Charter Notes
Chartering the
Whitsunday Islands, Australia By Craig Ligibel
##Diving the Great Barrier Reef. Photo by Brooke Miles/ courtesy of Whitsundays Tourism
O
kay, you’ve got a pretty nice sailing resume going. Painkillers aboard the Willy T in the British Virgin Islands. Yep. Roasted pig at Nippers’s Bar on Great Guana Cay, Bahamas. Check. Fish stew at the Las Tres Garifunas in Guatemala’s Rio Dulce. Gotcha. More Pussers pendants than you have wall space for. Looking for a new spot to drop the hook and take in local scenery and cuisine? Take it from this gastronomically enthusiastic cruiser: a not-so-short jaunt 12,000 miles away to Australia’s Whitsunday’s Islands is sure to satisfy your adventurous cruising palate. Located off the coast of Queensland, Australia, the Whitsunday Islands are a group of 74 islands in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. These islands have a long and rich history, dating back thousands of years. Indigenous Australians, specifically the Ngaro people, are believed to have been the first inhabitants of the Whitsunday Islands. They lived a traditional lifestyle, relying on fishing and hunting for sustenance. The
40 December 2024 SpinSheet.com
islands provided a bountiful array of resources, including fish, shellfish, and various plant species. European explorer James Cook was the first European to visit in 1770. He named the islands the Whitsunday group, as he discovered them on the Christian festival of Whit Sunday. Today, the islands continue to be a popular spot for sailing, snorkeling, diving, and other outdoor activities, making them a must-visit destination for anyone exploring the Great Barrier Reef. Somewhere around 20,000 cruisers ply the forgiving waters of the Whitsundays each year. There are a number of charter outfits serving this growing sailing community. Catamarans up to 50 feet and monohulls with four to six cabins can be chartered for a reasonable fee all without the necessity of obtaining a cruising license. Most companies offer a bareboat package complete with a halfday’s shakedown cruise. Sailors may add guides or captains to some charters for an additional amount. The best time to sail the Whitsunday Islands is during the dry season, which falls between June and October. During
this time, the weather is mild, with clear skies and low chances of rain. The temperatures are comfortable, ranging from 75-81 degrees Fahrenheit. Like many parts of Australia, these islands are home to jellyfish, including the potentially dangerous box jellyfish and the Irukandji jellyfish. These are typically more prevalent in the warmer waters of northern Australia during the wet season, from November to May. To mitigate the risk of jellyfish stings, it is important to take precautions while swimming or snorkeling in the waters around the Whitsunday Islands. Wearing a stinger suit, which is a full-body protective suit designed to prevent jellyfish stings, is recommended, particularly during the wet season when their numbers are higher. As you cruise the area, you can’t help but be mesmerized by the deep blue color of the water. One of the main reasons for the vivid blue color of the water is its high purity and clarity. The lack of pollution and sedimentation in the area allows for