![]() Easy like WhitsundayThe Australian Whitsunday Islands are one of the world’s most idyllic cruising grounds, Helen Fretter explored them on a bareboat charter.1 IntroductionSailing the Whitsundays proved to be a whole lot of fun 2 Meet the boatI’ve experienced briefings varying from the lackadaisical to the excessively scaremongering 3 In the tropicsThis close to the tropics the temperature rarely dips below the high 70s 4 Sharks and jellyfishThe Whitsundays effectively have one giant ‘No feeding the animals’ sign 5 SnorkelingI popped my mask on and dunked my head over the side to sea what all the fuss was about 6 Finding new beachesMacona is a particularly picturesque spot and a useful anchorage in most wind directions 7 Surfing homeWe popped the sails up and headed north, enjoying some high-speed surfing 8 The verdictIf you’re looking for a totally relaxing holiday, the Whitsundays might not be right for you 9 Further informationAustralia is a dauntingly long way away for many people |