Bareboat Tours Whitsundays
Great Info On Bareboat Tours In The Whitsundays.
The Whitsunday Islands offer some of the finest boating in the world. This national marine park and World Heritage area consists of 74 islands, of which the vast majority is uninhabited and untouched. Bareboat tours Whitsundays appeal to those who prefer to go it alone and explore this fine region and there are many companies in Airlie Beach that will rent you a vessel to self-skipper. With a bareboat charter, no provisions or crew is provided, so you need to stock up and be familiar with sailing or motorboating.
Boating the Whitsundays particularly appeals to divers and snorkelers as all islands come with fringing reefs and also boast a variety of beaches. One or two also have extensive rainforest and walking options. The best thing with a bareboat charter is that you can sail where you want, when you want. Take in a secluded cove and drop anchor for the night, or perhaps head to one of the developed island resorts for some fun and stock up on facilities. Most islands are well within reach of the mainland, being no more than a couple of hour’s sailing from one another. Whitsunday Island is the largest in the chain; although itself is only around 50 nautical miles right the way around. Most people make a beeline for it as it features the beautiful Whitehaven beach and has many secluded bays and good walking.
Hamilton Island is just a few miles south of Whitsunday Island and is the most developed in the chain. It has a well established marina and an airport, so you can even fly here direct and do bareboat tours Whitsundays without going anywhere near Airlie Beach. Hamilton doesn’t have the best beaches or reefs, but is beautiful nonetheless and has a good range of hotels and facilities. Dent Island is next door and is owned by the same people. It, too, has resorts and is having a golf course built. Other major islands to sail to in the chain, include Haslewood Island, to the east of Whitsunday; Hook and Hayman Islands, to the north; and the South Molles and Long Island, near the mainland.
Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour are the main places to pick up a bareboat charter and there is a vast choice of boats available that are tailored to couples, families and groups, from sailing vessels to motorboats. Sunsail is one of the main companies operating charters in the Whitsundays and they also offer vessels direct from Hamilton Island. Whitsunday Private Yacht Charters and Queensland Yacht Charters also provide sailing boats and powered vessels, while Oz Adventure Sailing has crewed options.
The best thing about bareboat tours Whitsundays is that you don’t need to be an expert sailor with formal qualifications to charter vessels. Simply having a basic sailing knowledge is good enough and briefings and refreshers are offered to get you up to speed. Operating a power boat is easier than driving a car and the Whitsundays are not difficult to negotiate, to boot.
