Whitehaven Beach
-
April 6, 2011wbrent-cooking.jpgSeawind Catamaran's Brent Vaughan demonstrated his expertise on the grill by whipping up a dinner of snags (Australian for sausage), steaks, and veggies, and convinced me every boat should have a barbeque built into the stern rail.
-
April 6, 2011wdark-sky.jpgThough not much of a beach day, the storm clouds and shadows made the Whitsundays all that more dramatic.
-
April 6, 2011wpentacost-island.jpgOn our counter-clockwise circumnavigation of Whitsunday Island, we had a beat past desolate Pentecost Island after leaving Hamilton Harbour.
-
April 6, 2011wrocky-mound.jpgFor the most part, the Whitsundays are uninhabited and the rugged terrain is stunningly beautiful.
-
April 6, 2011wseawindow-anchored.jpgThe Seawind 1250 is the newest cat from Australia's largest catamaran builder. It proved to be a spirited sailer in conditions that ranged from near calm to the high teens and then some. In a rolly anchorage, the stability of its two hulls was greatly appreciated.
-
April 6, 2011wsuited-up.jpgTo be honest, it's difficult to look dashing when one is wearing one's jelly fish gear. Since I didn't get stung, it begs the question, is the suit really useful, or were there no stinging jelly fish there in the first place?
-
April 6, 2011wthe-crew.jpgBrent Vaughan (left) and Paul are doing the not-so-heavy lifting as we sail along aboard the Seawind 1250.
-
April 6, 2011wthe-fish.jpgLocated along the western side of the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays are teeming with good snorkling sites. On a coral reef just off Border Island we ran into about a dozen of these bumphead parrot fish, odd looking fellows, but friendly enough.
-
April 6, 2011wwhitehaven-beach.jpgSqually skies meant Whitehaven Beach, all three miles of it along the east side of Whitsunday Island, was nearly empty when we anchored out and took a dinghy ashore.
Electronic Updates
The Vesper Marine WatchMate Vision is arguably the most advanced Class B AIS transponder ever built, and was honored with an Innovation Award in Miami.
