Lucas said:

Just to clarify, a few of us are planning on camping on the island and we are wondering how much water there is over the reef at mid to high tide for launching and landing our small beach catamarans (which are pulled up on the beach at night, not anchored in the lagoon)

Also, is the beach sandy like the Keppels or crushed coral similar to the Whitsundays?

japie said..
The Lady Musgrave ferry service from 1770 takes tourists ashore for island walks.

There has never been a regular LMI "ferry service". There has been a Lady Musgrave Island "day tour" operation running out of 1770 for some years but the operator is a "cowboy" in my opinion which is exampled by the burning and sinking of his vessel "The Spirit of 1770" recently. The circumstances are highly suspicious.

The Island and lagoon are National Park and require booking and fees to be paid for camping on the island.

The island itself is a low coral cay with fairly low trees and vegetation, stinks of bird dung and in my opinion is not a very interesting place. The tour operator out of 1770 has a history of stranding people on the island.

Anchoring in the lagoon can be quite uncomfortable verging on unsafe with high winds and high tides.

Pancake Creek is a much better place for cruising yachts to go to in passage north or south.

There are sand beaches on the West and North west side and you could easily sail a beach cat over the reef in this area at mid to high tide. Not sure how you would get a beach cat our there unless your as silly as I am and sail it out.

Enjoy your stay if you get there. Like most places, it what you make of it yourself.

Dave, you wont be the first to do this. I know of 2 groups of small cats that have done it. Launched at Round Hill creek and sailed over. Both lots had a speedboat/mothership with them. Bear in mind you will have to carry all the safety gear with you (fun police cant tell the difference between you and a 40' yacht) and have the neccessary permits to land.
Peter