Prep for FNQ: Preparing for a cruise between Cape Tribulation and Hinchinbrook

The catamaran Anui has recently published an article 'The Search for Reef Anchorages' in Multihull World magazine. It is a good introduction.

The author, Christine Danger, discusses a number of reef anchorages, of which three are in the area we might visit.

Another Anui resource is Reef Addiction 2021. Reefs covered include:

Offshore of Palm & Hinchinbrook Islands
Keeper Reef (p 105)
Lodestone Reef (p 111)
John Brewer Reef (p 121)
Bramble Reef (p 131) 'A little ordinary'
Trunk Reef (p 136)
Walker Reef (p 142) 'Feels safe'.
Otter Reef (p 146)
Eddy Reef (p 151) 'Disappointing'

Offshore of Innisfail to Cairns (p 155)
Russell Island & Franklin Group (p 156)
Scott Reef (p 159)
Sudbury East Reef (p 163)

Offshore of Port Douglas & Cape Tribulation (p 165)
Opal Reef (p 166) 'Heavenly'
St Crispin Reef (p 176) 'Spectacular'
Agincourt No 4 Reef (p 181) 'Extraordinary'

Cairns to the Whitsundays
Fitzroy Island (p 197)
Milln Reef (p 200) 'Beautiful'
Maori Reef (p 204)
Beaver Reef (p 205)
Walker Reef (p 209)
Fore and Aft Reef (p 215)
Big and Little Broadhurst Reefs (p 219)
Faith Reef (p 221) 'Damaged by storms'
Fairey Reef (p 227) 'Comfortable anchorage'

Another source for researching options is the new book 'Cruising the Queensland Coast'.

Reef Moorings

Overview of the Great Barrier Reef
North to south from Lizard Island to the Palm Island Group

Here is a map of the reef where you can look at the condition of particular reefs

https://apps.aims.gov.au/reef-monitoring/reefs

Cape Melville to Cape Flattery including Lizard Island.

Cape Bedford to Morning Reef

Cooktown to Lark & Williamson Reefs

Osterland, Cairns & Endeavour Reefs

From Alan Lucas 'Cruising the Coral Coast'

Hope Island

Greg Luck 'Cruising the Queensland Coast'.

Bloomfield River to Escape Reef

From Alan Lucas 'Cruising the Coral Coast'

Pickersgill Reef

Undine, Mackay, & St Crispins Reefs to Cairns

From Alan Lucas 'Cruising the Coral Coast'

Extraordinary Agincourt Reefs

Agincourt Reef

Agincourt #4 looking east

Agincourt #4 looking north

ST CRISPIN REEF

Well protected in easterly and southeasterly conditions, St Crispin is on the outer edge of the Barrier Reef. Beyond the barrier, there is nothing between you and the Solomon Islands. The 1000m mark is not far, as just a few miles to sea you are on the edge of the continental shelf. The leeside of the reef is edged with large and deep sandy patches. Although it is a little bit of a maze to get into, once in, you anchor in shallow water clear of bommies. We found the best snorkelling was up gutters at the northern end of the reef as well as around isolated bommies. You are greeted with large schools of surgeonfish and fusiliers. Near the large bommies fore and aft mooring buoys if vacant can be a good spot to tie the dinghy and dive down and around the coral heads. With good water flow and nutrients, coral density is good. Hard and soft corals are in good condition, although damage is evident, but new growth after heat stress is strong and fish life abundant. (S/v Anui).

Heavenly Opal and Crispin Reefs

St Crispin's anchorage

St Crispin's anchorage (looking south)

Opal Reef

Undine Reef to Low Islets

Snapper Island. Lucas 'A fair weather anchorage only)

Lucas 'Good anchorage'

Low Islets

Port Douglas to Batt Reef

Yorkey's Knob to Arlington Reef

Double Island ('Gorgeous anchorage')

Arlington Reef

From Alan Lucas 'Cruising the Coral Coast'

Greg Luck 'Cruising the Queensland Coast'.

Cairns, Fitzroy Island and Arlington Reef

Milln Reef

Fitzroy Island to Moore, Elford, & Sudbury Reefs

Sudbury Reef

Eastern side of Sudbury Reef with the cay in the distance

Anchored on the Eastern side of Sudbury Reef, looking SW

SCOTT REEF

Now we are not talking about the Western Australian Scott Reef, but the one located offshore of Cairns and Fitzroy Island, about 10nm south of Sudbury Reef. Scott Reef is a roundish reef with a couple of inlets. There is a nice sandy area at the northern end to anchor the big boat in light southeasterlies, then it is time to explore by dinghy and jump in for a snorkel. What you will find is a lovely, recovering reef with coral gardens of both hard and soft species as well as a variety of fish. Once again it demonstrates how important green conservation zones are for allowing damaged reefs to heal. (S/v Anui).

Anui at Scott Reef

Flora Passage to Dunk Island

Frankland Islands to Gibson Reef

Russell Island to Howie Reef

Mourilyan to Geranium Passage

Dunk Island to Taylor and Farquharson Reefs

Hinchinbrook Island and Palm Group

Beaver Reef

Bramble Reef

Trunk Reef

Walker Reef

Palm Passage

North Hinchinbrook Island to Otter Reef

OTTER REEF

An easy reef to reach offshore of Hinchinbrook, Otter is made up of what can best be described as patches of reefs in a dotted line about 12nm long. There is not a well-defined reef wall. We targetted one of the patches with a large expanse of sand near a tiny cay for stress free anchoring in light southerlies and dropped the pick over clear sand in 8m of water. The cay is more akin to a sand bank and only gets uncovered at low tide. Although the reef is showing storm damage, Otter was interesting to snorkel at with a varied mix of soft and hard corals, a network of gutters where fish patrolled and plenty of marine critters to look at. We could see signs of both cyclone effects and recovery with upturned corals and algae, but also new growth in between the dead corals. (S/v Anui).