Our first sail to Sydney Harbour was in a flotilla with members from the Avalon Sailing Club. The first night we anchored at Quarantine Beach, Manly. The next morning we continued on past the Opera House and under the
Harbour Bridge. Totally different view from the water and very exciting on our own boat. We anchored at Rozelle Bay looking out on the AnzacBridge and not far from the Fish Market. Very peaceful anchorage almost in the centre of Sydney! We stayed for a week. The trip back to Avalon was not so peaceful as we encountered big waves and a 2m swell as soon as we left the Heads. Good experience but we`ll check the swell more carefully in future.
Motorsailed in a light 5-10 knot NW wind to meet up with other sailing club members at Hardy`s Bay. The timing was important as you have to cross the bar at or near high tide. Having entered Little Box Head, we started to pick up the markers. It is very shallow and tricky going around Half Tide Rocks. We rafted up at Hardy`s Bay with a yacht from the club on either side. Another three boats were on the other public mooring next to us. Went for a long hike the next morning. The others left to return to Avalon and we stayed on for another ten days to have a holding tank installed at Killcare Marina.
The Maitland Bay trip was an opportunity to experience an open ocean anchorage. Maitland Bay is in Broken Bay facing south to open water. The Bay has reefs extending out on the east and west sides. We had ideal conditions with a 6-10 knot NE breeze. We sailed out of the Pittwater turning east at Lion Island until we could see the bay off our port side. We motored in and dropped anchor close to the beach. Maitland Bay is spectacular with access only by sea and walking paths. We enjoyed pre-dinner snacks and drinks on the beach with friends from the club before sundown.
The bay is named for the Maitland paddle steamer that was destroyed here on the 6th of May 1898. Twenty-one lives were lost. She had left Sydney with 63 passengers and crew in the face of a tremendous gale. In 1957 two fishermen rescued her bell which has been placed on a nearby cliff to commemorate those who died. For more details check the following web site http://www.abc.net.au/backyard/shipwrecks/nsw/maitland.htm
As part of final preparations for setting off on our cruise north we had an antifoul done, that is a cleaning and painting of the hull. The antifoul process has to be undertaken almost annually. This time we did some of the work ourselves so we are confident that all is in good shape below the water line.
We set out in the dark at 5:20am motoring away from Avalon out to Broken Bay and turned north east heading to Newcastle. The wind was slight so we had to motor sail all the way. It was a long trip, 10 hours, but all went smoothly and we were able to use our auto pilot for the first time. Right from Terrigal huge container ships were lined up waiting to get in to Newcastle Harbour. We were quite relaxed about entering Newcastle port until, when we looked behind us, a ship had appeared out of nowhere and we quickly got out of the way so it and two pilot boats could go ahead. Newcastle Yacht Club is an excellent facility, safe, modern amenities and helpful staff. We only stayed overnight because the winds looked fairly good for continuing on to Port Stephens the next day.
Having left Newcastle at 10am we expected to be at Port Stephens by 3pm. However the wind was about 15 knots from the NE so we were really beating against the wind all the way. It took five hours just to get to the top of Stockton Bight. The wind picked up then, gusting to 24 knots. We were accompanied by a pod of dolphins almost all the way. It wasn`t until 5pm when we reached Point Stephens lighthouse and could see Tomaree Head. The combination of current, tide and wind at the entrance to Port Stephens was quite challenging. We actually followed in the yacht Sassoon which had followed us in to Newcastle.We picked up a courtesy mooring at Nelson Bay just outside of the marina. Sassoon went in to the d"Albora marina and we visited David and Melinda later during our stay. Nelson Bay is a beautiful tourist spot with very clear water and lovely sand beaches.
Southerly winds were forecast but that turned out to be totally wrong. We set out from Port Stephens at 6:30am, encountered choppy water, high SE swell and light NW winds once we had passed Tomaree Head. No use turning back so we forged on, actually making quite good time combining motor and sail. It was an overcast day with showers as we passed Broughton Island. Seal Rocks looked a bit formidable and we were glad we had decided to go for Forster/Tuncurry instead. It is a 45 nautical miles trip from Port Stephens to Forster. Coastal Patrol was very helpful as we approached the entrance since it is difficult to see the narrow entrance until you are nearly upon it. The tide was going in which was good because there are some shallow places. We were lucky to pick up the last available berth at the Fishermens Coop. Will stay here for a few days to rest up and explore the towns.
Our stay in Tuncurry ended fairly dramatically. Intending to leave on 31 March we released some of the lines in anticipation of setting off. Coastguard advised that there was a strong wind warning so we decided to wait until Sunday 01 April. While re-jigging the lines, a sports fishing vessel went by at some speed causing a terrific wake. We heard a loud crack and the stern cleat had snapped. The stern of the boat was forced out driven by the outgoing tidal current. Dolores was on board and Ron on the dock. Ron and a passerby tried pulling the stern in and Dolores put the engine in reverse but it was impossible against the force of the tide. We radioed Coastal Patrol and they sent a young man, Shane, who got on board doing a tightrope walk, finally securing Sherbro once more to the pylons. We were very relieved and quite keen to set off at 8:15am on Sunday for Port Macquarie. The winds were light SE and there was a 2 to 2.5 metre SE swell sometimes rising to 3 metres. Steering was a challenge the whole way but we motorsailed and made good time. We were lucky in many respects. We passed Tacking Point at 4:30pm and VMR Port Macquarie said the entrance to the port was "flat as a biscuit". It was just getting dark and rain began to fall as we motored onto the mooring at Port Marina at 5:45pm. We had a comfortable night with tranquil waters and will stay a few days.
Thinking to take advantage of a predicted southerly, we made a pre-dawn departure from Port Macquarie. In hindsite not a good idea since we missed a marker and came to an abrupt halt in 0.8m of water, aground on a sand bar. Paul and Tracey on Cockatoo pulled us off and we followed them out of the port. The winds were pretty light until we were approaching Smoky Cape where we experienced a storm with 12 knot winds. We had to take the genoa down and reef the mainsail. We radioed back and forth to Cockatoo and both decided to stop over at Trial Bay. This is half way to Coffs Harbour.
Sailing to Coffs Harbour we had a range of conditions from dead calm to quite fresh winds from the NE later in the day. We passed Nambucca Head and arrived at the entrance to Coffs Harbour about midday. En route we spied some jellyfish of the same type we had seen at Avalon. We had booked a berth at Port Marina. As it turned out we are right next to friends Peter and Mary, from New Zealand, on their yacht,Tahaa. Easter Sunday we spent some useful time with Keith Sutherland (yacht Carisbrooke) whom we had met previously at Small Yacht Cruising Club functions in Pittwater. Keith is an experienced sailor so we appreciated his advice on the route north.
.Another day of surprises. We left Coffs Harbour before dawn (need to practice our reversing out of marinas skills), raised the mainsail in the harbour and headed out into the open sea. The sun came up as we settled into a light wind from the SW. Unfortunately the swell was much greater than predicted and increased during the day. By 7am the waves created by the swell were 3 metres from directly behind us so we were surfing the waves and struggling to keep on our compass bearing. Dolores was at the helm when suddenly Sherbro did a 180 degree spin and we were heading back to Muttonbird Island. We had to do a gybe to turn north again. Ron`s coffee mug went flying. We spotted Woolgoolga to the west and North Solitary Island to the east and thought about Alison and Clem who had given us an excellent tour of Coffs the day before. Passing Wooli was a bit of a marker since we are now in NSW north coastal waters. This is the Coral Sea now and we began our trip in the Tasman. We managed another spinaround later in the day. Finally arrived at Yamba. Two very tiired sailors.
Since it looked like we would be stuck for a week waiting for good weather to continue sailing north, we decided to renew the rigging on the boat. The standing rigging consists of stainless steel wires that hold the mast in place with deck fittings that are compressed in place. The process involves releasing the mast, having the mast lifted off by a crane onto trestles, then all the old rigging detached and replaced with new. We made little muffs of sheepskin to cover the ends of the spreaders to protect the sails from damage. Rerigging is time consuming and expensive but it has to be done as a condition of insurance cover. In hindsight it would have been better to have done the job where the rigger was available to retension the fittings in a few months time. However it is reassuring to look at the shiny new cables and know all is shipshape.
Left Yamba two hours after low tide. We touched bottom as we rounded Dart Island but were able to plough through the silt. Our aim was to reach Byron Bay but the wind was from the northeast and would have made anchoring in an ocean anchorage uncomfortable. Just as we approached Ballina we heard a securite storm warning on the radio and concurrently Ballina Coast Guard advised that the bar conditions there were "flat as a pancake" Another boat called Frog contacted us to confirm this assessment as they had just crossed the bar. We decided to stop at Ballina overnight. We passed Mobbs Bay and motored up past the main jetty where a tall ship was tied up, continued on past the trawlers berth and dropped anchor very near shore in 5 metres of water between two other boats just as the sun was setting. As an anticlimax a sports fishing boat travelling at high speed at 9:30pm sped toward us in the pitch dark and veered away just at the last minute.
Ballina is infamous for its difficult bar crossing but we were lucky to have quite good conditions, waves just starting to break as we crossed. This was a long day trip, most of it steady motor sailing with beautiful green hills and grey moutains to the west as we approached Byron Bay. Extra time was needed to negotiate Danger Reefs off Tweed Heads. This meant that the sun had set and it was very dark when we arrived off the Gold Coast. The highrise towers formed a strip of coloured lights for miles so that we found it very difficult to locate the Seaway entrance. With the aid of our GPS and radio contact with Seaway Tower we finally entered the seaway at 8pm. We were directed to the north of Wavebreak Island to anchor. Not realising that the deepest water was just on the edge of the island, we went aground and a Coast Guard vessel was called to assist us to a depth where we could drop our anchor finally for the night. Monday we motored to Southport Yacht Club marina for a welcome few days on a berth.
The Broadwater is an inland passage on the west side of Stradbroke Island that leads from Southport (which is the Gold Coast) to Moreton Bay and Brisbane. Navigating this maze of channels really tested our knowledge of markers and navigation aids. The passages are really best suited to shallow draft vessels like catamarans. Even though we left at high tide, we went aground just east of Jacob`s Well and had to call on Volunteer Marine Rescue to help us. They advised us to anchor where we were and wait until high tide next morning. Nothing much to photograph, just mangroves and shoals.
The Broadwater continued quite shallow but we managed to manoever through and arrived at Manly Boat Harbour mid afternoon. We didn`t really enjoy the trip as it required intense concentration to spot the navigation aids. Manly is well known for being a yacht and boating centre. There are hundreds of boats here of all sizes and a big Coast Guard station and well equiped chandlery. We walked to Wynnum yesterday, quite a big shopping strip. Now waiting for good conditions to continue to Mooloolaba. Moreton Bay has several dangerous spots, heavy shipping near the port of Brisbane and is also quite shallow in places. We`re planning carefully and sought advice today from the Coast Guard about the best route to travel.
