Whitsundays and Airlie Beach
Whitsundays and Airlie Beach
Cruising the Whitsunday Islands
For 10 years, Charles and Ella Holeman from Oxford, England, have holidayed in the South Pacific. They've walked the beaches of Hawaii, Fiji, the Solomons and snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns to Lady Elliot Island. Last summer, for the first time, they chartered a yacht and sailed the Whitsundays. It was the best holiday they ever had! And they pledged to return again the next summer. It is not hard to make visitors happy in the Whitsundays. With enviable cruising waters, in one of the most magical locations in the world, it is not surprising the marinas here boast some of the best cruising yachts and crews in the world.
Ultimately, you will find yourself moored in a secluded cove, sipping a cool drink as the sun dips below the horizon. Moew often than not, dinner will be a reef fish caught that afternoon. Nights are spent being lulled to sleep by the gentle lapping of water on the hull. For those who can sail, the most popular choice is bareboat charter. In other words, you choose the boat you want and crew it youself. Sailing the Whitsundays is a boater's dream. The channels between the islands are deep and the majority of islands are within line of sight from one another. The vast majority of the islands are National Parks (66 out of 74 islands).
In addition, because the island chain is a sunken mountain range rather than a string of coral atolls, safe, protected anchorages are numerous and spread evenly throughout the islands. The line-up of yachts in Abel Point Marina at Airlie Beach are world class. They range from two berth yachts, perfect for couples, to sleek and roomy nine berth yachts of ocean going size. There are modern cruising catamarans with up to ten berths which can be treated as a motor cruiser or, if the whim or wind takes, set to sail power. There are modern, reliable motor cruisers which traditional yachties tend to call luxury floating homes. First timers, unsure of the yacht or the waters, can enjoy the services of a skipper who will stay on board until no longer needed. The base stays in daily contact with all of its charter boats. In addition, the boat can be provisioned ready to sail, down to select dietary items if requested. Scuba dive equipment can also be loaded on board.
If you cannot sail or are travelling alone or do not have the budget to bareboat charter, you can still sail the Whitsundays. Select your dream yacht, be it a square rigger, a luxury cruiser, a modern catamaran or a traditional cruising yacht, then toss your cap and sunscreen on your berth and let the professional crew do the rest. Fully crewed vessels cruise the islands during the day and tuck into secluded coves at night. Some even sail to the outer Barrier Reef, located about 30 nautical miles beyond the islands. However, like sailors from a bygone era, the weather will often be your guide and you'll venture wherever a fair breeze takes you.
