Southbound

Miraculously our anchor lifted without any drama when leaving Billbob Bay. We were not expecting it to be the case seeing as we'd been hearing and feeling the grinding of chain over rubble down below all the previous day. We weren't entirely pleased with the anchor set when we first arrived but with the expectation of very light northerlies, we dropped 50m of chain in 8m of water and let 120kg of metal do its thing. Despite the wind chirping up and delivering bullets in the 25kn range through the saddle in the hills, we held still. Thank heaven for the Anchor Watch iPad App and our anchor buoy providing reassurance that we were not about to be blown to Mackay.

A beach BBQ had been organised but we backed out of going citing our lack of confidence with the anchor. Friends had come to collect us because we couldn't be bothered dropping the dinghy, lowering the motor etc only to have to reverse the process before we could leave in the morning. It was as Jo and Hans motored away that we noticed that Solitary Light, previously anchored inshore from us, seemed a lot closer. It definitely wasn't us moving and besides, if we were to drag anchor we'd have moved away and out into the bay - just like Solitary Light seemed to be in front if our very eyes. Our yelling at Hans and Jo in an attempt to recall them, must have alerted one of the crew of Solitary Light who had remained aboard with a 'lucky' toothache! Kerry's husband was already ashore and his vessel out of view. The others may have thought us old 'fuddie duddies' to start with but we felt very good about our prudence after watching Solitary Light wiggle past us in the customary wrenching motion boats make when 'dragging'!

Leaving Shaw Island.

So today we are making for Keswick and St Bees and leaving the beautiful Whitsunday area. A northerly should fill soon. We hope to find a mooring in the current-prone channel between the 2 islands and we'll stay until we need to shelter from a southerly at Scawfell or Curlew Islands. With any luck that would place us well to visit the Percy Group which the 'wind lords' denied us northbound.

Keswick and St Bees are not far from Scawfell Island