Taking into account advice from Manly Coast Guard, we charted our route keeping near the edge of the channels used by ships headed to the Port of Brisbane, being prepared to go outside if there was traffic and listened to VHF Channel 12 as we traversed Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay is very shallow in parts but we had no problems. We passed by the Tangalooma wrecks and came via the Main Channel, Spitfire Channel and Northeast Channel. In fact we had a nice 7 to 10 knot breeze from the NW and a helpful current so, using our mainsail and genoa, made excellent time reaching the bottom of Bribie Island by midday. Lost a bit of breeze nearing Caloundra but still making good time to reach Mooloolaba at the second hour of the rising tide. We entered Mooloolaba about 3:30pm, motored up the channel to Kawana Marina. Lucky to get a berth. It`s a very popular marina convenient to everything. We hope to stay here for a at least a month. We got in contact with our friends and have enjoyed some time at their home and hiking in the Glasshouse Mountains. Together we`ve organised some of the jobs we`d like to get done while we`re here.
Mooloolaba is an ideal spot to do some work on the boat since we have access to a workshop and have made good contacts with experts in engines, stainless and canvas work. The old Lister engine has now had a service and we have nearly completed interior window frames and cupboard doors made from Tasmanian oak. Over the next couple of weeks we will have stainless work added to the aft lifelines to support solar panels and will have a bimini made to provide shade at the helm.
The "onpassage" website has accepted a link to our blog. Vessels are listed in alphabetical order. URL: http://www.onpassage.com/
Onpassage.com is a one-stop resource for cruising yachts
worldwide; it provides information for the experienced blue water sailor
as well as for those who are planning their first passage.
Additions of a bimini, solar panels on the dodger and a new stainless rail at the stern should make our boat much more cruising friendly and efficient. It`s all taking more time (and $$) than we had anticipated but we remind ourselves that we are retired so no need to rush. We`re still working on the fixing for another solar panel on the stern rail. Revised date for departure from Mooloolaba is early August.
Most of the jobs are complete..solar panels, battery charger, battery monitor, new cupboard doors, bimini, etc etc. We were ready to continue north with new friends, Lesley and Jack on Zoa Brunk and set off on August 15th. This was to be our first night sail aiming to be at the Wide Bay bar to cross just before high tide at 10 am on the 16th. Unfortunately the wind changed to a NNE and the swell increased so that, by 1am, we decided we had lost our window of opportunity and it would be best to turn back. We arrived back in Kawana Marina at 3am (that in itself was a challenge in the dark, tired and Dolores quite seasick). As they say, `that`s cruisin` ! Now we`re waiting for a change in the weather. Fortunately for the local dams but unfortunately for sailors, the Sunshine Coast has experienced cyclone level winds of 50+ knots and the swell is an unimaginable 4 metres. We hope conditions will improve enough for us to leave next week.
It was certainly good that we did turn back from our Wide Bay trip because, by the end of that week, a low had moved in and the Sunshine Coast was subject to stormy conditions and floods for a week. An Indonesian tall ship was washed ashore at Rainbow Beach.
We`ve decided to leave here and head south in September. We made a big decision and purchased a chartplotter that has to be fitted and we`ll practice on this before we leave. We`ll plot waypoints, save routes etc with our goal being to be in Sydney early November. It may be a bit early but we`ll be looking for northerly winds. We also took advantage of the time here to have our liferaft serviced. [Servicing the liferaft has to be done by an accredited RFD person who checks that the raft is still inflatable and the provisions like flares and water are updated and repacked]. We also decided to purchase an AIS (Automatic Information System) which is a little black box that receives signals from nearby ships and plots those on the chartplotter giving their name, position, speed and direction). With all these aids we should enjoy safer sailing. The NASA AIS engine had a serial port cable to the chartplotter. We were advised to connect the green and white wires from the Seiwa but had to identify the appropriate pins. This worked out to be a two day job with input from lots of helpful people in the marina. Finally we could see little triangles on the screen representing ships within a 20nm range. Very exciting.
We finally set sail from Mooloolaba on the 29th of September after 5 productive months on the Sunshine coast. Sherbro looks like a new boat much more comfortable for living aboard and equipped for easier cruising. Our first route using our new Seiwa chartplotter was to Manly (Brisbane) a distance of 55 nm. The winds were light northerlies so we motorsailed to make our time of arrival of 4pm when the Manly marina would close. In hindsight we would not arrive at Manly boat harbour on a weekend afternoon. We had to wend our way through dozens of Manly sailing dinghies racing outside the harbour. We arrived in the marina at 3:50pm and sprinted to the office to get our entry key. We then settled in and watched the NRL rand final game Sunday night.
Monday October 1st seemed like a good day to set off down the Broadwater, the inside passage to the Gold Coast. We had done our homework and, given that the low tide was at 6am, if we left at that time, we had a six or seven hour time slot to follow the rising tide through the shallows around Jacobs Well. We left Manly at 7am narrowly avoiding Banana Bank when we briefly forgot that, heading downstream, the green marker has to be on the left. We were zipping along at 6knots per hour so decided to continue on to South Stradbroke Island. We found a great anchoring spot in 5 metres of water just near a jetty at the narrowest point of the island. The highrise towers of Southport dominated the horizon but it was as if we were a million miles away. See sunset photo .The next day we rowed over to the jetty and explored a little. There is a sand dunes research centre here and the rangers explained that the island is part of a nature reserve with wildlife including wallabies, bandicoots, snakes and birdlife. Actually one of the rangers had recently moved here, having to abandon rice farming in central Victoria because of the drought. Its just a short walk over to the surf beach, unpatrolled but looked like quite good for surfing.
Wednesday October 3rd winds were still northerlies although strong winds were predicted for the afternoon. We decided we had enough time to get to Tweed Heads which is only 15nm south before the weather picked up. We left just after dawn, put the mainsail up as the fog lifted and motored out of the Seaway, following the Gold Coast strip to the Queensland border. We had a following breeze that picked up to 10knots assisting us along the way. Just past Danger Point, we were preparing to round up into the wind to take down the sails when two whales appeared on our port side smacking their tails and rolling over and over. Luckily they then turned and headed out to sea while we turned in the opposite direction across the Tweed Head bar. No breaking waves on the bar and good depth. The Tweed River was calm as we motored up and dropped anchor just off the golf club on the Coolangatta side. We were settled by lunchtime and needed a rest before taking the dinghy over to Fingal Head (very hard rowing across the tide and waves). Amazingly, while sitting in the park, we met a couple from Estella in Wagga, Janice and Ken, who are enjoying a caravanning holiday.
Winds increased overnight and we monitored our GPS position and depth but the anchor held nicely. The prediction is for a southerly change today, Thursday, so well stay put and maybe go in to Tweed Heads.
Monday the 10th of October the land was shrouded in fog but we had a nice breeze to sail south to Ballina. We timed our trip to coincide with the tide so needed to arrive at Ballina no earlier than 2pm. Although Ballina bar has a bad reputation we’ve had good luck with it. This time the VMR radio operator said it was behaving itself. However there was a storm warning and we said a quick prayer to Saint Brendan to help us anchor before the rain came. We dropped anchor in Mobbs Bay and reversed a bit to help it set. Our usual pattern is then to take a GPS reading and monitor that we are stable. We had just finished tea, it was pouring rain when we noticed the French ketch that had anchored ahead of us drifting past us out toward the hole in the wall. Their crew managed to head back and re-anchor but it made us a little nervous.
Bright and early the next morning we were up and over the bar again heading for Yamba Iluka. It is 35 nm from Ballina to Iluka. Again we had to time the tides just right. We ran into a storm and heavy rain at about noon. Even had to put down the side curtains and the visibility was very poor for a while. We crossed into the Clarence River mid afternoon, anchoring in the trawlers harbour. A ketch called Evening Star had arrived in just before us. We had a look around Iluka the next day and rested up, then departed Thursday for Coffs Harbour. The swell was quite high but otherwise conditions were good. We spotted whales ahead and to our port side but they didn’t come too close. Again there were radio warnings of storms and hail on the land near Coffs Harbour and heading out to sea. When we entered the harbour the northerly wind was so strong that we had some trouble getting into our berth and were relieved when we finally tied down. We’re looking forward to staying here for a week to relax and catch up with friends, Alison and Clem at Corindi Beach north of Coffs Harbour near Woolgoolga.
There was a bit of drama in the Coffs Harbour marina on the weekend. The chaps on a Sydney 41 noticed the boat in the next berth settling lower and lower into the water. They went aboard and water was quite deep inside. The marina was contacted and the VMR and NSW Fire were alerted. The boat was pumped out. Then the Police boat came over and attached tow lines extracting it from its berth very quickly. Considering the high winds, it was done well. The boat was put up on the slipway. The whole incident took up most of a day. The owner of the boat was fortunate.
Always something happening on the water here in the marina at Coffs Harbour. We met the skipper of Necessity, Jan, who was preparing to slip the boat and put it on a hardstand while he returned to Oslo for Christmas. Coffs is at 30 degrees latitude (insurance companies prefer 30 degrees or below to be well out of cyclone area.)
This weekend there has been a big fishing derby here with representatives from up and down the coast. The weigh-in at the end of the day draws quite a crowd. Only the biggest catches are weighed, for example the 69lb yellow fin tuna on Sunday; Monday saw marlins and a shark. The tackle is inspected and participants checked off. Boats leave early every morning.
Monday November 19th was our choice to leave Coffs Harbour after a five week stay, now equipped with a new Italian made Quick electric anchor winch in place. We left the harbour at 6am, a fine day with north easterly winds increasing Uncertain as we approached Trial Bay whether we would make it to Port Macquarie but the decision was made when the VMR warned it would be uncomfortable in the bay overnight. We knew we had a good current helping us so we pushed on to Port Macquarie knowing we had to make it for the high tide at 1600 hours. Luckily we just made it and cruised in to the Port Marina onto our mooring at 1700 hours. Just in time for a nice glass of wine and a shower.
After a few enjoyable days at Port Macquarie we thought the winds looked favourable so we optimistically set off early hoping to make Port Stephens. The winds were light but north westerly, not NE as forecast. No worries, we were cruising along until in the late morning the wind suddenly turned to a strong southerly! At this point we were 18 miles out from shore so had a long way to come in (3 hours of bumpy motoring) to get to Forster Tuncurry.Luckily that coincided with the end of an ebb tide. There was one vacant pile berth at the fish coop......very difficult to manoever into and almost impossible to tie up to especially with a southerly breeze and a strong ebb tide. We asked a fellow on shore to catch a line for us and, several hours later, were satisfied that the boat was secured for the night. Ron was still up several times to check the docking lines.
