We stayed in Mackay marina for 4 nights. It was great to be able to catch up with washing and shopping as well as chatting to Norman and Sara about our adventures and theirs.  It was strange meeting up in Mackay as it’s almost 3 years since our friends in the Blue Water rally checked into Australia here on their fateful journey home.

Approaching Brampton Island

On Sunday the 5th we were ready to leave after Norman, Bill and I had had one last jog (bet you didn’t think you’d ever hear me say that!) Bill fired up the engine and I released the lines as we reversed out of our berth.  Suddenly, without warning, we lost propulsion.  It was a strange feeling, like sliding on ice out of control.  I called to some passing yachties to take a line, which they were happy to do and bring us back onto the berth.  Norman and Sara saw we were having problems and came running.  Bill made a quick assessment and found the throttle cable had snapped, fortunately he had a spare.  Bill and Norman set about stripping the old one out and replacing it with the spare so that within a couple of hours we were on our way.  Norman and Sara were a bit apprehensive as they haven’t sailed for 7 months.  They didn’t need to worry because it was a beautiful day, although there wasn’t any wind, and we motored to Brampton island some 20 miles north.  

Norsa, Camomile and Inspiration Lady at anchor

We dropped our anchor off Swordfish point alongside Norsa and Inspiration Lady.

Norman and Sara on Oyster beach

On Monday the 6th the 6 of us went ashore for a walk around the island.  It was a beautiful day and the walk led us up over the top of the island with wonderful views from the top.  We came out on the beach in Oyster Bay where we sat and eat out picnic.  

I spotted this beautiful kangaroo

There was a lot of wildlife on the island; I spotted this kangaroo sitting below the path eating the foliage.  

A lizard in the undergrowth

These kangaroos were running wild around the resort

I think this is a Goanna, a type of lizard, we saw lots of them in the undergrowth.  We continued on our circuit of the island until we came to overgrown resort.  We had been hoping for a cold beer at the end of our 8km hike but the resort had closed down 2 years ago and now the only thing that inhabited it were more kangaroos.  It was eerie walking among the empty resort buildings and past the deserted restaurants.  The beachfront bar still had a price list up.  

Beautiful beach in front of deserted resort

Sadly there were half a dozen sailing catamarans that could have been donated to a local sailing school for children to learn to sail in but they lay abandoned on the beach.

That evening we all boarded Norsa for a ‘pot luck’ supper followed by a game of cards; Jackie and Gary are teaching us.

Tuesday the 7th was wet and windy and we all stayed on our boats.

We left Brampton Island on the 8th to sail to the Whitsunday’s.