Sailing to Tropical Australia & Exploring the Sea Caves of Hummocky Island

[@Mallorica-Reisen]

Watching from Northern Germany, with the war in Ukraine so close and upsetting, it is so good to be part of your peaceful adventure !

[@Dayofthetriffids]

Your slow careful shots of the watery environment are super cool. Please post more of these! And those portraying your good selves at sunset!

[@waylonk2453]

Looking out my window to the gray coastal waters of Maine has got me envious of tropical Australia!

[@SailorJames]

It wasn’t as warm as it might look 😂 but certainly wasn’t Maine 😂

[@sadzasnake1755]

G’day James and Rhonda. James you have come a long way since I started watching you on your first leg from the US to Hawaii. Some fascinating adventures for sure. I sm pleased Rhonda is either you. She looks like a lovely lady indeed. Take guys Ken Western Australia

[@LesRigby]

James those sea caves at hummocky island were fantastic , i have lived at emu park near yeppoon most of my life and visited hummocky island on several occasions with the coast gaurd rescueing many boats from there but at the time sea conditions did not allow us to get near them and on 4 occasions at night. Thankyou for the images as not many people get that close to them you where lucky to have the weather gods with you on your visit.

[@clarencebirdashaw8117]

You two are the real deal. It's great to see the two of you really live the adventure with us along. We love the trip.

[@SailorJames]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@dale3696]

Great video guys, appreciate the effort you put into it. Cheers

[@thomasserein9110]

Hi James. Hi Madame. Fabulous voyage my man! Ces grottes imposantes nous font penser à quel point nous sommes insignifiants ! J'espère que ces terres resteront éternellement à l'abris des hommes mesquins et leur pollution, etc. 💜🍀

[@kevinhildum9186]

Wow it's kind of surreal for me that I've watched you for so many years through one girlfriend, and then one misfit wife. And there's this wonderful young lady to provide different experiences on your adventures for us to watch.

[@johnnyliminal8032]

But we don’t get to watch the best ones. ~8O ...♥ I’m on Rhonda’s side here, motors are noisey. James, SAIL MORE! And what was with that upwind-most tack after yous kissed and made up? Impressive your speed there, but you could have been having way more fun switching fast tacks.

[@mrabrasive51]

A sailors lament!😊

[@LoveGrubGalley]

@@johnnyliminal8032can only sail if there’s wind 💨 we sail if we are able…. But when you have ground to cover, that engines a god sent! Thanks for watching our adventures.

[@Peterjenkins1011]

Seems Rhonda doesn't appear to be very happy lately. Hope all is OK.

[@LoveGrubGalley]

@@Peterjenkins1011 all is well. James posted a link to a podcast I did recently with Tara from @saltwaterjournal where I delve into some details about the struggles and adjustments I’m dealing with… giving up your life and shifting to another country, giving up all your vices, friends and family has been a challenge at times for me. Like we always say this lifestyle isn’t easy… nor is it always rainbows and butterflies.

[@andresinnett4319]

Living the dream 😙

[@outdoortherapy6596]

I live in Brisbane and didn't know about those caves. You guys got so lucky with the weather to explore them. Loved the video guys. So glad you are exploring and showing off our state.

[@SailorJames]

They were awesome to check out, would have been fun in a kayak too!

[@bruceday450]

Love your channel, pure sailing/exploring

[@jeffmercier1974]

It's become one of my favorite feelings, when the motor turns off, (on purpose), nice to know it doesn't go away ✌️

[@paulbuttner6808]

Spectacularly beautiful sunset. Incredible amazing caves and great sailing weather. Thanks for sharing!

[@bruceday450]

You will love the Whitsundays, 20-25 knots most days direction I forget, like trade winds. Earlier in the day there is less wind

[@calmauric8218]

Love caves - some really cool lava caves with geodes and stuff on the eastern point of cape hillsborough national Park if you sail that way.

[@trxrich]

When you get up into croc country don't leave your inflatable dinghy tied off overnight but put it up on deck. We were warned that the crocks will chew on it like a child's pacifier when sailing up through the Kimberleys on the NW coast some years ago. I really enjoy watching your voyage.

[@SailorJames]

Crocs usually only bite red dinghies and as you mentioned it’s far more common in the Kimberlies or beyond Cape York

[@user-earthandfire]

I could watch you guys all day🧡

[@SailorJames]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@dannyfisher9223]

G'day guy's thanks for another great episode ! I'm spueing that I never got to come meet you both and Triteia while you was in Gladstone! Maybe one day aye!