Monday 26th November looked like a perfect morning to leave our berth in Tuncurry. The tide was not as strong as it had been and a NE breeze was predicted. We were out at sea having crossed the bar just after dawn. There was virtually no wind so we motored along peacefully until just before midday when a south westerly came up and we pulled out the genoa. Unfortunately the wind then turned to a strong southerly and we had to beat against it to get to Port Stephens much later than we had expected. It was after 4pm when we started in through the heads. It was now an ebb tide so it was an extremely slow passage into the port. We had hoped we could pick up a courtesy mooring at Nelson Bay but they were all taken so we continued up the bay until we came to Peppers Resort Anchorage. It was now so late and we were so tired that we pulled in to the fuel dock and ended up staying there for the night. The resort is quite exclusive and well appointed. We had a very comfortable night there.
Tuesday the 27th we set off at about 8:30am having taken some early morning photos. Again we were going out against the flood tide so it was equally slow going. Getting around Tomaree Head seemed to take forever but this is a very pretty coastline. The wind was easterly but again turned more southerly. Gusts were up to 16 knots. We only saw one other sailboat, this one heading north and both of us had reduced sail. What would normally take us 5 hours took us 10 to get to Newcastle. marina. It was a relief to get in behind Nobbys Head. We saw one big ship leaving the harbour when we were about three miles out. The Coastal Patrol advised that was the last ship for the day. It was 6pm when we tied up in the marina. Slept well after a good meal. Looks like we may be here for a week.
Monday 3 December the forecast was for strong winds and thunder storms followed by a southerly change on Tuesday. We decided to head off early from Newcastle hoping to arrive in Broken Bay before the severe weather took hold. Our plan worked well although it always makes you a bit nervous to hear the securite warnings on the radio. We had a smooth exit from Newcastle harbour, only a few kayaks on the water in the early morning light. We made good time using a combination of motor and 7 to 9 knot NE wind. By noon we were past Norah Head passing close to Japanese container ships anchored quite close in. The line of ships still exists from Terrigal to north of Newcastle. Just as we came in to Broken Bay, Sydney Coastal Patrol issued a severe storm warning over Sydney coming from the west and due to hit Sydney harbour at 2:15pm and Pt Kembla a half hour later. We could see Lion Island and then it disappeared in a rain shower only to reappear a bit later. The storm blew over within an hour and we passed Barrenjoey lighthouse just before 4pm. It was an amazing feeling to be back in familiar waters and soon moored off Avalon Sailing Club once again after our eight month cruise.
We`re using our son`s place in Leichhardt as a land base to catch up with family and correspondence and to plan for Christmas.
Sydney was the venue again this year for us to celebrate the end of an eventful 2007 together with our children, Michelle, Carla and Keith. We spent Christmas with Keith in his studio apartment in Leichhardt, then Carla arrived from Seoul and Michelle from Canberra. There was a lot of catching up to be done and shopping to do but we did manage to fit in one of sailing to Lion island with the girls.
Now we are preparing and planning for the next stage of our sailing adventure, heading south to Tasmania in February. We`ll recommence our travel log soon.
Late in January we bought all the necessary filters and spares to maintain Sherbro’s 20hp 2cyl Lister engine. It is a very reliable engine that has served us well up to now. The engine is a critical piece of equipment and it is therefore important to keep it well maintained. Regular oil changes along with checking filters for both oil and fuel must be done. Contaminated fuel can be disastrous and being able to change filters and bleed lines to remove air is a necessity. When we ran the motor prior to the oil change, I noticed water dripping from the water pump (the motor is salt water cooled). I took the pump in to an engineering shop in Mona Vale to repair. It didn’t take long to put the pump back in place and replace the impeller. The last part of the engine maintenance was cleaning the raw water filter. With that done, we started the motor and, having checked for oil, fuel and water leaks, decided all was OK and ready for our next voyage.
On the weekend, as a final preparation for departure, we had the bottom of the boat cleaned by a diver. This is necessary when the boat has been sitting in the water for a few months, especially in warm water. We also took the opportunity to replace the anode on the propeller shaft. On Monday we were finally on our way again, this time heading south from the Pittwater, destination Tasmania. We motored off our secure Avalon Club mooring early morning bound for Port Hacking. Just as we reached Barrenjoey Head, the rain bucketed down but not for long. .Wind was a westerly to begin with, turning easterly later 6 to 12 knots. We identified all the familiar beaches of Palm Beach, Avalon, Newport, etc after leaving Broken Bay. South of Sydney Harbour was new territory for us. We had a little excitement off Botany Bay having to divert from our course to go behind a container ship making 10.5 knots heading northeast. Our AIS was very helpful here identifying ships in the area and their speed and direction. We noticed a ship coming out of the harbour and this caused more of a problem than the ship going in. We had to alter course again to go behind. Fully laden it was steaming at more than 10 knots. We arrived safely at the entrance to Port Hacking on schedule at 16:00 hours. Luckily Jibbon Bay was not crowded. There were only a couple of fishing boats so we had no trouble picking up a mooring. Jibbon Bay is just inside the Hacking River entrance, a nice little protected spot on the southern side. Bundeena is the suburb nearby where there is a ferry to Cronulla. We sat on deck listening to the radio news and watching brightly coloured sailboards silhouetted against the setting sun.. A good start to this chapter of our cruising story
Tuesday 19th February Sherbro headed out of Port Hacking just after the local fishermen had arrived in Jibbon Bay. The wind was westerly again but this time with a lighter sea and less swell.
We logged on with Coastal Patrol Sydney and were later passed on to VMR Port Kembla. The shoreline is a continuous line of green topped craggy bluffs until just north of Wollongong when the beaches of Bellambi, Corrimal and Fairy Meadow appear. Some ships were standing off Port Kembla but we had an easy entry into Wollongong Harbour assisted by a light easterly breeze. Just entering ahead of us was a 60 ft yacht, ‘Birdsong’, with a massive mast. She is rafted up to a trawler waiting to be shipped back to Germany. We had arranged with Antonia at the Fish Coop to tie up at an unused trawler berth. Sherbro looks miniscule in comparison to all the fishing boats in this part of the harbour. We’re quite comfortable here except for the scramble up the huge tyre to get to the dock. Lots of people stop by to have a chat and we’re only minutes from the sea baths and all the facilities of Wollongong city. We decided to stay here and wait out a big low pressure system expected in the next few days.
We were joined yesterday on our berth by another yacht, Sirocco, a beautiful wooden boat based at Batemans Bay and en route to Sydney. The owners, John and Christina, came into the harbour late afternoon to escape high swell and lumpy seas. They have rafted up to Sherbro for the time being. Lots of people drop by to have a look at the boats and yesterday we met a couple who are visiting Australia from Penticton BC! We`re enjoying being a short walk from the sea baths so we have been having a refreshing swim in the mornings.
Monday 25th February we decided to leave Wollongong Harbour to take advantage of a couple of days forecast to be northerlies prior to another week of strong southerlies. The swell was still a high 2.2 metres from the south. The reality was that the wind was a southerly all day and the swell was more like 2.5 metres. So it was an uncomfortable day and, without any wind assistance, the motor worked hard. Our destination was Jervis Bay, 44 nautical miles from Wollongong, and our ETA was 1600 hours. When we radioed in to VMR Shoalhaven, however, about 1400 hours, we were informed that the military were conducting bombing practice in an exclusion zone that extended 12 miles off shore so we had to alter course. (Jervis Bay has several large naval bases) We did see fighter planes in the air flying close to the water. This diversion added hours on to our trip. Luckily we radioed in again at about 5pm, four miles from the northern tip of the exclusion zone. They informed us that the military exercises had concluded for the day and we could cut across the exclusion zone. We arrived at our Jervis Bay entry waypoint at 7:30pm and the sun was just going down. There was no assistance from the wind and the entry to Jervis Bay was choppy. We saw what appeared to be a rock moving and it turned out to be a completely unlit navy ship steaming out. We scrambled below to put our own lights on. (So far on this southerly venture, when going in to port, I stay at the helm and Ron navigates and then goes forward to secure lines and/or pick up the mooring). From there on we totally depended on the chartplotter to find our way to Darling Road area where there are five public moorings. The sky was overcast so it was pitch black. Ron went to the pulpit as we motored in slowly. We had to divert course to avoid a large motor cruiser. Out of the silence came a welcome radio call: “Vessel approaching Darling Road, this is Ocean Cove”. The caller asked if we were familiar with the area or wanted assistance to locate a mooring. We said we were not familiar with the area and would appreciate assistance. They then shone a light on a mooring to the portside of their boat. We managed to pick it up, now 9pm. We would not have found the mooring without Ocean Cove’s assistance. Very tiring day!
We were enjoying our stay in Jervis Bay and getting to know the folks on other boats, Ocean Cove, Currajong of Pittwater and Sashay 2. However the forecast indicated a one-day period with northeasterly winds before another southerly was expected. Although the swell was predicted to be still 2.5 metres, we decided to leave early Monday morning for Batemans Bay. The swell was high to begin with but Dolores found that Kwells worked quite well. The winds were light until midday and then we had a nice brisk northeasterly to help us along, getting us to Batemans Bay (some 50 nautical miles) by 1600 hours. We had timed our arrival to be at the fourth hour of a rising tide which was fine but the Coastal Patrol advised us that the bar was “working” and was not suitable to cross until the top of the tide in a couple of hours. By this time we were pretty exhausted and very happy to pick up a mooring in behind Square Head. We watched the waves crashing along the entrance to the bar and decided to stay put for the night. A higher tide was due in the morning anyway. Little did we know that the morning would bring a thick fog funneling down from the Clyde River. We made about five attempts to see our way in over the bar and did circle after circle out past Snapper Island. The track on our chart plotter looks like a tangle of red lines. Eventually, at 8am we caught sight of the leads and headed in. We touched bottom on the bar and then a wave came behind and lifted us over the bar. Once we were at the end of the training wall, the depth was fine and we motored along easily into the marina. What an experience!
We’ve just been in touch with an old friend from Griffith, Brian Gillis, and will catch up with him; also hope to take a bus to Queanbeyan to visit Michelle. We’ll post photos later in the week.
