The feast on the romantic cruise.
Ben enjoying the moonlight.
For a truly romantic experience, come aboard the well-known
Solo for a sweet and gentle yacht cruise on Brisbane's Moreton Bay
Solo is a well-known racing and cruising yacht. She has won the Sydney to Hobart four times, has sailed around the world three times and explored Antarctica — and she's only 45 years old.
Now that Solo's adventuring days are over, she's doing something sweet and gentle in Brisbane's Moreton Bay. She takes up to 11 couples at a time on romantic moonlight cruises.
Cruises start at the Manly Harbour Village jetty at dusk. You're welcomed aboard with a glass of bubbly. Once everyone is settled, you take the six-kilometre trip by motor out to Green Island, an uninhabited mangrove island. There are 365 islands making up Moreton Bay, Green Island is the closest to the mainland.
Once you reach the calm waters of Waterloo Bay, the anchor is dropped, the motor turned off and romantic music begins.
Dinner is served — a mix of hot and cold platters. As the Solo is licensed, you're able to purchase champagne, wine and beer onboard.
Looking back towards Brisbane, you'll see the city skyline and the lights coming on as night falls.
After dinner Solo sails out of Moreton Bay and around St Helena Island, once a penal prison, now a ghostly, isolated outcrop with big pine trees, rangers' huts and ruins.
She then sails around the bay for one-and-a-half hours at six or seven knots, depending on the breeze.
You arrive back at Manly Boat Harbour at about 10pm, enjoying coffee and cake on the return journey.
It's a good idea to take a jacket and soft-soled shoes are appreciated. High heels are not allowed, as they damage the wooden decks.
