My wife, two teenage daughters and I have been back for 2 weeks from our week on Portland Roads and I haven’t stopped thinking (and dreaming) about it.To say the weather wasn’t kind to us is an understatement, but the experience we had was nevertheless amazing. The seas were high and the predicted winds for the week were strong (over 80km/h the first 2 days!). We were quite anxious being in charge of the charter ourselves so John kindly skippered our first day. He was a great teacher, sharing his vast sailing knowledge and teaching us all we needed to know to have the confidence to bareboat charter Portland Roads by ourselves for the remainder of the trip.What I loved about the company:- Located in the Coral Sea Marina they have 2 berths right next to the Ocean Club (stay on the boat the night before and get access - similar style to QANTAS Club facilities - shower, laundry etc…)- Commitment to environment and sustainability - Josh is a marine biologist and has wonderful reef knowledge and they also are involved in reef restoration work.- Acknowledgment of displaced Indigenous Australians - The Welcome to Country ceremony with Ngaro elder Aunty Sue was enlightening and moving and gave insight into their history and connection with the land- The staff. Great people who went out of their way to connect with us during the trip, sharing our adventure and becoming new friends.We loved the adventure and can’t wait to go back next year and explore more of what the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef have to offer.I can’t recommend Portland Roads highly enough!

Thanks Portland Roads for an amazing adventure we will never forget. There were 6 of us that spent 6 nights on Whitsunday Freedom with John our skipper. I cannot speak highly enough about John; from the moment we meet John on day 1 we were all greeted with a big hug and kiss and continued to receive one every morning!! The food was amazing and fresh (John is an amazing chef- man of many talents). We learnt so much sailing through Ngaro Waters and the Whitsunday Islands from John who has so much respect and knowledge for the local indigenous community and history. Our vessel Whitsunday Freedom was spotless, and we especially loved the sunbed, icemaker (and vacuum cleaner)! We cannot thank you enough for the wonderful experience we shared we you John. Special thank you for organising our beautiful time spent with Aunty Sue what an amazing inspiring woman. Look forward to many more adventures with you in the near future :)

I couldn’t recommend a better holiday than this one. Edward and the team made us super comfortable and confident in driving the boat. The service was outstanding with the constant contact in making sure we were okay. Got to see some of the best parts of the reef and even got to snorkel with fish. We will be back that’s for sure

Just spent an amazing 2 weeks on the new flagship 'Whitsunday Freedom', sailing the Whitsunday Islands with a stopover at Palm Bay. From huge cabins with individual aircon to huge galley and several lounge areas, water maker, coffee machine (the list goes on and on), the boat is absolutely luxurious. This is our third bare boat charter with the Portland Roads team and I cannot recommend them highly enough. John Linton makes the whole process a breeze and he is a true gentleman. Our briefer Ed, possessed an incredible amount of knowledge and expertise. Together, their recommendations and knowledge of the area made our trip an incredible experience.These guys go the extra mile to make your charter the trip of a life time. The boats are meticulously maintained and appointed.Thanks John, Ed and team. We will definitely be back for a fourth go !!!

Where do i start. It was the second time i had been on the experience with my family and it was just as amazing as the first time. Our skipper John started with a wonderful introduction of the Marina and also the acknowledgement of the land.This was then followed by an amazing few days of sailing the Cumberlands (known as the Whitsundays), which was again pointed out to us by John. So much knowledge was very appreciated by everyone on the vessel, "Whitsunday Freedom". For the entire time we were on the trip, there never was a single day that we felt that we didnt learn something new. John took us to so many locations where we could snorkel and swim along with some islands that we ventured on as well. The snorkelling spots were like something you would ever witness anywhere else in the world.To top it off, some our crew were unable to swim, however John made sure they didnt miss out on any of the experiences and found alternate ways for them to still be able to see the snorkelling spots.I could go on for days, however I'd just like to say a massive Thank you to John Linton and the Portland Roads team for giving us an experience of a lifetime and would absolutely recommend it to anyone and everyone EVER.THANKS A LOT JOHN, you'll definitely see us again in a couple of years timeRED CATIshaan

Highly recommend this trip of a lifetime! My husband, a couple of friends, and myself had the pleasure of spending 6 nights onboard the amazing Portland Roads catamaran which was self-skippered the entire time with no issues at all. The boat was spacious, comfortable and fitted with everything you need. John and Mike were fun, friendly, patient and informative! I personally loved getting to wake up on the water each day and meet the happy, healthy sea life and wildlife around the Whitsunday Islands. Highlights were snorkelling at Manta Ray Bay and meeting George the resident Giant Maori Wrasse fish and all of the charming batfish behind the boat. Plenty of friendly cockatoos, seagulls and other birds were seen along the way. We saw lots of turtles come up for air at Tongue Bay and were able to swim right beside them while snorkelling around Black Island (incredible coral varieties there, colourful and healthy). Swim with turtles - a big tick off my bucket list! I’m on such a high after this experience and can’t thank the Portland Roads team enough. We can’t wait to come back and do it all again one day. So many friends and family are already curious about how to book a trip! – Until next time, Johanna x

It's hard to put into words what a beautiful experience sailing with Portland Roads was. From the moment we arrived at the Marina, we felt welcomed and had a sneaking suspicion this would be a trip of a lifetime. And it was. It exceeded all of our expectations and more!From the moving and humbling Acknowledgement of Country on the front of the yacht before we set sail to the relaxed atmosphere and hospitality we enjoyed onboard the yacht, every little detail was thought of. It's evident Portland Roads' business is their passion. It shows in everything they do.The yacht we sailed, Whitsunday Freedom was stunning in every way. Spacious sleeping quarters and lots of extra space for everyone to spread out and have a little time to themselves if we wanted. Skipper Mike was friendly, great company and more than happy to share his extensive sailing knowledge and show us the ropes. We even had a go at sailing the yacht ourselves which was an incredibly exhilarating and amazing experience.Being out on the water with nowhere to be and nothing but islands around you is so, so special. It personally gave me a chance to reconnect with myself, with nature and truly relax. I physically felt less tense and so alive. It also gave my husband and I a chance to have some much-needed time away from the routine of business and kiddos and make some beautiful memories together.Some of the memories I'll remember forever are star gazing at night on the yacht tramps with nothing but the sound of water lapping at the hulls, snorkelling through schools of reef fish at Mantaray Bay and all the great chats and connections shared with our friends over the 6 days.John has created something truly special in Portland Roads. He is the ultimate host and from the minute you meet him, you can't help but love him. Nothing is too much trouble. His knowledge and respect for Australia's history and the local area is inspiring.We can't wait to return with our kids, family, friends.... everyone! It's a life-changing experience and one we will treasure always.THANK YOU Portland Roads.

From the moment you meet Cap'n John, you just know you're going to have a good time. Our group of 10 spent 5 spectacular days aboard "Whitsunday Freedom" and "Portland Roads" sailing through The Whitsunday Islands. This is not your average cruise people! We had the absolute best time, and I seriously can't say enough about Cap John, Cap'n Mike and the team. When we embarked on our Journey my wife and I hadn't met anyone else on board, but by the end of the week we felt like family. Highly recommend the trip if you're thinking about it. Thanks for such a great trip Cap'n John, we can't wait to come back for more high sea shenanigans!