Start Loc: Middle Island (West Bay), Percy Islands (21o 39.14'S, 150o 14.67'E)
Narrative: We spent yesterday at anchor at Middle Percy. The wind remained SE at about 15kts. That continued to bring a swell with it that curls around into West Bay and makes it not the most comfortable anchorage, but by no means unbearable. We ran the engine for 24 minutes.
This morning I got up and listened to the 6:30am weather forecast from VMR Thirsty Sound on the VHF. A low trough over the South Coral Sea is moving slowly west and causing some winds. The plan for today was to sail about 25nm east to Curlew Island where there is good shelter from SE winds, and then sail the 40nm or so into Mackay. We raised the anchor at 7:50am and set sail. The forecast was accurate with winds from the south at 25-30kts. From the outset we were sailing with both reefs in the main and greatly reduced head sail, but with good winds on a beam reach we were doing 6.5kts through the water. The seas were 2-3m from the south and there was a swell of about a metre from the south east, so it was a bit rough but nothing to worry about.
After three hours we were approaching Curlew Island. Having made good time (we were averaging 7kts over the ground) coupled with my suspicion that despite the same forecast the weather would be worse tomorrow (while we had a strong wind warning current, Double Island Point to Point Danger were under a gale warning), we decided to alter course and head straight for Mackay.
Around lunch time we logged a new speed record for the boat (while we have had her anyway), with 9.3kts through the water and 11.0kts over the ground. Admittedly we were surfing down the face of a good wave at the time. I think it will be a while before we beat that one ...
By 2:00pm the wind had swung to a sou-easterly and dropped to 20-25kts. We were running with both reefs in the main still, but a little more head sail. We sat fairly consistently at 6-6.5kts boat speed, with tidal assistance giving us 7-7.5kts over the ground. Our heading of 295 degrees took us clear of the restricted shipping areas at Hay Point, but we sailed through the middle of all the ships waiting at anchor to go in for loading. We then passed Round Top and Flat Top Islands, skirted Dangerous Reef, and sailed into Mackay Outer Harbour at 5:28pm, just before sunset. Once inside, we lowered the main and motored to the marina. Having finally found our allocated berth, we were secure by 6:00pm.
On the way back from our showers after dinner, the wind had strengthened and it was starting to rain. We don't regret the decision to push through to Mackay in one day!
We will spend tomorrow getting the boat cleaned up inside and out, and sorting ourselves out. There is a bit of running around we need to do, and after 15 days out we need to do a good resupply (power and water were fine with the aft tank still about 2/3 full). We expect to spend a few days here before heading north into the Whitsundays.
End Loc: Mackay Marina (21o 06.84'S, 149o 13.52'E)
Distance run: 69 nm (cumulative: 732nm)
Engine hours: 1 hr, 07 min (cumulative: 73 hr 43 min)