Plan your Whitsundays yacht charter

Planning your day on your charter yacht

After receiving your up-to-date Whitsundays weather forecast at the morning radio scheds, and before you finalise your plans for the day, you would use that weather information... your tide book... and charts to sensibly plan your day.

Winds - Information given over the radio on the morning and evening scheds, will give you the forecast wind strength - This tells you at what time of the day wind and tide will coincide, and be opposed. (wind against tide). This helps you plan the direction of your sailing movements, so that by 4.00pm you'll be comfortably in a Whitsundays anchorage that best suits the forecast wind strength and direction.

Tides - From Tide Tables based on Shute Harbour you'll know what time the tide starts to ebb or flood (in the Whitsundays the tide ebbs to the north and floods to the south)...and what are the times of high and low tides - and what will be the tidal range (difference between the tides)

This is particularly important if you plan on scuba diving or snorkeling, because you'll want a shallow depth of water over the reef to make viewing easier. Plan your day so you arrive at the coral reef you plan snorkeling approximately 1.5 hours either side of the 'turn of the tide'.

Distance - Work out how long the voyage will take. This will tell you when to depart to be at anchor by 4.00 pm. Use the latitude scale on the side of the chart to measure distance in nautical miles.

Charts - Study your Whitsundays maps to consider the location and effect of currents, reefs, disturbed water and calm seas. Study the anchorage sketch maps in '100 Magic Miles' to be familiar with close-in approaches... Depth and location of coral... Depth and location of suitable anchorages... are you going to try to overnight on a public mooring?

Weather - Remember, the weather forecasters do try, but they are not perfect. If you are caught in changing wind conditions re-evaluate your trip...

Always plan alternatives... and remember, weather forecasters are not thinking of bareboaters on a charter yacht in the Whitsundays when they mention a... 'Change expected to occur in the morning'... as this often gives the impression of the change happening 'sometime after dawn', when in Bureau terms 'morning'... really means from midnight on!

Some thoughts on Whitsundays weather events

When the weather remains light and from the south-east you plan your trip and overnight anchorages to the eastern side of the islands.

You would not plan an easy down-wind sail to the north of Hook Island when a strong south-easterly has just set in for a couple of days, if it means the next day you have to punch back to the south in 20-25 knot winds... Under those conditions you could plan to stay centrally located between Nara Inlet and Hamilton Island and move north with the abating wind.

Plan trips to the south of Hamilton Island when you expect light northerlies to continue for the next 2-4 days...but you would consider alternatives to the north of Hamilton Island in the face of south-easterlies exceeding 15 knots.

When a prolonged period of northerly weather is expected (October through January)...plan trips to the less frequented and particularly attractive anchorages on the southern end of Whitsunday Island and within the Lindeman Group.

Snorkeling and scuba diving in the Whitsundays

Most charter yachts are supplied with snorkeling equipment. (Masks, snorkels and fins)

However you need to be aware that the insurance cover that would be covering your bareboat operations does not extend to any accident or injury resulting from their use.

The same applies to scuba diving, under no circumstances should all the crew be in the water at once. Always have at least one person in the tender acting as a lookout in case someone should get into difficulties.

Never start or run the engine of your charter yacht when anyone is swimming or snorkeling close by to avoid the possibility of serious injury from the propellers.

Fishing in the Whitsundays

After fishing ensure that all fishing lines are retrieved and ensure that there are no fishing lines overboard before starting the engines. Fishing lines caught in the propellers can cause the same type of damage as ropes.

You may fish around most islands with handline, rods and reel. Take only what you can eat in the next day or two and return small fish to the water. In the Whitsundays you may not fish between Butterfly Bay and Pinnacle Point on the north side if Hook Island, around Border Island, in the Waite Bay area on the eastern side of Hazelwood Island, or anywhere near the Hook Island Underwater Observatory.

Please consult the information supplied by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and follow the restrictions on locations and fish sizes. Non-compliance with GBRMPA regulations may mean a fine of up to $10,000 and your expulsion from the area. Map - Marine Park Zoning

Oyster Gathering

Eat all the oysters you wish ashore, but no oysters are allowed to be taken back to your charter yacht and eaten. Eat only large oysters and leave the small ones to reach maturity.

Look for oysters on a falling tide and avoid the obviously most popular spots. Take a short trip in your tender away from the main anchorage areas and be careful not to slip on the rocks.

In the Whitsundays you are not permitted to collect oysters between Butterfly Bay and Pinnacle Point on Hook Island; around Border Island; or in the Waite Bay area on the Eastern side of Hazelwood Island.

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