Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 6 . QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
Come Sail with Me
“Bareboating” simply means that you are sailing the boat yourself. And
if that seems pretty daunting, rest assured that thousands of people do
it safely every year, with a little tuition before they set out. Most of the
many bareboat yacht charter companies in the islands will want one
person on the boat to have a little experience at the helm of a vessel,
but don’t worry if you don’t know one end of a boat from another. You
do not need a license, and sailing is surprisingly easy in these
uncrowded waters, where the channels are deep and hazard-free and
the seas are protected from big swells by the Great Barrier Reef farther
out. The 74 islands are so close to each other that land is always in sight,
and safe anchorages are everywhere. If you have absolutely no boating
experience, the company may require you to take a skipper along for
the first day at an extra cost of around A$200 (US$130) a day or A$230
(US$150) for overnight. And if you think you know what you’re doing
but just want extra reassurance, you can take a skipper along for an
extra fee for the first couple of hours for A$60 (US$39) to help you get
the hang of things. In any case, most companies mail you a preparation
kit before you leave, and you get a thorough 2- to 3-hour briefing
before departure and are given easy-to-read maps marking channels,
anchorage points, and the very few dangerous reefs. Your charter company
will radio in once or twice a day to check that you’re still afloat,
and you can contact them any time for advice.
Most yachts are fitted for two to eight passengers. Try to get a boat
with two berths more than you need if you can afford it, as space is
always tight. The boats usually have a galley kitchen, a barbecue
mounted to the stern, hot showers, toilet, linen, a radio and/or stereo,
a motorized dinghy, and snorkeling equipment. Sleeping quarters are
usually not that luxurious and include a mix of single galley berths and
one or two compact private cabins. You can buy your own provisions or
have the charter company stock the boat for you for about A$35
(US$23) per person per day. Most operators will load a windsurfer, fishing
tackle, and scuba diving equipment on request for an extra fee, if
they are not standard.
parks for around A$500 to A$550 (US$325–US$358). All trips include sailing,
snorkeling, scuba diving, and bush walking, and you can sail on maxi-yachts
such as Matador, Condor, Broomstick, and Hammer. They also offer 6-day packages.
Contact the Tourism Whitsundays (see “Visitor Information” above) for
details on other charters.
ISLAND HOPPING Day-trippers to Hamilton, Daydream, South Molle,
Club Crocodile Long Island, and Hook Island resorts can rent the hotels’ watersports
equipment, laze by the beaches and pools, scuba dive, join the resorts’
activities programs, hike their trails, and eat at some or all of their restaurants. See
“The Whitsunday Island Resorts” later in this chapter, for details on Hamilton,
South Molle, and Hook islands. Long Island Club Crocodile is a rather noisy,