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PLATYPUS BAY, FRASER ISLAND |
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TUESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER. After weathering a wild, black night of howling wind and driving rain, we sailed up the Sandy Straits and out into Hervey Bay. We had always wanted to anchor off the endless beach of Platypus Bay, which forms the west coast of Fraser Island or the east shore of Hervey Bay, whichever way you want to look at it. Now at last the conditions were perfect. |
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The wind died to a zephyr and we were treated to yet another spectacular Queensland sunset. Sunsets here are a bit like music – the basic elements are always the same yet by simple rearrangement something new and unique can be created every day. I could spend a lifetime capturing them on film (or CCD sensor now) and never get sick of it. This time, the show consisted of broad brushstrokes in pastel colours, with a single brilliant orange explosion as if someone had dropped a nuclear warhead on the mainland. |
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It was a great sail there, at up to 6.4 knots in light southerly winds. There’s 30 miles of beach to choose from, so we sailed towards a random point on the shore and dropped anchor when we got there. |
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Left: Masala approaches the beach at Platypus Bay, Fraser Island |
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Left, Right & Below: Great sailing in Hervey Bay en route to the west coast of Fraser Island |
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Left: spectacular sunset seen from Platypus Bay, with “nuclear explosion” on the mainland |