Pirates of Hinchinbrook Island - Sunken Reef to South Zoe Beach

Wednesday 27th July Sunken Reef to South Zoe Bay.

About a 7km trip with an expected 2 hour paddle time in easy conditions.

The day started off beautifully with clear blue sky's and a fair wind to our backs and a slight swell. We left Sunken reef at about 10am starting our second day out. Our destination was South Zoe Beach not to far off and just around Hillock Point a protuberance on the East side of Hinchinbrook.

Following the coast along and paddling close to the plunging rocky slopes that dramatically entered the bluey green waters you got a real perspective of the island and the impenetrable forests that lie just off the coast, the swell making a gentle noise as it hit the rocks sending small amounts of spray into the air.

With the slight seas and favourable winds we arrived at Zoe beach on very short time - getting to the beach by midday and landing in the lee side of the southern end of the beach. We found a suitable camp site and moved out kayaks right up on the sure, that kayakers camp site is located up at the northern end of the beach. the site does not have the amenity of the southern end and is a considerably longer walk to Zoe Falls. The camp sites at the northern end don't really exist and is far more mangrovie that the southern end.

Our camo site was the furthest from people already camping as we did not want to disturb hikers or encroach too much on their space.

After our lunch of Vita Weats and condiments we set off to explore the northern end of the beach - there were lots of "sand dollars" - the remains of sand sea urchins and a myriad of crabs, busy about their business feeding in the sand flats as the tide was running out leaving lots of sandy balls in their wake making surprising patterns on the beach. These patterns triggered a conversation about crabs having artist designs and therefore intelligent - I was fortunate to miss the conversation. The little sandy balls are the end product as they sift sand through their mouth parts in the hunt for food. The walk to the northern end was about a 6km round trip. Arriving at the northern end we found it to be swampy, with maybe a croc and heaps of sand flies and mossies. At our camp site we had tables, hangers for food bags to stop the local rodents having a feast and prepared camp site area with a conveniently located drop toilet.

We then took a walk up to Zoe falls with water bags, towels and bathers for a swim in some fresh luke warm water. It was very refreshing in the plunge pool at the bottom of the falls with many fish having taken up residence in the pool.

After a refreshing swim and full water bags we headed back to camp to start to cook dinner. A meal of Spam and tortellini with porcini and 3 cheeses was a adequate meal and sated our appetites.

It was a busy camp site with some fishermen who had boated in from Mission beach and many walkers most likely having walked in from Little Ramsay Bay camp site on their send day. 

We were in bed by about 10pm.