NORTH TO PERCY ISLAND

2 July 2023

An early morning departure from Hummocky Island to take advantage of the southerly wind.  Unfortunately, the breeze continued to decrease and by ten in the morning the tide was taking us backwards.  Reluctantly I started the engine and we motored towards Keppel Island, arriving just after one in the afternoon. 

Keppel Island is a tourist resort and there are many speedboats, jet skis, and tourist boats around.  It’s a beautiful place, as I cruised up past the resort, I was surprised to look over the side and see the seabed, the water is so clear.  I will have to get used to seeing the seabed when I look over the side, a bit disconcerting.  We took anchorage off Long Beach on the south side of the Island to shelter from the forecast overnight northerly winds.  This proved to be a lovely peaceful anchorage overnight.

The following day a strong southerly wind was forecast, time to move around to the northern side of the island for shelter.  No sooner had I moved around, the wind started.  By nine in the evening, we had gusty wind and lulls, horrible. The snubber was active on the bow roller and I slept in the salon on the settee, the forward cabin was too noisy.

Early next morning I was away, using the southerly breeze to take us north towards Pearl Bay.  We had a wonderful sail all day as the breeze gradually faded away, just having enough puff to ghost us into the anchorage at Pearl Bay before sunset.  The day had been cold, the southerly wind had a chill in it and the sails screened the sun all day.  Pearl Bay is a beautiful anchorage but this night it turned out to be bumpy, strong wind gusts and wind from astern against tide made for an uncomfortable night. 

The next day I had planned to go to Island Head Creek.  A protected creek where you can anchor among the mangroves.  But the Australian Defence Force were conducting war games in the area and it was off limits.  I continued north on a light breeze and anchored ay Hexham Island for the night.  It is only a small anchorage and there were two catamarans in residence so I had to anchor out a bit among the strange currents and tide rips.  Later all three boats got together for a social and sundowners.

At four in the morning the south wind arrived as forecast and by first light we were heading northward again.  This time it was only a short hop, twenty three miles, up to Middle Percy island.  It was a sparkling sail but the wind from astern was cold again.  Just after ten in the morning we were anchored in West Bay off a beautiful beach fringed with palm trees and the famous Percy Island Yacht Club. Can’t wait to get ashore.