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It is common practice in the tropics and the Whitsundays to enter a coral anchorage with the sun reasonably high in the sky (between 11-2 o'clock). Early morning or late afternoon approaches can be fraught with danger as it is difficult for the naked eye to pick up the presence of coral owing to the low angle of the sun... Always wear Polarised sunglasses to improve visibility.
The Whitsundays book '100 Magic Miles' breaks all Whitsunday anchorages into logical sequence by areas (a copy is supplied on every bareboat operating as a charter yacht in the Whitsundays). The detail in the charts is first class and little can go wrong if you follow the detailed advice given about each anchorage and follow the charts. Look for those anchorages that are likely to be suitable at the time of year you plan your Whitsunday sailing holidays.
You will notice that in our summary list 'Winter Anchorages, April to September'... the Whitsunday islands and anchorages to the south of the Hamilton Island resort have been deliberately left out. This has been done because the time constraints of a 5 - 10 day cruising holiday make it difficult to visit the southern anchorages if its your first time to the Whitsundays. It's difficult to combine a visit to both the northern and southern sections of the Whitsundays and still have an unhurried and pleasant cruising experience.
If you have 7-10 days, and you're planning a summer cruise (wind is predominately NW to East)... see table Whitsunday Wind Direction... you could make the choice to base your Whitsunday sailing holidays around the southern anchorages - these anchorages are more isolated, and not as frequently visited, so you could often have the anchorage to yourself. As a guide to a 7 day charter trip based around the southern part of the Whitsundays, you could review Cruising the southern anchorages.
For an overview of the Whitsunday Islands anchorages review the following summary Whitsunday maps and pages...
Leeway
The leeway you encounter on a Whitsundays yacht charter is the sideways movement of a vessel, which is caused by wind when your yacht is underway.
For example when a strong tidal flow ebbing north up the Whitsunday Passage combines with a 10 knot south easterly wind pushing your vessel sideways, you might find yourself in light winds going at 3 knots towards your destination and 2 knots to leeward! Work this into a 1.5 to 2 hour passage from Abel Point Marina to Nara Inlet and you can appreciate how you could end up in Stonehaven, or spending a half hour motoring into wind and tide to make you planned anchorage at Nara Inlet.
Understanding and allowing for leeway on a yacht charter around the Whitsunday Islands can help you get to your anchorage on time and avoid a last minute panic as the sun gets closer to setting. By making allowances of as much as 10-15 degrees on your course you will have a much better chance of sailing the thumb line... and this particularly applies if your charter yacht is a smaller and slower vessel.
Areas of particular note where uncalculated leeway could endanger your charter yacht
- The southern reef off Daydream Island
- Reefs surrounding Langford and Black Islands
- The waters surrounding ; 'The Beak' close to the entrance to Shute Harbour
- Roma Point at the southern tip of South Molle Island
To locate these references, see Whitsunday maps - Offshore hazards and tidal flow.
Tidal calculations
Even experienced navigators can get themselves confused with tidal calculations. So to understand them when you're light on bareboat yacht charter experience requires care. The large tidal range for the Whitsundays (about 4.2 metres in the main islands) means that it is critical that you have a good working knowledge of at least one method you can rely on, to be certain to avoid grounding when anchored and on a falling tide.
All tidal calculations in the Whitsundays are taken with Shute Harbour as the major port. To calculate the tidal range for a given day it is a simple matter to subtract the height at low water from the height at high water.
Extract from Tide Tables - Shute Harbour August 15, 2000
Time
|
m |
| 0500 |
0.80 |
| 1044 |
2.54 |
| 1627 |
0.51 |
| 2308 |
3.43 |
From these tables you can calculate tidal range
| High tide at
2308 hrs |
3.43m |
| Less
Low Tide at 1627 hrs |
- 0.51 m
|
| Tidal Range: |
2.92 m |
If your cruising takes you into areas south of Hamilton Island, a reasonably accurate method to determine tide is to simply add 50% to the Shute Harbour range for all anchorages to the south of Hamilton Island...
