Sailing Whitsunday Islands!
I love sailing Whitsunday Islands!! I don’t have an intimate connection with the Caribbean or the Greek islands just a future dream to sail them!! However I live in Airlie Beach on the east coast of Queensland in the heart of the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and this area I’m passionate about!!
The Whitsundays Australia offer arguably the best sailing holidays in the country, and rival the best cruising grounds on the planet. Some claim that the Whitsunday islands are among the most beautiful in the world. To fully capture the beauty of this region, it’s best to sail from island to island. With the freedom to anchor whenever you fancy a snorkel or when it’s time to call it a night, the Whitsundays are truly the epitome of a sailor’s paradise.
They lie close to the Queensland coast stretching around 100 nautical miles from the coastal town of Mackay through vibrant blue waters and tropical islands sailing alongside the Great Barrier Reef to the sleepy town of Bowen.
Of more than 74 islands floating like jewels in the tropical warm waters of the Coral Sea, over 50 of them have comfortable anchorages. As the trade winds blow from March onwards sailing holidays are on the minds of many Australians, most are heading to the Whitsunday Islands. Many of these are cruising women and some will be sailing solo. From March to September the Queensland coast is fanned by trade winds and although this is winter it’s still warm. Sailors on the east coast of Australia with a few months to spare migrate with the favorable winds to enjoy their sailing holidays. I have been sailing Whitsunday Islands for several years now, some times single handed, and I would say they are some of the safest sailing grounds I know. There are just short distances from the mainland and protected by the Great Barrier Reef which stretches hundreds of nautical miles along the coast. You are always within 10 hours of a safe anchorage. Aside from the many anchorages there are some good marinas and resorts along the way, you are never far from a place to tie up and go ashore. There are resorts at many islands and sailors are welcome, and one of the main places to stopover is
Hamilton Island
with its marina, high class hotels and restaurants or Abel Point Marina at
Airlie Beach
for some site seeing and provisions.
Most of us prefer the quieter anchorages scattered amongst the many islands or beaches like Whitehaven beach with its 7 k of white sand. Or sailing to some of the bays that are known for the coral and marine life, places you can snorkel and go scuba diving. When sailing Whitsunday Islands make sure you have all the charts for coastal navigation, as there are a lot of coral bommies and fringing reefs round the islands. Tides in the Whitsundays rise and fall more than most sailors have experienced and they are one of the most important considerations when cruising in this area. Along with all the relevant charts I would not be without the ‘bible’ for the area; ‘100 Magic Miles of the Whitsunday Islands’ by David Colfelt,. There is a wealth of knowledge in it including the best places to anchor, dive and snorkel, camping, fishing and aerial views of all the islands. Sailing Whitsunday islands can be a life time experience as a sailing holiday or you could get addicted and continue exploring for a life time!
Airlie Beach is the gateway to sailing Whitsunday Islands!
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