Hamilton Island - July 18, 1999

Hamilton Island - July 18, 1999

My wife handled the radio "skeds" (scheduled radio calls to the charter base) to confirm our slip at Hamilton Island.  My older son negotiated Solway Passage about an hour and a half before high tide.

Hamilton Island has the airport (above), Fish seen in the marina

While my older son read and My wife rested below, my younger son and I sailed for Fitzalan Passage between the island of that name and Hamilton Island.  We enjoyed about an hour of sailing in 7 to 8 knots of wind before motoring through the passage, past Plum Island and into Hamilton Island Harbour.

My wife got instructions for placing the lines and fenders and the harbormaster met us on his tender to guide us in and help us tie up.

My wife and younger son got fresh showers right away while my older son and I got the dinghy and lines secured for the night even though it was 11am.  Dad even rigged a simple step on the beam of "Temptress" so it was easier to climb on board.  He used an extra mooring line.

Dad and older son showered and joined my wife and younger son for lunch while they did the laundry.  Later we hired a "buggy" for transportation.  It is a golf cart.  Although the wheel is on the left, the regulations require driving on the left, just like the cars.

Hamilton Island (above, postcard showing the flying foxes we saw in the trees around the marina

We all went to the beach on Cats Eye Bay, but it was so rocky that we swam in the fresh water pool just above the beach.

My wife and I chickened out quickly but the boys stayed in the pool from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
After a dinner at the Yacht Club we got more provisions at the General Store and goodies, gifts, etc., at Trader Pete's.

Before provisioning, the boys played pool and watched "footy" on the "tele."  It was rugby on TV with New South Wales vs South Africa.