I was planning to get the boat to Whitsundays by say November and leave it there for Summer Jan /Feb.
People I have met have said I am mad... should be heading south by then.
Stingers, storms, rain, humidity cyclones....sounding like a horror movie!
Is it this bad? I am a bit tired of Gold Coast, muddy water , maniacs in Riviera's speeding around etc over summer and wanted something new.
Any thoughts and experience from people that have actually done Whitsundays it this time of year would be appreciated.
We do plan to have a marina berth at Abel Point as a base.
The only positive I can think of is you shouldn't have any problems getting a mooring but I'm not sure if that out weights the negatives ; cyclones, stingers, humidity, rain
Select to expand quoteAndrew12 said..
We do plan to have a marina berth at Abel Point as a base.
If you are tucked well in the marina and your boat is insured (they won't let you in if not) I think the risk factor is fairly low. If a cyclone goes right over the top of you, well that will be that.
There is Mackay, damned expensive and about the same risk factor. Yeppoon, fairly expensive lower risk. Gladstone, not cheap but lower risk again. Bundaberg Port Marina, pricey but they were OK in the last floods. Urangan Boat Harbour, Hervey Bay, safe as houses. Tin Can Bay, safe as houses.
Mmm....Hervey Bay, get stalked by whales and dolphins. Great Sandy straits is beautiful . Sigh...
Townsville breakwater Marina is cheaper and far more friendly than Able point. You can fly in or out with more convenience.
I have spent past 5 years living and working on boats in Airlie , Townsville and Cairns marinas been through 3 cyclones , never been stung by a stinger, put up with humility via a rattler aircon , drank a lot of cold beer.........but I certainly would not leave a loved yacht unattended for a long period through the wet seasons.
this seems like a dumb question , but that has never stopped me before ... 
.... What do all the locals do with their boats up there in the wet seasons ??
Select to expand quoteSectorsteve said..
Head south. Will be better. Go north on winter holidays!
Coffs Harbour or Yamba are great places.
It's really not that bad, Cairns has not had a direct hit from a cyclone since cyclone Joy in the 80s , Airlie always gets carnage cause people leave there boats on moornings in the bay and they are the ones that are usually on the rocks the next morning. Most locals in marinas remove headsails , lash mains, double berth lines. I have seen cyclonic winds 65knts a number of times now not even in a cyclone! Problem is with cyclones is you get winds from the North then the calm in the eye and then South winds so you get a double whammy beating!
Take a measured risk. I know a guy who has always had a boat there but has only lost one.
If needed can you get there to tie it up , up a creek?
Hi
My son has hired yachts in the Whitsundays a few times in February.
Hot and humid. Too hot to sleep below without aircon.
But the winds are gentler than the strong winter trade winds.
He always wore a stinger suit.
Eventually he stopped going in summer. Just too hot.
Apart from the risk of cyclones, the weather is good.
Winter up there is paradise. Summer imo is horrible. Waters brown and humidity is high. Just uncomfortable. Best places in australia in summer imo is south.
Pittwater is actually closer to Brisbane than the Whitsundays. Beautiful (though heavily utilised).
Did 10 days on pittwater xmas 2013. Amazing. So many places beaches fuel stops pub stops tranquility. I just didnt find it busy. Nye was a bit where we went but we got courtesy moorings everynight. Swam with dolphins etc. Had beaches to ourselves. Loved it.
Cheaper to leave a yacht on the piles at Bowen, cost for 10 m is $86 first week and $65 per week there after for the next seven years!
Select to expand quoteSectorsteve said...
Did 10 days on pittwater xmas 2013. Amazing. So many places beaches fuel stops pub stops tranquility. I just didnt find it busy. Nye was a bit where we went but we got courtesy moorings everynight. Swam with dolphins etc. Had beaches to ourselves. Loved it.
You got lucky. Jan you can walk across boats at some anchorages.
Like america bay and the basin? I.really couldnt see the point going to either.might as well be at pitt street mall.
However theres so much choice up the hawkesburry, pittwater, brooklyn and central coast that theres no need to go to the busy spots. Just goes to show people are sheep. They see people doing something and do it too. Personally i see people doing something and go the other way. Was gonna move boat back there but just got a house south so if anything hoats going south. Syd harbour for racing only cruising- just anywhere else
Thanks for your thoughts. Yep it seems that the numbers are in and I am an idiot !
Currently at Yeppoon heading North and was planning to just leave the boat up at Whitsundays and use it there over summer but I am now pretty sure we will head back South in Dec/Jan.
Humidity is one thing but the wife is really worried about swimming with stingers especially if the grandies come up.
Think we will rejig the plan.
Thanks