Before you can safely anchor you must understand how to use the tide tables to determine the tidal range for high and low water. To read about anchoring, refer to: Boat handling and manoeuvring
Location of public moorings in the Whitsundays
| Location |
Maximum
Size of Vessel * |
Total |
| Brown |
Yellow |
Orange
|
Red |
| South Stonehaven
- Hook Island |
|
|
4 |
|
4 |
| North Stonehaven - Hook
Island |
|
|
6 |
|
6 |
| Black Island |
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| Langford Reef |
|
|
4 |
|
4 |
| West Butterfly Bay - Hook
Island |
|
|
7 |
|
7 |
| East Butterfly Bay - Hook
Island |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| Maureen's Cove - Hook
Island |
|
2 |
2 |
|
4 |
| Pinnacle Bay - Hook Island |
|
|
2 |
|
2 |
| Luncheon Bay - Hook Island |
|
1 |
6 |
1 |
8 |
| Bait Reef Lagoon |
|
|
6 |
1 |
7 |
| Blue Pearl Bay - Hayman
Island |
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| False Nara Inlet - Hook
Island |
|
|
2 |
|
2 |
| Sunlovers Beach - Daydream
Is |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
| Cateran Bay - Border Island |
|
2 |
1 |
|
3 |
| Mantaray Bay - Hook Island |
2 |
|
2 |
|
4 |
| TOTAL |
2 |
8 |
46 |
4 |
60 |
| *Buoy Colour |
Maximum size vessel |
| Brown |
6m tender |
| Yellow |
10m monohull, 9 m catamaran |
| Orange |
20m monohull,18 m catamaran |
| Red |
35m monohull,30 m catamaran |
Anchorages by type in the Whitsundays
| Suggested first night
anchorages: |
Location |
Type |
| Abel Point
Marina |
Mainland |
Marina berth |
| Funnel Bay |
Mainland |
|
| Woodwark
Bay |
Mainland |
|
| Stonehaven |
Hook Island |
Public Moorings |
| Bauer Bay |
South Molle
Island |
Fee applies |
| Nara Inlet |
Hook Island |
|
| Macona Inlet |
Hook Island |
|
| All
weather protected anchorages: |
|
|
| Nara Inlet |
Hook Island |
|
| Macona Inlet |
Hook Island |
|
| Refuge Bay |
Nara Inlet-Hook Island |
|
| Gulnare Inlet |
Whitsunday Island |
|
| Hamilton island |
Hamilton island Marina |
Marina berth |
| Happy Bay |
Long Island |
Fee applies |
| Cid Harbour in combination
with Dugong Inlet |
Whitsunday Island |
|
| Good
coral anchorages |
|
|
| Cateran Bay |
Border Island |
Public Moorings |
| Butterfly Bay |
Hook Island |
Public Moorings |
| Chance Bay |
Whitsunday Island |
Northerly only |
| Turtle Bay |
Whitsunday Island |
Northerly only |
| Blue Pearl Bay |
Hook Island |
Public Moorings |
| Stonehaven |
Hook Island |
Public Moorings |
| Suggested
anchorages for last night: |
|
|
| Woodwark Bay |
Mainland |
|
| Funnel Bay |
Mainland |
|
| Nara Inlet |
Hook Island |
|
| Macona Inlet |
Hook Island |
|
| South Molle Resort |
South Molle Island |
Fee applies |
| Palm Bay |
Long Island |
Fee applies |
Winter Anchorages in the Whitsundays - April to September
Winter season wind direction
| Month |
E |
SE |
S |
Total |
| April |
30% |
46% |
7% |
83% |
| May |
24% |
46% |
18% |
88% |
| June |
14% |
41% |
25% |
80% |
| July |
23% |
40% |
16% |
79% |
| Aug |
26% |
35% |
5% |
66% |
| Sept |
33% |
25% |
2% |
60% |
| Map Ref * |
Anchorage |
Location |
Wind Protection |
| N12 |
Double
Bay West |
Mainland |
E-SW |
|
| N13 |
Double
Bay East |
Mainland |
E-SW |
|
| N14 |
Woodwark
Bay |
Mainland |
E-W |
|
| C1 |
Abel Point
Marina |
Mainland |
All Weather |
|
| C1 |
Airlie Beach |
Mainland |
E-SW |
|
| C2 |
Funnel
Bay |
Mainland |
NE-SW |
|
| C4 |
Happy Bay
Club Crocodile Resort |
Long
Island |
NE-SW |
Priv Moor |
| C4 |
Palm Bay
(Resort) |
Long Island |
NE-SW |
Priv Moor |
| C9 |
Bauer Bay
South Molle Resort |
South
Molle Island |
E-SW
|
|
| C10 |
Nara Inlet |
Hook Island |
All Weather |
|
|
Enter and exit between the red port light pile and
the eastern shore. Stay well south of reef when moving
between anchorage 4 and 3.
|
|
| C10 |
Macona
Inlet |
Hook Island |
All Weather |
|
|
Enter and exit between the starboard buoy and the western
shore. Travel well up the inlet before turning toward
anchorage. |
|
| C13 |
Blue Pearl
Bay |
Hayman Island |
NE-SE |
4 Moorings |
|
Anchor outside line of white triangular buoys. Prepare
to let plenty of chain out as very deep water. |
|
| C12 |
Stonehaven |
Hook Island |
NE-S |
10 Moorings |
|
Beware
of bommies in anchorage.
|
|
C14
C15 |
Butterfly Bay |
Hook Island |
NE-NW |
8 Moorings |
|
No fishing.
