Looking for that ultimate family experience? Then you should definitely consider becoming your own skipper and experience all the Whitsundays has to offer all from the comfort of your own boat. This is exactly what we did for an incredible 8 nights back in August. It was one of those once in a life time experiences that was on our list to do. We had an incredible time and made memories that will last a life time. The best part was we didn’t even need a boat licence or any previous sailing experience to bareboat charter ourselves.

There is so much to see and do around the Whitsundays so personally we would recommend chartering for at least 7 nights taking into consideration winds and any bad weather that can change your plans. Even if you encounter some bad weather, there are plenty of options like Hamilton Island and Palm Bay Resort where you can take shelter. This really is an amazing way to see the Whitsundays on your own terms and at your own pace.

We chartered on a Lagoon 40 Catamaran ‘Chantilly’ with the crew at Whitsunday Rent a Yacht. This one sleeps a max of 8 people. The layout of this boat was a perfect fit for our family with 3 cabins. One side has a double bed toilet/shower and the other side has 2 double beds with toilet/shower. It contains a fully equipped kitchen with fridge/freezer, oven, stove top, microwave. TV/DVD player, air conditioning, gas BBQ on deck, VHF 2-way radio and a 240 v inverter. 

If you are used to caravanning, you will easily adjust to living on the boat. For example, you still have to be careful of your power and water usage. You can’t just go and get fresh water from anywhere, so showers have to be time limited. The water tanks however are quite large and can be anywhere from 800 to 1000ltrs. If you do run low on power there is always a generator on board that can recharge your batteries and run any 240v appliances. The toilets need to be emptied, but this is a lot easier than the caravan way. You just open a valve when you are in open water.

Our adventure began the night before our first charter day. This is a “sleep aboard” option that we highly recommend, as it gives you the chance to get everything on board and packed away without having to rush the next morning. If you’re anything like us, you may have forgotten some things so it’s handy to make sure you have everything you need and pick up anything you may have forgotten. We had a great first night moored up in Shute Harbour, we even threw a few rods in on the jetty and caught our first fish of the trip.

Our first morning started at 8am with our 4-hr training. This can be longer if you have very little boating experience. You are taught how everything operates on board from planning your itinerary, how to read the maps, navigation, UHF and understanding the tides and winds. You learn how to use the depth finders and how far you can ideally travel in one day. You go over the boat operations including batteries, water, fuel, using the sails, anchor and mooring. They also give you a copy of 100 magic miles which will be your bible while out on the water. Everything from snorkelling spots to where to anchor. Everything you need is in this magic little book. This book also became a fantastic schooling resource for us. Our eldest couldn’t wait to get a hold of his own copy once we got back to shore.

There are a few requirements that you also need to abide by. Firstly, you have to be moored or anchored up by 4pm every day. There are also scheduled radio checks that need be done twice a day. One is done in the morning which you advise where you are planning on going and where you are looking at stopping for the night. They will give you the go ahead to carry on with those plans or give you another suggestion for a better option. The other radio check is later in the arvo. This is to make sure you have arrived at your destination safely and to make sure you had a great day. If you fail to communicate on two consecutive radio checks, they will then send out a search party to make sure everything is ok. When there are strong winds you are restricted to the west side of the islands due to rough seas on the east side. This is all done for your safety. 

We were now on our way to the first destination of our charter and the winds were not the best to start us off. The Whitsunday Passage was going to be our first real test with some choppy seas. The best thing about chartering a Catamaran is how stable they are on the water so the choppy seas were a walk in the park. We had our sights set on Nara Inlet for our first night as it was very well protected from almost every direction. It took us about 2 hrs to reach Nara Inlet from Shute Harbour and it was such a beautiful spot to spend our first night. The water was very calm and looked just perfect for our first night out in the Whitsunday Islands. Our next test was upon us, it was time to drop the anchor! We had to find the right depth of water and you then have to judge how much length of chain to let out. This was so easy as we had just been taught exactly how to do it and we smashed it. The day was getting late so we kicked back, had a fish and cooked dinner. It was a busy start to the day so we were all in bed early. 

The next day we had a plan to make it to Butterfly Bay for the night. We set off after our radio check and started making our way north. We decided to stop off at Langford Island which is a really nice snorkel spot and good place for the kids to have a run around on the beach. We then went to Blue Pearl Bay which is another popular snorkel spot on Hayman Island. After having a lot of fun snorkelling and playing on the beach again we decided we should head for Butterfly Bay to get moored up. As we arrived, we could tell that the bay was full and all the moorings had been taken. So, plan B was to just move to the next bay which was Maureens Cove. This was perfect and we ended up having the whole bay to ourselves. We went ashore again to explore and that night we had the most magnificent sunset followed by a glow in the dark dance party on the front of the boat. It was an incredible experience we wont be forgetting anytime soon.

