Haycock Island, 9/8/2016

For those of you who don't know, this island is in the middle of the amazing Hinchinbrook Channel, between Hinchinbrook Island and the mainland. It is an easily navigated, generally deep water channel, which used to have ships of up to 6 metre draft plying up and down to the sugar terminal at Lucinda. The island is very imposing with it's cloud covered peaks, wood covered slopes and extensive mangroves. No swimming though as it's a crocodile hangout. We are anchored here for tonight. Little breeze and a very pleasant low 20s temperature.

We left this morning from Townsville at 07.15, out through the port and then inside Magnetic Island all the way to here, some 60 miles in total.

We passed close by the Aboriginal settlement island of Palm Island, not too successful apparently, but still in existence supported by government funding and Centrelink payments. After that there was Phantome Island, very beautiful, followed by Orpheus Island with it's exclusive several thousand dollar a night resort, complete with helipad of course.

As we arrived at the sugar terminal outside Lucinda, which is at the end of a 3.1 nautical mile conveyor system on a pier, a mother and calf whale lay in front of us, so we had to stop. The cameras were busy. It was a lovely sight.

After that it was follow the lead lights into the pier and then follow the marker buoys, all simple.

This morning a challenge was issued and accepted between Peter and Shin. Whoever catches the most fish on each leg is the winner. So far its neck and beck with none each! I don't know the prize, but it will probably involve alcohol!

Tomorrow we leave at leisure to get to Dunk Island for the night. We will have a trial dive if there's time in the afternoon. By the way the water temperature is now 23 degrees.