We had hoped to get to Tasmania and leave the boat there but have decided instead to leave Sherbro at Batemans Bay marina while we take a break from sailing to visit with family and friends in Canada, the USA and Korea. We fly out of Sydney April 1st on Asiana Air to Seoul. We`ll spend some time with Carla and also may fit in a week in Japan. Next stop is New York, then Boston. We`d like to do some touring along the eastern seaboard of the USA before continuing north into Canada to visit with family in Guelph and Toronto. We are looking forward to seeing Dolores`s mother in Guelph. In June we should be in British Columbia catching up with friends in Quesnel and Vancouver. Our return flight leaves from Seattle toward the end of July. The idea is to be back in Batemans Bay early August. We are considering replacing the Lister engine with a new Yanmar before tackling Bass Strait. We will continue the diary but, for the next 4 months it will be air and land travel for a change.
We flew Asiana Airlines 777 from Sydney to Seoul on 1st April. We had an excellent f10 hour flight with terrific service. Carla met us at the airport and we are very comfortable staying in her apartment in the suburb of Samyangdong. The view of the city at night .from the balcony is like a sea of lights and the kitchen window looks out on a mountain hiking track.. We are getting more confident using the Seoul public transport system. Today we only had to ask a policeman, a passenger and a bus driver for assistance in finding the right bus. We went into work with Carla this morning and did some shopping in the Dongdaemun markets. The street stalls are very interesting and we`ve had some excellent lunches. Today was bulgogi, a soy beef and mushroom dish served with lots of side dishes. On our shopping trip we were successful in finding a new multi-purpose backpack to take with us on the rest of the journey.
Ventured off this week into new territory, by KTX (Korean fast train) from Seoul to Pusan ( the Korean south coast city ) and then the hydrofoil called the `Beetle` from Pusan to Fukuoka Japan. The Beetle was quite amazing, travels at about 80 kms per hour and there is no sensation of swell at all. The 213 km journey tfrom Pusan Korea to Fukuoka Japan takes 3 hrs. Arriving in Japan at dusk caused some difficulty since most of the port facilities had closed for the day. However everyone has been very kind to help non Japanese speakers. We managed to catch a bus to Hakata Station and nearby found accommodation in the suburb of Sumiyoshika. The ryokan is like a guest house in the Japanese tradition with futons and low table, tea pot, cups and tea provided.Ｆｕｋｕｏｋａ ｉｓ ａ ｍｏｄｅｒｎ ｃｉｔｙ ｗｉｔｈ ｆａｂｕｌｏｕｓ ｌｉｂｒａｒｙ ａｎｄ ｍｕｓｅｕｍ ； ａｌｓｏ ｈａｓ ａｎｃｉｅｎｔ temples which are ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ ｎｏｗ ｉｎ ｃｈｅｒｒｙ ｂｌｏｓｓｏｍ ｔｉｍｅ．On Tuesday we travelled by train to Kokura, a smaller city in the Kyushu area. Kokura has a famous castle originally built in 1602 by Hosokawa Tadaoki. We stayed at another ryokan and travelled by Japan Rail`s Sonic train...very modern; tilts as it corners, quiet and an excellent ride. Back in Fukuoka the following day we visited the Disaster Prevention Centre which has an earthquake simulator. It gave us a feeling of what Japanese people experience in earthquakes up to scale 5-7. This area of Japan experiences typhoons and earthquakes regularly.
We landed at JFK airport New York and had all night to explore Terminal 4 as we waited for a shuttle into Manhattan the following morning to catch a bus to Boston. Seeing all the famous New York city sights like Park Avenue and Central Park tempted us to stay for a day or so but we continued on our way via Greyhound. The bus actually broke down at 96th St and 5th Avenue so we did get some time to observe that section of the city. We`re enjoying being in Newton Centre (Boston) with our good friend, Winnie Murphy. Daffodils and tulips are in bloom but shivering in the unexpectedly cool spring weather. We`ll set out soon for a trip to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Missing our boat but very happy to be catching up with friends.
This is still early spring in New England and the eastern provinces of Canada so temperatures are cool and there are still patches of snow on the ground. There was exceptionally high snowfall this year so the rivers are all full to overflowing. There were warnings about moose and deer crossing the roads in northern Maine but we didn`t see any, just the signs. We`re sightseeing in New Brunswick and stayed overnight in a great Bed & Breakfast in Moncton, the Downtown B&B. Breakfast was porridge, apple crisp with maple syrup and English muffins with homemade jam, all with lots of coffee. Heading on to Halifax Nova Scotia today.
We thoroughly enjoyed Halifax Nova Scotia; had three days there and the weather improved each day. By the third day when we toured the Citadel it was clear and sunny. So much history here....from the early settlers to various wars that impacted on the city and then the disasters of the Titanic in 1912 and the fire that devastated the city in 1917. We walked along the dockside which is now a walkway along the harbour with markets and trendy shops. The World Cup hockey tournament is in progress so there are lots of international fans decked out in colourful gear. Dropped in to a travel writing workshop which was very interesting as we would like to write about our sailing experiences at some stage.
From Halifax we continued on to Cape Breton Island and drove around the Cabot Trail. Magnificent shoreline and countryside. Saw crab fishermen bringing in their catch, looked at a marina in Baddek and chatted with locals about the problems of storing a boat through the winter here such as pipelines freezing and critters like mink making a home in the boat. There is still ice in the bays so no sailing until June at the earliest.
We arrived in Guelph on the 12th of May and are staying in residence at the University of Guelph. This is a former agricultural college so, in many ways, is similar to Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. The university is just a 10 minute drive to Eden House, an aged care facility where Dolores`s mother Helen now lives. We`re spending some quality time with Helen and Dolores`s brother Carl and his wife, Inez. and some of Do`s cousins. This part of Ontario between Toronto and Niagara is very beautiful, rolling, rich farmland. We`ve enjoyed day trips to St Jacobs (where there is a large Mennonite community), Elmira and Niagara-on-the Lake.
Luckily this is the time of year when many Canadians are on holidays so we`ve been able to catch up with relatives who live in various parts of Canada and the USA.
As part of our exploration of towns and villages near Guelph we attended a fascinating annual Mennonite quilt auction at New Hamburg near Kitchener. The auction attracts thousand of people and is held in the hockey arena. All of the proceeds go to Mennonite charities. The quilts were amazing; one sold for $25000.
We`ve been lucky to visit a few marinas on Lake Ontario and have been very impressed. The season here is much shorter than Australia of course but the boats and facilities are very impressive and the sailing clubs very friendly. Below are some photos of the Oakville Club and today we stopped by the Port Credit marina. Earlier we had been to the marina at Niagara on the Lake on their race day shared with an American club just across from them.
We had forgotten the beauty of snow on the mountains and the freshness of mountain air. The country north of Seattle on Interstate 5 is still quite unspoit. We stopped overnight at a small motel in Alger, a lovely little spot. We had stopped earlier at Campingworld and ordered a digital weather station and a Dahon Yeah folding aluminium bicycle. to be picked up on our return to Seattle. Vancouver has grown of course since we lived here in 1972 but we still recognise the main thoroughfares and suburbs. Our friend Sandra took us for a picnic and hike in the magnificant Lynn Valley in North Vancouver.
The BC ferry ride from Vancouver city to Vancouver island was very comfortable and scenic, passing through some of the Gulf Islands. We landed at Swartz Bay and drove to Sidney where we naturally checked out the marina. We met a sailor who lives aboard his Nonsuch yacht. In Victoria we were very lucky to spend a couple of days with our friends, Neil and Peggy Murphy. Victoria is a beautiful city with probably the mildest climate in Canada. We left on Saturday and drove to Nanaimo where we stopped overnight to catch the 6:30am ferry to Horseshoe Bay on the mainland. The drive up through Whistler on the Sea to Sky highway is spectacular. There is a lot of work underway in preparation for the 2010 Olympics.
Quesnel is a special place for us; where Ron took his first teaching position in 1974, our children Carla and Keith were born here, Michelle began school at Bouchie Lake School and this is where we built our log home in 1977. We left Quesnel for Australia in 1983. Twenty-five years later we still have many good friends here so this part of our voyage is full of memories. June 28th Ron shared his 65th birthday with some of these friends.
We made an overnight stop in Kamloops to visit Aunt Bernie who lives with her daughter Marilyn and son-in-law Denis. We were really amazed at how much the city has grown since Dolores worked here in 1968. There are even large ginseng farms in the area.
Kimberley was the town where we bought our first home and where Michelle was born in 1972. It was and still is a very picturesque town in the Kootenay mountains dominated by the ski hill and with views east to the Rockies. The Sullivan mine, where Ron worked, is closed and the town relies totally on tourism for income. The city has adopted a Bavarian look with the centre called a Platzl. An accordian festival each summer attracts hundreds of visitors and the ski hill is the big draw card in winter. Our friends Brian and Donna have showed us many highlights of the town including the new pool, the mine tour and the developments at the ski hill which include many log homes and three golf courses.
Heading back to Vancouver we decided to head below the border through the Cascade mountains. Sagebrush and green valleys gave way to spectacular mountains as we climbed up to Washington pass. Winding but good roads with lots of motorhomes, campers and motorcycles.. Ross Lake and the Skagit River are a beautiful sight....turquoise water from glacial sediment viewed at Diablo Dam.
Our friends from Quesnel, Bob and Lora, invited us on board their cruiser, Dreamcatcher, to give us an experience of cruising in the beautiful Gulf of Georgia Islands that lie between the BC mainland and Vancouver Island. We visited 2 islands, Thetis and Galiano, docking the first 2 nights at Telegraph Harbour and anchoring at Montague harbour. We managed a day trip by ferry to Chemainus on Vancouver Island , a unique town now famous for its theatre and murals. We met lots of friendly Canadian and American sailing and boating people, even had a "dock party" at Telegraph Harbour when the numbers exceeded the capacity of `Dreamcatcher`. We had a wonderful time on the water.and are now more than ever looking forward to returning to Sherbro.
The return flight from Seattle to Seoul and then Sydney was excellent. No problem taking the new Dahon Yeah folding bike purchased in Burlington Washington as check through luggage. Carla saw us off on the 25th July. At Incheon airport we were entertained in a cultural centre by musicians playing traditional instruments. We were invited on stage and were given a small drum as a gift. After a few days with Keith in Sydney, we packed up and headed off by bus to Batemans Bay. Bob Lebeck says it must have been a "kodak moment" as we meandered our way along the bay foreshore pulling the bike on its makeshift skateboard, suitcases in tow and backpacks behind. Sherbro was pretty grotty afterfour months away but was a welcome sight for weary travellers.
