Rosslyn Bay to Mackay

Well, the local advice was quite correct - we would have been mad to pass by without visiting the islands going north from Keppel Bay. We spent four nights out, making short (well, all-day, but shorter than previous) passages and anchoring overnight at Great Keppel Island, Port Clinton, Hexham Island and Middle Percy Island. Five days, four nights is the longest I've been out away from shore power, water and amenities. Water was our limiting factor, a minor nuisance, because I forgot to actually check the tank before we left.

With two cameras aboard and Em's photographic knowhow, the most recent set of photos is a bit larger than usual. No apologies for that - I could go on and on about how beautiful the passage was, but the photos probably do a better job:

Rosslyn Bay to Mackay

West Bay on Middle Percy Island probably warrants a little description, though: there's a homestead on the island, and the last few generations of occupants have all encouraged passing yachts to stop by. The homesteaders and the visiting yachties have built a big treehouse, some outdoorsy amenities, a shack and a big "A" frame hut, the latter two of which are decorated (festooned, even) with plaques, flags, messages in bottles, spare liferings, flotsam and jetsam and innumerable other bits of boaty miscellanea, all inscribed with the details of visiting yachts and bits of nautical doggerel. It's lovely. The homesteaders will sell local produce, too, so if you're running low on victuals you can pick up some fresh fruit and veg, their local honey and lime juice, bread, goat (whole or leg of), peacock and chicken.

West Bay was where I spent my birthday, actually - we dinghied over to the beach for a swim and a picnic, and wandered around and explored, and of course left our own bit of jetsam in the hut. And thanks for all the birthday wishes, everybody! We were out of touch at the time, so I got them all at once when we arrived in Mackay.

We're still in Mackay - coming in on Tuesday evening, we just beat some really strong weather that was building and has been blowing hard ever since. So we're well and truly recharged and resupplied - without much prospect of getting away until Monday, at the earliest.