Farr65r S/Y Celeste of Solent

We also went to see the crocodiles 🐊, explored the rainforest, and visited a church with an extraordinary altarpiece.

Now that we’ve finished provisioning, it’s time to set sail again.

We are now exploring Whitsunday Islands. An incredibly beautiful place.

The Whitsundays are obviously famous for their insanely beautiful beaches and turquoise water, but there’s actually some pretty cool stuff behind the scenery!

🌴 A few fun facts about the Whitsunday Islands 🇦🇺💙

🏝️ The islands are ancient mountains!
The Whitsunday Islands are basically the tops of an old mountain range. When sea levels rose after the last Ice Age, the lower parts disappeared underwater, leaving the mountain peaks as islands. So you’re literally standing on an ancient mountain surrounded by the ocean! 🤯

🤍 And that famous Whitehaven Beach sand…
It’s made mostly of incredibly pure silica (quartz). The sand has travelled along the Queensland coast over a huge period of time and accumulated around the Whitsundays. Freshwater has helped wash impurities out of it, which is one reason it’s so unbelievably white.

🌊 Hill Inlet is never exactly the same!
Those amazing white-and-turquoise swirls you see at Hill Inlet aren’t edited — they’re created by the tides. As the tide moves in and out, it shifts the fine sand around, constantly creating new patterns. So every visit can look slightly different!

🐋 Whales come here too
During the Australian winter, humpback whales migrate through the area, and the warm, sheltered waters are especially important for mothers and their calves. We have already almost collided with a group 😍

🐠 And it’s all part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, so there’s just as much going on underwater as there is above the surface.

🌏 The area also has thousands of years of Indigenous history, with the Ngaro people having traditional connections to the islands and surrounding waters.

And finally… there are more than 90 islands in the Whitsundays! So Whitehaven Beach is just one tiny part of this incredible place.

After provisioning and other preparations we have now left Mackay and started the next leg to Darwin. It will be a cruising leg with stops along the coast. The first day of sailing we were lucky to be accompanied by both dolphins 🐬 and a group of whales 🐳 showing their tale fluke and spyhopping.

At 4:30 AM, we headed out to the beach to see wallabies and kangaroos 🦘feeding on mangrove seeds during low tide. Watching these fascinating animals in their natural habitat was such a special experience!

Wallabies are close relatives of kangaroos, but they’re much smaller.

Fun fact: Kangaroos can’t walk backwards! Their large tail and powerful hind legs make moving backward almost impossible, which is one reason they symbolize progress in Australia. 🇦🇺

We’ve now crossed the finish line for the Vanuatu to Australia leg, and it felt only right that Nigel, who has been with us since the very beginning in St. Lucia, had the honour of steering us across the finish line.

Right now we’re sailing through the Great Barrier Reef – an absolutely incredible experience. Along the way we’ve also been lucky enough to be visited by several humpback whales. Moments like these remind us just how special this journey is. 🐋

We’re currently beating into 10–15 m/s of wind with two reefs in the mainsail and Jib 5, and we’re expecting to arrive in Mackay sometime tonight.

Australia also marks the end of Nigel’s adventure with us. It’s hard to put into words how much he has meant to our crew. He’s been an exceptional sailor, a true friend, and someone who has made every challenge and every celebration along the way even more memorable.

We’ve shared so many unforgettable experiences together – not only at sea, but also exploring all the incredible places we’ve been fortunate enough to visit. Those memories will stay with us forever.

Thank you for everything, Nigel. We’ll miss you a lot, and we wish you fair winds and following seas on your next adventure. ❤️
:::

Halfway to Mackay, Australia. 🇦🇺⚓

Life at sea has settled into its routine. Between keeping things running and taking care of some maintenance, the days pass by pretty quickly.

The night watches have probably been the best part so far. When it’s quiet out here, the conversations just seem to happen naturally. We’ve talked about everything from work and family to life in general, sharing stories and experiences from all over the world. It’s a good reminder that one of the best things about working at sea is the people you meet along the way.

Still a long way to go, but we’re making steady progress. On to Mackay! 400 NM to go!