As any of the community who read my posts will know, I’m based in S.E. Asia, mostly in Thailand. I’m currently visiting Australia to catch up with my family now that entry restrictions have been lifted.
Australia is and always has been a sporting nation. We even have public holidays for some sporting events. - think the Melbourne Cup. As a nation Australians are sports mad both as active participants or as armchair spectators. We make everything into a sport and our competitive nature comes out at the slightest hint of any endeavour that potentially has a winner or a loser. This extends to sailing. If two friends own a boat it will never be a weekend of sailing without at least a good natured race, even if its just the first one to the nearest island out of the port
Im lucky enough to have a boat in my immediate family. Lucky because I get to enjoy the boat without committing money to owning the boat. They say boats are money pits and I have to admit, watching the ongoing money that my sister and her husband pour into their boat I can only agree. If its not a new line or new block or a repair to the water maker, its dockage fees and registration, or its hauling her out for a new coat of anti-foul, the insurance and omg the list never ends.
At the moment my sister has her boat docked in a marina in Mackay. Mackay is a redneck crap-hole halfway up the Queensland coast, but it is however the gateway to the beautiful Capricorn Coast. They are waiting for the cyclone season to end so they can move further north to the beautiful cruising grounds of the Whitsunday Islands. My sis and her husband invited me up to spend some time on the boat and I eagerly accepted. I have sailed on and off most of my life and am super excited to know there is now a boat in the family. She is a 44 foot steel hull sloop. Nothing fancy but very well looked after and fast.
The wind at this time of year is unpredictable - often influenced by cyclones forming offshore and tracking north. Right now we have a consistent 25knots which is simply too strong to enjoy some leisurely sailing. We had the crap beat out of us yesterday making our way the short 30 miles to the nearest island with protected anchorages. The wind was right on our nose in the direction we needed to go so we bore away just enough degrees to get the jib out and sheeted hard on and made it to the island with a few tight tacks over 5 pretty brutal hours.
After anchoring on the leeward side of the island we had a gentle night’s sleep and the next morning (today) took the dingy over to a little rocky beach to climb the grassy hill that dominated the island’s topography. The view from the top of the island was just super and I have included photos below.
I feel that sailing, hill climbing, swimming and snorkeling are all beautiful sports even though we didn’t have anyone to compete against except that most ruthless adversary - mother nature. She has pitted herself lightly against us and left us feeling sunburned, windblown, exhausted and in awe of her. We are not alone here - a catamaran arrived shortly after us.
I hope you like the photos. I’m Jobiker and I’m sailing around the islands of the Capricorn coast near Mackay. Peace.
