Normandy Island

We departed Fitzroy Island Tuesday Morning after spending two nights, it is a rather nice place to spend a few days with some great walks and a nice bar and eatery.  There were plenty of people enjoying the island and constant ferries coming and going from Cairns.

We dropped our mooring at 5.00am (still very dark) this morning and headed south.  We motored for the first few hours as there were a few squalls coming through but the seas were not too bad.  Eventually we were able to raise the mainsail and unfurl the headsail but winds were head on so it was a motor sail for the 15 nautical miles to our destination of Normandy Island.  We were on a mooring by 9.00am.  What a delightful island, we went ashore and walked the island.  Along came a ferry load of people that were all brought ashore for snorkelling and exploring so a popular place to visit.  It was rather cool and cloudy so wimped out on  joining the snorkellers, we seem to be getting rather soft now waiting for more favourable weather to get into the sea.  By 3.30pm the ferry was rounding up the guests to return them to wherever they came from and the beach was free to revisit for a sundowner and barbecue with the crew from Evelyn.  We all headed ashore and were able to use all the picnic facilities available.  As we were heading up the beach we watched another yacht head into the bay and were rather surprised at the speed it was travelling especially when it did not slow down as it hit the sand spit.  Next thing a head appeared from down in the boat and we watched him frantically trying to reverse off the beach.  Luckily there is quite a drop off from the shore and he was able to save the boat from a long night on the sand.