After Low Isles my next stop north was East Hope Island. It's a really nice little sand cay with dense vegetation. National Parks have hacked out 3 seperate campsites there, and a long drop nearby, but you could not go a metre beyond what they have cleared without a machete (which would be against the rules anyway). Quite dense undergrowth and trees. Each campsite has 4 treated pine posts to hoist a shade tarp.
There were 2 buoys for use there, both rated to 20m mono. I picked one up, and the other was occupied by an old bay cruiser with junk cluttering just about every square inch of deck that was running power tools quite a lot, as well as loud music. Fortunately he was a fair way away. In between were a couple of sailing cats who were spending some days there, as it was a great place to kite board at better than half tide.
I left Hope at dawn, planning on overnighting at Cape Bedford. But after anchoring there for a bit I decided that the swell was on the beam often enough to be annoying. The bay was somewhat uninspiring, and the water slightly cloudy. Croc country, so no swimming. I had plenty of daylight to go further, so went north on the east edge of the shipping lane.
The winds were forecast to drop below 10 kn for a day so I overnighted at Rocky Islets, about 10nm south of Lizard Island. The semi-lagoon was a good anchorage, but high sun angle is advised for entry as there are isolated coral bommies even well offshore. It was another densely vegetated island, and this time with no entry signs, protected for bird nesting etc. There were crocodile warning signs as well, although I saw no slides and I suspect that it might be a ploy to deter people from going ashore.
Surprisingly I have a phone connection at Lizard Island. The Cel-Fi GO is picking up one bar, perhaps tagging into the Resort or the Research Station - not sure. The Resort's website says they don't have mobile phone access, just limited WiFi in a couple of common areas. On m way north I had lost reception off Cape Flattery, and was not expecting to regain it. The Resort's old Marlin Bar is open 3 days a week for the public (boaties) to visit if they wish. Burgers on Monday, Tapas on Wednesday (which was delicious lat night) and pizza on Friday.
Hickers posted a couple of years ago that he spent a windy 3 weeks here, and was the only powerboat. When I arrived there was a tired 40+ ft powerboat and 4 sailboats. Since then a Palm Beach 55 arrived, and anchored on top of me the first night, but they moved this morning even without any action from me, which I appreciated. They took the spot the a sailing cat was using until they left this morning. A couple more sailboats have arrived, as well as a fishing trawler. Winds are forecast to get into the 30kn range for the rest of the week but then ease back to 15+ for the weekend. So that's when I'll go across to Princess Charlotte Bay, just for a couple of days. A number of the sailors are en route to Darwin, and ports further afield. Some are waiting to go south, and the better weather for that starts in about a month.
With the high winds there have been light rain showers. Daytime temps in mid twenties, and probably high teens at night would be as cold as it gets. Water temps are likely around 24. This is based on feeling cold in the water after about an hour. I'll have to check actual temp when I'm next in the RIB as the boat's tri-ducer has been giving 84°C for a couple of years, which it most definitely is not! Airmar seem to have issues with their temp sensors, as other members have noted on TF previously.
The Resort runs has a couple of boats around 50'. These are used for trips to the Outer Reef, including the Codhole, as well as their 'sunset cruises' around the bay. IIRC the resort prices start at about $3000/night/room. It has 40 suites/villas, some with private plunge pools. It had to be extensively rebuilt after a cyclone in 2014. I'll only see it from a distance!
Pic shows part of the resort and their boats, with low tide making the reef patches easy to see.