The Yanmar 30hp diesel is in place. It`s physically smaller but with increased horse power. There will be less noise and less vibration so should be more pleasant when we`re motoring. Today Sherbro was slipped for a survey and a new propellor installed to suit the engine. A `survey` required by the insurance company means that a marine engineer physically checks the boat over ensuring that it is in good working order. We had a new swim platform made and installed while the boat was out of the water. A few weeks ago we had slipped Sherbro here at Batemans Bay to do an antifoul and had the topside cut with a buffer and waxed. So all is ship shape. We should soon be back to "normal" and anxious to try out the new motor.While waiting for the new motor to be hooked up, we found a few things to put in the time. We dug out the storm sail and tried it out (just in case we need it one day) and Ron went on an early morning fishing trip on the Jean Marie and caught enough snapper to last for a week.
Batemans Bay is beginning to feel like home. The Yanmar dealer has a lot of work on his plate; makes, installs and checks moorings, services outboards and inboards as well as installing new engines. What we thought would take a few weeks has taken a few months and there are still adjustments to be made. However we hope to be on our way soon. The stay in the Bay has suited us in that we felt secure leaving Sherbro while we travelled overseas. Marina management kept an eye on the boat and it was reassuring to know that we could relax and enjoy our trip.
We’ve certainly learnt a thing or two about weather on the NSW south coast. Spring means unpredictable temperatures and wind can vary in one day from high NE to gale force southerlies. We’re using the time to get familiar with our new Yanmar engine. Last week we motored up the Clyde River as far as May’s Wharf. We used the ferry bridge opening both ways so went up at 11:40am and back at 2:20pm. One whole section of the bridge lifts stopping traffic on the Pacific Highway. The Clyde is a wide, tranquil and deep river with clean water from the snowy mountains. We saw lots of oyster leases and a few people fishing in ‘tinnies’. The one challenge is the power line which has a clearance of 15 metres in the centre but when you pass under you’re sure the top of the mast is going to touch.
The boat will be slipped one more time on November 18th. Our next entry will follow soon afterwards.
The tide chart told us we had an opportunity to cross the Batemans Bay bar about midday today Dec 3rd. That would not leave enough time to sail south but would get us over to Square Head where we could stay overnight. The bureau issued a strong wind warning but we didn`t want to lose our chance so Jeff the marina manager helped us shove off at 11:40. Jeff has made our stay here very enjoyable. The conditions were perfect for crossing the bar, nice and smooth and Coastal Patrol were out in the Bay and reported the depth to be 2 metres. After worrying for some time about the crossing it was like a piece of cake. We were just relaxing on the mooring at Square Head when the southerly change came in with a fury. Twenty knot winds continued well into the night. We set the anchor alarm and tried to get some sleep. We have a long day ahead to Bermagui which is over 40 miles south.
Following a rough night at Square Head we were pleased to wake to a calm, cool, cloudy morning, We started the motor at 5:30am and headed into the rising sun toward the Tollgates at the entrance of Batemans Bay, then south toward Bermagui. The winds were light from the SE and the swell just over a metre to start with. The coastline along the south coast is rugged with lots of reddish brown cliffs. Black Rock stood out clearly just to the south of the Bay. Later we picked out the entrances to Moruya and other coastal resorts like Tomakin and Tuross Head. The swell had built to 2 metres by the time we saw Montague Island in the distance. [Montague Island is a nature reserve for fur seals and many bird species.] We finally approached Bermagui at 1500 hours tired and glad to speak to the Coastal Patrol and Fishing Coop about entering the harbour and docking arrangements. There is no bar at Bermagui and good depth but a small bay where we have rafted up to a fishing trawler called the Lochiel. Another yacht, Blue Lady from Geelong, is rafted up to us and the skipper, Roger and brother-in-law Steve have given us good advice about routes to Tasmania. Beautiful little spot where we`ll stay until our engine has its first service.
Bermagui is a great little spot. The golf course is in easy walking distance and the Blue Pool, a natural sea pool, is spectacular. Local fishermen come and go constantly with their catch which is packed with ice and transported to the Sydney Fish Market. We were rafted up to the Lochiel and another yacht, Blue Lady, which left for Geelong. We now are on a floating dock which is much better. We are gaining a lot of local knowledge about routes to Tasmania so quite happy to be here as long as it takes to have a NE wind to take us to Twofold Bay.
When we arrived at Bermagui, the fishing boat we tied up to was the Lochiel. We got to know the owner and skipper, Pat, and the lads, Fish and Laurie, who are the crew. I mentioned to Pat that I’d be interested in going out with them one day, not really expecting that to happen. I think it was quite a privilege to be allowed to go out on the Lochiel Saturday January 3rd. It turned out to be a 30 hour trip. On the way out bait was cut and, when the lines were set, Montague island was seen dimly in the distance. Putting out the lines is an involved process. Bait lines are attached to main lines and then linked in to floats and radio locating beacons. It is pitch dark now; the wind and current are blowing the boat south with lines drifting behind. Despite a stabilizer being deployed, the sea is extremely rough, the boat pitching and rolling in the waves and swell. Not conditions we would choose to be out in on Sherbro! The crew relax overnight, then at dawn the line is located and brought aboard. The deck of the boat is spacious but the constant movement makes it hard for me to make my way about. The catch includes mako, bronze whaler and tiger sharks. Each boat has a quota set by licence. The sharks were cleaned on board and, back in the harbour, weighed and shipped to market. [Shark meat ( called ‘flake’ ) is very popular for fish and chips.] I really enjoyed the unique experience of going out to sea on a commercial fishing boat.
Coming down from Bermagui to Eden a northeasterly was predicted but the combination of a following swell and sea combined with 20 knot winds was much higher than we had expected. It did not make for a comfortable sail from Merimbula onward. We had to bring in the genoa and put two reefs in the main sail. We did make good time, entering Twofold Bay at 2pm. The tide was out and it was still breezy even past the breakwater in Snug Cove so it was a bit daunting as we approached the wharf. We spotted several yachts flying the Rolex flag, having completed the Sydney to Hobart race just after Christmas. We were very relieved to have the option of a mooring in Cattle Bay just west of Snug Cove. Many thanks to Richard and his family. We are in rowing distance of hot showers in Eden harbour and have met many sailors already from all parts of the world. The town of Eden has an interesting maritime history dating back to the whaling industry in the late 19th and early 20th century.
We did have some business to attend to which kept us in Eden until mid Feb. Even so, there haven`t been any perfect weather windows to head south despite all the guides that say February is the best month for travel to Tasmania. We have noted a continual pattern of troughs descending from the northerly low pressure systems bringing unsettled weather across the Australian Bight to the south east. We`re trying to be patient as we wait for two or three days of what we consider to be good conditions to cross Bass Strait. A bonus during our stay here has been the opportunity to be involved as crew on `Adagio` in the Twofold Bay Yacht Club races. We`ve met a number of fellow sailors some heading south. Among these is a Canadian couple, Claude and Jacqueline who began their journey in Montreal. Red skies and smoky horizons have been a reminder of the shocking bush fires that have devastated Victoria this summer.
Having studied weather forecasts for weeks and weeks in Eden, we finally saw a four day window for the crossing of Bass Strait to Tasmania. We logged on with Coastal Patrol Eden early Sunday morning March 8th, giving them our ETA as Tuesday morning at Eddystone Point at the NE of the main island of Tasmania. That turned out to be pretty accurate although the SW winds and confused swell near Gabo Island nearly made us turn back. Bashing into the waves, seas were breaking over the bow into the anchor locker and then into the bilge. Once we reduced sail and felt more in control of the situation, we decided to continue on. With the aid of SeaLegs anti-motion sickness pills, I was not suffering from sea sickness. This was our first overnight venture and we took turns napping in the cockpit until our AIS (Automatic Intelligence System) began beeping to inform us that we were on a collision course with a ship bound for Southampton. The lights on the ship were barely visible so we are very grateful to our AIS and chartplotter. We had enough information to radio the ship. It had not seen us but we gave our position and bearing and negotiated alteration of courses. This happened three more times during the night with ships heading to Melbourne, NZ and other destinations. We were relieved to see the sun rise. In the morning we saw more ships; they travel at speeds from 10 to 22 knots. The ship radio operators were all polite and concerned and helpful. The second 24 hours went better and we were lucky to have nearly a full moon so we could see the horizon through the night. We sighted Flinders Island in the distance early Tuesday morning, arriving at Eddystone Point Tuesday midday, 54 hours from when we left Eden. Using the Brettingham-Moore book we selected an anchorage protected from southerlies but not from the easterly swell. A bit of a rocky night but we had arrived at last.
From Eddystone Point we had really ideal conditions, moderate northeasterlies for day hops along the east coast. Wineglass Bay was too far to make in a day so we considered St Helens. We radioed the St Helens Coast Guard but the tide was not suitable forcing us to continue on to just north of Bicheno. We chose an anchorage at Long Point which provided protection from the NE winds but the SE swell created huge surf on the nearby beach. All night we were conscious of waves crashing on the beach. Up early on Thursday morning we were back at the helm heading for Spring Bay which leads to Triabunna. There is easy access to the bay and we picked up a mooring not far down and to the south of the wood chip mill. We had a peaceful night and the best sleep since we`d left Eden. Our final lap was from Spring Bay to the Pittwater which involved passing through the Denison canal. The canal was hand hewn in 1905 between the Tasmanian mainland and the Tasman peninsula. The entry in Blackmans Bay is marked but very shallow in parts. To pass through the canal vessels must contact the bridge operator to raise the bridge. The toll is a dollar or a can of beer deposited in a bucket attached to a stick which the bridge operator extends. You have to be quick as the current is swift. Once through the canal there is a series of bays. We wanted a protected spot as a storm was predicted. We found the ideal spot in the Pittwater area only a half hour drive from Hobart. As we approached a mooring, someone called out from shore "Do you want to pick up that mooring?" The people who own the mooring were due back the following day so we stayed there for one night and then offered a spare mooring owned by a local builder. We can hardly believe we`ve made it.....this is the first time we stepped ashore after 6 full days of sailing 431 nautical miles from latitude 37`S to 42`S.
We`ve been very lucky to get a berth at the Motor Yacht Club Tasmania marina in Lindisfarne. Space in Hobart marinas is at a premium, all having long waiting lists. We were able to sublet a berth for three months ie until the end of June 2009. We lost no time heading across Frederick Henry Bay, past Betsey Island (there is plenty of room to go between the island and Black Jack rock) and then in Storm Bay could see the Iron Pot lighthouse at the entrance of the River. Derwent. Winds were very light so it took nearly eight hours to reach the Tasman Bridge. Gave us lots of time to take in the view of Mount Wellington and try to identify all the little communities along the river banks. The marina is very comfortable. Lindisfarne is a Hobart suburb not far from Bellerive and a short bus trip to the Hobart CBD.
