Shelter, holding and local know-how for the classic overnighters around Cairns & Port Douglas. Always check the forecast before you commit.
Public moorings on a rainforest island.
Welcome Bay on the western side of Fitzroy Island — public moorings, deep water and reef right off the beach. Great shelter from the trades and a resort ashore for a cold drink. The default overnight step out of Cairns.
Reef-lagoon moorings off Port Douglas.
Public moorings in the shared lagoon between Low Island and Woody Island — sheltered from the trades, glass water most mornings and turtles and reef fish on the sand. Day traffic is busy; the overnight moorings are gold.
Daintree-coast reef anchorage.
A small forested island off the mouth of the Daintree River — sand and coral in the lee, quiet anchoring in the trades and a real remote feel. Watch the current on the tide and stay clear of the reef.
Day-boat anchorage off the northern beaches.
A small island off Palm Cove north of Cairns with sheltered anchoring on the western side. Reef fringing the eastern edge and a short trip from Yorkeys Knob or Cairns. Settled-weather stop; the anchorage rolls on a strong easterly.
Coral-cay lee anchoring.
Anchor in the sand outside the reef in the lee of Green Island. Day traffic is heavy — arrive early or come after 4pm when the day-boats leave. Overnight is quiet and the reef is world-class.
City-side estuary shelter.
Sheltered mud-and-sand anchoring on the upper reaches of Trinity Inlet, out of the harbour lanes. Mangrove-lined, glassy on most nights and a genuine cyclone-season refuge in the right berth. Read the charts and stay clear of the shipping channel.