Four days on the open ocean
Sailing in the wake of Captain James Cook is not really a sailing adventure, well it is, but at another level it’s a journey that follows one of the greated navigators that history has even knownn. A four-day sailing expedition from Airlie Beach to Townsville offers an unexpected introduction to life at sea, and a change to experience the waters navigated by Captain James Cook and the crew of Endeavour in 1770.
Sailings not so bad
With little sailing experience, I join the crew aboard a yacht bound north through the Whitsunday Islands and beyond. My initial duties are a mixture of confusion and comic mishaps, but the ocean soon provides more compelling distractions. A humpback whale breaches nearby, its enormous body crashing back into the water in a spectacular display. The encounter rekindles memories of an earlier whale sighting while scuba diving and reminds me how our understanding of these remarkable animals has changed since Cook described them as “monsters of the deep”.
As the coastline unfolds, the voyage becomes a journey through maritime history, tropical landscapes and the rhythms of life aboard a moving vessel. From sheltered anchorages and spectacular sunsets to the challenge of raising sail in a freshening breeze, each day brings a new experience. Along the way, Cook’s place names inspire a little historical curiosity and some imaginative speculation.
An awakening
Between the Whitsundays, Cape Upstart and Magnetic Island, I discover that sailing is as much about adapting as it is about navigation. By the time I reach Townsville, the ocean remains mysterious, but the prospect of sailing it no longer seems quite so daunting.
Check out some of my latest adventures through other recent blog posts including my experience with the Bega Valley Rally and Finding Eden. For a longer read check out my Australian Adventure Motorcycle Series:
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