After listening to the weather report the next morning it advised that the wind was starting to increase. It was still just low enough for us to explore the east side of the islands so we decided to head to Tongue Bay for the night. On our way we stopped into Manta Ray Bay to swim with the Bat Fish and the famous George the Mauri Wrasse. We were the only boat there so the fish basically surrounded us. The kids had so much fun swimming amongst all the fish who were hopping to get a feed out of us. After leaving Manta Ray Bay we started to head around the point of Hook Island. As soon as we did this the wind and seas felt huge. We felt a little uncomfortable so decided to turn back and make our way down the west side of the island. We had to change our plans again and thought we should just head to Cid Harbour for the night. After debating this new change of plans as we travelled south, we decided to change them again and thought we should just head straight to Hamilton Island for a couple of nights to wait out the high winds that were forecast. We called base and they then booked us in for the two nights stay in the marina. This was now another challenge for us as we had to park this large 40ft catamaran in between some huge multimillion-dollar vessels. In the end it was so easy as you get lots of guided assistance from a pilot boat. To stay in the marina there is a nightly charge of $120. You get the use of toilets and showers and the local IGA is right at the marina for your convenience. 

We spent the next two days exploring this beautiful Island. We had stayed there a couple of times before so we were really looking forward to it. We swam in the pools, bush walked, watched the sunset, snorkelled at Cats Eye Beach and even drove the buggies around for a day. We had a lot of fun and It was a great way to escape the high winds. 

It was time to leave the island and unfortunately the winds were still high so we were again restricted to the western side of the Islands. We figured Stonehaven was going to be a good place to spend the night as there was plenty of moorings available and it was protected from the strong winds. We made our way up there so that we could then enjoy some fishing and beach time in this stunning location. It was a busy spot for the night with every mooring used with other boats also trying to get some reprieve from the wind. Once again, we had no luck with the fishing but the boys still enjoyed throwing the lines in. After listening to the weather report that night we now had another day of strong winds ahead of us.

We studied the map that night and decided we would make our way to Long Island and moor up at the beautiful Palm Bay resort. This place was stunning and is definitely worth the visit. Next time we are in the area we will definitely try and spend a couple of nights out at this place. This resort is self-catering so all food and drinks need to be brought over with you. There is a bar if you fancy a cocktail or something similar. That night we were able to see whales swimming past which was a highlight for the boys. 

Finally, the winds were coming down and this was our chance to get over to Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet. They were still a little strong but under the limit of 25 knots so we headed off early to explore as much of Whitehaven as possible. Well what a trip this morning turned out to be. As soon as we passed Hamilton Island the wind picked up and the waves got bigger and bigger. There were other boats headed the same direction so we thought it would be fine. One by one the other boats turned around apart from us and one other boat. What should have been a one-hour section turned into two. It was certainly a part of the trip that we will always remember. It was rough, windy and bumpy and it’s just lucky that we have such adventurous boys as they absolutely loved the drama of it all. As we eventually turned into Whitehaven Beach we were greeted with beautiful white sand and calm clear waters. Just like a post card! 

We decided to head straight to Hill Inlet as the views there are incredible. We arrived around lunchtime which was just when all the tour companies were leaving which meant we had the whole lookout and beach to ourselves. We set up a picnic on the beach and just enjoyed the tranquillity with nobody else around. It really was a special part of the trip. After spending so much time enjoying the views and the incredible white sand, we started to head to our last stop on the charter which was Chalkies Beach. This is directly across from Whitehaven and offers shelter from the south easterly winds and a wonderful place to snorkel directly from the beach. On our way to pick up a mooring we were lucky enough to witness some whales splashing about in the distance. We just sat there in idle while all the boys enjoyed the spectacle that they were putting on. Once again, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening fishing, swimming and just having the best time on the yacht. 

We have now developed this incredible passion for life on the water which we only ever dreamed about and it just suited our family so well. Our boys were amazing on the yacht and wanted to learn everything about sailing and exploring the world on the water. It really has opened up a whole new passion for us and something we would love to do more often. Safe to say we are now hooked! This experience was an absolute incredible adventure and one we will remember forever. 

If boating around the Whitsundays sounds like you cup of tea then make sure you get in touch with the team from Whitsunday Rent a Yacht. They were fantastic and made our experience extraordinary. 

Cheers,

Tom & Aimee
4 Boys and a Caravan