Reef Research: Volume 7 No. 3-4 September-December 1997

Cruising yachtspersons and their usage patterns
of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters

Gayle R. Jennings
Lecturer, Tourism and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Arts,
Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

Abstract

hoalwater Bay and adjacent waters are used by cruising yachtspersons (cruisers) from Queensland, other Australian states and also by overseas cruisers. The key locations used by cruisers as stop-overs and as cruising destinations in their own rights are Island Head Creek, Port Clinton, Corio Bay and Pearl Bay. The area is valued by cruisers primarily because of its `wilderness' values and its provision of safe anchorages. The main activity engaged in by cruisers when using the area are boating, sightseeing and recreational fishing. Cruisers were concerned that management plans should allow continued access to the area and maintenance of its environmental setting.

Introduction

In 1995, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) commissioned a study to investigate marine-based recreational usage of the Shoalwater Bay area. The study entitled Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters (Jennings 1997a) focused primarily on local usage patterns. Information on transient users travelling at leisure was only gathered by chance through surveys left at marinas, kiosks, fuelling stations, general stores or boating and fishing supply outlets. Since local and transient users are the primary public recreational users of the area, a second study was commissioned to gather information on the latter user group so that Marine Park Authority and Queensland Department of Environment (QDoE) planners and managers might be further informed of the diversity in usage patterns within the study area.

The aim of this second study was to determine the recreational marine usage of the Shoalwater Bay area by cruising yachtspersons.

As in the study, Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters, the scope of the brief excluded the study of recreational usage of the area by indigenous users as well as the direct targeting of commercial fishers. Further, to allow comparison between the study Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters and this second study on cruising usage, the Shoalwater Bay area was again defined as those waters located between the latitudes of 22°08' S and 23°00' S and longitudes of 150°02' E and 151°02' E. See figure 1 on page 15.

Most of the marine area included in the scope of both studies is jointly managed by GBRMPA and QDoE. However, some waters are not designated as part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, specifically the waters located adjacent to the coastline for approximately 2.5 nautical miles offshore starting just south of Yeppoon and running north to Delcomyn Bay north of Port Clinton. Furthermore, Shoalwater Bay marine and terrestrial areas are also utilised by the Commonwealth Department of Defence for military training exercises. These Defence training operations restrict or deny non-military access to parts or all of the Shoalwater Bay Defence Area during training exercises and this impacts on overall usage patterns.

Background

Prior to the Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters study (Jennings 1997a), very few studies have investigated recreational usage patterns of the marine areas of the Shoalwater area. The target population for this second study was cruising yachtspersons (cruisers). Cruisers are transient users, who travel at leisure on water, that is, who engage in cruising. Cruisers themselves, may be defined as `people who have adopted a cruising lifestyle, who live aboard [their own vessels], have independent means, are self sufficient and have been away from their port of departure for an extended period of time' (Jennings 1996).

Within the cruising community, various types of cruisers may be identified. One way of differentiating cruisers (people who go cruising) is based on the main source of energy used to drive the boat: either sail or engine powered. However, within both the sail and engine categories there are also various subcategories. These subcategories may be determined based upon boat design (for example, material of construction, number of hulls, and for sail-powered vessels: the number of masts, and mast(s) location(s) and sail configurations). Three other ways of differentiating cruisers are by the number of people aboard the vessel (solo or single handed, double handed (two people) or crewed (more than one person aboard)); the duration of the cruise (short term - for example, three months, to long term - for example, eighteen months or more); or by the geographical location of the cruise (coastal, offshore, also known as blue water, or around the world cruising, that is, a circumnavigation).

Motivations

Cruisers are motivated by a desire to travel, to experience nature, adventure, challenges, new cultures (if travelling offshore), and to pursue a lifestyle which provides freedom and a sense of personal control (Macbeth 1985; Jennings 1997b). Some cruisers are also motivated to adopt a cruising lifestyle as a result of an interest in sailing and/or previous life experiences with boats and/or sailing (Jennings 1997b).

Participation rates and patterns

During the twentieth century, in western countries, the number of recreational boaters (and fishers) has increased (Dovers 1994: 103; Kenchington 1993: 8). This can be attributed to a number of social changes particularly the establishment of a minimum basic wage and the length of the working day; increases in holiday period entitlements (and the associated payment of such holidays), increases in income levels, and increases in leisure time including forced leisure through early retirements (Parker and Paddick 1990: 5-17).

