsides into the thread or it may put DKM off going altogether it really is a stunning cruising ground.

Downsides? Let me clear any up. I wouldn't recommend anyone to go cruising in the offseason anywhere. eg. The south coast of the UK in the middle of winter compared to summer, the chances of cold, bad weather or ugly seas are much greater (even though you get beautiful winters days). So if you are going somewhere once, choose the right time of year.
Now to clear up any negative thoughts about the place.....The Whitsundays are one of the most beautiful places on this planet. You will remember going there for the rest of your life (or as long as your memory holds out)

Airlie Beach....MacKay

Just you naming some places brings back some amazing memories. Beautiful places. Port Douglas too...and snorkelling on the barrier reef sun burning into my back, cool (not cold) water on my front, listening to the fish chomping on the coral.

 

[dkm]

Thanks to all for the advice, the January date is pretty much fixed for other reasons so maybe I'll pass on this one and consider a different season on a future visit

 

[Tender_aft]

Thanks to all for the advice, the January date is pretty much fixed for other reasons so maybe I'll pass on this one and consider a different season on a future visit

If you stay south of Byron Bay you will be in the middle of an amazing Aussie summer....don't abandon it perhaps adjust it a little.

 

[Questor]

Thanks to all for the advice, the January date is pretty much fixed for other reasons so maybe I'll pass on this one and consider a different season on a future visit

I've done it late December, and the weather was idyllic. Blue skies the whole time, no wind (we did it on a mobo, of course) flat seas. Sea temp 28 degrees. And just soooooooooo un-busy!

Probably the best cruising ground in the world.

Good advice about getting dressed up in stinger suits. I was amazed as to how many people didn't bother.

You may be alone while cruising the Whitsundays, but you're certainly not alone when you go for a dip

 

[Tender_aft]

Good advice about getting dressed up in stinger suits. I was amazed as to how many people didn't bother.

You may be alone while cruising the Whitsundays, but you're certainly not alone when you go for a dip

I've just realised the ultimate stinger suit is a Zorb. That would confuse the hell out of them

View attachment 29137View attachment 29138

 

[fromtheashes]

Planning a trip to Oz in January 2014 and thinking of chartering a powercat (Fountaine 44) for a week in the Whitsunday Islands. Weather can be a bit dodgy in January in Queensland - has anyone done this before? any tips on best time to go or good charter companies much appreciated

Well if you like heat and massive levels of humidity come on up, there is a saying "only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid day sun" and I guess that saying started up here where at the moment it's pouring with rain had three inches in two days but its still 28 degrees and loving it, it's also cyclone season at that time of year so toss a coin could be perfect as it usually is, like they say up here beautiful one day perfect the next which is true. Hamilton Island race week is always held the last week of August cos the weather is stable yet not too hot 28c days 18c nights never cool enough for a blanket in the bunk. Been doing race week for years and yes the weather is way more predictable and there,s a bunch regattas on in the area so come on down and have some fun.
Cheers
Steve B

 

[fromtheashes]

Planning a trip to Oz in January 2014 and thinking of chartering a powercat (Fountaine 44) for a week in the Whitsunday Islands. Weather can be a bit dodgy in January in Queensland - has anyone done this before? any tips on best time to go or good charter companies much appreciated

Yep look up www.kasella.com.au I did it on that a 50 ft Bavaria so easy to sail with 5bedrooms and three bathrooms all to easy I thought it may have been a hand full but it turned out to be easier than my thirty two footer.
Cheers

 

[AndieMac]

Thanks to all for the advice, the January date is pretty much fixed for other reasons so maybe I'll pass on this one and consider a different season on a future visit

If you are over here and in the area anyway, take a look at the forecast and call and negotiate a standby rate. There is usually plenty of advanced warning of a big storm brewing, besides they won't allow the boats to go out if it's deemed unsafe and you get a refund.
I wouldn't give up, just have a contingency plan ready, which could be the same amount of nights on Hamilton or Hayman Islands and day trips to Whitehaven Beach and snorkelling safaris etc.

 

[ReefMagnet]

January can be hit or miss. This year there was virtually zip rain up here in Jan. It's making up for it now though, we've had over a 1 metre of rain since Feb so far with more to come. One thing for sure, you won't have to deal with crowded anchorages and it should be a doddle negotiating a discounted rate.

 

[dkm]

Thanks for all the advice, I think I'll risk it for the second week of Jan. Thinking of using Cumberland Charter Yachts and a Lightwave 38 powercat. Has anybody had dealings with them?
I've heard stingers and box jellyfish can be a problem - local advice appreciated

 

[ReefMagnet]

Can't speak about the charter co's as I come with my own boat, but from the radio chatter they all seem to offer similar levels of service. Aside from choosing your vessel and price, I doubt you'd go wrong with any of the main players.

Jellyfish need to be considered that time of year, but it's not like they are in plague proportions. Box Jellyfish are big and can be seen easily. Irukandji on the other hand are no more than about 1 cm in bell diameter and are near invisible. These are the ones that get the tourists, although the waters around the islands aren't really their usual hangout - they really only end up there as a result of certain weather and sea conditions. For protection, a "stinger suit" is advised October to May - the "jellyfish season". These are a very lightweight full body suit similar to a wetsuit. To put your mind at ease however, not many people get stung per year, and it's extremely rare for a sting to result in a fatality. You will find that your boat will be equipped with copious amounts of vinegar which is the emergency first aid treatment for a stung victim (vinegar neutralises the toxin).

 

[AndieMac]

Thanks for all the advice, I think I'll risk it for the second week of Jan. Thinking of using Cumberland Charter Yachts and a Lightwave 38 powercat. Has anybody had dealings with them?

Reef Magnet has explained the jellyfish issue well.....every charter boat has litres of white vinegar on board, just in case.

Unfortunately Cumberland Charter Yachts are the cowboys we chartered from, a thoroughly disappointing experience from them as service providers, but of course the location being perfect made up for the constant failings of the company.

CCY-Airlie Beach have an impressive, interactive website, but the vessel offered to us, described and priced as their flagship (43' sailing cat at $1,100.00 per day) was very tired and heavily worn in every sense: sails, sheet ropes, upholstery, covers, oxidised gelcoat, etc., as were the rest of the fleet.

During the initial hand-over period, it was discovered the VHF radio didn't work, it was replaced by an antique version which also didn't work and was fixed down with grey duct tape.
For the next ten days during the compulsory radio skeds morning and night, our vessel name was called out....we couldn't respond?!...but nobody ever questioned this!

Every square inch of the underwater sections were totally occupied by barnacles, the boat sailed like a dog.
The dinghy motor stopped working after day two, due to an electrical fault from aged/perished plug and coil leads. It was either a matter of self repair, go on without an operational dinghy or go back to base, but after experiencing their radio repair methods, I decided to fix it myself.
Half the water capacity was unusable due to a pump failure on the second tank.

We just made the most of it, and after returning to base raised the issues mentioned. The manager just shrugged her shoulders and said CCY were only a management company and if the individual owners chose to present their vessels in that condition there was nothing they could do about it?!

By comparison our British relatives who accompanied us, chartered through Sunsail (charter number three from others in the Med.) perfect new boat and fabulous support throughout the cruise.