Our Eco-friendly Bareboat Guide
When choosing how to holiday, sailing is high on the list for a sustainable getaway. Being sustainable means having an awareness of how we impact the environment and not leaving an irreversible footprint wherever we go.
Whitsunday Escape is proud to be Eco-certified, adhering to the standards set out by Australia’s Ecotourism program. This certificate assures travelers that certified products are backed by a strong, well managed commitment to sustainable practices and provides high quality nature-based tourism experiences.
We believe chartering a bareboat can become a more environmentally friendly industry over the long-term, by encouraging our charterers to help us in our mission and to practice sustainability on and off of our boats.
How you can sustainably charter a boat in the Whitsundays…
Sail
If prevailing weather conditions are suitable, let nature take you to your next anchorage. Our Power boats are designed to cruise at a speed suited to both traveler and environment. Our friendly briefing team are here to assist in passage planning, preventing back-tracking and travelling a longer distance than is necessary.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Choose products in recyclable packaging, meal plan beforehand to avoid food wastage and consider shopping locally. No need to bring those single use plastic items, as your galley is fully stocked. Pay close attention when using plastic onboard, straws in particular can be fatal to many of our special underwater residents.
Be water smart
Short showers are your friend when travelling by boat. We waste a lot of water when showering on land, it only needs to be running whilst we are rinsing. Leave those treatments as a luxury once back on land and embrace the carefree ‘no-fuss’ attitude whilst away from civilization.
Collect only memories, leave only footprints
Play your part in reducing marine litter by collecting it on beaches, and make sure you dispose of your waste responsibly. Don’t step on coral whilst snorkelling, or take any mementos from the Islands. We strongly advise against throwing food scraps from the boat and follow strict guidelines for emptying the holding tanks.
Is your sunscreen reef approved?
There are many reef approved products now on the market, most of which have reef safe information on their products. Some sunscreens contain chemicals which can cause irreversible coral damage, such as oxybenzone and octinoxate. We recommend applying at least 10 minutes before entering the water, to maximise absorption.
Carbon offsetting
Join an offsetting scheme. Doing this will support projects around the world, including Australia, that reduce carbon emissions – for example, tree planting projects. The easiest thing to do is to make use of your airline’s carbon offsetting scheme, but there are other options available.
Care for the reef
Be careful where and how you drop the anchor, always use moorings where possible. When navigating the dinghy closer to the shore, be careful over our delicate fringing reefs and take extra care in shaded areas. Coral grows incredibly slowly, taking a while to recover from our impact.
Go slow and take in the views
The main appeal of a bareboat holiday is to relax, enjoy the natural environment and unwind away from life’s daily stresses. An appreciation for the area will develop quickly, as the Whitsundays are internationally famous for its breathtaking landscapes. The responsibility falls to us, to ensure this lasts for our future generations to see.
