Horseshoe Bay Departures
Plan Your Day
You’re on this page because, due to current wind conditions, we’re running all of our cruises and charters from Horseshoe Bay until the wind settles.
This change comes with a few small adjustments, and we’ve created this page to give you everything you need to make the switch easy and stress-free.
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We meet on the right hand side of the boat ramp in the middle of Horseshoe Bay Beach.
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Pilgrim is on a mooring in Horseshoe Bay and you will be transferred to the vessel via tender.
Please make yourself known to the skipper who will be standing near the boat.
If you don’t see the skipper or the tender straight away, don’t worry — they’re likely doing a run out to Pilgrim with other guests, as the tender can only take a few people at a time. Please be patient — they’ll be back to collect you shortly!
Please wear shoes which are easy to slip off as you may get your feet wet when boarding the tender.
Please get in touch ASAP if you have anyone in your group with accessibility issues.
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Magnetic Island is just a short 20–25 minute ferry ride from Townsville. We recommend catching the Sealink Ferry, which departs from the Breakwater Terminal on Sir Leslie Thiess Drive in Townsville City.
Important Info:
In our correspondence about the change of departure location, we will advise you the best ferry to catch, noting this may be earlier than originally advised. Please check with us if you have any questions.
Please arrive at the ferry terminal at least 20 minutes before departure — parking and traffic can sometimes cause delays.
You’re more than welcome to arrive on the island earlier or leave later to explore and enjoy more of beautiful Magnetic Island.
Unfortunately, we can’t offer refunds or reschedules if you miss your ferry.
Ferry Tickets:
If you selected the ex-Townsville option or included ferry tickets with your booking, we’ll email your tickets to you a few hours before your cruise.Travelling earlier than that? Just send us a quick text, and we’ll get your tickets to you sooner.
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There are several ways to get to Horseshoe Bay:
Public Bus: The bus to Horseshoe Bay runs from all bays on Magnetic Island. Please check the latest bus timetable for times. If you are coming from the ferry, the public bus stop is situated in front the Nelly Bay Ferry Terminal. Please board the bus to "Horseshoe Bay".
Taxi: If you plan to take a taxi, please book in advance and allow for delays.
Driving: Horseshoe Bay is a 10-15 minute drive from Nelly Bay. There is plenty of parking along the foreshore in Horseshoe Bay, close to the departure point.
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We recommend you wear comfortable clothes and shoes which are easy to slip off as you will be boarding Pilgrim via tender and may get wet feet.
During the summer months during the day the decks can get hot, so we recommend bringing a pair of thongs or similar, which are easy to slip on and off.
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For our daytime experiences we suggest bringing:
· swimmers
· towels
· a hat
· sunscreen (preferably reef-friendly)
· reusable water bottle (ideally non-single-use). Chilled drinking water is available on board.
During winter we recommend bringing something warm after swimming.
We will provide stinger suits during stinger season (November to May).
For our sunset experiences we suggest bringing:
· something warm in the cooler winter months (June - September).
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Horseshoe Bay is usually well protected, which is why we’re operating from there while the southeasterly winds are blowing. Unlike the other side of the island, it doesn’t tend to get much swell. That said, if you're prone to seasickness, we recommend taking precautions — just in case.
A popular option is Travacalm (the blue one) — we suggest taking half to one tablet about an hour before your cruise.
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Snorkelling may be an option during your cruise, but it’s not guaranteed. It depends on the wind and sea conditions on the day. Please note that our lunchtime sailing cruise is not a snorkelling tour.
If you’d like to snorkel:
You must be a confident swimmer and have previous snorkelling experience — for safety reasons, we cannot allow snorkelling if you can’t swim or have never snorkelled before.
Please bring your own snorkel and mask — we don’t carry any snorkelling gear (snorkels, masks, or fins) on board.
You’ll also need to complete a snorkel waiver formbefore joining us. Everyone who plans to snorkel must be listed on the form (you can include multiple people on one submission).
We kindly ask that you fill out the waiver before your cruise day to help everything run smoothly.
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We monitor the weather and forecasts at all times with your safety, comfort and enjoyment in mind.
We know weather forecasts can be a bit unsettling at times, but they’re not always reliable far in advance.
If we cancelled every time rain or wind was predicted, we’d miss out on many beautiful sails that turn out just fine! That’s why we make the final decision much closer to the sail time — sometimes just a few hours before — when the forecast is clearer and more accurate.
If we have any concerns about the cruise going ahead, we’ll be in touch as soon as we have a better picture of the conditions. Otherwise, you can assume your sail is going ahead as planned.
Thanks so much for your understanding — we really appreciate it!
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While we welcome everyone on board, please note that when Pilgrim is moored in Horseshoe Bay, boarding is via a small tender (a transfer boat), which may present additional accessibility challenges.
If you have any concerns or specific needs, we’d love to chat in advance to see how we can assist — just get in touch.
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We cater for most dietary needs. Please advise at the time of booking in the special requirements field or send us an email with all the details.
