Charter Chatter

-- The Brisbane River is now open for limited use to commercial vessels. Mirimar Cruises, Kookaburra River Queens, River City Cruises and Brisbane Star Cruises have all reopened after being closed for a month following the floods. The cruise companies are using temporary pick up and drop off locations at North Quay, Brett's Wharf or Manly.

-- HMB Endeavour is having an extensive refit in preparation for her around Australia Voyage visiting 16 ports. The voyage starts from Sydney on 15 April 2011 and returns in May 2012. You can join the Endeavour as voyage crew, sleeping in hammocks and participating in the operation of the vessel or as a supernumerary, sleeping in an individual cabin and choosing your level of involvement with the sailing of the vessel. www.endeavourvoyages.com.au

-- Geographically closer to Los Angeles than Moscow, Russia's Far East, epitomised by the Kamchatka Peninsula and Kuril Islands, remains a rarely visited region. Orion Expedition Cruises voyages to a part of the world that, until recently, remained off-limits to the West. From Petropavlovsk, home to Russia's atomic submarine fleet, gilt statues and memorials to the Red Army, to villages with picturesque Russian Orthodox onion dome churches, succulent barbecued salmon and traditional vodka tastings, these Orion II voyages provide varying perspectives and insight into lands of modern nuclear and primal volcanic power. Here brown bears, not humans, sit at the top of the food chain.

-- The new Sun Odyssey 409/Sunsail 41 has won the European Yacht of the Year, selected by a jury composed of representatives from leading European marine magazines. The new addition to the Sunsail fleet has a three-cabin, two-head layout, offering a contemporary interior which is light, open and spacious. Features include all the latest navigation equipment from Raymarine and an increased swim platform, unique to Sunsail. The monohull will be available in 2011 for charter from Sunsail bases in the British Virgin Islands, St Martin, Australia, Turkey, Croatia and Greece.

-- Captain Cook Cruises is offering 20 percent off their seven nights Northern Fiji Discovery Heritage cruise, where passengers can enjoy the unique experience of standing on the International Dateline. Passengers are taken beyond the Yasawa Islands to very remote and exotic tropical Fijian islands where they learn about the unique history, art and culture of Northern Fiji. The sale is available until 31 March 2011 and valid for travel until 31 March 2012.

-- After suffering minimal damage from dual Cyclones Anthony and Yasi the Whitsundays is returning to normal. The Whitsundays has been extremely lucky not to be a part of Queensland's two major disasters in the past two months, having not flooded nor suffered much damage from two cyclones in a week. Take advantage of low season rates on charter vessels. www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au.

-- Moreton Island Adventures are offering 60 flood affected families the chance to enjoy a free trip to Moreton Island on Sunday 27 February. Up to 300 people who have been displaced by recent flooding will participate in a family beach fun day on Moreton Island with free transport to the island on the Micat cruise ship, food, entertainment, beach games, activities and, weather and tides permitting, guided snorkelling for children over eight. Nominations are being sought from the community for families who have been displaced and are really in need of some R&R. Phone 07 3909 3333 or visit the Moreton Island Adventures Family Day Out fan page on Facebook.

-- Book a night sailing on Spirit of Tasmania in an Ocean Recliner from just $97 or a Day Ticket on a day sailing from $97 per person each way before 2 May 2011. Day sailings give you the freedom to move around the ship as you please without a seat allocation. Or you can upgrade at the time of booking from a Day Ticket to a Twin or Four Berth Cabin for just $60 extra per cabin and enjoy a mid-afternoon nap. Conditions apply.

-- A new northern route has been added to Sunsail Sailing School's Whitsunday rallies for previous guests to experience new and different islands and new guests to get a taste of the islands a little off the 'beaten track'. The five-day, six-night rallies depart from Sunsail’s base at Hamilton Island on the Northern Route on either 10 April or 26 June 2011, or the Southern Route on 23 October or 4 December 2011. Designed to improve sailing skills in a fun, sociable environment, the popular rallies combine expert supervision with enjoyable sailing around the 74 Whitsunday Islands.

-- Brisbane's dugongs feed almost exclusively on the seagrass that grows on shallow sandbanks in Moreton Bay. They grow to three metres long, weigh over 400 kilograms and can live more than 70 years. Moreton Bay supports a resident population of around 400 animals but Brisbane floodwaters are forcing dugongs southward to unaffected areas like the Gold Coast Broadwater, which is connected to Moreton Bay by a network of tidal channels. Sea World Cruises vessel Spirit of Migloo has reported a series of close encounters with these elusive marine mammals during their day tours on the Gold Coast Broadwater.
 
Photograph: River Queen