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

Anniversary at Alain's

We celebrated our second wedding anniversary at Airlie Beach. The challenge was finding a great place to have dinner in backpacker city but we did! A wonderful little restaurant called Alain's by the beach about 30 minutes walk from the Marina. An unassuming French restaurant you'd almost miss if you were walking by.

Oooo which entree do I eat first

Chef and his dessert specialities

Alain's specialises in a 6 course menu cooked with loving care by Alain himself. The restaurant only seats around 25 people so dining there is a very personal experience. Alain's background includes being a pastry chef and his brioche at the beginning of the meal was to die for. The whole restaurant is full of personally collected items from the wine decanters to the 1920's Citroen in the dining room (which doubles as a  wedding car). Good food and great fun - we left at around midnight. Highly recommended if you're ever in the area.

The Citroen

Alain and Scott

Bunkered down in Pancake Creek

Since last Thursday or Friday (I forget), we've been in Pancake Creek, hiding from the 25-30kt southerlies and 3m seas. There are about 15 boats taking protection in here just now following wind warnings from the bureau.

Where's Pancake Creek, I hear you say? It's 30 miles ESE of Gladstone and 60 miles north of Bundaberg  under the lee of Bustard Head-Clews Point headland.

There is an inner and an outer anchorage. The outer one is easy to access, not as protected and seems alarmingly close to a breaking shoal in low tide. The inner one, where we are now, has to be accessed (by deep keelers like us) at higher tides, but is more protected. Both are subject to strong tidal streaming which can get a bit strange in high winds especially when you are pointing on the tide but sailing on the wind from behind on the anchor chain! Exposed sand banks are only 20-30m away on either side at low tide.

Samaya and near by sandbanks (low tide)

Oh, to help us feel secure at night, I set up an anchor alarm in case we drifted, only to sleep through it when it went off at 3am! As it turned out, we weren't drifting but we had moved around quite a bit. Fine tuning in anchor alarm setting required.

All in all it's a pretty place to be and we're trying not to climb the walls - reading, baking, blogging, net surfing, eating, napping and doing $2 puzzles from the Yeppoon Op shop. Haven't been to shore yet as we're reluctant to leave the boat in these strong winds and tides. Looks like we'll be here until Friday or Saturday before heading to Fraser Island and the Great Sandy Straits.

Sand sailing cart?

Cape Capricorn

A good day today for a number of reasons....
- we didn't leave at the crack to dawn (yippee)
- we left the marina calmly and under control (almost looked like we knew what we were doing)
- the weather was gorgeous
- the sea was calm
- we had bottled nosed dolphins riding the bow (albeit briefly)
- and we only travelled for 4 hours instead of the usually 8!

So we were well and truly anchored for lunch and had time to enjoy the anchorage at Cape Capricorn. Cape Capricorn is on the Tropic of Capricorn, so when we leave here tomorrow we leave the Tropics :(
There is a lighthouse on the Cape which is now unmanned and the old lighthouse keeper houses are now rented out for holidays. It's a lovely spot with amazing sand drifts on the hills.

View from the Cape Capricorn anchorage

Heading south

Since my last post we're now several nautical miles south of Airlie Beach. We officially left the Whitsundays at Scawfell Island early last week. After Airlie Beach we headed to the Thomas Island, Scawfell Island, Percy Isles (anchoring at Blunt Bay - fantastic spot and the only anchorage we've had to ourselves), Pearl Bay (a couple of beautiful days there) and now Yeppoon (Keppel Bay Marina).

Pearl Bay

Safely reverse parked by yours truly in Keppel Bay Marina

One of the Yeppoon locals in their car

As we're heading into the wind, the early parts of the day have been tough with wind against tide so we're trying to make each leg a manageable distance. Right now, we expect to be back home in early August.

It's been surprising cold - isn't this suppose to be Queensland?? Doonas at night and thermals while we're underway. What the....

Cid Harbour

It's the largest anchorages in the Whitsundays, only a few nautical miles north of Hamilton Island and one of the closest anchorages across Whitsunday Passage from Airlie Beach.  Coupled with fact that it's secure and very pretty it's no wonder that it's a popular overnight anchorage for many yachts, including ourselves.

Cid Harbour was used by the Australian and allied navies as an anchorage during World War II. It has 2 beaches, Sawmill and Dugong plus two great bush walks. One to Dugong inlet and the other one to Whitsunday Peak, 2.5km straight up but well worth the effort. And yes, there are Dugongs here which is a big treat to see.