A nice early take off for Scawfell Island the next morning had me arriving about eleven hours later. The breeze was S-SE, as it had been since my departure from Newcastle and I enjoyed an uneventful sail. Scawfell Island is a well protected and scenic anchorage. It had been a big day getting there and I could have easily stayed for a while longer, but I was keen to arrive now and so the next morning I up-anchored and pointed my bow toward Hamilton Island.
I really felt like I was entering a new space now with the seas mostly flat, and being surrounded by islands of all shapes and sizes. About eight hours later I was pulling into Hamilton Island. I wasn’t keen to go to the heart of Hamilton, complete with Marina, airport, resort, high rise etc, so I dropped anchor at a little anchorage on the southern edge of the island – right at the end of the airport runway!! I was the only boat there – perhaps for obvious reasons.
The next morning I set out on my final leg to Airlie beach, just three hours away. I had lovely easy breezes and was again memorised by the array of islands and blue, blue water around me. Pulling into Airlie beach I anchored just north of the main marina which, while quite crowded, had plenty of space on the outer fringe. It was quite a significant moment for me to have finally arrived at the Whitsundays after six weeks sailing up the east coast. Around nine hundred and sixty nautical miles (one thousand eight hundred kilometres) and about one hundred and thirty five sailing hours. I was ready to stop. Ready to shift from ‘get there’ mode to a more relaxed cruising mode.
After a good tidy up and celebratory whiskey, I deployed my dinghy and went ashore to familiarise myself with my new surroundings. I think this will be a fantastic place to use as a home base. I am a short ride from shore where there is a Coles just ten minutes walk away, and if I take my dinghy into the marina, I have access to fuel, a couple of restaurants, cafes and a laundromat. I think it will work well.
Later that afternoon, as the sun slid towards the western range, and I settled into a beer overlooking the marina and then the flat turquoise waters characteristic of this area, I was aware of a strong mix of feelings. I was triumphant at making it so far up the coast. I was excited about what the weeks ahead of discovery and adventure would hold. I was also aware of my own company and wishing I could share this moment with my kids and friends. Before long though the feeling of tiredness became the dominant one. I could sleep tonight without thought of where I needed to get to the following day. Without worry of the weather or consideration of the tide. I had arrived.
