Gypsy Cruising

14 September

Whitehaven Beach to Haslewood Island

We had only a short 3 miles to travel today, so we made the most of the available opportunity here before we left, possibly the last opportunity I have to visit Whitehaven Beach on this cruise.  By good luck we found that the new Whitehaven lookout has just recently opened.  We’d seen the lookout itself, quite high above the southern end of the beach, back in late July on a previous leg of the cruise.  I’d walked to the old lookout twice on the cruise but this new lookout will probably supersede it, simply because of its elevated position and clear views both north and south.  As the following photos show pretty convincingly, it’s going to become popular, and the path up to it has been built to be smooth and wide to suit.

Views from the new Whitehaven Lookout over Whitehaven Beach and a small bay to the left on the south of Whitsunday Island

A good looking mug shot

Looking back westwards, towards Hamilton Island and the mainland in the background

Solway Passage on a calm day

We had one last swim and enjoyed some time in the sun before finally heading back to the boat and readying to leave. 

Haslewood Island is directly adjacent to Whitehaven Beach, and provides the southern barrier to the large anchorage technically referred to as “Whitehaven”.  Mike was keen to go there, as it was one of the anchorages he visited when he bareboated here in 1980.  I also visited it in 1986 and haven't been back since, so was very happy to travel the short distance out there.  In the event we were rewarded pretty handsomely.  The anchorage in Windy Bay (it wasn't windy today) was very pretty, and to me was reminiscent of the smugglers' bays along the Cornish coast.  On top of that, there was only one other yacht in the bay, with Stuart and Dee aboard, plus what looked like a tiny prawn trawler using the bay as a daytime refuge before going out again to do its work.

Gypsy Princess in Windy Bay in the last light of the day

We went ashore to look for a walking track over to the island's southern shore, from where we thought we could explore the extensive fringing reef.  We didn't find the track, and suspect it's been allowed to be absorbed back into the general bush.  Instead we saw some stingrays and a small reef shark swimming in the shallow water.

Stuart and Dee invited us over for return drinks, and so we spent the remaining couple of hours until the very last light of day on board Katana.

Stuart, Dee and Susan on Katana

Sunset over Whitsunday Island

It's pretty close to being a full moon tonight.  Sitting on deck after dinner we could look back and see the full expanse of Whitehaven Beach.  In the moonlight the beach literally glowed white and was unmistakable even at our distance of over 3 miles away.  That's something that I think no one could possibly photograph, given the very low light levels involved, but it was extraordinary to see.