Great Sandy Straight, Tin Can Bay

From Bundaberg their are two routes south: outside Fraiser Island; and through the Great Sandy Straight. Chandra and Reboot decided to go the Great Sandy Straight route. Most of the route is straightforward. There is only one section that is tricky. Passing through requires timing the tide. We set off from Bundaberg. From the onset I should have realized we were in trouble. Exiting the river was a nightmare. At one point the adverse wind and current had me averaging 1.5 knots. But heck, once out I would be able to head south under sail. Nope. The wind shifted, died, shifted again so I was motoring most of the way. Into the wind. Into the current. Finally made it to Fraiser Island Resort after a miserable passage.

The next day we timed our departure to pass through the shallows. All good except for the 25 knot winds gusting to 30. We made it through the shallows and breathed a sigh of relief. The tide turned so we would get a push all the way to Tin Can Bay. Enter the southeast 20 to 25 knot winds. When we were about 5 miles from our destination the wind opposing current had us fighting 1.5 meter swells and going nowhere. We anchored for the night.

This morning at dawn I raised the anchor at slack tide and 10 knot winds for the final leg. Within 30 minutes the wind was again at 20+ but the waves had not yet had a chance to build. I made it to Tin Can Bay and am now waiting for a calm to transit the bar and continue south.

Fair winds and following seas :)