Officially, the southern tropic or Tropic of Capricorn, is the southernmost latitude where the sun can be directly overhead. Together with it's northern equivalent - the Tropic of Cancer, the Equator, the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, it constitutes one of the 5 major circles of latitude. Since the earth's axis relative to the sun varies with time, the tropic is not exactly fixed and is currently moving northwards at a rate of around 15metres per year. It has been calculated to be at 23°26′13.6″ on 15/9/2016. So we have no idea of the precise moment we actually entered 'The Tropics'!
Not far now and we'll be IN THE TROPICS!
Here we are on the verge of crossing the Tropic of Capricorn - Hurray!
Conditions were too good to miss and we left Pancake Creek with 2 other yachts and a catamaran. Was it a race? Well of course it was - 4 vessels traveling in the same direction! As with all Capes we've experienced; the waters near a Cape are a little weird so we elected to be respectful and stay well out to sea even if the others were happier almost having a 'foot on the beach'!
Cape Capricorn - At least that's in a fixed location!
Despite having the appearance of being a great anchorage for a SE wind, the Hummocky Island anchorage proved horrendously rolly for us. Friends who'd visited recently gave it a great wrap and stayed a few days. Not us however. It was cold, despite being just north of the Tropic of Capricorn and we rocked almost gunnel to gunnel. The reality with the islands still to come is that they are all prone to wrap-around swell. Our other option was to anchor on the western side of Cape Capricorn but we actually thought that it would be the more rolly choice and besides, Hummocky Island would give us just a bit more distance towards Great Keppel Island and that idea made us very happy indeed.
Hummocky Island
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