It's a stretch of coastline often littered with boat owners, drawing in those seeking waters quieter than the tourist hotspots of Far North and Southern Queensland.
But the Capricorn Coast, host to pristine islands and marinas, is often far from quiet.
Dramatic ocean rescues are not uncommon, due in part to inexperienced, underprepared boat owners who underestimate the rough seas, according to local rescue services.
The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association's Central Queensland squadron responded to 229 marine incidents last year, including a man treading water for hours after his catamaran was beached, a group found clinging to an esky after their boat sank in rough seas, and a caretaker from a luxury yacht taking on water, that later sunk.
In January, a couple was rescued by a recreational fisherman at Yellow Patch after spending three days in shark-prone waters on their paddleboards.
And although the Central Queensland squadron responded to less incidents than the other Queensland coast guard squadrons, and some areas covered by the Volunteer Marine Rescue Association, it had one of the highest rates of activations per capita.
'Halfway house for breakdowns'
Squadron commodore James Fleming said since the beginning of COVID, locally there had been a "major step-up in operations".
"People [were] coming back to their own local waters, because they weren't travelling overseas," Mr Fleming said.
"We've had a number of people who have purchased vessels, gone to sea, and don't really have too much experience behind it, and they're getting themselves into a fair amount of trouble.
"It just seems to be the halfway house for breakdowns."
Mr Fleming explained boat owners on their way north along the east coast in winter and south in summer transited through Capricorn Coast waters.
"I don't know for what reason … but we're finding that they seem to be having engine failures, rigging failures, steerage failures, all in these waters — and they've travelled down from Cairns or they've travelled up from Sydney."
He said the waters could also be deceptively calm at times, catching people unaware when conditions became rough.
People forgetting to deploy their anchors are also an issue.
"While they're sitting on Great Keppel [Island] having a chardonnay, their boat's drifting across the waters with nobody aboard," he said.
Mr Fleming said most of the squadron's operations in the area were tows for people who had broken down.
Not carrying correct safety gear
Patrick Norton, aircrew officer with the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service, has also seen his fair share of high-risk rescues.
He said generally, there was a spike around holiday periods.
"A lot of the incidents we respond to are in marginal weather, and also people aren't carrying the correct amount of safety equipment, life vests … some vessels don't even carry registered EPIRBs (emergency position indicating radio beacons)," he said.
"Which makes our job very difficult — people don't expect the worst to happen, but it does.
"We do see people that haven't been able to swim operating these vessels, and those people aren't wearing life vests."
Mr Norton said ocean rescues often involved people who had been drinking.
"Alcohol and operating a vessel don't go hand in hand and we urge everyone that is out on the water to be responsible with alcohol when they're having fun," he said.
Life jackets, EPIRB essential for boat owners
Mr Fleming noted many recent rescues had involved eskies.
"We've got to the point that [perhaps] it should be mandated that everyone should have an esky on their boat, because it seems like everybody clings on to an esky when they get into an emergency situation."
He said preparedness was key to avoiding bad situations on the water and said every boat should be equipped with life jackets and an EPIRB.
He said the increasing use of jet skis was also leading to problems, with some users not adhering to speed limits.
"[Jetskis] are fun to go out on the water, but you are in a very vulnerable state," Mr Fleming said.
"If you're out on the high seas and you get thrown clear of your vessel, you may not necessarily get back to it."
Across the state, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association, along with the Volunteer Marine Rescue Association, responds to 4,000 incidents each year.
The two associations are due to merge into one service — Marine Rescue Queensland — next year.
