Sailing the Whitsundays or land base around Cairns?

[Artemis]

G'day, Mates!

 

We're a US couple making our first foray Down Under. We live on water, own boats and love to go sailing and on cruises when we travel. So getting out on the water along the GBR is a given for us; we anticipate it will, in fact, be a highlight of our visit (which also includes Sydney, Blue Mountains, south coast of NSW down to Batemans Bay, Canberra, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road).

 

I need your help! I've researched the Queensland segment to death and am making myself crazy over what should be a simple decision. Please weigh in with any and all observations, tips and warnings!

 

Sailing the Whitsundays looks like what we'd most enjoy based on our preferences. I have decided on the Pacific Sunrise (unless someone screams no--it seems to get good reviews on other sites, can't find one here). We are experienced snorkelers, and my husband might do one or an occasional "resort dive" type of experience, but he is not a serious diver and would not be happier on, say, a liveaboard.

 

My concern is living up to the idea that we are missing the "true" Great Barrier Reef experience if we don't focus on the "outer reef." Candidly, taking a long day trip out to a pontoon doesn't sound that appealing, and from what I read, we will see plenty of coral and fish life in the Whitsundays area. If we are sorely disappointed, we could also supplement with one of those long day trips to Fantasea Reefworld from Hamilton Island.

 

But...should we really, really go up to Cairns and base there (or probably Port Douglas, maybe Palm Cove)? I'm having an extremely difficult time justifying the significant (to us) price tag of the lovely Coral Princess excursion boats that take 4n trips with stops including Lizard Island and environs. So we would be more likely to base on land and do day trips to snorkel, sail, etc. Daintree, Cape Trib, et al. are interesting day trip options, too, but I confess they weigh in a distant second to my primary goal of finding the ideal water activities base for us.

 

We'll be there late Oct./early Nov. Jelly season...which is another reason I'm leaning more to the Whitsunday sailing, as I feel beach time off the north QLD shore will be limited, whereas I believe we'll be more relaxed on the island beaches in the Whitsundays (wearing stinger suits, of course!).

 

Thanks for listening and for any feedback you can offer.

 

We are very excited to explore a fraction of your BIG continent! You can imagine everything that's already fallen to the "cutting room floor."

[Aus Traveller]

The Fantasea Reefworld trip from Shute Harbour (or Hamilton Island) is excellent. The boat is based at Shute Harbour and stops at Hamilton Is to pick up some extra passengers. There is great snorkelling from the pontoon and plenty of time to enjoy the reef.

 

Further north, trips from Port Douglas are great - either to the reef or to the Daintree. I agree with you that the boat trip on the Coral Princess is expensive and I don't know that you would gain much more than you would by doing a the Fantasea trip and maybe another one from Port Douglas.

 

Were you thinking of a Q'ld coastal cruise on the Pacific Sun? The Pacific Dawn does the 7 day cruise from Brisbane calling at Airlie Beach (the Fantasea Reefworld cruise is a day excursion from the ship), Townsville and Port Douglas where there are also trips to the reef.

[Artemis]

Thanks for your input, Aus Traveller. I appreciate your thumbs up on the day trips to the reef.

 

To clarify, none of the P&O ships seem to be doing sailings in GBR areas at the time we're traveling. The Pacific Sunrise is a different animal. http://www.pacificsunrisewhitsunday.com/ps/

[cjm66]

We have done both.

 

We did a 14 day cruise on a 55 metre ketch around the Whitsundays and loved it. These island are so varied with some glorious beaches and fascinating bush walks for a change of pace, plus the sailing itself is a real delight. We called into uninhabited islands, one where there were resident lighthouse keepers and another where the only inhabitant was an eccentric Englishman planning to make salami from goats meat.

 

We do regular land based holidays at Port Douglas. The trip out to the reef is a long day for a short snorkelling experience if you choose the pontoon option. I find it better to take a smaller but fast catamaran from Port Douglas visiting several dive sites and catering well for snorkellers - some boats really focus on scuba dives and snorkellers are a bit of a nuisance. I have always avoided Cairns and that region generally in stinger season so cannot comment on how much this timing would affect your wish to concentrate on a water based holiday.

 

Deciding which - I can't do that - both have their advantages. You could try for the Fanatsea add on to the Whitsunday option to get that deeper reef experience. - Fantasea also offer a sleepover on their pontoon!

 

Enjoy making the decision and your holiday.

 

Colleen

[Rasa Sayang]

G'day Artemis,

 

Hope you enjoy your forthcoming trip down under.

 

You identify yourselves as people who love to sail, so I take it you mean the true meaining of "sail" as opposed to just being afloat on a boat.

 

If this is true I would recommend you check out Anaconda III as an alternative to your trip on Pacific Sunrise.

 

Anaconda III is a true maxi [mega] yacht at 101 feet and is an absolute dream of a vessel from a sailor's point of view.

