Social Of A Lifetime...

[demarc]

Been thinking about this quite a bit, and next year will be the year. I want to do a social to Swains. Now that we have a few big boats on here, I see this as a real possibility if we choose the right time of year.

Just putting feelers out on who would be interested before wasting time dribbling. General plan would be to go in June/July in 2018 and base ourselves at Middle Island(Swains is another 30NM), which is 33NM from Clairview beach(122KMs south of Mackay). We would set up camp on the beach at Middle Island and only do a run out to the Swains if the weather is on our side. Camping at Middle Island means we can stash fuel for the return trip home from the Swains. All up I see about 500 - 600kms being travelled. This social would be a weeks event.

This social would be about the adventure, and remoteness(A Frame at Percys for example). I know you can fish closer, like 1770, but how often would you get the chance to do Swains in your own boat???

So.... Who is crazy enough?

• http://percyisland.com.au/camping

[Angus]

Sent this out to a few.. 

[Tybo]

That looks like an awesome adventure! Personally I don't think my boat would be big enough or have enough range to get that far. Plus I can't really plan anything yet into next year. But would definitely like to follow this to see if it happens, as it sounds very cool.

[CaptainAwesome]

Can I suggest something Julian?? Don't make it too big. A mate of mine tried to organise something like this with six boats, it turned into a dogs breakfast, and nobody went anywhere. 

Sure, numbers for safety but three boats is more than enough. His problems came when weather wasn't great, so people decided to work, weather came good and some couldn't go... blah blah blah, he got the shits with all the whinging and went to 1770 by himself. 

Get two other mates with capable boats,  be capable of self recovery, give yourselves a three week window for a one week trip, don't overthink it and just go when the time is right. Sure be prepared, but if you plan everything to the nth degree without flexibility at the first hiccup it will go tits up. 

Just passing on my mates experience, which is why I never get involved in such things...... 

[demarc]

Thanks for your input Shane. What you explained makes total sense.

[straddiebrad]

mate this does sound like a great trip i would be keen but its a long way would it be 4-5 hours to the swains? just seen what middel island you were talking about mate,there are a heap of middel islands up that way i was looking at the one near great keppels, that would be good.

 

[demarc]

6 - 7 hours at 20knts Brad. Trip to Swains would have a stop mid way at Percys so you can stash the extra fuel for the trip. I'm sure we'd be allowed to do that for a donation of some kind.

[straddiebrad]

5 hours ago, demarc said:

6 - 7 hours at 20knts Brad. Trip to Swains would have a stop mid way at Percys so you can stash the extra fuel for the trip. I'm sure we'd be allowed to do that for a donation of some kind.

if i was too go i would upgrade my tank will look into it when it gets back from the painters

 

[Drop Bear]

On 4/7/2017 at 8:49 AM, demarc said:

Been thinking about this quite a bit, and next year will be the year. I want to do a social to Swains. Now that we have a few big boats on here, I see this as a real possibility if we choose the right time of year.

Keen as. 

[Drop Bear]

What size boat would you want to do that trip? 

[demarc]

37 minutes ago, Drop Bear said:

What size boat would you want to do that trip? 

That's a debatable point I'd imagine. I'm not going to make a suggestion. Tugger has been the distance to Percys in his boat to give you an idea... 

[Drop Bear]

20 hours ago, demarc said:

That's a debatable point I'd imagine. I'm not going to make a suggestion. Tugger has been the distance to Percys in his boat to give you an idea...

my 3.75m tiller steer is perfect then.... 

[benno573]

Would it not cut significant distance off the trip launching from somewhere like stanage bay? The run out to Percy from there isn't that far, I recall doing it when much younger with my uncle and cousins out from stanage, testing the memory but think it is about 35nm out?

 

not exactly on the way to the swains from stanage though.

 

good luck with the planning though, as previously mentioned flexibility is key, study the weather charts and how they affect the forecast for that area, you can generally pick a weather window about a week out with reasonable accuracy.

[demarc]

3 hour drive into Stanage is the main driver for Clairview. Also bit if a pansy when it comes to that road into Stanage. Trailer destorying stuff for the inexperienced.