Moreton Bay

Fun Times on Moreton Bay

Brisbane, QLD, Australia

From 2008 to 2011 we lived onboard Lorelei at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS), Manly, Brisbane, QLD.

It was the only place we could manage to find a 20m berth in Brisbane that was away from commercial marine traffic, close proximity to our work and easy access to Moreton Bay for our weekends away

It was a fantastic spot with the added bonus of a beach to kite from just 50m away.

Even though we went out on the bay every second or third weekend, we never grew tired of the place and its scores of bays and islands to explore.

With Moreton Island 16nm away and Nth Stradbroke about 22nm away from Manly it was the perfect boating spot for a weekend.

Below are a series of pics from the good times we had on the bay.

Our Berth at RQYS

Anchored at Moreton Island

Sailing home late Sunday Night after a great weekend

A wild storm approaching during Christmas 2009

Easter 2010

For Easter 2010 we had Lisa’s brother Len and his friend Odette onboard for the long weekend. We went to the Big Sandhill’s at Moreton Bay and caught a load of Blue Swimmer (Sand) Crabs in our crab traps.

On the second night we invited yachtie friends Don and Nancy to help us eat them…

Left photo is Day 1’s catch and Right is Day 2’s 

Don and Nancy on night 2 helping us devour a lot of Chilli Sand Crab – Yum

Other Friends Onboard

We had many weekends over at Moreton with different groups of friends onboard.

We had a fun weekend with Jordan, Morgan and Rachel onboard.

We had an awesome Riverfire weekend with Steve, Lindsey and Jack.

We had many weekends away with friends Danny and Carol on Sentinel.

Sentinel arriving at Myora at North Stradbroke Island

Some nice Mangrove Jacks We got Spearing with Danny and Carol on the wreck of the Rufus King

Cooling down in the Myora Freshwater Springs

Kiting Moreton Bay

Paul learnt to Kite in the Bay and had lots of fun sessions at the little kite beach at RQYS, The Sandhill’s and Muddies Kite Island.

George’s 60^th Birthday

For Paul’s Dad’s 60^th birthday, Paul and brother Rod organised a special surprise long weekend onboard Lorelei down at Nth Stradbroke Island.

Chez packed his bag, Rod picked him up and drove him to the Airport all the while having no idea what was going on.

They flew to Brisbane and by the afternoon were sailing out into Moreton bay onboard Lorelei. 

George and Rod on a windy Nth Straddie Beach Headland

Easter 2011

For Easter 2011 we went down to Myora and hung out with 2 other boats, friends Chris, Helen and their 2 girls on Mirrabook and Ben & Emily on their yacht. It was a great weekend and we did some great kayaking, spearing the wrecks and some BIG nights onboard each others boats.

Great fun, times and friends we certainly do miss.

Chris DB (Aka Muddy and Paul’s kiting mentor) at Sunset

Myora, Nth Straddy.

Sandboarding Moreton Island

The Big and Little Sandhills are just awesome spots to Sandboard. The whole island is one big sand island and there are lots of little out-of-the-way boarding spots but the Big Sandhills has the longest runs by far.

We took many people Sandboarding there on our Australian Made Ocean Culture Sandboards.  

Our tracks still clearly seen on the sand the next morning after the previous day’s session

After a big run it’s a loooong walk back up, and you have to carry the board…

Check out the “S” shaped carved tracks…

Lorelei is the only yacht moored in the bay. A rare sight for summer

Ma Kalahiri (who is close to retirement age) flying down the hill

Spearfishing

Spearfishing is great in Moreton bay around the reef and wrecks but is very good on the open ocean side of Moreton Island and the outer reefs.

Fish species from small reef fish to large pelagics and tropical species in the summer are all found in the area.

We did a mixture of Spearing from our RIB, off our Kayaks or with our good friend and spearo buddy Greg H who had a fantastic 5.8m tinny well set up for spearing (pity about the Yamaha motor though…..hehe)

Paul’s personal best Black Spotted Tuskfish

A very bright red Coral Trout

Lisa first ever Speared Yellow Fin

Speared further north than Moreton Bay in The Bunker Group

OK – we didn’t get this one spearfishing – hooked on a lure whilst sailing

Our New RIB all set up for Spearfishing

Lisa with a nice summertime Coral Trout

A great session Kayak Spearfishing,

Spanish, Tuskys and Trout.

A Big Tusky taken from the Myora Light after wrestling it away from a pesky Bull Shark.

Lisa with a great Mangrove Jack taken from the scattered reef just off Moreton Island.

Greg with a nice Kingy, Smiths Rock

Lisa and Greg having a whale of a time. 5 minutes after this photo, A large Humpback swam right under Lisa, rolled over on his back and was looking straight up at her from only a few meters away. 

Hanging out with the Baddiley’s

The Baddiley name is very well known in the bay with the family having worked and played on Moreton Bay for over a century.

Lex Baddiley Marine Engineering has 2 premises at both the Rivergate Superyacht facility and another a Norman Wrights Boat Builders.

David is the Marine Engineer who completed our last 2 refits and slippings with the big one being our Engine Refit which he co-ordinated.

It’s awesome to have him as our go to man for help but even better when we can all get away to play on the bay as friends rather than be at work.

David’s birthday at Canaipa shared with Maddie, Tony & Nic and Us.

Sandy Cape, David’s boat for work and play

Lisa with Carol and Lex, David’s Parents on their lovely boat Celestial

Celestial at Anchor next to Lorelei at Canaipa