The southerly winds are getting a bit chilly here in Tassie but we don`t mind because we`re now housesitting in Geilston Bay for a couple who are moving to Adelaide and needed someone to look after the house and dogs (Dillyn and Zoe) for a few months. The house is very comfortable and is located not far from the marina so we`ll be able to do some refurbishing jobs without living aboard. We have the use of a ute and will be able to take some day trips soon to Port Arthur and other points of interest.
Formerly the governor of Tasmania’s motor launch, the ‘Egeria’, is off the slip and back at her berth at the Motor Yacht Club. On the first Sunday of the month the ‘friends of Egeria’ meet and put in a few hour’s work on keeping it up to survey standards. It is a high maintenance vessel and the club is proposing river cruises and wedding receptions, etc to recoup some of the costs..
We’re taking advantage of our time off Sherbro to do some interior refurbishing jobs on her. At present we’re sanding and varnishing the interior woodwork, replacing the hull liner in the forward cabin.
The two little dogs we’d been looking after have been flown by Jetpets to join their owners. They are real little characters and get on well together so they’ll enjoy their new home in Adelaide.
The temperature still goes down to 5 degrees at night and October is a month of strong to gale force winds but the countryside is a vivid green with brilliant contrasting foliage after the record rainfalls. The sailing season has officially opened but we’re not quite ready to head off to the d’Entrecasteaux channel just yet. A few more boat jobs and Dolores to complete her TESOL practicum should see us clear to resume sailing in December. We have done some day trips on land with Michelle to the Huon Valley and Port Arthur. We were able to check out a new marina at Kermandie on the Huon River. New additions to Sherbro include a 35 lb Manson Supreme anchor and new LED nav lights. We’ve made good use of our time off the boat to replace the hull liner in the forward cabin, refinish the cork floors and most of the timber panelling so the interior is looking 100% better.
This is a special event for us this year as we are in Hobart to see some of the yachts cross the finish line in this famous 628 nautical mile ocean race. There were over 100 boats entered in the 65th race, including this year’s line honours winner, Alfa Romeo, completing the trip in 58 hours. Having departed Sydney Harbour at 12:30pm on Saturday, the 26th of December, the first yachts arrived in Hobart late Monday evening, Dec 28th . Even though it was a ‘light air’ race, the maxi yachts reach speeds of 15 knots or more at times. Their masts and sails are massive. The last yachts are not expected to cross the finish line until as late as January 3rd. Hobart has really come to life around the waterfront with tents, marquees and a food and wine festival. The atmosphere around Constitution Dock and Kings Wharf is electric with hundreds of people with binoculars and cameras poised for the next yacht to arrive. As patrol boats escort the yachts to their berths, the crowd cheers and applauds the tired crews. We were surprised how close spectators can get to the boats. The overall winner on handicap corrected time will not be known for some days yet.
Sherbro was slipped at the Motor Yacht Club Tasmania not far from the berth which has been 'home' for the last 10 months. The previous antifoul had held up well so just needed a good scrub and a fresh coat of Altex 5 (black this time). We used the time out of the water to do a few maintenance jobs...gave the topside a polish and had a product called PropGard applied to the propellor. We were ready to go back into the water 10 days later, glad to see the end of having to climb a long ladder to get to the cockpit. A club member kindly let us use his berth while we prepared for sailing again.
Our plan is now to cruise in southern Tasmanian waters for 2 months, then leave Sherbro in Hobart on a mooring for another winter while we fly to perth to look after my brother Graham's home possibly until the end of the year. Our first cruising destination was Barnes bay, a beautiful sheltered bay on North bruny Island in the d'entrecasteaux channel. We followed Philip Kelley on his vessel, Libertad and both anchored in the calm southern arm of Simmonds Bay known as the Duck Pond for 3 days of rest and relaxation. We didn't see any ducks but there are black swans and, surprisingly, a shark. Next stop was across the channel to the village of Kettering in Little Oyster Cove, formerly a fishing port, now a harbour filled with pleasure craft.
This is the first year of a wooden boat rally held in Kettering on alternate years to the wooden boat show in Hobart. It was a perfect weekend and there were about 100 boats of all sizes gathered for the celebration. Many of the boats are hand made or lovingly restored. They require a lot of work but are beautiful to look at.
Peppermint Bay is just an hour sail south of Kettering but we were interested in stopping there as the Peppermint Bay hotel provides moorings for visitors.. It is a beautiful spot and we particularly liked the layout of the hotel; very open and friendly with formal and informal restaurants all opening out on to views of the bay and Bruny island. Close by is the village of Woodbridge which has a post office, school and internet access centre. Thursday nights, to encourage families, the hotel has a discount on meals and drinks. A large catamaran conducts regular tours from the hotel to the island and to Hobart. Our dinner was excellent and we were very pleased we visited.
After our overnight stay in Peppermint Bay we continued sailing down the channel past the Huon River entrance to Port Esperance where the village of Dover (population 600 or so) lies tucked in behind three small islands, Hope, Faith and Charity. On our approach to the port, near Blubber Head, we spotted several big seals floating on their backs, flippers pointing skywards. Presume they had had a big feed of salmon at one of the many fish farm pens located along the shoreline. We had just got the anchor to bite on the east side of the jetty near the beach when Gavin, the commodore of the Port Esperance Sailing Club, pointed out a club mooring that we could use which was closer to the shore so we gladly accepted. We were invited to a bbq on the deck of the sailing club on Sunday. The club has a strong focus on junior sailors through dinghy racing , kayaking and connection with the local school. We’ve felt very welcome in Dover and some members have really gone out of their way to show us around.
We anchored at Sandrock Bay in the Huon River estuary overnight, then rainclouds chased us up Port Cygnet in the early morning Saturday. We picked up a mooring just off Cygnet sailing Club not far to row to the jetty. It's a 20 min walk along the water to the town of Cygnet. Cygnet was named by the French Admiral, Bruni D'Entrecasteaux owing to the number of swans in the bay. There are good facilities here including bbq, PO, Library, shops and laundromat. We've met many friendly people. This is apple harvest time so new season apples are available at roadside stands. The annual regatta is being held at the sailing club this weekend so we've decided to stay for the festivities. Good weather - cool mornings and pleasant sunny days.
We stayed in Cygnet for the sailing regatta. We had to move to a mooring further out to make room for the 70 plus visiting yachts. Quite a big event including a race from Kettering to Cygnet and a race in the Port of Cygnet on the Sunday. There was lots of friendly rivalry and the host sailing club provided bbq breakfast and other meals at the clubhouse. We were lucky to be there for the event.
This is the first entry of our newest adventure. We left Sherbro safe and secure in Hobart while we flew to Western Australia to look after my brother Graham's house in a northern suburb of Perth. What a contrast :) from living on the boat! Graham and Margaret's home is really idyllic in design and setting. Over the past 3 weeks we've settled in and are now more familiar with the house and grounds, the shopping centres and roads and public transit system. We've visited with my nephews and family and friends. We've been as far south as Mandurah, north to Two Rocks and east to Gidgegannup. Our latitude here is 32 degrees south compared to 42 degrees in Hobart making it 600 nautical miles closer to the equator. It makes quite a difference in the climate.. We're enjoying the change and looking forward to exploring W.A.
It is a 3 hour drive from Carabooda to the town of Dunsborough where we stayed at a resort that our my nephew Craig had organised for us. It was excellent accommodation and an ideal base for a circular tour that Craig's Mum, Sylvia, took us on, along the coast road as far as Cape Leeuwin and back via Augusta and Margaret River. It was a perfect day for touring and Sylvia knows this part of the state well so we could relax and enjoy the scenery. We had many interesting stops where the history of the rugged coastline became obvious. We watched professional salmon fishermen haul in over a ton of fish in their net at Hammelin Bay and strolled around the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse grounds, the southernmost point of the state, where we observed the disturbance created by the meeting of the Indian and Southern oceans. On our return trip to Perth we pulled in to Bussellton which is well known for its 145 year old jetty, the longest wooden jetty in the soiuthern hemisphere used for decades in the timber shipping industry.
We're finding the winter months in Perth are cool in the morning but quite pleasant during the day, ideal for day trips from our base in Wanneroo. A must-see on our list was the port of Fremantle just an hour's drive from Perth CBD. We checked out the Fremantle Sailing Club which has an active cruising section and were pleased to find a marine electronics shop nearby with information about AIS, radar and HF radio. Another destination was New Norcia, a peaceful town 132 kms NW of Perth on the Great Northern Highway. The community was founded by the Benedictine order 160 years ago. There are currently eight monks who live, work and pray in the monastery. Production of wine, bread and olive oil continue the traditions of the past while the schools and convent now host school camps and workshops. It has become a living history location popular with caravanners and campers. We were fascinated by a sundial on the north wall of the original novitiate built in 1870, later converted for use as a police station....still an accurate timepiece!
The watering system is now working hard to keep the foliage and grass from drying up after one of the driest winters and springs on record in WA ( in direct contrast to the east coast of Australia!). This is the last term at Central TAFE where Dolores has enjoyed teaching adult migrant English two mornings a week for three terms. It's been an incredible opportunity to put into practice some of the theory covered in the TESOL certificate completed while living aboard the boat in 2009. The students are from all parts of the globe and just a pleasure to work with. We were very fortunate to have Keith and Anna visit for a few days in October. We managed to see a Perth Glory vs Sydney FC match (a win for FC) together which was good fun. Unfortunately Anna had to return early to Sydney but Keith joined us on a day trip to Penguin Island and surrounding islands in a glass-bottomed boat.. These islands are in the Shoalwater Islands marine park just off the coast near Rocklngham south of Perth. Wildlife included little penguins, sea lions and pelicans, all in their natural habitat. Luckily we had perfect weather and had a very pleasant day.
The few days of overlap on Graham and Margaret's return flew by and we departed WA on 17th January. Catching an evening flight from Perth got us into Melbourne early morning for a connection to Hobart. On arrival we were extremely tired but on the bus ride into the city we had a feeling of 'coming home'. At the marina we found Sherbro in excellent condition, almost as if we'd been away for a week rather than nine months. It didn't take us long to get back to the rhythm of living aboard. The difference in temperature between WA and Tasmania is remarkable. We were lucky to be back for the Wooden Boat Festival held mid-February every two years. The waterfront was a colourful hive of activity with boats of all sizes on display from dinghies to fishing boats and yachts all beautifully crafted from a variety of woods and maintained by proud owners. It was four days of constant activity with hundreds of visitors. We're now busy preparing Sherbro for a passage to New Zealand. Details will follow in our next entry.