Beware of reefs and bommies when approaching anchorage
1. |
|
| C17 |
Hook
Observatory |
Hook Island |
E-N |
Priv Moor |
| C18 |
Mays Bay |
Whitsunday
Island |
E-S |
|
| C19 |
Cid Harbour |
Whitsunday
Island |
NE-SW |
|
| C20 |
* * Gulnare
Inlet |
Whitsunday
Island |
All Weather |
|
| C22 |
Hamilton
Island (Resort) |
Hamilton
Island |
All Weather |
|
|
Do not Proceed within 300m of airport runway. |
|
| C26 |
Stockyard
Beach (Chalkies) |
Haslewood
Island |
E-SE
|
|
| C26 |
Whitehaven |
Whitsunday
Island |
E-NW |
|
| C27 |
Tongue Bay |
Whitsunday
Island |
SE-NW |
|
| C28 |
Apostle Bay |
Whitsunday
Island |
SE-W |
|
| C29 |
Cateran Bay |
Border Island |
E-SW |
|
|
No fishing. Anchor outside line of white triangular
buoys. |
|
| C31 |
Windy Bay |
Haslewood Island |
E-SW |
|
| S1 |
Boat Port |
Lindeman Island |
NE-SE |
|
| S1 |
Gap Beach |
Lindeman Island |
SE-W |
|
| S2 |
Plantation Bay |
Lindeman Island |
NW-S |
|
| S2 |
Neck Bay |
Shaw Island |
NE-S |
|
| S3 |
Shaw Island South |
Shaw Island |
NE-S |
|
| S3 |
Burning Point |
Shaw Island |
E-SW |
|
| S6 |
*
Thomas Island |
Shaw Island |
E-SW |
|
*=Not available to vessels under 10
metres.
**=Enter and leave on the top half of a rising tide.
Summer
Anchorages in the Whitsundays - October to March
Summer Season
Wind Direction
| Month |
NW |
N |
NE |
E |
Total |
| Oct |
14% |
..6% |
20% |
32% |
72% |
| Nov |
18% |
10% |
22% |
27% |
77% |
| Dec |
16% |
10% |
21% |
29% |
76% |
| Jan |
10% |
..7% |
22% |
31% |
70% |
| Feb |
..8% |
..5% |
11% |
32% |
56% |
| Mar |
..5% |
..2% |
13% |
35% |
55% |
| Map Ref * |
Anchorage |
Location |
Wind Protection |
| C1 |
Able Point Marina |
Mainland |
All Weather |
|
| C2 |
Funnel Bay |
Mainland |
NE-SW |
|
| C4 |
Happy Bay (Resort) |
Long Island |
NE-SW |
Priv Moor |
| C4 |
Palm Bay Resort |
Long Island |
NE-SW |
Priv Moor |
| C10 |
Nara Inlet |
Hook Island |
All Weather |
|
|
Enter
and exit between the reef light pile and the eastern shore.
Stay well south of reef when moving between anchorage
4 and 3. |
| C13 |
Blue Pearl Bay |
Hayman Island |
NE-SE |
4 Moorings |
|
Anchor
outside line of white triangular buoys. Prepare to let
plenty of chain out as very deep water. |
| C12 |
Stonehaven |
Hook Island |
NE-S |
10 Moorings |
|
Beware of bommies
in anchorage.
|
C14
C15 |
Butterfly Bay |
Hook Island |
NE-NW |
8 Moorings |
|
No fishing. Beware
of reefs and bommies when approaching anchorage 1 |
| C17 |
Hook Observatory |
Hook Island |
NE-NW |
8 Moorings |
|
Pass offshore of yellow
buoy SE of Eastern headland of Macona Inlet |
| C19 |
Cid Harbour |
Whitsunday Island |
NE-SW |
|
| C19 |
Dugong Inlet (Cid Harbour) |
Whitsunday Island |
NW-SW |
|
| C20 |
* * Gulnare Inlet |
Whitsunday Island |
NE-NW |
8 Moorings |
|
No fishing.
Beware of reefs and bommies when approaching anchorage
1. |
| C17 |
Hook Observatory |
Hook Island |
E-N |
Priv Moor |
| C18 |
Mays Bay |
Whitsunday Island |
E-S |
|
| C19 |
Cid Harbour |
Whitsunday Island |
NE-SW |
|
| C20 |
* * Gulnare Inlet |
Whitsunday Island |
All Weather |
|
| C22 |
Hamilton Island (Resort) |
Hamilton Island |
All Weather |
|
|
Do not Proceed
within 300m of airport runway. |
| C24 |
Turtle Bay |
Whitsunday Island |
NW-NE |
|
| C25 |
Chance Bay |
Whitsunday Island |
NW-NE |
|
| S1 |
Lindeman/Gap Beach |
Lindeman Island |
SE-W |
|
| S1 |
Club Med Resort |
Lindeman Island |
N-E |
|
| S2 |
Plantation Bay |
Lindeman Island |
NW-E |
|
| S2 |
Neck Bay |
Shaw Island |
NE-S |
|
| S3 |
Shaw Island South |
Shaw Island |
NE-S |
|
| S3 |
Billbob Bay |
Shaw Island |
NW-E |
|
| S5 |
* Roberta Bay |
Shaw Island |
NW-NE |
|
| S6 |
* Thomas Island |
Thomas Island |
NW-E |
|
*=Not available to vessels under 10 metres.
**=Enter and leave on the top half of a rising tide.  |