Hook Island

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Hook Island
20°07.000'S, 148°55.000'E Chart icon.png
lat=-20.116667 | lon=148.916667 | zoom=11 | y
Australia HookIslandS.jpg
Magnify-clip.png
Satellite view of Hook Island

Hook Island is one of the Whitsunday Islands off the coast of the Australian state of Queensland. The island is almost uninhabited, quite rugged and almost completely contained within a section of the Whitsunday Islands National Park. The island has two prominent geographical features on the southern side of Hook Island; the Nara and Macona inlets, two fjord-like recesses that are popular anchorages. The island's northern coast is noted for its colourful underwater coral growths, to which snorkelling and diving enthusiasts are attracted.

Some of the oldest archaeological sites ever found in Eastern Australia are the caves and midden of the Ngaro People on Hook Island. A site at Nara Inlet is the oldest indication of Aboriginal occupation in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

Charts

See Whitsundays.

Weather

See Queensland.

Passages

See Whitsundays.

Islands

See Whitsundays.

Communication

See Whitsundays.

Navigation

See individual anchorages.

Berthing

Ports

None.

Marinas & Yacht Clubs

None.

Anchorages

There are many anchorages around the island. The southern anchorages are well protected from the prevailing southern winds while the northern anchorages afford spectacular snorkeling.

Nara Bay from the NE

Nara Inlet

Nara Inlet/wiki/Hook_Island#Nara_Inlet
Anchorage icon Nara Inlet [[Hook Island#Nara Inlet|Nara Inlet]] 20°7.9′S, 148°54.8′E

Caution: Follow the buoys when entering the bay. Anchor on the E side in 5-6 m depth allowing enough scope to accommodate the more then 2 m tide. Good holding. Avoid the small cove on the W side which is surrounded with reefs and shallows.

You can visit the Ngaro cave on the NE side of the bay.
Mooring in Butterfly Bay

Butterfly Bay

Butterfly Bay/wiki/Hook_Island#Butterfly_Bay
Anchorage icon Butterfly Bay [[Hook Island#Butterfly Bay|Butterfly Bay]] 20°04.236'S, 148°55.768'E

Butterfly Bay, on the N side of the island, actually consists of two coves: a large on the W and a smaller on on the E.

Anchorage is restricted on both coves but there are many Whitsunday Islands National Park moorings. Use of these moorings is restricted to 2 hours but if you are in possession of one by 4 PM you can stay moored overnight.

Anchoring outside the restricted area can be problematic as the depths exceed 12 m.
Maureen's Bay

Maureen's Bay

Maureen's Bay/wiki/Hook_Island#Maureen.27s_Bay
Anchorage icon Maureen's Bay [[Hook Island#Maureen's Bay|Maureen's Bay]] 20°4.0′S, 148°56.4′E

Maureen's Bay, just E of Butterfly Bay, is a very attractive and relative well sheltered cove, exposed to the N.

Once again anchorage is restricted but there are about 4 Whitsunday Islands National Park moorings. Use of these moorings is restricted to 2 hours but if you are in possession of one by 4 PM you can stay moored overnight.

Anchoring outside the restricted area can be problematic as the depths exceed 14 m.

The snorkeling here is excellent.
Launcheon Bay

Launcheon Bay

Launcheon Bay/wiki/Hook_Island#Launcheon_Bay
Anchorage icon Launcheon Bay [[Hook Island#Launcheon Bay|Launcheon Bay]] 20°03.704'S, 148°56.983'E

Launcheon Bay is a further E of Maureen's Bay but it is rather exposed to the N and may not be the most secure place to overnight. Nevertheless it has the most spectacular underwater on the island.

Once again anchorage is restricted but there are about 3 Whitsunday Islands National Park moorings. Use of these moorings is restricted to 2 hours but if you are in possession of one by 4 PM you can stay moored overnight (not recommended).

Anchoring here can be problematic as the depths exceed 16 m.
Macona Inlet from the S

Macona Inlet

Macona Inlet/wiki/Hook_Island#Macona_Inlet
Anchorage icon Macona Inlet [[Hook Island#Macona Inlet|Macona Inlet]] 20°9.3′S, 148°55.7′E

Macona Inlet is a nice and secure anchorage on the south of the island and E of Nara Inlet. Anchor anywhere convenient at 4-6 m depth. Good holding. Allow enough scope to accommodate the more then 2 m tide.

Caution: Follow the buoys when entering the inlet.

Amenities

N/A (Not Available).

Provisioning

N/A.

Eating out

N/A.

Transportation

N/A.

Tourism

Australia HookIsland Nara2.jpg
Ngaro Cave Paintings
Australia HookIsland Maureen2.jpg
Underwater in Maureen's Bay
Australia HookIsland Luncheon2.jpg
Corals in Luncheon Bay
Australia HookIsland Luncheon3.jpg
Stingray in Luncheon Bay

Visit the Ngaro cave on the NE side of Nara Inlet. A nice wooden footpath leads to the cave which has some aboriginal paintings.

The view of the inlet from up the hill is very nice and the hike to the cave is one of a few hikes possible in the Whitsunday islands because of the very thick vegetation.

The snorkeling in Maureen's Bay is wonderful and in Launcheon Bay spectacular.

Friends

Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.

Forums

List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)

Links

References

See Whitsundays.

Comments

We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.

Verified by

Date of member's last visit to Hook Island and this page's details validated:



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Names: Istioploos


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