Year 2 –2 May 2025 - Thomas Island- Shaw Island

We had all sorts of wind in the night and moved around a lot but the anchor held. It was a windy grey morning when we woke and it rained every now and then. We had banana pancakes for breakfast which was a good start. We had a bit of a roll in the bay so we did not fancy getting the dinghy down and going to explore. We had a good coffee and then prepared to go. I had planned a few options but we needed to get sheltered anchorages as the wind was expected to gust up to 34 kts today (32 is a Force 8).

We upped the anchor and headed out of the bay and soon put up the Staysail alone and we were making without any effort 6-7kts under Staysail alone. We passed by a number of small Islands and headed for the South corner of Shaw Island which is quite a long island. The swell was about 1-1.5m and there were white horses and there were rain clouds around. We went through various emergency procedures as we were sailing including flares and man over board and it is useful to talk through so the crew have an idea depending and if it ever arises.

This weather did not bother Stormbird and we had a good safe sail down and the gybed to go East between Shaw Island and Lindeman Island which used to have a Club Med resort on which is now closed. The pilot book on Lindeman Island suggested that Planation Bay would be sheltered but it was clearly not and Neck Bay on Shaw Island had a low lying piece of land so the Southeast wind came straight across it. Both bays were clearly not sheltered from the Southeast. We there motored back to Buring Point on the Southwest of Shaw Island which looked sheltered. There were three boats here already and we found a space and anchored.

The wind was reasonable for 80% of the time and every now and then you get a great gust which must be into the mid-late 30’s or possible early 40 kts and you hope the anchor will hold and it does. We had lunch and then chatted and chilled and read and played games. There was not much else to do and it rained every now and then. We had some tea and we all did our own things.

Curry was the request for supper and so I had got out the chicken and with the help of Mr Patak I made a chicken curry with rice and cauliflower. There were compliments about it.

As I write this the wind is howling and it is raining and although I am under the doghouse  I can feel it coming in a little. The problem is that we have this weather for a number of days. It is a shame but we have to and will cope with it. There is no picture today as I thought there was none worth taking. Hopefully tomorrow may be better. It cannot be all plain sailing and sunny all the time as we well know living in the UK.

Lindeman Island is an island in the Lindeman Group of the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The island was named by Captain Bedwell after his sub-lieutenant, George Sidney Lindeman whilst aboard the Royal Navy vessel HMS Virago. Most of the island is included in the Lindeman Islands National Park which also protects another 13 islands. There was a resort and an airport on the island. Lindeman Island was created after a volcanic mountain range was drowned by rising sea levels.  Shaw Island is opposite.

Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Chagos, Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK.  I am looking for crew from Reunion to Cape Town and from Cape Town to the UK. If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com