Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide for Yachts
Butterfly Bay Sailing Guide. Butterfly Bay is one of the most popular northern anchorages in the Whitsundays, offering clear water, coral‑fringed shores and a deep central basin suitable for day use and overnight anchoring in settled conditions. The bay lies on the northern side of Hook Island and provides moderate shelter in south‑easterlies, with steep slopes that reduce gusts and a seabed of sand patches interspersed with coral. For skippers moving between Stonehaven, Maureen’s Cove and the northern island group, Butterfly Bay is a natural stop for snorkelling, swimming and short‑stay anchoring.
Although Butterfly Bay is scenic and inviting, the skipper must remain alert to coral bommies, fringing reefs and the exposure created by northerly winds. The bay is open enough that vessels lie mostly to the breeze rather than the tide, and the sea state can become lively when the wind shifts north or freshens. The seabed is a mix of sand and coral, and the skipper must anchor only in sand patches to avoid damaging coral and to ensure reliable holding. Butterfly Bay is not a difficult anchorage, but it demands careful anchoring technique, good visibility and deliberate weather selection.
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Location
Butterfly Bay lies on the northern side of Hook Island, east of Stonehaven and west of Maureen’s Cove. The bay opens northward toward the Coral Sea and is framed by steep, forested slopes and coral‑fringed shoreline. The entrance is wide and easily identified from seaward, with clear turquoise water over sand patches in the central basin. Approximate position: 20°04.5’S 148°56.0’E
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Approach
The approach to Butterfly Bay is straightforward in good visibility, with 20–30 m of water outside the entrance and a clear line toward the central basin. The skipper can shape a direct approach from Stonehaven, Maureen’s Cove or offshore routes, with depths remaining consistent at 15–20 m until nearing the bay. Coral bommies and fringing reefs line both sides of the entrance, and the skipper must maintain a central approach to avoid shoaling. In strong south‑easterlies, the bay remains moderately sheltered, but in northerlies the sea state becomes exposed and can develop short, steep chop.
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Navigation
Hazards
The primary hazards in Butterfly Bay are coral bommies, fringing reefs and the exposure created by northerly winds. The skipper must maintain a central approach to avoid shoaling and anchor only in sand patches to avoid coral damage. The bay is popular, and the skipper must maintain situational awareness when sharing the anchorage with other vessels. There are no significant underwater obstructions in the central basin, and navigation is straightforward in good visibility.
Keep a Bow Watch for Bommies
(Bomboras)
Bommies is a common cruising term (especially in the Pacific and Australia) referring to isolated coral heads that rise abruptly from the seabed, often from deep water to just below, or just above, the surface. Bommies are one of the biggest navigational hazards in reef environments because they can be hard to see in poor light, they are scattered unpredictably across lagoon floors, they are steep‑sided, rising from 20–30 m to 1 m in seconds, they are uncharted or inaccurately charted. A single bommie can ruin a keel, rudder, or prop.
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Inside
Inside the bay, the water shallows to 10–15 m in the central basin, with sand patches interspersed with coral. The shoreline shelves quickly near the reef edges, and the skipper must anchor only in sand to avoid coral damage and ensure reliable holding. The bay remains calm in south‑easterlies, with the surrounding slopes reducing gusts and eliminating fetch. The anchorage is popular, and the skipper must maintain situational awareness when sharing the bay with other vessels.
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Anchorage
Butterfly Bay offers 10–15 m of depth over sand patches, with moderate shelter in south‑easterlies and good holding when anchored correctly. The anchorage is open enough that vessels lie mostly to the breeze rather than the tide, and swing is moderate. In northerly winds, the bay becomes exposed and can develop short, steep chop that makes the anchorage uncomfortable or untenable. The seabed is a mix of sand and coral, and the skipper must anchor only in sand to avoid damaging coral and to ensure the anchor sets properly.
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Wind, Weather
and Tides
Butterfly Bay is moderately protected from south‑easterly trade winds, and the anchorage remains comfortable in these conditions. Northerlies expose the bay and can create short, steep chop that makes the anchorage uncomfortable or untenable. Tidal flow is minimal, and the vessel will lie mostly to the breeze rather than the tide. The bay is unaffected by swell in south‑easterlies, but northerly swell can enter the bay and increase motion. Weather selection is the primary factor affecting comfort and safety.
Mechanical and Electrical Repairs
Resource
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Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Provisioning,
Fuel and Water
Butterfly Bay has no facilities of any kind, and the skipper must arrive fully self‑sufficient with all provisions, fuel, water and spares already onboard. There are no shops, fuel points, water access, marinas or landing services anywhere in the bay. All resupply must be done at Airlie Beach, Shute Harbour or Hamilton Island before entering the Hook Island anchorages.
Butterfly Bay
Sailing Guide - Summary
Butterfly Bay is one of the most scenic and popular northern anchorages in the Whitsundays, offering clear water, coral‑fringed shores and moderate shelter in south‑easterlies. The approach is straightforward, the anchorage is predictable and the bay provides an excellent stop for snorkelling and short‑stay anchoring. Northerlies expose the bay and require careful weather selection, but in settled conditions Butterfly Bay is a calm and enjoyable anchorage in the northern Hook Island group. The Butterfly Bay Sailing Guide is here to help you.