Island Head Creek

First night in Island Head Creek: Anchorage in one of the side creeks. 

Nowhere to go ashore, so we did a bit of mangrove fishing in the dinghy and (luckily) didn't land the catfish that were chasing Cameron's lure.

Our anchor alarm woke us at 4:30 and 5:30, as the SW picked up in intensity - so we got to enjoy the sunrise. 

Second night: Anchorage upstream was the only place where our phone-up-the-mast trick worked to give us some phone/internet access.

Third night: Shifted to the northern anchorage with access to the beach and rocks and fish of varying desirability.

We've decided that this is our turnaround point and we're heading back south. A glimpse of Pinetrees Point to the north as we departed Island Head Creek.

Island Head Creek, with Pearl Bay to the east.  

Pearl Bay

We motored 9 miles north of Port Clinton (no wind!) to pretty Pearl Bay, surrounded by islands and pine trees.

Obligatory fish photos. New type of fish: wolf herring. Too bony. 

Today's giant-fish-that-got-away story. Look what it did to the hook!

So picturesque, you almost forget you're in a military training zone - so don't wander too far off the beach.

Rosslyn Bay to Port Clinton

Pick the correct answer:

- Those bean sprouts are getting a bit whiffy. We should finish them up.

- Those bean sprouts are getting a bit whiffy. We should throw them out.

Jean, being lucky enough to have had dental surgery that day chose to restrict herself to a Cuppa Soup for dinner so I finished up various odds and ends, (including the hydroponically home grown bean sprouts) we had left before restocking. Anyway the stomach cramps and vomiting abated around midnight leaving us with 5 hours sleep before taking the early shift to Port Clinton.

Port Clinton, Pearl Bay and Island Head Creek are spectacular anchorages within the Shoalwater Military Training Area.

As long as there are no Notices to Mariners warning of live firing, boaties are reasonably free to make their way around.

Port Clinton is a bit like the most beautiful parts of Sydney Harbour without the evidence of humans. And for my money the better thereof. 

Plenty of fish to be had and we find ourselves needing to be a little more inventive in how we serve it up. 

It was in Port Clinton that our outboard issues started. Luckily Cameron had been working out on the rowing machine before we left Brisbane, as rowing against those Port Clinton spring tides is not easy.

Rosslyn Bay and Yeppoon

Groceries, fuel, fishing knick-knacks, fresh water, dental surgery, alfalfa seeds, parrilla, Covid boosters, oyster knife, beer, showers, laundry.

After two seasons of casting aspersions on various marinas for assigning difficult berths we realized during an idle discussion down the pub that the boat is actually a metre longer than what we have been telling them. So looking forward to parking our 1190 cm in a 12m berth rather than 11m with our bum sticking out