Fish & Sail Adventure: Swains Reefs Expedition

Experience the ultimate Queensland fishing adventure aboard Persephone. This expedition combines serious offshore fishing with genuine passage-making as we sail from the Capricorn Coast to the legendary Swains Reefs—one of Australia’s most remote and productive fishing grounds.

Your adventure begins at Rosslyn Bay Marina near Yeppoon, where we’ll provision and prepare for the voyage north. Our first destination is Port Clinton, 40 nautical miles up the coast—a sheltered anchorage renowned for its inshore fishing. Here you’ll spend two full days targeting prized species including jewfish, Spanish mackerel, marlin and muddies in waters that consistently deliver action.

Next, you’ll test (or develop) your sailing skills on a thrilling day-long sail covering 100 nautical miles to the Swains Reefs. Running with the reliable southeast trades, this passage gives you a taste of proper coastal cruising while building your offshore experience.

The Swains Reefs are worth every nautical mile. Three full days of fishing in this remote coral reef system means opportunities for serious pelagics, reef species, and the kind of fish stories that actually happened. These outer reefs see minimal pressure and maximum results.

Then comes the real adventure: a 160 nautical mile overnight passage from the Swains back to Mackay. This is blue water sailing at its finest—standing watches under the stars, feeling the trade winds fill the sails, and experiencing what proper offshore voyaging is all about. We’ll arrive around breakfast time, giving you plenty of time to catch an early afternoon flight home.