Its Smarter to Charter

In these days of unrest and dubious happenings around the world, more and more people are choosing to stay here in Australia for their holidays. Statistics show that an increasing number of Aussies are discovering their own country before checking out others. Certainly when it came to my own holiday (well, it was actually a belated honeymoon) I had that choice to make. Here or overseas. Originally we discussed Tahiti as a not-too-distant port where we could escape the cooling southern climate and the city stresses and simply relax in the tropics.

However, time was not on our side and the thought of having to spend a day or two travelling didn't really appeal.

We love the cruising life and so chartering a boat was high on the list. As was warm weather. So where else to go but the glorious Whitsundays? Right here on our doorstep are some of the best cruising grounds in the world and they are meccas for boaties of all kinds.

Bareboat chartering is the best way to see the Whitsundays and it's surprisingly affordable - especially if you go with some friends.

It's also surprisingly easy. In reality it's as trouble-free as staying at a resort if you know how to do it. Having been a couple of times before, I've picked up a few hints that I reckon can save potential charterers a lot of time and effort (and even money).

WHAT DO YOU NEED?
Knowing what you need in the way of a boat is a primary concern. If you're going it alone, then don't get too much boat and if you're going with friends, make sure you've got enough room to move and get out of each other's way.

Also make sure you get the right style of boat. A small, fast yacht is not going to be ideal if you're taking people who aren't used to sailing yachts - and more importantly living aboard them.

Consider a catamaran, either a sailing cat or a power cat, which are becoming increasingly popular.

A sailing cat is a great compromise. The sailors can have a bit of fun sailing, especially downwind, while the not-so-keen can still enjoy a chardy or a beer without it spilling. They generally come with a couple of nice diesels so they're great upwind too.

The big advantage of cats is room. A 38ft cat can comfortably handle a group of 6–8 for a charter of 5–7 days. They offer four staterooms, a minimum of two full heads with shower stalls, and voluminous entertaining areas both inside and out. There's plenty of room for lazing about on the foredeck and it's comfortable whether you're at rest or making way.

Cats are easy to handle too with twin engines and broad beams they can virtually spin on their own length. They have the added benefit of a shallow draft which means that you shouldn't run foul of the numerous bommies and shoals in the area and you can sneak up close to beaches as well.

Most big charter companies have yachts from about 33ft to 50ft - which will cover your needs, from a two person holiday to a party of eight.

Obviously the prices vary according to the size of the boat and the season, but it's not uncommon to be able to get a yacht for around $200 to $400 per night per couple if you share. That's comparable, and often cheaper, than staying on shore.

WHAT DO YOU GET?
Most boats are fully self sufficient. In the past, I've made the mistake of taking far too much gear with me.

Towels, linen, all kitchenware, cooking and cleaning gear, even down to the salt and pepper and the all-important corkscrew is supplied. All you really need is a couple of pairs of shorts and your teddy bear and you're right.

Of course, all boats get a rigid inflatable dinghy with outboard so you can go exploring the coves and inlets and even do some bush walking to stretch your legs.

The boat we chartered from Sunsail even supplied wet-weather gear in case of rain or spray.

All the boats have hot showers and most have two or even three heads. Some items are backed up (like winch handles of course) but remember, if you lose it overboard, you own it.

Sunsail also provides snorkelling gear and a first aid kit. They'll even loan you a fishing line if you ask nicely, and the boat's got a beaut gas barbie to cook your catch on.

At the beginning of each charter, skippers and crew are given a comprehensive briefing on land of what you can and can't do. There are restrictions on the area of charter but these are quite wide-ranging and take in most of the spectacular areas of the Whitsundays Group. Whether you want to visit a deserted island with pristine beaches or pull into a luxury resort, it's all there.

The person giving the briefing will have an intimate knowledge of which are the best anchorages in which prevailing breezes and which ones are less suitable.

Next, it's off to the boat for a thorough rundown of the equipment and systems. Most charter boats are kept simple so that anyone with a good working knowledge of a yacht or power boat would be able to use them.

There are, of course subtle differences, but these are all explained and there's a manual to refer to if you have problems.

Schedules are kept by all charter companies and Sunsail is no exception. We had scheds twice a day in which we had to let the company know of our plan for the day, and then at night let them know where we were anchored or docked. The scheds are a good time to ask for advice on anchorages or favourable passages and you also get an accurate and detailed weather report for the next few days.

