Fitzroy Reef entry.

[2Wind]

I've been in and out perhaps 8 times in the last 15 years, the last time was 2012.
My beam is 7.7 also.
Compared to Lady Musgrave:
1. It is technically narrower, and looks particularly so on arrival at the entrance, but there is actually heaps of room! Its an illusion.
2. The channel runs obliquely through the coral and as such is longer.
3. The tidal stream is stronger and can run at 4+kts, so pick your time.
4. It does have a minor "kink" to STBD on entry.
5. The size of the anchorage inside is about a quarter of Musgrave, but there is still plenty of space and good sandy hold below.

As stated above arrive, with plenty of sun high in the sky. Once "experienced" its is no drama.

I recall being in there in the late 1990s with one other boat. At night we got hit by a ferocious sustained thunderstorm over three hours. Pitch black interrupted by blinding lightning. The lagoon was full of foam due to the extreme wind. Being frightened by the risk of dragging the anchor, I tried to reference our position relative to the only other landmark in sight, being the other boat anchoured about 50m away. This was pointless as it turned out, because one moment he was on the port beam, the next, the bow, and even on the stbd side as we each swung wildly at our respective anchors. The anchor held and now its just a good story....But at the time, it was nerve racking.
Its one of the great places to go and seems so isolated as you sit there quietly at anchor surrounded only by the ocean raging about you. On a clear day you can make out Round Hill and get some VHF reception. You might also glimce One Tree Island if the air is clear. I'll be there in September.....I hope.

[D&D]

Thank you 2wind!

[dirkdig]

Wow,enjoy d@d


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[shufti]

Thanks for all the great info in this thread. Been to Musgrave a few times, but didn't think it was advisable to overnight at Fitzroy - hence haven't been that far. Will put it into the 'consideration list' for September school holidays.

Ta!

[D&D]

Fitzroy entrance well marked and navigable, including for our 7.7m beam. Would guess min width at least 10m. Still, we followed the sage advice of others here (and our own experience) and entered with overhead sun and a rising tide.

Once inside, there was plenty of room (albeit with a solid scattering of big bommies, clearly visible with overhead sunlight) and good holding.

The water and the coral were simply glorious, but our swimming was limited by a constant 15-25kn wind during our days there which inhibited snorkeling. Still, the skies were bright and we loved the amazing solitude.

We consider Fitzroy to be amoung our very best anchorages, right up there with Wineglass Bay (another spot we enjoyed on our own; does that say something about our social skills?!? ) and above Lady Musgrave. The water and the coral at Lady Musgrave was also beautiful and the island offered an extra 'feature' to visit, but the daily presence of the (noisy!) tourist boat(s) from 1770 was a definite detraction.

[Wotname]

One thing I especially like about Fitzroy Reef was the idea of anchoring completely out of sight of land (or reef - at high tide).

[MarkJ]

Ain't that the truth.

Beautiful cruising areas, especially when the wind drops.

Outside the Pacific theres very little coral and fish like on the great barrier reef. The Caribbean is pathetic comparead. Not from degradation, just never was as good. I think its something like 6,000 species of fish in the GBR to 1,600 in the Caribbean.

[D&D]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Outside the Pacific theres very little coral and fish like on the great barrier reef. The Caribbean is pathetic comparead. Not from degradation, just never was as good. I think its something like 6,000 species of fish in the GBR to 1,600 in the Caribbean.

+2

[banyandah]

This appears an old thread, but as you're Aussie sailors I thought I'd drop in to say we produced a video from last winters romp through the Coral Sea searching for a 1856 shipwreck of a steam driven French Frigate. Plenty of what we dream about in it.

Watch the Trailer ~ Take the Voyage

Reef anchorages can be tricky and so we have produced a FREE Coral Sea Cruising Guide, similar to others we've produced, filled with photos, chartlets, GPS positions, weather info and other info necessary for a safe passage. It also comes in a downloaded E-formats.

The Coral Sea is filled with safe anchorages, lagoons, sand islands, heaps of wildlife, great diving and fishing. Expand your horizons. East Diamond Islet is the best, closest Coral Sea experience to Aussie's East Coast.

[DtM]

Bump up the page for my own research purposes.

[arsenelupiga]

that does not look bad at all.