Beautiful sunny day in Hobart. We're sailing on the River Derwent with our friend, Ray Moroney. Trialling all the new systems for our big passage to New Zealand. All good.
Since we began our sailing adventure we've taken it one step at a time....from dinghies to the Hartley to the Jarkan; from coastal day hops, crossing bars, mooring, anchoring, marinas. Crossing Bass Strait with two nights at sea to Tasmania in 2009 was a big step. However we were obviously not ready for 12 days to NZ. Customs came on board and stamped our passports at 8am 15th April. Not an auspicious day- dark skies and cool but, as we motorsailed out the Derwent, we assured ourselves that it would get better. Crossing Storm Bay the seas were sloppy and winds light NE right on the nose. We bashed along into the night past Tasman Island where we met a confused swell heaving the boat in all directions. By morning we were both deperately seasick and shivering from the cold, moist air. That was a turning point. We decided we weren't fit to continue and headed for shelter behind Maria Island where we rested for two days. By then we had lost our weather window for NZ and had lost enthusiasm as well. Anxious to move on, we set Eden as our new destination and set off early Tuesday 17th April. The first 12 hours were ideal....blue skies and fair winds.but from then on we encountered one front after another with 20 knot winds, 3-4 metre swell and to top it off a helluva storm in Bass Strait. The sky lit up around us, thunder boomed directly above and hailstones swept under the dodger. After 4 days and nights at sea we were exhausted. Easter Saturday morning Eden appeared as a welcome haven and we were relieved to be able to tie up and rest.
We've been in Ulladulla harbour for two weeks. It's been a perfect place to rest up. We're ready to leave any time now but last week there were dangerous surf conditions and now strong wind warnings. Even the fishermen are not going out. Ulladulla is a small but active fishing port. with a long history. There is no bar which makes it an all-weather port but you do need to follow the leads since the entrance is quite narrow with Ulladulla Head to the north and a bombora to the south. Typical of a south coast port, there are no permanant berths or moorings available so you need to be flexible, raft up to a fishing boat and be prepared to move when it goes out.. The Fishing Coop administers the wharf and, if you have work to do on your boat, it's quite reasonable to stay here for a week or so. The Marine Rescue base is nearby and shops, library and information centre are in walking distance. We've enjoyed our stay and hope to soon head up the coast to Jervis Bay.
Our introduction to Wollongong began some 12 years ago when Keith was a student at the university here. Travelling from Wagga Wagga to the coast to visit was like a paradise with palm trees and long stretches of sandy beaches. We bought a unit here as a land base for the future. Our visit this time has been a bit of a reality check. The city has grown immensely (upwards in the case of north Wollongong) but essentially the attractions are the same. It's a 1.5 hr train ride to Sydney, has a well regarded university, health facilities and a beautiful foreshore and harbour with walking and bicycle tracks along what's called 'The Blue Mile'. One of the main attractions for us is the saltwater open pool or continental baths only a 5 minute walk from where our boat is rafted up to a charter fishing boat in Belmore Basin. The industrial base of the community is always in evidence when you gaze out to sea where many ships are anchored offshore waiting to enter the steel port of Port Kembla.
The NSW coast is being battered by strong southerly winds and heavy seas. These have brought about dangerous surf conditions which we can see crashing up on Cronulla beach. Luckily we arrived at Jibbon Beach on Friday 27th May and enjoyed a perfect summers day on Saturday the 28th, sitting on the beach and checking out the nearby village of Bundeena. We had hoped to continue to Botany Bay on Sunday but just past the headland, realised the swell and wind combined made it very uncomfortable for even a short trip so we returned to our mooring at the beach. Now waiting for the weather to improve before heading to Pittwater.
Today was the third time we tried to head north from Jibbon beach but still no luck with the weather. There just seems to be one low pressure after another. Looking at the forecast earlier in the week, we thought Sunday looked like it might be good enough to continue up to the Sydney northern beaches. However we woke up at 5am to a changed forecast with increased winds and higher waves now predicted. Having done all the preparations, we decided to have a go. Put two reefs in the mainsail and logged on with Marine Rescue Sydney. As soon as we passed Jibbon Head the waves increased massively to 4m @ 8secs from the south and winds gusting to 20 knots. It was hard work to hold a course, the sky was dark ahead and rain began to fall. That did it. We turned around and sought the safety and relative calm of the beach mooring once again. Looks like more unpleasant conditions on the way so we may be here for a few days yet.
Sunday 19th June we were up well before dawn to prepare for the sail to Pittwater. All the conditions were right this time; high tide for exiting Gunnamatta Bay, light westerly winds and a 2 metre swell. The Sydney city skyline was prominent to the west as we sailed past the entrance to Botany Bay and then South and North Sydney Heads. Whale watching boats were cruising about and we did see signs of whale activity to the east.
We made good time. It was early afternoon when we rounded Barrenjoey Head into the familiar waters of the Pittwater where a race was in progress, sails flapping in a very light breeze. Once past the portside marker, we headed straight for the Avalon Sailing Club, pleased to be back after three years in southern waters.
While in Avalon Jim and Sue Flaye arranged an evening to catch up with sailing friends which was very good of them as Jim was busy preparing Kate Kelly for its first cruise to the Whitsundays. We appreciated the comforts of having a land base at the Flayes particularly when Dolores was experiencing several weeks of back pain and being treated by a physiotherapist. Following that Dolores was fortunate to get a block of teaching at Chatswood with MTC and, at the end, we were treated by the students to yum cha which was a new and very enjoyable experience for us both. After having a break from teaching we sailed down to Sydney Harbour, exploring Middle Harbour for the first time. A few days ago we motored under the Spit Bridge and are now moored at Cammeray Marina which is very convenient to the city.
At Cammeray fortunately Kelvin was able to find us a fore and aft mooring so that our solar panels would not need adjusting every time the tide turned. Cammeray marina is a beautiful location in north Sydney convenient to buses to the city and to Chatswood. We haven't found the steps up to the road too daunting and the marina also provides a tender service to a park near Northbridge. While at the marina we had the acrylic replaced in both hatches and were pleased with the work done by the lads at the marina. A bonus was that Sherbro came in to the dock for two weeks which made life a lot easier. On Friday 11th November Dolores finished another block of teaching at Chatswood, Ron secured the boat at the marina and we stayed at Keith's place for two nights prior to departing for a month's holiday in China.
Two students from Dolores's class in Chatswood were returning to China to visit family and encouraged us to visit while they were there. We decided this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so, after some quick planning, we flew Hainan Air out of Sydney on the 13th November. After a 9 hour flight we stopped briefly at Shenzhen where we cleared customs and immigration before continuing on to Hangzhou overnight and on to Beijing the next day. Our first little challenge was getting taxis to hotels but luckily students at Chatswood had written down instructions in Chinese to show to drivers. Our hotel in Beijing was directly across from the central railway station and within walking distance to Tianenmen Square. We find everything in China is on a massive scale; traffic, train station waiting rooms, parks, markets, of necessity, to accommodate a population of 1.5 billion.
We spent nearly a week in Xi'an, the home city of Bruce and Emma, two students from Chatswood MTC. Bruce met us at the railway station early in the morning and treated us to a traditional breakfast of lamb soup with coriander and a bread baked on stones with a side dish of lotus roots and beans. Very nourishing and filling. This was the first of many special meals we enjoyed. At one place renowned in Xi'an Bruce's wife, Vivian, translated as we were taken on a tour of the kitchen which was huge...so many staff. This particular restaurant prides itself on its high standards. Dumplings, steamed or baked were a specialty of the area. In Xi'an we stayed at Chang An University hotel arranged by Emma's father who is a retired professor in mathematics. The room overlooked the playgound of a pre-school. On our first evening in this ancient city we were driven to a park area adjacent to the Wild Goose pagoda. and the site of the biggest water display in Asia. The fountains were syncronised with classical music and light display, quite a spectacular show. Early Saturday morning we strolled around the outside of the east and south borders of the old wall. The path winds along and every space is occupied by singular or groups of people doing dancing, badminton, exercises, tai chi, playing musical instruments, a very social time for the whole commmunity. Our final day in Xi'an was spent visiting the site of the Terracotta Warriors commissioned 2000 years ago by Emperor Qin to guard his tomb. There are three major pits that have been uncovered and still being excavated. Truly awesome. We are so grateful to Bruce for the time and effort he put in to make our visit unforgettable.
Because of our interest in sailing, although we knew winter was not ideal timing, we were keen to visit the Chinese port city of Qingdao. The overnight train from Xi'an took 23 hours but we had a compartment to ourselves. Qingdao was well worth a stop. People were very friendly and helpful. The city is famous for its beautiful parks, beaches and foreshore, has an interesting history as a retreat for Russian and German aristocrats in the early part of the 20th century and is commonly recognised as the site of Tsingtao brewery. It did snow while we were here so we'd love to return in the summer!
Tianjin is close to Beijing but much smaller and with a character and history of its own. We enjoyed the outdoor markets here and the Zhou Enlai memorial. We managed to get around on the local buses here and in Qingdao.
The final week of our visit to China was very special in every way. Our friend Katie showed us her city with all its wonders: the food, the markets, world-renowned temples. We had a tour of a Traditional Chinese Medicine clinic which was fascinating. Ron had some acupuncture on his heel which had been aggravated by so much walking. Finally we spent a day at the Great Wall at Mutianyu which truly is a world wonder.
Our friend Rob drove us from Cammeray marina to Sydney International airport. Our United Air flight left for LA just after midday. The plane was an old 747 and very packed. Cramped seating not an ideal arrangement for Ron's bad back. Transfer to a domestic flight to Chicago once we had cleared immigration and customs went smoothly. It was quite warm (33 degrees in Chicago) and the news was all about the NATO conference taking place here. Took a day to recover from the 24 hours of travel, then caught a train into Chicago city to take a bus tour which included views from the Hancock tower. We picked up our hire car and had fun manoevering through rush hour traffic back to our motel. The car has been useful to get to places like West Marine where we bought a special funnel to filter water from diesel fuel. We've found a local library in Addison extremely helpful. Have just planned for the next leg of our trip to Grand Rapids Michigan. We leave tomorrow (Thursday 24th May) . Will cross the border into Canada on May 25th.
On the drive from Chicago Illinois to Grand Rapids Michigan we had a rest stop in Holland. It is a very pretty spot on the eastern side of Lake Michigan. It was nice to get off the highways which are efficient but not very scenic. Settled by the Dutch in the 19th century, it still has a Netherlands feel with old brick buildings and beautiful parks. We didn't have time to go through the museum or drive out to the lighthouse but we did stroll around the Hope College grounds and along the award-winning main street.