Certainly, if you have a problem, Sunsail is there to help, as they keep a 24-hour watch for emergencies.

CATERING
Obviously food and drink are a big part of a successful charter and there are couple of ways this can be done. Of course, you can bring your own food and drink or buy it and stock the boat yourself. However, I prefer to have it done for me, and for a small fee Whitsunday Catering will work in conjunction with the charter company to buy the food and drinks and have your boat stocked and ready for you with the fridges running when you arrive. Perfect.

Whitsunday Catering will either provide a gourmet feast for each day for the number of your crew or you can order items separately (as we did) and make your own menus. We then went and bought our own beer and a few bottles of wine and ... gone.

There's no restriction on how many times you can return to port to restock on food and drinks and/or refill your water tanks so it's fine to stock for a few days and then pull back in to shop again, but this takes time and I prefer to try to get it right from the outset.

WHERE TO?
We picked up our charter boat - a beautiful Beneteau 423 - from Sunsail at Hamilton Island. Both Jetstar and now Virgin Airlines fly into Hamilton on a daily basis. It's less than three hours from Melbourne and two from Sydney so if you leave in the morning, you'll be sailing in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Whitsundays by the afternoon.

We were met at the airport by the Sunsail bus with helpful staff to load our bags and take us the few minutes' drive to the marina, where the boat was idling in its pen with the food on board and everything stowed ready to go.

After the briefing, we had a quick beer at the Hamilton Island Yacht Club with some friends, then we were off.

First stop was Cid Harbour a short hop from Hammo. It's a good first-night stop because of its proximity. You have time to get used to the boat then anchor in plenty of time to make an unhurried meal. It's a lovely anchorage in the prevailing sou'easter and has stacks of room to swing at anchor.

We next sailed around to the other side of Whitsunday Island to the wondrous Whitehaven Beach. This is a spectacular expanse of white sand stretching for miles from Solway Passage north to Tongue Bay (another fine anchorage).

We'd cracked it for a perfect day at Whitehaven with light winds from the sou'east. Far too good to leave. So after a sumptuous lunch, a swim and a walk on the beach, it was obvious this was our night stopover.

Heading north from Whitehaven, there are a few islands to explore. The most popular is Border Island, which has very good anchorages and fine snorkelling. We chose to stop over at Dumbell Island, between the mainland and Border.

There are two pick-up moorings here put in by QNPWS which are great to swing off. The northern side of Dumbell is protected from the southerly breeze and has great snorkelling around the reef inshore. A bit rolly for a night anchorage, we used it for a lunch stop before heading to the famous Nara Inlet for the night.

Nara is lovely fjord-like inlet with rugged bush surrounding the smooth water. It's protected from all sides except in a very strong south-easterly when it can get a bit of swell and a few bullets.

Deep in the inlet, there is a small beach from which a track leads to a cave with Aboriginal paintings on the walls. The local tribes were great seafarers and plied between the islands and the mainland fishing and collecting oysters and other seafoods. This cave gave them a clear view of the inlet and provided shelter and warmth in the cooler months.

As mentioned, apart from pristine anchorages, there are also numerous resorts in the Whitsundays which welcome cruisers and charterers. We decided to spend a night at Palm Bay on Long Island and were certainly not disappointed. The bay is surrounded by coral reef and there is a small channel via which yachts and cruisers can gain access to the protected lagoon. To moor, it's a simple matter of picking up a mooring on the bow, then attaching a stern line which is secured to a palm tree. The result is a pristine anchorage and access to the exclusive Peppers Resort.

Mooring fees are $95 and there's only five or six available so it's imperative to book. The mooring fees give you full use of the resort facilities and access to the restaurant which is first class.

The weather turned a bit on us for our last night aboard so we decided to head back to Hamilton Island after a thrilling sail from Long Island to South Molle, then across the Whitsunday Passage with plenty of breeze.

Life onboard a charter boat in the Whitsundays has so much to offer that we found the days to be long and incredibly interesting: spotting the wildlife, including turtles, seabirds and fish (it was a bit early for the whales that migrate through the area in the later months), snorkelling around the reefs and beaches, trekking through the virgin bush of the islands or just kicking back on the boat and relaxing.

There is so much to see and explore in the area that I reckon you could spend six months there and still not see it all. We barely scratched the surface of the islands and anchorages, so I guess we'll just have to keep going back until it's done.

For more information, contact Sunsail, tel 1800 803 988 or visit www.sunsail.com.au