 

My young nephew was the first mate on it some years ago and had to be virtually "dragged off" it by his young wife when they deicided to move on to other careers. :)

 

Here she is arriving at Airlie after a 3 day cruise.

 

 

 

Find her details at one of these websites:

 

http://anacondaiii.homestead.com/

 

http://sailing-whitsundays.com/WhitsundaySailing.php?id=7

 

As for the locations - if you have the time, see them all.

 

The Cairns area for World Heritage tropical rainforest, its northern beaches, snorkelling, and a more metroplitan feel - the Whitsundays for pure unadulterated sailing and snorkelling bliss.

 

Sailing amongst the picturesque 70 islands of the Whitsunday area would be without a doubt one of the world's great cruising experiences - and with the added advantage of great snorkelling and exploring the nearby reefs.

 

Whatever you decide - enjoy. :)

[Aus Traveller]

Thanks for your input, Aus Traveller. I appreciate your thumbs up on the day trips to the reef.

 

To clarify, none of the P&O ships seem to be doing sailings in GBR areas at the time we're traveling. The Pacific Sunrise is a different animal. http://www.pacificsunrisewhitsunday.com/ps/

Wow! She looks gorgeous, but not cheap.

 

The Whitsunday Islands are a large enough group with enough variety that you could spend quite a bit of time sailing and exploring. There are so many options it would be difficult to make a choice.

 

Someone else mentioned that you could stay on the Fantasea Reefworld pontoon. That would give you more time on the reef but it is not 'sailing'. We looked at the accommodation when we were there - clean and comfortable but certainly not luxurious. Possibly one disadvantage is that for a fair part of the day the pontoon is 'invaded' by a large group of tourists who arrive on the catamaran the next day. I think the idea of going on a yacht that would move on to a different location/reef has a lot of appeal.

 

Ah! decisions, decisions ....

[Artemis]

Y'all are just great! Thank you so much for your help. cjm66, I value your experienced opinion on the two different options--thanks for taking the time to detail both. Rasa Sayang, I'm off to investigate the Anaconda III--she's a beaut! And Aus Traveller, I guess I'm over the sticker shock of Aussie prices generally...I had convinced myself that the Pacific Sunrise was really quite reasonable. ;)

[bazzaw]

I have sailed sailing yachts in the Whitsundays - and also gone out to the Outer Barrier reef for snorkelling/diving from one of the platforms.

 

The Whitsundays is a famous sailing place - for an obvious reason. It is a very windy place - with strong South easterly trade winds( depending on the season) - but SE is the prevailing wind. . Great for a good sail. BUT - for this reason, trips out to the outer reef for diving (even on the large catamarans) can be very "iffy"!!!! I warned fellow passengers from the UK on Oriana last year about this - but, of course, with a once in a lifetime opportunity for many of them, they could not take a chance and chose to do one of the ships tours to the outer reef. It was a nightmare for most of them - these onshore south easterlys can get the seas well up on the way out to the reef- and once on the pontoon/platform, unless you are a diver or snorkeller, there is not much to do except throw up and feel sorry for yourself.

 

I recommend that cruisers who want to see the GBR , wait until they get to Cairns - where the reef comes in much closer to the mainland than at the Whitsundays (where it is about 50 klms offshore) and is much more accessable. I would only book an expensive trip to the outer reef at the Whitsundays if I was staying in the area for some time and could pick a good day to go (it doesn't always blow there! :) - but the chances of losing your money by doing a ships tour is too much of a risk. On Oriana, even though it was obvious that it was going to blow on that day, the tour still went ahead. It should not have.

 

Barry

[jayteeaitch]

Where can one start - I am a Yachtie. - have been for some 50 years

 

Started out when 65 YO hiring the bare boat yachts - The Whits are absolute experts - and as good as the caribeean - the Med etc.

 

I always used a company called "Whitsunday Escapes" @Arlie Beach marina - but there are a number of other first class bare boat hirers.- inc one on Hamilton.

 

I wanted to sail so much in the Whitsundays - it got too expensive to keep hiring - so for my 70th birthday - DW allowed me enough cash from the kids inheritance to get my own 40 footer

 

- and I sailed her solo for 2 years starting from here on the GC as far as North Queensland - and would have logged about 5000 NM in that time - BUT - most of it in and around the Whitsundays - the most magical sailing area.

 

Regretfully the 2 years allowance to solo was soon up and DW made me sell the boat and I am now reduced to the best cabins on cruise ships:rolleyes:

 

I cannot Reccommend the 74 islands of the Whits enough to anybody - great water swimming and snorkeling etc - and yes Stinger suits (hired) if you are nervous - but the problem dimishes proportionately the dist from mainland - and a new safe place to drop a pick every night.

