PLAN YOUR CHARTER
Weather, Wind & Tides
Know the conditions before you cast off — forecasts, seasonal patterns and tides in one place.
40+ PROTECTED ANCHORAGES · DAILY WEATHER UPDATES · LIVE FORECASTS
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
The Whitsundays reward sailors in every season, though no forecast months out is a promise. Use the seasonal patterns below to pick your window, the live forecast as departure approaches — and remember you're never sailing blind: conditions are covered in your briefing or by your captain, and our team runs twice-daily radio schedules while you're out.
A Year-Round Cruising Ground
Live Airlie Beach Forecast
Live forecasts close to departure always beat long-range guesses
Wind & Sailing Conditions
Trade winds from the south-east and east prevail for most of the year, with north-easterlies joining in from spring through mid-summer. Most days sit under 16 knots — genuinely relaxed cruising — with fresher breezes most common from late summer into autumn.
| Climate & Water | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. maximum | 29.7° | 29.2° | 28.3° | 26.6° | 24.1° | 22.0° | 21.2° | 22.6° | 25.1° | 27.3° | 28.9° | 29.5° |
| Avg. minimum | 23.1° | 23.0° | 21.9° | 19.7° | 16.4° | 13.5° | 12.2° | 13.7° | 16.1° | 19.5° | 21.6° | 22.5° |
| Water temp. | 28° | 28° | 27° | 26° | 24° | 22° | 21° | 23° | 26° | 26° | 27° | 28° |
| Wind Strength | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 11kts | 55% | 42% | 47% | 44% | 47% | 64% | 65% | 61% | 63% | 54% | 56% | 54% |
| 11 - 16kts | 29%/td> | 34% | 29% | 28% | 33% | 25% | 27% | 26% | 22% | 33% | 28% | 30% |
| 17 - 22kts | 9% | 19% | 16% | 20% | 15% | 9% | 6% | 10% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 12% |
| 22+kts | 6% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 5% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 5% |
Where Does Your Charter Depart?
BAREBOAT CHARTERS
Coral Sea Marina, Airlie Beach — fly into Proserpine, or Hamilton Island + ferry. Prefer to start or finish at Hamilton Island? Your yacht can be delivered or collected there for $965 each way.
SKIPPERED CHARTERS
Hamilton Island — fly direct from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane and step almost straight aboard.
Arrive in Style
For a truly seamless start, premium private transfers run from Whitsunday Coast Airport directly to Coral Sea Marina — or arrive the memorable way, by helicopter from Proserpine to the marina. Both can be arranged for any charter; just ask our team when booking.
By Road
The Bruce Highway runs the Queensland coast to Proserpine, with Airlie Beach around 30 minutes on via Shute Harbour Road; Greyhound and Premier Bus both stop in Airlie Beach on the Brisbane–Cairns route.
Once you're here, the car can rest — Coral Sea Marina has ample parking from $12 per 24 hours, or have your car collected and locked in a secure garage while you're on charter, from $204 for three days.
By Rail
Queensland Rail connects Proserpine with every major stop between Brisbane and Cairns — a scenic way to arrive. Buses meet each train for the half-hour run into Airlie Beach, with a short taxi or rideshare to the marina from there.
Sleep Aboard the Night Before
Chartering a bareboat? Ask about boarding the afternoon before departure — settle in, stow your provisioning at leisure, wake up and start your briefing at 8am, half an hour ahead of the standard 8:30am start. Sleep-aboards are subject to availability and pricing varies by vessel, so ask about it when booking.
Find Us at Coral Sea Marina
Shop 18, Coral Sea Marina (North)
Shingley Drive, Airlie Beach QLD 4802
Open 8:30am – 5:00pm, Mon-Fri
Open 8:00am-4:00pm, Sat-Sun
Your Yacht is Waiting
However you get here, the Whitsundays take it from there.