Bundy to Rosslyn Bay

We spent much longer in Bundy than I'd expected, caught by weather, which was a bit frustrating but did give us the chance to meet Noah and Vicky F., a lovely Canadian couple who are settling here and selling their beautiful Cape Dory 33 Serenus (I can't link to yachthub.com listings directly but it's worth a looking her up) after cruising all the way from Canada, over a couple of years. They had us over for dinner then took us into town to resupply, and to Bundy's local Shalom Markets for fresh stuff - Noah helped me out with my alternator, too.

When the weather finally cleared I was keen to make up some distance, so Em got to start her sailing career with a 24 hour, 130nm passage with a moonless night. Amazingly, she's not refusing to ever get on a boat again. We left Bundy just before sunset and set off for Cape Capricorn (so named because it's right on the Tropic), motoring as there was no wind. Decent sailing weather came up in the morning, but only an hour after hoisting the main the vang tore itself out of the boom on an accidental jybe.

At Cape Capricorn we anchored overnight, then set off the next morning for Rosslyn Bay, going inside through Keppel Bay. With light airs and the boom vang broken, we ended up motoring all the way. It was a pleasant trip all the same - gorgeous clear water and constant sunshine, with the sea calm in the lee of the islands. We sighted mother and juvenile dolphin (and plenty of others), and a sea turtle sunning itself on the surface.

I was quite lucky with repairs - the local rigger, Mal Whyte of Queensland Yachtcraft, was around the marina when I rang him the afternoon we arrived and popped out to look at the boom, then picked it up and patched it up and got it back to me all in the next day - and did a great job, too. I was expecting to be held up much longer, so I was very grateful to be ready to go again so soon.

We caught the bus into Yeppoon the day after to resupply - it's a lovely little town, with a big yacht club, pretty views from the strand and some decent little boutiques, where Em was able to find a stripey shirt and some bellbottom trousers.

The Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club in Rosslyn Bay is a fantastic little place, and the marina crowd is friendly. We ran into a few familiar faces from Bundy, and further down the way, and made some new friends. Our next stop was going to be Pearl Bay or Island Head Creek, both approximately Townsville-wards, but the locals and other cruisers persuaded us we'd be mad to go on without stopping off at Great Keppel Island, so we're bound there this afternoon.

Bundy to Rosslyn Bay