Whitsunday advice for windy conditions

[Alchemy]

I am on holidays next week and have mates coming up from Brisbane. The wind is going to be on all week and am trying to work on a plan that will still see us get on the water for a few days. Can anyone tell me what the crossing from the mainland (Abel Point) across to Whitsunday Island will be like in 15-20kts SE and 20-25kts of SE. Once over there we'd be laughing, just a bit concerned as I know they have big tides (need to watch wind v tide) and I have never boated myself in the area. Boat is a 7.5m Origin.

Thanks,
Dave.

[captain red beard]

You will have no dramas in that size boat, lots of sheltered water there and the main passage isn't that wide.
Just choose the ramp that suits.

[MattM84]

1.5m to 2.5m seas in those winds maybe a little bigger in places, thing to remember is the swell/waves are a lot closer and sharper spaced than they are in southern waters. Shouldn't be too much drama in a 7.5m boat, just a little rough. Would use either able point boat ramp or the new ramp at port of airlie, I'd avoid shute harbour in those winds

[Chimo]

Hi Dave

http://www.charteryachtsaustralia.com.au/whitsunday-map/

As you have said you are aware of wind / tide issues and may I add the stretch between Hamilton and north of it on your way to Whitehaven Beach bears watching and esp thru the gap past Chance Bay as you start to run north to the beach. Take plenty of midge spray too imho.

Check out the map

Enjoy

Cheers
Chimo

[stang69]

Crossing the Whitsunday passage with a 25-30 knot South Easterly with a big outgoing tide can be very bumpy, but not dangerous in a boat that size. They do stand up with not much gap between them, but its not too long til you get to some shelter.
If launching from Abel Point you will start to cop it a little once you get around Pioneer Rock, then you get a break around North Molle Island, and then it gets bumpy again once you get past it. You will feel it in a tin boat though.

[MattM84]

If leaving abel point or port of airlie, which i would, i'd cut across from pioneer point and up through hook passage and come down to whitehaven that way if i was making the trip, you'll be in smoother water faster than going around the bottom of whitsunday island, if going around the bottom past hamilton island, as chimo said solway pass can get rather rough, also if you happen to find yourself going through unsafe pass ( you probably won't) but watch at if you do as its quite narrow and a lot of water flows through there and the waves really stand up

[mal555]

As the others have said, Cumberland Passage will have short, steep waves, heights will depend on the tidal flow at the time you are transiting the Passage.
If you were heading up to Hook Island for instance, Nara or Marcona Inlet for overnight shelter (maybe even Cid Habour) the Passage wave direction would be more on your beam, which of course is a lot more comfortable than bashing head seas, eg heading down towards Hamo.
You can do some reasonably sheltered boating up the eastern side of Hook Island, Stonehaven and Butterfly Bay in winds from the SE.

[deckie]

I'd be heading to Cid. Close, get some protection from Molles on the way and shortest crossing. Hard to beat as an anchorage. Careful around the pass up to Whitehaven from the south around Frith rock/Teague Is during the main tidal run against the wind. Stands up something fierce with tide against wind...but a smaller rig like a trailerboat might actually be an advantage there but havent done it in less than 40footer so can only guess. If approaching Whitehaven from that Hamilton end give that Chance Bay shoreline a wide berth coz very exposed to SE. Never had anything but comfy nights at Cid...huge area and central...there's a good reason it is popular.