Photo Gallery - December 2005 

Pictures can be clicked to see a large version of the image.

Indian Head Creek, an anchorage just South of the Percy Islands on the mainland. 

View from the anchorage at Island Head Creek. Although its prime crocodile territory, we couldn't spot a single croc. 

Island Head Creek again. You can see the mud flats which dry out at low tide. 

The entrance to Island Head Creek passes very close to these rocks.

Jonah in the boson chair about to go up the mast.

Jonah up the mast in the boson's chair.

The moon rising over the sea at Fitzroy Reef. About 75 miles North of Bundaberg, we spent about 5 days anchored at Fitzroy Reef. The boat pictured here is Elengani. 

A green turtle nesting. One of the highlights of our trip down the coast of Queensland was our stop at Lady Musgrave island where turtle researchers take you around the island at night to watch nesting turtles.

Believe it or not, being this close to the turtle as she lays her eggs does not bother her in the least. According to our guides the turtles enter a trance-like state in which they are not even aware of our presence. 

Amazingly, the researched simply slipped his arm into the hole WHILE the turtle was laying the eggs and pulled out one of the eggs to show us. He says that this does not damage the egg in any way. 

After laying her eggs, the turtle rests for a while before shoveling sand over the nest.

Here we see the turtle covering the nest with sand.

Almost done covering the nest, the turtle researcher (shown here touching the turtles head) encourages us to come forward and touch the animal.

Before she goes back in the water, the researcher tags the turtle on her front left flipper with a titanium tag with a unique ID number.

In this photo the whole group of turtle watchers can be seen (about 8 people in total) watching a Loggerhead turtle as she completes the job of covering her nest.

Jonah touches the loggerhead's huge head. The turtle is named for its large head which is as big as a log.

A close up of the loggerhead and Jonah touching her.

The sun setting behind Lady Musgrave Island.

The morning we left Musgrave, a long band of light clouds can be seen just in front of the rising sun.

The first in a series of photos of the Great Sandy Strait, a series of shallow waterways between Frasier Island and the mainland just South of Bundaberg.

The first day was very calm with no wind at all and as hot as hell. We spent about four days in the strait altogether and anchored at 3 different locations.

On the third day we moved South from the mouth of the Susan River to a place called Garry's Anchorage. The wind was blowing 20-25k from the North (we were going South) so we made great time with only our genoa out. Here we see another sailboat on the same route just before we overtook her.

Jonah looking cool in his shades.

Making great time in the strait, the boat we just passed is visible at the left of the photo.

At the entrance to a side channel we saw several simple cabins which we took to be vacation camps. You can see how windy it is by the chop.

Another cabin on the channel entrance to Garry's Anchorage. It was the most shallow we have ever anchored with the sounder showing only 8ft at low tide.

The ever-lovely smiling Katie as we entered Garry's Anchorage.

Our next anchorage was right at the Southern entrance to the Great Sandy Strait called the Wide Bay Bar. From here we could see massive billows of smoke from cane field fires. At night we could see the fires glowing brightly as the cane farmers burned the stubble of their fields to prepare for the next planting.

Pelican Bay, just inside the Southern entrance to Wide Bay, ferries constantly move back and forth to Fraser Island taking four wheel drive trucks loaded with campers on holliday.

Kate again looking fabulous!

On our way South to Moreton Bay (just outside Brisbane) we passed (or were passed by) this massive ship of Japanese registry.

We passed within about 200ft of this monster. We were going about 6.5k South and she about 15k North in the narrow channel just off the town of Collangotta.

A prominent feature of he coast between Mooloolaba and Moreton bay are the Glass House Mountains seen here (best in the larger version - just click!).

The town of Coolangotta just North of Brisbane.

On our approach to Brisbane we passed this massive ship leaving the river as we entered.

The container terminal at Fisherman's Island just at the mouth of the Brisbane River. This is where the Super Servant 4 will load her cargo of sailboats and superyachts before heading East for Mexico.

Just inside  the river mouth you can see stacks from various factories including one burning off excess  natural gas.

The customs motor vessel "Storm Bay". Regular viewers of this web site may find this boat familiar looking - we first saw her at Norship Marine in Cairns (see photo gallery for October/November of 2005) where she was undergoing a major refit. 

The Gateway Bridge over the Brisbane River.

Another shot of the Gateway Bridge.

Approaching the center of the City of Brisbane the buildings start to become more residential then the industrial lower river.

There are some lovely riverfront homes just East of the city. Several which are quite impressive.

The white one on this hill surrounded by palm trees is especially nice.

The skyline of downtown Brisbane as seen from the river as we approach the city center.

As in many American cities, condos in converted industrial buildings like these are very popular.

A typical repair job on the Queen Jane requires the skipper to be part contortionist and part mechanic. Here Jordan is trying to get at a fresh water inlet behind the cupboard, but first he has to adjust the hand pump so it doesn't jab him in the ribs.

In the process of repairing the water inlet Jordan discovers several wires that are partly chafed through. Boats are so much fun!