Gladstone to Cape Capricorn

Sat 21 August

To those who received the email from the story of SaaremaaSailsOn in the foreign language, Estonian. The story is from an Estonian Newspaper from Kuressaare the capital of the Island of Saaremaa. Just so that people do not think the paparazzi are after us we make note of this point.

Cape Capricorn from NE

Leaving Gladstone marina at a leisurely 0900 we  motored across the harbour, after logging in with Gladstone Port Control, and up the winding narrow and shallow North Entrance between Curtis and Facing Islands. Holding the Curtis Coast pilot book in one hand and the wheel in the other we traversed from buoy to buoy with Anne checking the shape/colour for port/starboard plus keeping a depth lookout. It is easy to come unstuck and mistake the correct buoy as we found out with the depth falling from 4m to 2m then 1.5m, motor into low as we quickly reassessed the buoys and headed for the correct one back in the channel. With an ebb tide to speed our progress it was no time to be taking the mud (care Michael!). Further along depth was only 1.4m next to a port buoy (perhaps a little more room off is required next time), thank goodness for our shallow draft. The place where it was supposed to be shallow (ie Farmer's Reef 0.8m datum) turned out to be 3.5m deep and caused us no problems as we followed the leads out of the channel.

Light and houses of Cape Capricorn

After escaping the channel unscathed (and the gearbox running like a champion) we were able to set sail for Cape Capricorn 18nm away. It was a leisurely sail in the light conditions and we put the motor on as speed dropped to less than 3 knots. Cape Capricorn is a pretty impressive headland with its light and houses standing out above a bluff wall of volcanic rock, we rounded and anchored in its lee at 1500.





We launched Muhu and paddled ashore climbing the track to the lighthouse and were rewarded with magnificent views plus a couple of beers from Rockhampton Amateur Radio Club members who were involved in a radio link up with others at light houses around Australia for the weekend.

The photo seat with Hummocky Island in the background.

Another photo seat shot

'Sir Richard' or Shauny and dinner.

The caretaker of the houses (which can be rented out about $1300/week) was named Shaunie but we reckon he is Sir Richard Branson avoiding the Virgin limelight. The mud crabs here are quite large. Check out these being murdered for dinner.

While on the headland we checked out the likely entrance to Yellow Patch in the distance on the right and then it was back to Saaremaa for dinner and a nod. It was a bit swelly as the waves refracted around the cape but not too bad.

Needs a little maintenance?? and some!!

  Cape Capricorn Transport Services may leave a little to be desired in these vehicles. However there are others somewhat more sand hill worthy than these.

Quite a good view from up here.

 
 The peninsular view shows Yellow Patch on the right and further down with a lovely sandy beach to the left.

Cape Keppel and Peak Island in the distance. Looking NW.