Sailing and Hiking On The Capricorn Coast
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.
So you’re probably asking yourselves - why am I posting this in the sports community? Well to be honest 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.
This looks very nice, thank you for sharing.
Most welcome and thanks for reading! Im having an awesome time. Today we moved to another island this time with better 4g so I can check hive and reply...:)
Fantastic stuff and was looking forward to these posts as quite right sailing and all of the above mentioned are sporting activities. You are extremely lucky to have a boat in the family and to be able to experience such adventures.
Thanks @cryptoandcoffee ! I know how lucky I am right. My sister and her husband have basically sold up everything and moved on to the boat. Im so in awe of what they are doing!
Very jealous! Learning to sail is definitely on my bucket list. Looks like a great trip and very happy to see these post in SportsTalk
Thanks so much. I always worry because my posts are not commentaries on mainstream sports that I will just annoy readers. If you are keen to learn sailing then go do it sir - Its truly an amazing experience to harness the wind!
looks fun
Feels fun!
Oh man, what a lovely boat and picturesque scenery. I was lucky enough to spend some time up there back in 2007. Australia is certainly an outdoor and sporting country and somewhere I loved living, although I can see how you'd want to live in SE Asia as well. That second last photo is my favourite, absolutely stunning.
Yo there @ablaze , you been to Mackay?? Cool!! Second last pic is my fave too - I been bombing all my friends with it back in Thailand hahaha. Having an awesome time but sure missing Thailand. Heading back in a couple weeks. BTW where are u based?
We stopped there on our tour up the coast from Brisbane. We were working and living in Brisbane and went on a tour up the coast, we did a 3 days stay on Fraser Island which was such an experience - you basically get a 4x4 and all your supplies and tents and head off into the wilderness of the island for 3 days and nights, we were a group of 7 Irish and 4 English and had a class time, then we continued up the coast to sail around the Whitsunday islands which was incredible too, we stopped in Mackay on the way North for lunch, but did not stay over.
I can see how you'd miss Thailand - the culture, food, people, cost of living, wildlife, everything is so chilled and really up my street... Those travlling days are well behind us now though, married with four kids now, so no time for backpacking anymore - we are based in my home city of Galway on Ireland's West Cost.
Hehe - my backpacking days are also long gone. I do like traveling though and try to get away as much as I can. I don't have kids so that makes a big difference. So anyway when I was 17 I spent a summer working in Clifden, Connemara (sorry if the spelling is wrong) - just up the road from Galway. What an amazing part of the world that is!! You are blessed to call that home. Fraser Island is awesome eh - I spent a lot of my childhood there on camping trips!
Those backpacking days were class weren't they, but certainly a young person's game!
You spent a summer in Clifden, no way, gorgeous part of the County you picked there. I'd say that some experience as a 17 year young lad!
Ya, Fraser island was a highlight, something cool about just driving around an island on a 4x4 with all your supplies on the roof fending for yourselves. I'm surprised the tyres held up with all the crates of beer we had 😅🤣😂
Hahaha - I like your style bro! Yeah in some ways I feel backpacking is not my thing now - I like the adventures but then want an aircon suite with a minibar at the end of the day...:) I just posted the 2nd part of my sailing trip in case u wanna see part 2...:) When I was 17 I hitch hiked around Europe for a year having all kinds of adventures - 3 months in Clifden was part of that adventure.
Dude, you must have some stories from that adventure! You could start a series talking about them and even better if you have some photos too.
Wow, that's not a life for everyone, it's quite a commitment. I know a lot of people around SE Asia and that owns boat, it's fascinating for me.
Thanks for bringing something different to the community!
Hey thanks! Yes living on a 44 foot sailboat is pretty challenging. Kudos to my sis and her husband for chasing the dream. Its pretty tough life but also big rewards.