Z E N I T U D E
Blue Water Dreaming
Magnetic Island - Between Townsville and Maggie
A couple of days after our friends from Argentina went back on their way, we headed from Townsville back to Horseshoe Bay, a fantastic anchorage in Magnetic Island, or Maggie as known to locals.
We spent for over a month going back and forth from Townsville to Maggie. We just love this island. You can visit the island with the local bus that sells a daily ticket and you can hope in an out of the bus anywhere you want to visit.
There is a golf course for Oscar to play and many moderate level walking tracks with amazing views as the island is very hilly.
There are more than 20 bays and each of them with a beautiful beach, some with easy access while others feel like a huge reward after a tough walking up and down the tracks.
We spent for over a month going back and forth from Townsville to Maggie. We just love this island. You can visit the island with the local bus that sells a daily ticket and you can hope in an out of the bus anywhere you want to visit.
There is a golf course for Oscar to play and many moderate level walking tracks with amazing views as the island is very hilly.
There are more than 20 bays and each of them with a beautiful beach, some with easy access while others feel like a huge reward after a tough walking up and down the tracks.
In Horseshoe Bay, the most popular anchorage, there are picnic facilities on shore and water is available, you can fill your water jugs if you run short of water. We’ve seen many boats that seem to be permanently at anchor there.
In Nelly Bay there is a new marina. Facilities are not great as there are still trying to improve them but the place is beautiful, the scenery fantastic and the location very convenient next to town and the ferry terminal, without forgetting that prices are very reasonable and the people in the marina quite accommodating.
In Nelly Bay there is a new marina. Facilities are not great as there are still trying to improve them but the place is beautiful, the scenery fantastic and the location very convenient next to town and the ferry terminal, without forgetting that prices are very reasonable and the people in the marina quite accommodating.
Beautiful Maggie
Breakwater Marina, Horseshoe Bay and Nelly Bay - Three lovely places - 29 August to 26 September 2014
The ferry service to Townsville is quite good and in 20 minutes you can be there if you need more serious shopping as the island has two reasonable well provisioned supermarkets (or rather ‘food markets’).
One afternoon in Horseshoe Bay we were thrilled to welcome Tortuguita, with Dave and Booker, our long-time friends. We spent several days in their company and shared ice creams and pizza nights. Dave as always was a great help when our outboard engine refused to keep going until a new impeller was installed.
We were hoping to do some sailing together to the middle reef but the weather was late to cooperate and they had to start their trip back south. As Tortuguita sailed south we left Maggie towards the north and the Slashers Reef. We left Magnetic Island behind knowing that most probably we would be back, for sure a stopover on the way back south.
We were hoping to do some sailing together to the middle reef but the weather was late to cooperate and they had to start their trip back south. As Tortuguita sailed south we left Maggie towards the north and the Slashers Reef. We left Magnetic Island behind knowing that most probably we would be back, for sure a stopover on the way back south.
