Friday, August 26, 2011

A day at the Audi Hamilton Island Races...

I know this post is out of order...we still have several posts to add here covering our visits to Middle Percy, Brampton, Shaw and Lindeman Islands (I have been a pretty slack blogger of late)...but I was so excited after witnessing some of the maxi yachts up close today (part of the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week), that I couldn't wait to pop up a few pictures.

We left our anchorage at Lindeman Island at 8:00 am this morning and sailed under spinnaker up to Hamilton Island and through Dent Passage, arriving just as the race fleet departed the Hamilton Island Marina.


We weren't sure where the races started from, so we dropped the spinnaker and followed the back of the fleet right up to the start line (and then promptly got out of the way).

Check out the water!! The current through Fitzalan Passage was about 3 kts...against us!

We ended up in Turtle Bay, on the south coast of Whitsunday Island, and were bobbing about directly off the start line, where we got the following shots...




I had to put this one up, because I got one for my birthday! A silver Pandora bracelet...not a Hanse 540e racing yacht ;-)...

As soon as the majority of the fleet had departed we motored back past Hamilton Island and anchored off Henning Island, just in time to catch the race leaders come flying back home...









It was a poopy, overcast and drizzly day, but it was so much fun watching the race fleet that we hardly noticed the poor weather. There were hardly any spectator boats out either, which surprised us, but enabled us a good clear view.

We finished off a fabulous day with a quick jaunt ashore on Henning Island, where we helped the kids construct a driftwood shelter on the beach. This project was inspired by one of Emily's Distance Education units on different types of shelters, and someone had even thoughtfully started the shelter for us too!




Anyhoo, way past time this chook was in bed.

Night!!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great pics, what a great view you had. If I got shipwrecked I'd want You all along to build me a wee hous. Joe,s Ruth passed away yesterday, they gave her 6 months,18 months ago, she had gone badly down hill the last month or so, still very upsetting for the family. Keep on sailing mama.

Anonymous said...

Just a heads up on your photos, tilts and angles are fine on people subjects, but are completely wrong/amatureish on water, verticle perspectives, wide angles and zoom on water work...ps get out of sawmill bay, thats where the newbies and charteres have to anchor theres 74 islands and triple the anchorages for all conditions and all nicer than sawmil bay...

Sam said...

Hey there Anon...thanks for your comment and photo tips. My pics probably look amateurish...because I am an amateur :-). I like the tilted look, it adds interest for me...even if it is not technically correct.

We really enjoyed Sawmill Bay. It was pretty, and we enjoyed the walk up Whitsunday Peak (I even went back for a second climb). I liked seeing the turtles swimming about the boat up close too. It was a shame it was so crowded, but we got to meet several other experienced cruisers there, so it was well worth the traffic jam.

Regards,
Sam.