Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
& Things You Need to Know

• Do I need experience?
• Starting your Charter
• Briefing
• De-briefing
• Fuel
• Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Tax
• Pre-Charter Kit Cruising Guide – '100 Magic Miles'
• Charts

• What do I need to bring?
• Clothing
• Footwear
• Sunglasses
• Accessories
• Medication
• Provisioning

Do I need experience?

No formal experience or qualifications are necessary when hiring with Anchors Away Bareboat Charters. However, for you to fully enjoy your Whitsundays experience without stress it's important to know where you're going and how to arrive and anchor safely.

For these reasons you'll be thoroughly briefed on board the cruiser about local weather, tides, radio and sea phone procedures, cruising the area, resort facilities, moorings, chart reading, navigation (mostly line of sight) and your cruiser's systems.

Starting your Charter

As your Charter Agreement states, your charter commences at noon on the first day and ends at noon on the last day of your cruise.

In order for you to get cruising early, we recommend that you arrive and overnight the day before. This will give you time to unwind from your travels and get provisioned for your cruise.

Briefing

All Anchors Away Bareboat Charters begin at 12 noon on the day of departure and conclude at 12 noon on the day of return.

Anchors Away schedules all necessary briefings on our time, not yours, so you can be out cruising very quickly. Briefings are very comprehensive and will answer any questions you may have in regard to the cruiser, radio schedules, chart reading and the Whitsundays area.

How comfortable you feel and how competent you are will determine the length of the briefing. Briefings can begin as early as 8.00am and are approximately 4 hours in length.

De-briefing

Upon return to Abel Point Marina by 12 noon you will be fully de-briefed, allowing you to let us know how you enjoyed your cruising experience. Our staff will have the cruiser re-fuelled, and payment for the fuel is to be made on receipt of the fuel docket on the day.

If there are any items on the inventory list that may have been lost or damaged, please let us know so we may have the cruiser re-fitted to our high standards. If you have any concerns or think there is some way we could improve to enhance your experience, please do not hesitate to talk to our friendly staff.

Fuel

Our cruisers are fitted with twin 90hp Honda 4 stroke outboards. These technologically advanced outboards have better fuel economy than that other 4 stroke models on the market. They meet the highest standards and discharge little oil into the water. The motors are quiet and are acoustically designed to produce a sound that will not interfere with the sound of your own voice.

Fuel is payable upon return to Abel Point Marina and is not included in your charter costs and is approximately $25-$35 per running hour.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Tax

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park now charges a tax per person to help provide moorings to the Whitsunday areas along with research to help preserve the reef. This tax is not included in your charter costs and is $20.00 per person including administration fees.  Children under 4 are free.

Pre-Charter Kit

Anchors Away Bareboat Charters highly recommends that you acquire a copy of 100 Magic Miles by David Colfelt to browse at your leisure before your cruise begins. This will allow you to gain useful knowledge of the area, enabling you to plan your itinerary. We can supply our clientele with the book for $60.00 including postage and handling which is well below recommended retail. For a copy of the book please drop us an email or give us a call on 1300 556 990 and start planning today!

Cruising Guide – '100 Magic Miles'

On board your cruiser will be the “100 Magic Miles” by David Colfelt. This book is the undisputed finest guide for the Whitsundays. The guide provides comprehensive plans of all anchorages and moorings, information on resort facilities, aerial photos of the islands, along with weather and marine park information including where you can scuba dive, snorkel and fish.

The “100 Magic Miles” guidebook is available through Anchors Away Bareboat Charters and is a great keepsake and must-have for your Whitsunday experience. The guide is excellent reading for your holiday planning.

Contact Anchors Away Bareboat Charters at sales@anchorsawaybareboatcharters.com if you would like to purchase your Pre-Charter Kit or call us on 1300 556 990.

Charts

Onboard your cruiser is the AUS252 Chart of The Whitsundays.

The chart provides you with the distance to be travelled and the hazards to avoid when cruising the Whitsundays. Please use them for your passage planning. For more detailed descriptions of inlets, anchorages, resorts & surrounding reefs, always refer to the “100 Magic Miles” guide provided on board.

What do I need to bring?

As the weather in the Whitsundays is mostly warm, you'll need to bring little in the way of clothes. A swimsuit (and of course a rash shirt and sunscreen) will probably be your most worn item as most of the time is spent soaking up the sun while relaxing, snorkelling or swimming.

Clothing

Summer clothing with a jacket or sweater for cooler evenings are all that are required. Resort wear or smart casual is required for a night at an island resort whilst in their restaurants and bars.

Footwear

More than likely, aboard the cruiser you will go barefoot. If you're going to bushwalk you'll need a comfortable pair of sandshoes or similar. For beaching the dinghy or walking in the water, we suggest a pair of beach shoes. If you plan to visit some of the islands, their dress code would require you to wear ‘smart casual’ shoes. Of course, don't forget to pack our Aussie icon - “Thongs”!

Sunglasses

A pair of sunglasses will help protect your eyes from the sun and the glare off the water. A pair of Polaroid sunglasses is very helpful when entering anchorages. It's important that someone is standing as a forward lookout as you proceed slowly into where you wish to moor or anchor. Polaroids assist in cutting down glare and improve visibility of the reef.

Accessories

When packing, please use soft luggage as rigid suitcases are difficult to stow on board the cruiser. Supplied onboard is a DVD and CD player for your pleasure so don’t forget to pack your favourite movies and music. Among the ‘do not forgets’ are beach towels, sunscreen, a rash shirt, sunglasses, good hat and your camera.

Medication

Whilst onboard there is a basic first aid kit. We are not allowed to supply you with any over the counter medication such as Panadol. All medication is to be brought with you. Suggested medications would include: Panadol/Panadine, Travacalm and Stingoes, plus all personal prescription medication. There is a Doctor and Chemist on Hamilton Island who would be able to supply medication if you require it.

Provisioning

You have plenty of options when it comes to provisioning your Cruiser for your Whitsundays escape:

1. If you desire, you can have your cruiser fully provisioned and stocked just waiting for your arrival. Whitsunday Provisioning provides you
   • One-stop access to all your cruising needs.
   • Saves valuable holiday time.
   • All meats frozen and heat sealed to suit eutectic fridges.
   • Perishables delivered direct from freezer or cold rooms.
   • Save yourself the problem of transporting your provisions from your car to marina berth or jetty.
   • Access to items not normally available in the area.
   
   For further information on having your holiday catered for please browse the standard, partial, gourmet or self-select options menus available by clicking here: http://www.whitprov.com.au/aabc/



2. You can buy your provisions at Bi-Lo in Cannonvale, which is 5 minutes drive from Abel Point Marina where you'll board your cruiser. Cannonvale also has a butcher, liquor shop, chemist, newsagent and various other small shops for every need.
   
   
3. Abel Point Marina Village offers the convenience of being able to purchase last minute items. The marina has a fully stocked kiosk, a liquor shop that allows cash withdrawal facilities, a full chandlery and a bar/restaurant, making picking up ice and bait a breeze.



4. You can bring your provisions with you from home.

Come and cruise with Anchors Away on our BRAND NEW
Coastal 46’ cruiser commissioned in December, 2006!
Get in early...book here.

Click here to discover more about our bareboat charter cruisers, or make a booking today. For any enquiries, please feel free to contact us online or telephone 1300 556 990 (International callers: 61 2 4658 0521).