Cruising the Curtis Coast

We departed Gladstone 5th November 2011(my blog entries are way behind!) for the Narrows. Allan Lucas describes the Narrows as "a calm waterway between the mainland and Curtis Island linking Gladstone with Keppel Bay". We were eager to explore this region as proposed developments mean the waterway may be closed to recreational boating. It was a little frightening at first as barges and worker's transport boats ply these waters at breakneck speed. As we passed the coal loader with its enormous mounds of coal just outside the marina breakwater, our various illnesses made sense....we were glad to be heading into cleaner air. The dredge appeared to be sucking up small sand islands located on charts at great speed which made navigating confusing.

                                          leaving industrial Gladstone behind us for.....


For our first night we anchored in Graham Creek away from the barge landing area for workers on Curtis Island. We spent the following day in its secure anchorage cleaning coal dust off Manatee and exploring. We were all revelling in being in the bush again.

                                          ....peaceful Graham Creek


We left on the morning of the 7th with variable winds for Black Swan Creek to wait for an evening high tide to negotiate our first shallow area. We visited Redcliffe Island with its run down orchard and homestead which the dogs thoroughly enjoyed exploring! After spending the day exploring this area we travelled to an anchorage on high tide to catch the next tide over the "cattle crossing."


                                
                                     doesn't look too narrow here


When we first thought of travelling through the Narrows, we researched the area, and we became a little fazed as books show the area as sand, mud and mangroves at low tide. No water! Pretty accurate, but catching the high tide with a reasonably shallow draft and finding "holes" to anchor in ensures a very interesting experience. The midge population is huge so we were happy to spend single nights in anchorages.

              view from Manatee's stern when anchored in a "hole"...the water is only a few inches deep!
                                        
We were rearing to go early with the tide on the 8th and travelled through the "cattle crossing" by 7am. At low tide cattle cross the narrows in this area...hence the name "cattle crossing."

"cattle crossing" at high tide 

 

We passed a few other yachts in this area, all throttling up to cross before water levels sank! At Barker Creek we saw a pod of dolphins, our first for a while. Marine life was scarce around Gladstone, and we were hesitant to fish in the narrows as we had seen too many deformed fish taken from these waters. Crabbing was no longer a local industry and not long after we left the area the local fish markets closed down. It was both heartening and sad to hear recently that fisher people were to be compensated for the loss of their jobs.

 

We anchored in Pacific Creek (northwest tip of Curtis Island) for a week, not only to relax but to check it out for a cyclone hole for the coming summer months. This area was the pilot station for Rockhampton (and the Fitzroy River) until the 1960's. We all had a great time relaxing, fishing, exploring in our dinghy and looking for crocs. It was the first time, since being in croc country that we felt "watched".

 

the entrance to Pacific Creek with it's old pilot houses, now holiday homes.

 

After replenishing our bodies and souls we headed out into Keppel Bay and our first "real islands".