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Sailing Into Unpredictable Weather and Runaway Anchored Boats
July 12, 2026 · 33 min · 21K views · Morlyn Harbour
Luke watches stormy seas from sailboat cockpit
What this video covers
A 24-hour overnight passage from near Fitzroy Island to Cooktown, Australia, requires navigating heavy commercial shipping traffic and frequent squalls inside the Great Barrier Reef. The crew of a catamaran manages 35-knot gusts and 90-degree wind shifts while maintaining a beam reach under a full genoa without the mainsail.▶ 8:36 During the transit, the crew monitors AIS for collision avoidance, noting a closest point of approach of 0.5 nautical miles with passing ships.▶ 20:40 The passage highlights the difficulty of maintaining a watch schedule in high-traffic coastal waters, which prevents adequate rest.▶ 22:02 Upon arrival at the Endeavour River, the crew performs a minor repair on a loose spinnaker pole fitting by drilling new holes and installing fresh rivets.▶ 5:07 The transit concludes at Cooktown, a location historically significant for the 1770 repairs of Captain James Cook’s vessel, the Endeavour.▶ 26:00 Planning for overnight coastal passages requires accounting for high traffic density and unpredictable squall activity that can disrupt sleep and navigation.
Boats in this video
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