[@LoveGrubGalley]

Yes was a total bummer….

[@GroovyPerson]

Another relaxing video James and Rhonda! The Whitsundays should be grand! Hope the weather is good and your engine keeps running well for you! 😄

[@margiegurner2694]

Fantastic! Hey James, there is a woman of 81 yrs sailing solo around the world..possibly currently around Fiji somewhere...she also completed a non stop lap at 70 yrs. She has a KZbin channel- Jeanne Socrates sails the world solo. She would be a brilliant addition to your interview series!.. If you happened to cross her path 🤔✌️

[@SailorJames]

Yes I know her 👍🏻 I interviewed her for an article I wrote for yachting world earlier this year.

[@margiegurner2694]

@@SailorJames Brilliant!!!

[@DaleShirley-o1u]

Thoughtful video great music 🎶

[@herbertshook-ij2hf]

Watching your videos from when you first set sail to Hawaii has me believe that mr and my wife can sail out 30' Catalina to alot more places than i first thought thank you

[@SailorJames]

If the boat is properly outfitted and ready for ocean sailing, yes you can sail to many places on a Catalina 30.

[@edwardfinn4141]

Herbert, Patrick Lawless - unfortunately deceased from Covid- Sailed his Catalina 30 right around the world. If you prepare and provision your boat well, then I think It will take you anywhere you want to go. btw. Patrick Lawless documented many of his most recent sailing adventures on his KZbin channel “Brick House” Regards Ed

[@edwardfinn4141]

Sailor James , Im with you there… as a professional engineer It never ceases to amaze me that you can get more power and speed from the wind driving a boat Then you can from a 20- 30 hp diesel engine 👍👍 btw . The rule Red Right Returning , is the rule in Europe and Canada, not just America.

[@leongiese2349]

Has anyone else noticed just how sweet the motor sounds after the rebuild?

[@SailorJames]

💯💯💯

[@LoveGrubGalley]

We doooo everytime we start her. Hahaha

[@gigisielaff]

Great episode! So happy I found your channel, James, and just in time to be introduced to the natural beauty, Rhonda, with the lovely skin. Rhonda, I follow your IG and I am enjoying all your supplemental posts during the weekly hiatus here. You are gifted at storytelling. James is also. Thanks guys!

[@SailorJames]

Thanks for following along 🙏🏻

[@LoveGrubGalley]

Thank you 🙏🏼 stoked you’re enjoying the content.

[@bishopkinlyside8477]

Hi James and Rhonda, wait until you get up to Airlie Beach and see all the islands they’re absolutely fantastic. Keep up the good work guys always enjoy the videos Cliff from Logan City Queensland Australia

[@thomaspaxton935]

The water is beautiful..so clear.

[@nealchristensen1793]

Amazing ! Thank you !

[@kaine10gabriel]

⛵ ❤ beautiful moments

[@MKokruok1]

I'll bet you felt like you were the only people on earth there for a brief moment on the last island. That is up until you ran into the sign prohibiting camp fires. 😅 Those caves, though, amazing...

[@jpz_6904]

Cheers from Seattle!

[@mickypoo]

(With respect to the native people) Must have been so cool discovering/exploring these places for the first time back in the day. Like being a naturalist or something on a HMS charting mission, drawing all those coral in your journal etc. I often think of that when seeing you land at these new, ancient places.

[@rootbox]

That was so relaxing!

[@jogrant3851]

Lovely place and looks so warm. Hummocky island looks somewhat brutal, all that rock. I just looked it up and people live there? The light is changing again now you're up north. Hervey Bay, I've always called it Hervey Bay - I expect the Hervey surname was pronounced Harvey in it's country of origin. Wow, Capt Cook logged the island in 1770. It's amazing to imagine a ship there, in that year.

[@johnhummer2809]

Kookaburra.,.Are such cool birds...love their noises❤❤❤

[@LoveGrubGalley]

Soooo neat eh!!

[@stevelawrie9115]

lol I love the way you're having fun with our language. We have to keep you on your toes James. 🙂 Your in a fantastic place to explore but you're in crock/tiger shark territory now. So long as you don't take any chances, you'll have a great time.

[@SailorJames]

To be far, I likely mispronounce American words too 😂 Yeah we are well aware of the dangers 👍🏻

[@bruceday450]

Clear water, Whitehaven beach is cool, the whole place is cool. Beware sharks. Moorings buoys are good. Some anchorages get strong darts. We dragged approx. 40m in gusts up to 40 knots. Measure dart potential when anchoring near high terrain!

