ROCK OFF HOOK ISLAND.

Cairns Post, Thursday 6 April, 1911.

Whitsunday Passage.

The following particulars of Whitsunday 

Passage and the Great Barrier Reef,

in the vicinity of the scene of the supposed 

wreck, extracted from the official sailing 

directions, throw graphic light upon the

perils of the trip in such violent

weather as was encountered by the

Yongala :-The northern termination

of the inner channel of Whitsunday

Passage is bounded to the eastward

by Shaw, Dent, Whitsunday, Cid.

and Hook Islands, and the islets 

between Hook Isle and the northern-

most of the Cumberland Islands end

is bounded to the westward by the

shoal lying off Cape Conway and

Round Head, Molle Isles, and the

islets which lie scattered to the

eastward of Cape Gloucester. The

least breadth of Whitsunday Passage

is two miles, between Dent Islands

and Pine Head, to the northward of

which it increases to four and seven

miles The existence of a rock not

charted, situated one mile from the 

south-west point of Hook Island has

been reported, and masters of vessels 

are warned not to approach its locality

nearer than two miles. On a dark night 

or in thick weather it is wiser to go north 

of all the islands lying to the eastward of 

Gloucester Head. Coasters and shipmasters

with local knowledge frequently use the 

channel between Armit and Gumbrell Islands, 

but there is very little difference in distance 

between any of the routes.

The 'rock' in question might have been one of the main reasons for risking the inside passage between Armit and Gumbrell. Note that the comment was to avoid the islands altogether and go what amounted to around the Whitsundays to the east.

Anchorages in this area are as

follows :- under the north head of

Dent island, well sheltered from the

S.E; Port Molle under the R. W. end

of Long Island ; between the mainland 

and White Rock, sheltered from all winds; 

Grimstone Bay - good anchorage with 

shelter from westerly and southerly winds.

This passage suggests that there were adequate options for anchorage within the Whitsundays. The implication being that to go into this maze of islands would be to seek shelter and not a 'short-cut'.

From Gloucester Head to Cape

Bowling Green the track is clear of

all dangers. The course given leads

a vessel 3 1/4 miles to the southward

of Nares Rock, and about 13 miles

off the highest point of Cape Upstart, 

a high abrupt mass of land composed 

of granite rocks and scantily wooded, 

rising 2420 ft. above sea level. When 

approaching Cape Bowling Green care 

should be taken that the vessel is going 

to pass far enough off (at least five miles)
(Yongala was 11 miles) to avoid the shoals 
off the point. The banks in this vicinity are 
constantly shifting, and the tidal streams set

strongly and irregularly over them.

It is clear from this article that it was viewed as risky to go through the Whitsundays at all during inclement weather. Yongala passed through while there was the 'threat of stormy conditions' but not overtly poor visibility.

There was no getting around the fact that caution favoured by-passing the Whitsundays which was certainly not the course of action taken by Captain Knight.

They were never to know then, 1911, that the master supreme brought his steamer to a point well within a safe steamer track course off Cape Bowling Green, where nature had the final say.