CLIENT: General Public Voyage
VOYAGE NUMBER: 20240521
FROM: Rosslyn Bay To: Mackay
DATE: 22 May 2024
POSITION: Middle Percy Is
REPORT: Red Watch
The day started at 4am, and we hoisted the sails at night and set course for Middle Percy Island. As we continued, the wind and swell began to pickup and shifted eastward. After sailing for 6 and a half hours, the best lookout spotted a small inflatable dinghy, drifting with the tides, wind and swell. We couldn’t see anyone in the dinghy, and our conditions were not favourable to perform a recovery, so we made radio contact with surrounding boats and the Mackay coastguard. Following many gybes, we headed on a reach into West Bay where we lowered the sails and dropped the anchor.
From there, our dinghy brought us into shore, where we explored the amazing A-frame where sailors passing through would leave their mark. Many coconuts were skewed across the beach and there was even a sinister, menacing looking coconut spike, on which our best lookout broke 3 coconuts. After exploring the beach for a bit, a small squad trekked up the monstrous hill to ‘The Homestead’. After a hard hike, (and an easy jog for the best lookout), we made it, where we were lectured about the history of Percy Island. Interestingly, there was a dog tag printing machine. We managed to help fix it and had some fun printing South Passage into them. It was really satisfying to watch the machine work and punch in the little letters.
After a rest, we decided to head back on the longer trail. As we plodded along downhill, there were clouds of carnivorous butterflies, goats frolicking through the forest and headbutting trees, and kangaroos, picked a fight with the best lookout, getting easily defeated. Thankfully, Tommy was able to save our lookout with a courageous battle, after getting pooped on by a local chicken. The best lookout then decided that brakes were no longer necessary, and full sent sprinted down the hill, from which we had a beautiful view off a cliff.