[@seandownunder]

I actually like the sound of an engine running... regardless if it's a nice sounding Chrysler or 327 Chev.. Me thinks the Lister Petter might be the cat's whiskers Nothing beats the sound of a 383 Cuda.. wicked footage of the cave, I saw people in the rocks..

[@josephpotterf9459]

Thanks very cool

[@joannebedford2]

Beautiful scenery

[@nautichunt84]

In Australia you should always keep some RED PORT for in the anchorage 🤷 that's how a old Viking trawler man told me to remember it

[@lean_sumek]

Amazing time😊🥰🤣

[@danielhicks7141]

Another nice video, neat island. I'm curious as to whether you do much research on the places you visit before hand, or if you just pick spots that happen to be roughly on your path and see what there is to find? However you do it, it's enjoyable to those of us not there.

[@SailorJames]

Yes I do extensive research on key places we plan to visit, other places we stumble upon or are told about by other cruisers. Anytime we are invited onto a locals boat for dinner or drinks I bring my cruising guides or atleast my Navionics and ask them to show me their favorite places or must visit spots.

[@pinkharrier47]

About 300BC, the Greeks noticed that on the (northern) solstice the sun was seen directly above a well. Obviously on the Tropic of Cancer. 1000km north, a vertical stick cast a shadow of 9°. So they divided 360° by 9° (40) then multiplied that by the 1000km. 40,000. The circumference of planet Earth. They used something other than kms, but pretty accurate and impeccable logic.

[@elixir9013]

And about 15000 BCE, the Atlantians had done the same and built the pyramids to the exact size of the earth to a ratio of 42300:1 to let future us know - Randall Carlson Cosmic Catastophes 4 hour presentation is a doozy

[@pinkharrier47]

​@@elixir9013doozy indeed.

[@bryanbadger6841]

Another great episode guys. Thank you for sharing. By the way, your pronunciation of those words Hummocky is spot on, and members of the Hervey families are happy too. In British English, it's pronounced as in Har..vee. But in American English...it's Her...vee. But that's just because your country has bastardised British English. Hervey Bay, Australia, is pronounced as Har..vee Bay. Because it's part of the British Commonwealth....and English Oxford Dictionary told me. 😂 Next week, our lesson will be the correct application of intonation in your V.O. Um that means "voice over." 😮 She's right mate. I'm just messing with you.. However the serious part of my comment is...I thank you for taking me places that I cannot now travel to. Unfortunately the old ticker now keeps me on land. But thank you for sharing. Much appreciated. Atb from across the ditch.

[@SailorJames]

Actually American English is closer to the traditional English that was spoken during the time is Shakespeare, it became in vogue to speak like a wealthy/ aristocrat in England later on which is what the English of today derives from.

[@bryanbadger6841]

@@SailorJames Respect to you. If you can find one, please add a "Respect" emoji.

[@tonybarnes3858]

I love these videos, and the BE FREE videos, he's a good sailor. I'd be in the water more--can't believe how little time ya'll spend IN the water.

[@SailorJames]

First of all not every second of our lives is on video. Secondly I can tell you haven’t spent much time in Australia 😂 the water is freezing cold, there are the possibility of box jellies and Irukandji jellyfish year round, both of which can kill you before help can arrive if you are offshore , then there are the Sharks and in the North Crocodiles.

[@tonybarnes3858]

@@SailorJames Glad to hear you get in the water sometimes. I'm a lifelong swimmer and diver, all over the world in waters warm and cold. It is wise to be cautious about the hazards of the marine environment.

[@mickmccrohon]

upwind sailing blows my brain every time

[@SailorJames]

Upwind?

[@mickmccrohon]

@@SailorJames pointing into the wind

[@TravelonlineWalk]

we sail to Torrevieja next week)

[@southernpaths2986]

That 70’s game show music at about the 11:00 or so mark is (insert chef’s kiss here)! Seriously though, do you ever do any celestial navigation? I’ve been reading a lot of Burch’s books on the subject and as reliable (and redundant) as e-nav is, I’d feel better knowing at least the basics of how to do it the old fashioned way… even if it was only to connect with the history and tradition of sailing it would be worth knowing.

