Dolphins of Tin Can Bay

An unexpected extra couple of days in the Great Sandy Straits (due to weather) gave us time to visit and hand feed the dolphins in Tin Can Bay. These are wild Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins who visit a jetty in Snapper Creek to be hand fed most days (when it suits them I guess). Usually it's one or two. A 20 year old male dolphin called Mystique and a younger female, Harmony. Mystique learn this behaviour of visiting and getting fed from his mother, Scarry. It started in the 1950's when "Old Scarry" beached himself when injured and was then cared for by the locals. He was then followed by Scarry who hasn't been seen since 2004.

We climbed in the dingy in the cold, early hours of the morning to head over to the jetty. Shortly after we arrived, a bow wave in the water singled the arrival of the dolphins around 7am. They patiently waited in the shallow water until 8am to be hand fed by visitors like us. It was a great privilege to be so close and to be able to hand feed these amazing animals.

A few interesting facts on the Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin:-

• they are classified as rare
• the get their name from their elongated dorsal fin and humped back appearance from accumulated fat deposits as they age (some of us can relate, you know who you are)
• they grow to a length of just under 3 meters and will live for about 40 years
• they eat about 30kg a day and are only fed 3kg at the jetty (equivalent to an early morning snack)
• they are covered in scars, teeth marks from other dolphins and shark attacks. 
• you can read more here.

This a lovely low key activity in an unspoiled area which is under threat from significant proposed marina development. The area is home to the dugong, Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins, 5 species of marine turtles and significant bird life. The proposed development will put pressure on the environment and wildlife. If you're interested in supporting the local campaign to address this, you 

can do so at http://marina.tincanbaydolphins.com.au/marina.html or click here.

The Great Sandy Straits - Fraser Island

Between the mainland and Fraser Island lies the Great Sandy Straits. It's a smooth, relatively shallow waterway that's a popular spot for fishing, house boats and yachts heading north (or south). It's very pretty but requires a little navigation through the channels especially for deep keeled yachts like us. So using the high tide becomes important for crossing the shallowest part of the Straits and exiting Wide Bay Bar.

Heading south, the Straits are entered from Hervey Bay and the first night's anchorage is usually off Kingfisher Resort, as it was for us.

Anchorage north of Kingfisher Resort

The second nights anchorage is at the popular, snug and shallow Garry's Anchorage.  Choosing the right spot so we had water under the keel at low tide was important - we ended up have 25cm! At least we were floating - happy days. Getting out through the channel "bar" the next morning was interesting - some minor keel dredging was required.

Garry's Anchorage

We were delayed heading out of Wide Bay Bar (the "Mad Mile") due to a high wind warning, that gave us a chance to visit Tin Can Inlet and also hand feed the dolphins at Tin Can Bay (more about that later).

Tin Can Inlet near Snapper Creek

Hand feeding the IndoPacific Humpback Dolphins

Distance travelled recap

Ok we now have reliable internet for a few days so I'll be able to get to updated .....first lets go to the statistics.....

Distance travelled from Lake Macquarie to Hamilton Island: 955nm
Number of crew: 2 until Coffs Harbour. "Dangerous Cargo" taken on board in Coffs - 3 crew
Number of days sailing/motoring: 15
Number of Port/Anchorages: 12
Average swell: 2m
Average winds: North 10kts
Days in safe anchorages due to high winds (>30kts SE): 4
Number of overnight passages: 3
Watch times: 2-3 hrs each
Heavy weather passages: 3
Whales: 1 (4 breaches)
Extreme dolphin session off the bow: 2
Seasnakes: 1 BIG snake on it's way to Hayman Island
Turtles: many
Fish caught: Will leave this stat to the crew
Buzz by Coast Watch Patrols: 1
Bar crossings: 3
Number of tankers: 25
Best investments: New chartplotter at helm, radar at night and in storms, AIS for tanker alerts
Mishaps: 1 failed battery at Coffs Harbour
Favorite places: Great Sandy Straits (otherwise known as "the back passage"), Scawfell Bay, Pancake Creek Bay, South Percy Island
Amount of beers, wine and food consumed: heaps!
Scrabble score: 2 games all (decider pending)

Samaya has exceeded our expectations for comfort, performance and safety.

Detailed trip record (nm).
Swansea to Broughton Island 36.3nm
Broughton Island to Coffs Harbour (1 overnight passage) 153nm
Coffs Harbour to Mooloolaba (2 overnight passages) 238nm
Mooloolaba to Tin Can Bay (Fraser Is) 60.5nm
Tin Can Bay (Fraser Is) through the Great Sandy Strait to Moon Island 40nm
Moon Island to Pancake Creek Bay (leaving anchor at midnight) 102nm
Pancake Creek Bay to Rossyln Bay (Yeppoon) 73.4nm
Rossyln Bay (Yeppoon) to Pearl Bay 47.1nm
Pearl Bay to Percy Island (South) 50.5nm
Percy Island (South) to Scawfell island 69.6nm
Scawfell island to Butterfly Bay (Whitsunday Island) 62.0nm
Butterfly Bay to Hamilton Island 22.8nm

Tin Can Bay through the Great Sandy Strait

We decided to forgo another ocean passage and go through the Great Sandy Strait behind Fraser Island? It's a challenging passage for a keeled boat (especially with our 2m draft) because of he shallow nature of the channel and having to pay close attention to the port and starboard markers.

It was a great day, loads of varied scenery with the highlights being towards Hervey Bay. Only a small bottom touch through a shallow but generally we timed it pretty well with the tide. Turtles were also sighted in the channel.

Another spectacular sunset near Moon Point(Fraser island).A few hours sleep before heading off at midnight to make the distance to the next anchorage at Pancake Creek Bay.