Haycock Island, Orpheus Island, Rattlesnake Island and back to Magnetic Island

Published July 13, 2019

Orpheus Island – Little Pioneer Bay

After two very calm nights in Hinchinbrook Channel we pulled up anchor this morning.

There is so much to see at Hinchinbrook Island and will definitely be returning to spend more time. We motored the final 10 nautical miles down the southern end and came out at Lucinda and then followed the very long jetty that is used to load sugar cane and were finally able to hoist the mainsail and headsail for a short sail across to Little Pioneer Bay at Orpheus Island, picking up a mooring. We headed ashore for a walk on the island, finding the remains of a shepherds hut built many years ago when sheep were on the island. The track has not been used much but did manage to find our way to the peak and were able to see both sides of the island, a pretty spectacular view.

We went ashore again late this afternoon for a champagne barbecue with our travelling buddies on Evelyn as they are heading home tomorrow and we are travelling solo from now on. There is a really nice beach and picnic table at Little Pioneer Bay so what better than to drink champagne, cook a barbecue and watch the sun go down and then have to drag the dinghy all the way out to the water as the tide has gone down. We have had a great time with our buddies and will definitely travel with them again in the future.

Orpheus Island – Hazzard Bay

We are expecting fairly strong winds over coming days so decided to only move a short distance of 3.5 nautical miles down to the next bay on Orpheus Island where the island resort is situated. We picked up a mooring and spent the entire day of Monday inside as the drizzly rain was constant, nothing like freshly made pikelets.

We are still here today and the weather has cleared some so we did put the dinghy down to explore the bay. Just around the point is Yankee Bay that has a jetty and plenty of coral to snorkel and Hazzard Bay is so calm and protected with a really nice beach and plenty more coral to explore so when the sun finally stays out we will be back to spend a lot more time here.

Rattlesnake Island

We dropped our mooring at Hazzard Bay, Orpheus Island this morning and will definitely be back it is such a beautiful anchorage. The winds have really eased and the sea quite calm so sailing was going to happen with a motor at the same time. We motor sailed 23 nautical miles to Rattlesnake Island and dropped anchor at 2.15pm. The anchorage is quite sheltered and not a boat or person to be seen. It is a rather desolate looking island and is used for military exercises during the year luckily no live ammunition at the moment. I don’t believe the name comes from an island teeming with rattlesnakes or that is what I told myself.

Back to Horseshoe Bay

After a very calm and peaceful night we departed Rattlesnake Island this morning heading to Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island a distance of 15 nautical miles. One we had passed between Rattlesnake Island and Herald Island the wind was in a good direction to raise the sails. The winds were light and we managed to sail half the distance before the wind changed direction and the engines came on. The north seems to be full of navy ships we passed Matthew Perry anchored off Magnetic Island and had to make sure we did not enter the set exclusion zone. We anchored just before lunch and headed into shore this afternoon. The bay was busy with tourists enjoying all the water-sports activities on off and plenty of gelato being eaten and yes of course Steve had to sample.

We are planning to spend a few more days here in Horseshoe Bay the weather has finally turned nice and sunny with beautiful blue skies and the shorts can come out again. We hiked from Horseshoe Bay up to Balding and Radical Bays today and had a swim the view in the bays in stunning especially with the sun shining. The walk is quite challenging so of course we needed to be rewarded with another gelato. We saw the most spectacular sunset with the sun dipping over the ocean this evening.

Another perfect day here in Horseshoe Bay with the place buzzing with people and their water sports. We took the dinghy ashore and walked around the suburb and came across the original Magnetic Island School that is now a tourist information centre and a nature reserve full or tall gums and rainforest and teeming with hundreds of butterflies.

Tomorrow we are off to Townsville.

By Marg