Magnetic Island photo guide

Solo around Magnetic Island
September 13 dawned slowly, grey overcast skies filtering a weak sunlight onto a leaden sea.
No wind and only a lone seagull for company. I was on my way.
Three months earlier I met a bloke named Brad who was preparing to paddle around Magnetic Island on his own. He
impressed me so much that I began training to do exactly what he had done already several times.To have a safety
line I organised some friends to keep track of my progress around the island. Their map show points I estimated where
I would be during the day. At hourly intervals they would come to a point and locate me visually, take photos, then
return out to sea. This way if I was in trouble there was an hour time lapse. I also carried my mobile phone in a
waterproof bag with their number on speed dial. My kayak was a Perception “Swing” a 4.5m sit-on top style. With
plenty of water and energy bars I was set.
Moving slowly in the dim early morning I sang to myself as the dawn sun crept into the sky. As I got closer to the Island
I began to see turtles rising to breathe. They would burst through the surface take a brief look around and dive back
down.
As the island eased it’s massive bulk closer I could make out the trees and rocks. Closer yet and the clear waters
showed fish and rays going about their business and paying no attention to the brightly coloured craft above them. I
think this was about the time I realized that when kayaking it is the journey that is important not reaching the other end.
I was constantly amazed at how all forms of wildlife did not react to my presence until I could almost touch them.
The beauty of the landscape is outstanding and I hardly noticed this when I had belted past in my powerboat. Now
everything was something to be marvelled at, from the mighty sea eagle to the slow moving rays searching for food on
the sea bed.
At last I cruised into Horseshoe Bay. When I reached George and Corey’s boat they had coffee and sandwiches ready.
I took a welcome break to stretch my legs and rest. One thing about this trip is you are always close to reasonable
beaches in case of emergencies or nasty seas. The east coast holds the main population unlike from West Point up to
Horseshoe Bay there is NO form of population or communication. From Horseshoe Bay round to Picnic Bay has
numerous powerboats plying the waters, so stay close to the shoreline. The other main feature which will help paddlers
is in the afternoon the wind blows from behind you and the sea is a following sea. These combine to push you home
quite quickly.
The last leg of this trip is from Picnic Bay back to Pallarenda Bay. The most interesting way is to follow the coastal
mangroves then cross at the closest point of land. Now that I own a sail I will actually sail directly across. We are
indeed fortunate to have Magnetic Island so close as it provides many good day trips along with the possibility of
taking 2 days to complete the circumnavigation. Paddle each morning and rest in the afternoon.
My Club NQ Kayakers has done several day trips across to the Island. We recommend anyone who does this have at
least intermediate skill level as a paddler. As a rule we try to travel in groups of three or five and stay about 5 boatlengths apart.
I hope you enjoy the photos. Hans-j Preuss
Magnetic Island - NQ kayaking
Magnetic Island lies 4 kilometres off the coast from Townsville in north Queensland. The island is about 11 kilometres across, at its widest
point, and the shoreline totals about 40 kilometres, although as there are said to be 24 bays, the kayaker paddling around the island, and not
entering the bays, would cover a little less than 25 kilometres.
There are four small settlements on the southern and eastern side of the island, with a total permanent population of 3,000 or so. People
commute to work in Townsville, as it is only just over 20 minutes away by passenger ferry. A recent trend has been the building of resorts
and backpacker accommodation, but the main island attractions are its beaches, and walks in the National Park. More than half of the
Island's 5,184 hectares is National Park. Mt.Cook, roughly centre, rises to 497 metres. Everywhere are outcrops of huge granite boulders,
often falling steeply to the sea, forming rocky headlands, and covered with the characteristic shapes of emergent tall hoop pines, and
eucalypt forest.
The land is quite dry as the Townsville area is in a rain shadow, and Magnetic Island averages over 320 days of sunshine per year. The low
rainfall on the mainland also means that there is no major river entering nearby, and no large estuary with mangrove and mudflat habitat. So
while there may be an occasional saurian visitor in the locality, there is no large resident population of crocodiles. Good news for
kayakers!
This guide consists of photographs of the shoreline of Magnetic, starting at Picnic Bay on the south west corner, then moving clockwise
around the coast., up to West Point, and on eastwards.
Picnic Bay, with its long jetty was the ferry terminal until
2003, when the Nelly Bay Marina was built. Notice the
swimming enclosure, to provide stinger free swiiming
during the stinger season. The Marine Stinger season
generally runs from November through to May, but
stingers may be present outside of these months.
Stinger resistant enclosures are in place by the first week
of November, but may be positioned earlier if stingers are
caught in lifeguard drags of the beach. Protective clothing
such as marine suits is recommended. You should not
swim outside of the enclosures.
Nobby Head is the corner headland visible.
photo: Julie Tuffee
Cockle Bay has a mangrove environment, and extensive
mudflats at low tide. At high tide the beach on the southern
end looks very pleasant. The wreck of the ship, City of
Adelaide lies close to the beach.
photo: Hj Preuss
West Point is the closest point to the mainland, only 4 kms
across to Palleranda. The image to the left is taken looking
north to the point, with its little sandy beach.
photo: Hj Preuss
Rollingstone Bay is on the northern side of the island.
There is no vehicle access, and the walk there is long and
quite arduous. The cove is quite unspoilt, and very pretty.
photo: Hj Preuss
Five Beaches Bay contains the small coves of Huntingfield,
Wilson, Joyce, Norris, Maud, Lovers, separated by rocky
headlands. (yes, six)
photo: Hj Preuss
Horseshoe Bay is the preferred anchorage for yachties, as it
offers some protection from the SE winds. A sizeable
community and various hostel accomodation is to be found
behind the long sandy beach. The view is looking north.
photo: Hj Preuss
Horseshoe Bay beach, looking north
photo: Julie Tuffee
Horseshoe Bay beach, kayakers view
photo: Hj Preuss
Horseshoe Bay as seen from The Forts walk. The view is
looking north.
photo: M. Rithalia
Balding Bay beach, looking north
photo: C. Snell
Radical Bay view
photo: C. Snell
Approaching Florence Bay
photo: Hj Preuss
World War II lookout above Florence Bay.
Cape Bowling Green on the mainland, is visible in the
background. This is part of The Forts walk
photo: M. Rithalia
Florence Bay beach, looking north.
photo: H. Pickford
Florence Bay view
photo: C. Snell
Arthur Bay.
The remains of the dredge Platypus that cut the channel
into Townsville is in this rocky cove at a depth of 3 to 8
metres. The wreck is encrusted with hard coral and the iron
boilers are still intact. Swim with the fishes!
photo: Marieke
Alma Bay beach, looking west.
photo: Julie Tuffee
Geoffrey Bay, looking east from Bremner Point. Sunk in
1913, the German barque Moltke now lies in 8 metres of
water 100 metres off the shore in Geoffrey Bay. The
Moltke is one of the most popular dive sites on the Island.
Seek local knowledge regarding location and tidal flows
before attempting a dive.
photo: Alasdair Milne
Nelly Bay marina and ferry. Geoffrey Bay in the distance.
photo: Julie Tuffee
view from Hawkings Point looking east. First, Rocky
Beach, then Nelly Bay beach, and marina at the end.
photo: Julie Tuffee
Rocky Bay, looking west to Hawkings Point.
photo:. C. Snell