Moreover, current research suggests that increases in the number of cruising yachtspersons is related to:

improvements in yacht design especially sailing efficiency and live aboard comfort;
the increased affordability of navigation equipment due to innovation costs being carried by earlier adopters of technological advances;
developments in telecommunication equipment, particularly, wider ranging satellite coverage which provides greater contact with home bases and linkages to search and rescue facilities;
greater freedom to travel resulting from early retirement packages and improved income bases of the middle class; as well as
a change in values regarding work and leisure relationships and the notion of active retirements and early retirements (Jennings 1997c).

Overall, technological advances and increases in the standard of living as well as income levels in western countries have respectively increased the leisure time and/or discretionary income available for pursuing cruising and/or boating as a recreational activity and/or lifestyle.

Socio-demographics of cruisers

In a study of long term ocean cruisers reported in 1985, 59 cruisers were interviewed at locations within the Pacific Ocean (Macbeth 1985). The average age of cruisers was 43 years and the range in ages was 25-69 years. The majority of cruisers interviewed had tertiary education (64.4%) or some tertiary education (20%), while all had received some high school education and had previously been employed in professional/managerial occupations (51.8%) while 10.6% had been business owners/managers. In a later study of long-term cruising yachtspersons¹ conducted between 1992 and 1994, cruising folk were also found to have had either secondary or tertiary education, careers in either managerial, professional positions or in the service industry (Jennings 1996). Primarily, the cruisers who were interviewed were drawn from middle class or upper middle class backgrounds (Jennings 1996). Most boats cost between $50 000 to $100 000 (Jennings 1997b) and cruising budgets ranged between $7000 and $73 000 per annum [these figures have not been indexed to take into account inflationary trends] (Jennings 1997b).

Methodology

The study used quantitative research methods which included the secondary analysis of existing data sets, mail surveys of cruising yachtspersons in marinas and mail surveys of cruising yachtspersons affiliated with yachting/sailing and cruising clubs. On-site surveys were attempted however received a nil response rate. Content analysis of cruising literature including cruising guides and magazines was also undertaken.

Findings

The GBRMPA and QDoE databases indicated that cruising vessel usage predominated in the outer coastal areas with Island Head Creek and Corio Bay being the most visited locations. Cruising guides and magazine articles also promoted the outer locations in preference to the Shoalwater Bay itself, although Patrick (1986, 1995) suggested that Shoalwater Bay was worth visiting. The study area was appreciated for its safety, particularly its various all-weather anchorages as well as its variety of anchorages and for its `wilderness values'. The outer coastal area, Corio Bay, Port Clinton and Island Head Creek was mostly described as being used for stop-overs on passages north and south, however, cruisers were also noted as seeing and using Corio Bay, Port Clinton and Island Head Creek and their environs as cruising destinations in their own rights. Areas particularly recommended in cruising literature were Island Head Creek, Port Clinton, Cape Townshend, Corio Bay. Shoalwater Bay received varying recommendations.

Specifically, the study area was described as:

This section is a cruising yachtsman's paradise… The anchorages on the coast north of the Keppels deserve more than an overnight stop. They are accessible, offering good shelter and scenery. Places such as Port Clinton, Pearl Bay and Island Head Creek are mentioned with enthusiasm by cruising people, deservedly so. Together with those mentioned in other sections in this book, nowhere else on the East Australian coast will be found such secure, attractive stopovers. The visitor is advised not to rush them as their like will not be discovered again. (Patrick 1995: 164) Data analysed from cruisers' responses to marina and club surveys reiterated the fact that Shoalwater Bay and the adjacent waters were used by cruisers because of the amenity of the area and the provision of safe anchorages in various sections of the study area. The key areas of use noted by cruisers themselves were Island Head Creek, Port Clinton, Corio Bay and Pearl Bay. The primary activities conducted within the study area were boating, sightseeing and recreational fishing with boating, not surprisingly, being the dominant recreational activity.

Due to the very low response rates to the surveys, socio-demographic details cannot be considered representative of the cruising community, though they do reflect patterns evidenced in other studies of long term cruising yachtspersons (Macbeth 1985; Jennings 1997c). The majority of respondents to the surveys were men, the age range for cruisers was between 30-79 years, with the mode for occupation being the professional categories. Cruisers who responded to the survey were drawn from Queensland and New South Wales with lengths of residency between 1 to 10 years. No overseas cruisers participated in the study though international vessels pass through the study area and use it (Jennings, research in progress).

