Cruising the Islands

The Whitsunday Islands are well known as some of the finest sailing waters in the world.

This is thanks to many factors:

• Calm water, protected from surf and swell by the Great Barrier Reef
• Lots of places to explore and dozens upon dozens of safe and secluded anchorages thanks to the 74 islands
• Steady trade winds most of the year round, which make sailing safe, easy and somewhat predictable
• Island resorts to visit
• Some of the country’s most famous landmarks like Whitehaven Beach
• A wonderfully clean, unpolluted natural environment
• Good snorkelling and diving on the fringing reefs surrounding all the islands
• Safe locations, never too far from assistance if required

The Whitsunday Islands fall into the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and the sea life and wildlife that call the area home are protected. Fishing is restricted in some areas for protection.

With so many anchorages to explore, for both day visits and overnight stays, cruising time between them is less than 2 hours on average.

There are also lots of free public moorings bareboats can use. These moorings grant access to protected coral reef areas, where anchoring is not permitted.

The steady trade winds make plotting a course relatively easy, but you should, of course, check the daily weather forecast and keep some flexibility in your travel plans, so that you can change your itinerary to best suit the wind and weather conditions. Whitsunday Escape will provide the weather forecast and give advice on your itinerary every day during the radio scheds at 8am and 2pm.