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South Passage Daily Report

CLIENT: Gold Youth Voyage

VOYAGE NUMBER:  20210405

FROM: Gladstone to Manly

DATE: 9 April 2021

POSITION:  Tangalooma, Moreton Is

REPORT BY: White Watch

After waking at 0500 anchored at Inskip Point at the southern tip of Fraser Island, we immediately made preparations to sail the 80nm journey south to Tangalooma, however we first had to get over the treacherous Wide Bay Bar which separates Wide Bay from the Great Sandy Strait.

With the tide on our side, we were in arguably the roughest leg of the voyage with one ferocious wave crashing over the bow, sending Kyle flying off his seat half a metre into the air. By 0730, we were out of the bar into nothing but glass-like water, some patches so smooth with a glossing blue reflection that they looked like tinted glass in a church. Some voyagers even took hold of the opportunity to climb onto the bowsprit and relax in the wonder of the bowsprits net over a glossy Wide Bay swell.

This experience was doubled in excitement a short time later when we received a familiar welcoming party. The dolphins provided our voyagers with show of natural beauty and excitement. They leaped out of the water as if they were flying and submerging underneath one side of the ship to reappear on the other, and swam alongside the ship as if they escorting us to Tangalooma, only to leave as suddenly as they appeared.

The rest of the journey was as calm as it can get a decent feed of salad rolls coming just around the corner. The skyline of the southern Sunshine Coast electrifying all on board with a beautiful, orange glowing sunset in the late afternoon soothing enough to have those on the bowsprit fall asleep in its lovely yet shiny glow, some of the boys even took the opportunity to do a Titanic-style photoshoot up there as well.

As the sun faded with Moreton Island beaming ever closer in the distance, the warm autumn twilight gave way to an excellent star display. As darkness fell, the magnificent sight of Tangalooma Resort and anchored vessels was clearly visible on our port bow with Brisbane and Redcliffe off in the distance on our starboard bow. As we set anchor, we prepared to settle in for a pleasant night aboard SP.

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