Visitation by cruisers to the study area occurred mostly during holiday periods due to the time needed to access the area. Cruisers living closer to the study area indicated a more frequent visitation pattern. The mode for usage of the area by cruisers was once or twice a year. Most cruisers who responded to the surveys had last visited the area in the period August-December 1996. These cruisers were generally accompanied by family and friends. Cruisers considered commercially based extractive activities as inappropriate for Shoalwater Bay and the adjacent waters with spearfishing and indigenous activities receiving mixed comments regarding their suitability in the various sections of the study area. Cruisers expressed concern regarding the need to protect the amenity of the study area, particularly its wilderness qualities as well as the maintenance of access to the area for cruisers in-transit and cruisers wanting to access and use the area as a cruising destination in its own right.

Some of the management issues noted in the draft report on cruising usage of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters were:

The need for access to be maintained, particularly to Island Head Creek, Port Clinton and Corio Bay and their environs. These areas contain safe anchorages which are utilised by cruisers when passing through the study area during their passages north and south.
The need to recognise `established' usage areas by cruisers and to incorporate these into any recreational and tourism opportunity spectrums (Stankey and Wood 1982) being prepared for the study area. The `established' usage areas being Island Head Creek, Port Clinton and Corio Bay and their respective environs.
As in the Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters study (Jennings 1997a) the `wilderness' qualities of the study area need to be maintained through the development of appropriate recreational opportunity spectra for Shoalwater Bay and the adjacent waters. [Cruisers noted the amenity of the area, especially its `wilderness' qualities was one of the primary motivations for using the area.]
Planners and managers need to acknowledge and include management practices which account for in-transit use of the area by both sail and motor driven vessels for both short-term recreation and for the provision of safe anchorages.
The two studies, Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters and Cruising usage of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters, only surveyed recreational users, commercial operators of tourist activities, and cruising yachtspersons. They did not study commercial fishers or the indigenous users' activities. To address this bias, any consideration of overall management of the area by GBRMPA and QDoE agencies must incorporate information and data gathered from these two user groups.

Acknowledgments

Thanks are extended to the cruisers who participated in this study, to the marina managers and staff and the executive of the various clubs which were approached regarding the conduct of this study. Thanks are also extended to the staff at GBRMPA, QDoE and Central Queensland University for their assistance in the various stages of this study.

Note

Those readers interested in further information regarding the study of cruising yachtspersons and their usage of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters should contact Mr Ray Berkelmans at GBRMPA on +61 7 4750 0700.

References

Dovers, S. 1994, Recreational fishing in Australia: review and policy issues, Australian Geographical Studies 32(1): 102-114.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Shoalwater Bay BRA Q120 Map, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville.

Jennings, G.R. 1996, Cruising and associated `touristic' experiences, Paper presented at the Pacific Rim Tourism 2000: Issues, Interrelations, Inhibitors Conference, Rotorua, New Zealand, 3-5 November 1996.

Jennings, G.R. 1997a, Recreational usage patterns of Shoalwater Bay and adjacent waters, A report prepared for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. Rural Social and Economic Research Centre, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton.

Jennings, G.R. 1997b, Independent travellers' motivations for travelling: a study of cruising yachtspersons and a subsequent critique of theory and practice, A working paper presented to the International Tourism Research Conference: Tourism research building a better industry, Sydney, Australia, 6-9 July 1997.

Jennings, G.R. 1997c, An overview of cruising and the contribution of cruising yachties to Pacific Rim Economies. A working paper, Paper to be presented at the 1997 Annual ISTTE Conference, Pacific Rim: tomorrow today, San Diego, California, United States of America, 23-26 October 1997.

Jennings, G.R. (research in progress), PhD study of the subculture of cruising yachtspersons.

Kenchington, R. 1993, Tourism in coastal and marine environments - a recreational perspective, Ocean and Coastal Management 19: 1-16.

Macbeth, J. 1985, Ocean cruising: a study of affirmative deviance, Unpublished PhD thesis, Murdoch University, Murdoch.

Parker, S. and Paddick, R. 1990, Leisure in Australia, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, pp. 5-17.

Patrick, N. 1986, Cruising the Curtis Coast, Riverstone Holdings, Gladstone, Australia, pp. 170-183.

Patrick, N. 1995, Cruising the Curtis Coast, Second Revised edition, Riverstone Holdings, Gladstone.

Stankey, G. H. and Wood, J. 1982, The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum: an Introduction, Australian Parks and Recreation, February.

¹These cruisers had been away or were intending to be away from their home port for more than 18 months.

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