[@SailorJames]

Yes I know celestial and have a beautiful bronze sextant onboard and keep updated almanacs onboard

[@Whitsundayphotos]

Mate you want to get a move along, its getting hot up here in the whitsundays.. Hot weather means northerly winds... You'll be puching into it soon, 😉🙏

[@SailorJames]

KZbin videos are not in real-time 👍🏻

[@johnharrisprd]

Wait till you get to the wonderful Whitsundays. Great anchorage right out in front of Airlie Beach. Marinas are very expensive. 74 amazing islands , all about 2 hours sailing apart. All your dreams will come true. Lived here for 46 years.

[@SailorJames]

We liked Hook Island the best

[@johnharrisprd]

Absolutely

[@Dazzerdt1885]

Intresting i saw a few low fronts coming in with the clouds and a couple of high so a big storm with in 72 hours and it look like the Aussie guy from port Macquarie did a great job on the engine.

[@SailorJames]

Engines running great for sure

[@picnflwrsandchasingbutterflys]

Nice..cool bird

[@shymp44]

Lot of love from India♥️♥️♥️

[@mariajosemorenoguerrero8638]

Se nota la colonización de algas calcáreas constructoras por la cercanía del trópico

[@andyhoffman2666]

Thanks for sharing. Feel sorry for you all with the rocking. Wonder why more sailors don't anti-rock. Sad to see the coral bleaching. So startled to see higher ocean temps worldwide. Please mention & track temps., as you travel. (Other sailors did thus as they sailed to the Azores last year. Startling temos.!) Please describe what is happening to the coral, environment if you know. (Some viewer comments were helpful.) Also thanks for focusing on other natural history: fish, geology, etc. Where are the birds? less fish so less birds?

[@SailorJames]

We had a roll stabilizer out

[@seanmolony-redstickastro238]

Do you carry a radio or something when you explore off in the dinghy?

[@SailorJames]

No, but when we are in really wild places we carry a small dinghy ditch kit

[@odinshunter9297]

🎉🎉😊

[@johnhummer2809]

Cavern was cool...Probably to cool to swim...But that would have been Awesome

[@SailorJames]

The water was freezing cold

[@rusty4827]

Hummock is an old English word for a small hill rising up out of flat terrain. Hence the name Hummock-y Island.

[@exutiku]

100% ... and quite probably named by Captain Cook as well.

[@Aribrand-le4fy]

👌👍from 🇦🇹👍👌

[@andyh7617]

How’s the engine behaving now James ? It’s sounding sweet.

[@SailorJames]

Doing great 👍🏻

[@matatooie]

What was that bird? Awesome!

[@SailorJames]

Kookaburra!

[@DaleShirley-o1u]

Channel Islands!

[@isickofit]

I think it's pronounced "Krock-oh-dial" for future reference!

[@BenSymington]

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

🧙🏻‍♂️👍🏻😎

[@matteopetese9475]

🫶🏻⛵️

[@rogergurr9090]

Why dont you snorkel, the ocean is crystal clear there??

[@SailorJames]

Because the water was 59°f and there wasn’t much to see underwater there

[@anonymous.notatall6419]

Great video and sorry in advance but I can't help telling people "don't store your dinghy upside down on your only other escape hatch" after my boat burnt down and I realised just how deadly that could end up. Still, everyone does it, deck real estate is precious and inflating deflating each stop a pain, so I guess move right along nothing to see here. Porabote on the safety lines perhaps? This is why I rant about it, this took less time than the time to row to shore. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIbQh5p5q92GY80si=LT4bT4Blhqv1to5c

[@SailorJames]

Extremely unlikely

[@anonymous.notatall6419]

@@SailorJames your right, but just as unlikely as in that vid link I sent of my boat going to the bottom in flames. It just takes a bilge pump stuck on in the stern (it had the recomended fuse). I have since seen three fires on other peoples boats, that only in 4 years in a small area in Tassie , one they got to in time, electrical, near the main hatch, the cabin was still so full of smoke you could not see, another they were thinking of purposely sinking to save the other boats at the marina but eventually overcame it. The third was a battery fire that got contained but the 45ft expensive gin palace needed guting and refurbishing after. All these boats, luckily, had their dinghies elsewhere or in the water so they had options in either escaping or fighting the fire. I know it is a pain, and I understand the dismissiveness, but like all boat life ideas it might be worth people thinking of, if not for you then someone else. I myself am thinking of making a dyi portabote to tie like a surfboard to the side like "Freerange sailing" did (other you tube Aussie circumnavigators) as it seems less effort than the inflation/deflation thing. This comment is not sent to cause offence but is purely in the spirit of conversation. Hope you guys are doing well.

[@anonymous.notatall6419]

*your right =you're right

[@jarnosaarinen4583]

hum - icky but say it quick