 

Oct/ Nov is great - the winds tend to shift 50/50 between SE /NE but Feb thro April is a no no - cyclone time

[Artemis]

Thank you bazzaw and jayteeaitch for more great, first hand scoop. I had to laugh, jayteeaitch, when you talked about sailing through the kids' inheritance. (And what amazing adventures you have had--wow!) We considered bare boating until we saw how dear the cost would be; we will sit back and enjoy the touristy version! I'm happy to hear Oct/Nov is good wind. bazzaw, thanks so much for the detailed, solid info about the outer reef trip and potential weather conditions.

 

As I said in the beginning, we've been leaning toward the Whitsundays, and your input has sealed it. That's what we'll do! We'll wait til we're on the ground to see if we tack on a trip out to the reef pontoon.

 

You mates are the best! Aussies have a reputation for being friendly and helpful. You've lived up to it and more. Many thanks.

[seasooze]

We sailed around the Whitsundays in 1986 and fell in love with the area. We moved here in 1989 and still love the place. You can hire bareboats (sail and motor), do one day reef trips like Fantasea, or there is a multitude of crewed yachts offering 3 day trips or longer. You can find many on the web but many are just available from the tourist offices in Airlie Beach. There are also dive boats and sea kayaks -just about anything you can think of.

 

The best thing about the area is that the islands are National Park and apart from half a dozen with resorts they are uninhabited and in their natural state. I reccomend that you get a copy of "One hundred Magic Miles" by David Colfelt, which contains photos, maps and marvellous information. Google it.

 

Have a great trip.

 

Sue

[Artemis]

seasooze, it's extra-special to hear from someone who lives in the Whitsundays! I can't wait to visit and so appreciate your insider's tips. I always read destination books before and during travel. The Colfelt book sounds perfect-- thanks for the thoughtful recommendation.

 

 

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[rugbypopsie]

I think you made the right choice...I am an ex Nth Queenslander and there is a lot to see but I think you would be happier on a bareboat or crewed yacht. As you research pointed out "beach time" is not an option in stinger season...actually not much of an option anytime...crocs..etc.

 

Plenty of options for yacht charter and you can get them fully stocked and ready to sail.

 

[Artemis]

rugbypopsie, thanks for your vote for the Whitsundays! I'm about to pull the trigger--just waiting for some key itinerary dates to fall into place, including our venture to your neck of the woods (we will be doing Canberra>Batemans Bay>up the coast to Sydney).

 

Cheers!

[houtbay]

We are booked to sail on Pacific Sunrise in early December so we would like to hear your input about your cruise if you finally decide to use them. We used to own an 82 ft Schooner and want to enjoy some sailing not just diving. worcesterconsulting@yahoo.com thanks

[Artemis]

Hi, houtbay, I think these boards deserve a review of the Pacific Sunrise, don't you? Unless it's the glitchy search function at work, I haven't been able to find one. So I will do my best to share the scoop on our return (mid-Nov.). I imagine you've read the feedback posted on their own site; if you haven't discovered them already, you will find several reviews (all thumbs up) on Trip Advisor, some in the activities section of the Whitsundays, others in the Whitsundays discussion forum.

[houtbay]

Yes after reading all the Tripadvisor remarks I decided it was the best so I hope you will confirm that. We also plan on doing 2 other day trips at other locations.

Enjoy your vacation and we look forward to your report. Thanks in advance

[wotaripper]

Thanks for your input, Aus Traveller. I appreciate your thumbs up on the day trips to the reef.

 

To clarify, none of the P&O ships seem to be doing sailings in GBR areas at the time we're traveling. The Pacific Sunrise is a different animal. http://www.pacificsunrisewhitsunday.com/ps/

 

Maybe another option to consider is a sail your own boat around the Whitsundays or you can actually hire 1 with someone to sail it for you (sail boat or motor).We hired a catamaran a couple of years ago (8 of us) and boarded it fully stocked with food and drink it was the best holiday we have ever had waking up in Nowra inlet to see a huge ray performing ballet infront of the boat or sitting having dinner at sunset whilst turtles plopped up all around the boat , then 2 top it off we caught a big black Marlin and got it right up to the boat before it got loose.

[Artemis]

Sounds like you had an amazing time, wotaripper! I checked out sail-it-yourself options, but didn't have success in finding something in our budget. We are just two, and will be in Oz a month. Cha-ching!

 

 

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[Artemis]

houtbay and all, we are back home from an absolutely glorious Australian holiday. Y'all are the friendliest, most hospitable folks ever! Thanks for your help here and to your fellow mates for their help Down Under.

 

The Pacific Sunrise sailing adventure in the Whitsundays was fabulous. I will write a review about it shortly. I know you will be leaving to embark her soon, houtbay...I am green!

[room010]

Glad you enjoyed your trip to the magnificent Whitsundays. Shhhhhhhhhhh! They are Australia's best kept secret so don't tell too many people about them! We took a bare boat charter there a couple of years ago and enjoyed a week of mooching around the islands in almost perfect sailing weather, in fact we'd have liked a bit more wind on a couple of days. Overnight moored at Whitehaven beach with a full moon and a sky bursting with stars is something we will never forget.