We're half way into our visit with family in southern Ontario and have fallen into a routine of usually doing shopping in the mornings and, in the afternoon, driving to Eden House to spend some time with Dolores's mother, Helen. Our accommodation is at Guelph University, a very pleasant environment close to the gym, walking tracks, bookshop and library. We see lots of squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs on our walks. U of G is similar to CSU Wagga campus in that it started out as an agricultural college. Our hire car, the Chevrolet Cruze, is enjoyable to drive and efficient ( the new model claims to get 40miles per US gallon.) Weather has been changeable as is to be expected in spring but seems to have settled into a pattern now of nice cool nights and sunny warm days.
Our friend Winnie flew up from Boston on Tuesday to spend a week with us here in Guelph. We've enjoyed some walks in the nearby Arboretum and yesterday attended the matinee performance of 'Much Ado About Nothing'. The Shakespeare Festival began in Stratford in 1953 and, now in its 60th season, is renowned for its performances. This production was excellent and the setting of the theatre by the banks of the Avon River is magnificent. On the way to Stratford we stopped at the busy village of Tavistock to visit Oak Manor mill which produces the widest range of spelt grain products we had ever seen. We had bought some of their flour to bake some fresh bread and were curious to see the mill. The road from Kitchener to Stratford was bordered by beautiful fields of grain and crops and prosperous looking farm houses and barns.
A visit to Chicago would not have been complete without seeing a game at Wrigley Stadium, one of the oldest in the USA. We were lucky to get tickets to an afternoon game. Seats were just behind first base so we saw lots of action. Unfortunately the Cubs lost to the Mets but the experience of attending a big league game was fabulous. It was a perfect summery day with a big, cheerful crowd......lots of families all dressed up in team colours. From the national anthem to a rousing rendition of 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame' at the 7th inning stretch it was a day to remember.
We flew from scorching temperature in Chicago on 28th June to a cool to cold winter day in Sydney. Now adjusting to living on our boat again after a memorable six weeks in Canada and Chicago.
Finally after an 18 month break in Sydney, we’re sailing again…destination
Adelaide. Early Saturday 16th February we set off to catch the 8.30 Spit Bridge opening. Not a perfect sailing day as we faced southerly winds and easterly swell but at least we were on our way. Rain and poor visibility but cleared so we could see the long line of ships waiting to enter Botany Bay. Our aim was to get to Port Hacking which we did early afternoon. Lots of dinghy sailors heading back to Cronulla with colourful spinnakers flying. Jibbon Beach was busy with locals enjoying a day out. We anchored in sand and weed, then transferred to a mooring for overnight.
Day 2 conditions seemed fair so we headed a bit further down the coast to Wollongong. Wind was still south westerly but the swell was more bearable. We sailed into Wollongong harbour at midday and rafted up to a friend’s fishing boat. He was going out early the next morning to check shark nets near public beaches so we made good use of our stay to have a refreshing swim at the sea baths.
The sun was just rising as we put up our mainsail in Wollongong harbour. This was a longer trip of 40nms to Jervis Bay but we were able to use the genoa to increase our speed to about 6 knots. We were pleased to see Point Perpendicular appear on the horizon in late afternoon. Unfortunately when we got to Darling Road, we discovered that the public moorings had all been removed. Suddenly a strong northerly wind came up and we had to change plans quickly. Marine Rescue Shoalhaven advised we seek shelter at Long Beach which is in the NW corner of the bay. It took us two hours to motor across choppy waves against the wind but Long Beach was calm and we easily anchored in 3.8m close to the beach just before the sun set.
Day 4 of our journey dawned clear and we decided to continue to Ulladulla as bad weather is predicted later in the week. This turned out to be our best day so far. Beautiful NW winds allowed us to sail with no motor assistance for most of the day. The wind just picked up as we made our way into Ulladulla Harbour. We rafted up to a fishing charter boat named Black Label. Will stay here for a week to relax, do a few jobs on the boat and prepare for the next leg.
Had been in Ulladulla for a week and the sea conditions looked favourable for a couple of days so decided to get underway again. Before we could get out of our little basin Ron had to ring two of the fishermen to pull in their shore lines so that we could exit. So at 7.30am we were hoisting up our sails. Winds were light from the north and the swell was still a bit high at 2 to 3 metres by our reckoning. Still we made good time, sometimes 7 knots briefly as the swell lifted us forward. We arrived in Batemans Bay early afternoon. The northerly wind had picked up so we were happy to pick up a mooring at Square Head. our plan was to head on early Wednesday to Bermagui but there was a strong wind warning and we were worried about the conditions coming in to Bermagui near low tide. We had a little conference at 4am and decided not to risk it. There is a strong southerly expected Thursday that may continue for several days. We've now crossed the tricky bar into Batemans Bay, waiting for the bridge to open and will anchor up the Clyde River.
We had a wonderful, tranquil visit to Nelligen, as far as a masted vessel can go up the Clyde River. The river meanders by lots of oyster farms along the banks. Once through the bridge you still need to negotiate under power lines with what seemed like only about a metre to spare. Nelligen is an historic village dating back to the late 1800's when it was a thriving timber port and saw some gold mining too. Now it's a bit of a sleepy hollow attracting visitors from Canberra. The old post office, court house etc have been made into guest houses or private homes. One drawback was the lack of telephone reception so we couldn't check weather forecasts but we motored back to the bay today, crossed the bar (which is currently being dredged) and now plan to continue south tomorrow.
As the sun was rising we sailed out below the Tollgate Islands at the entrance of Batemans Bay. Not much wind but, when we got in the current, made 7 knots. Arrived in the tiny port of Bermagui early afternoon. Lots of little fishing boats were heading in behind us. We rafted up in a row of three; a fishing boat called Muffdiver and a ketch from Tasmania named Bunyandah. The two men from Tassie are at the beginning of their circumnavigation of Australia. We saw a marked improvement in amenities in the harbour. There is now a new two storey building on the foreshore with shops and restaurants and showers and toilets on the ground floor and VMR and Fish Coop Admin above. We had an enjoyable two day stopover made special by a visit with friends who drove down from Nelligan.
Again not much wind although the forecast had been for 25 knot northerlies. The swell was easterly about 2 metres so we rocked around a bit. We had a hard time to find the current so that slowed us down a bit. We had to go in close to shore to maintain 5 knots. Very quiet day at sea....no other sailboats although a line of fishing boats off Montague Island. Must have been a good fishing spot. Always a pleasure to enter Twofold Bay. It's a beautiful big harbour. This time we anchored in the clear, shallow, turquoise waters of East Boyd Bay to check the weather before facing Bass Strait.
The forecast for Eden to Gabo Island and Bass Strait on Monday, although not ideal, seemed to offer a small window of weather to allow us to get to Refuge Cove in Victoria. Having waited in Eden for 10 days, we were keen to move on. The conditions as we left Twofold Bay were excellent - a nice breeze that had us making 6 knots under sail. However by mid afternoon the wind became stronger and from the south so we were heading straight into it. We had to use the engine from then on . The night was clear with a starry sky but cold in the cockpit. We took 1.5 hour watches. The only sign of life all night were the lighthouses as we passed by - Gabo Island, Little Rame Head and Cape Hicks. We were not making enough speed to get us to Refuge Cove before the next low system. We decided to make for Lakes Entrance instead. It was critical to arrive at Lakes Entrance at high tide about 1500 hours on Tuesday as the bar can be difficult. Our speed coupled with heavy weather made it a battering trip, hard on both boat and crew. Luck was with us. Late Tuesday morning Bass Strait was flat and we relaxed in the sun. We had no trouble crossing the bar. It is continuously dredged. Lakes Entrance is well set up for visiting boats so we were soon tied up to a berth grateful for a decent meal and a well deserved rest.
Day 10 at Lakes Entrance, Victoria. We've moved from a short term to a long term dock and now to a 'pen' kindly offered to us by a couple who also have a Jarkan. The weather has undergone a massive change from extremely hot (38 degrees) to 13 degrees and squalls overnight. We're taking advantage of the extended stopover to do repairs on the bimini and further planning on our route. Hope to continue our journey soon.
Having scanned weather websites for over a week, we finally could see a big high pressure system coming across southern Victoria so made our exit from Lakes Entrance. The bar was not as friendly going out as it had been coming in. Even though we had tried to pick slack water, big waves stood up and knocked us off the leads. We quickly got the mainsail up and headed southwest. The swell and waves were from the SW so not very pleasant to start with but we were cheered up by dozens of dolphins swimming beside us. Saw no shipping traffic during the entire 23 hour trip but the the oilrigs stood out clearly. As the sun rose the next day, the hills of Wilsons Promontory emerged with Cliffy Island light and Seal Island in profile to our stern. Refuge Cove is as beautiful as we had expected with coloured granite boulders dipping into the crystal clear turquoise water.
Left Refuge Cove before dawn heading under the granite cliffs and wooded hills of Wilsons Promontory. Southeast Cape lighthouse glimmered in the morning sun. The sea was like glass and we decided we wouldn't make it to Westernport. Luckily we received a message from our friend Ross with information about Waratah Bay and changed course. Waratah Bay is a long, crescent-shaped bay with rocks at the southern end so decent protection from southerlies. We anchored east of Bird Rock, the only boat in the bay. The wind came up during the night but the anchor held so we got a reasonable rest.
Foggy at first but had a light breeze as we continued along the shore of Wilsons Promontory toward Westernport Bay. Again accompanied by pods of playful dolphins and swooping albatrosses. Just as the sun began to set we entered the eastern side of Philip Island heading to Cleeland Bight behind Cape Woolamai. It was impossible to see the leads and the markers were confusing. It's a tricky bay as the northern side is shallow and the south is rocky. Eventually we found the moorings very close to the beach. San Remo bridge is visible to the north east.
Coast Guards Melbourne and Westernport were very helpful in assisting us plan for entry into Westernport Bay. We timed our entry to coincide with the incoming tide so it was just after midday when we rounded Seal Rocks. Quiet day with just a few fishing and small yachts on the water. Had no problem following the leads up the channel. It took two hours to reach the beginning of the north channel where we could see Cowes behind us. The current helped push us along so that we arrived at the entrance to Yaringa Boat Harbour just as the sun was beginning to set. We parked in a vacant wet berth. Yaringa is a very protected spot at the top of the bay. Looking forward to a rest and some time on land.
For several months we have been in Adelaide where we're housesitting (this combination of sailing and housesitting seems to have become a familiar pattern). We've left Sherbro safe and secure at Yaringa where the hull is being taken back to the gel coat before antifouling and going back in the water. Meanwhile we've been enjoying Adelaide with its farmers markets, museums, churches and concerts and day trips to the coastal ports and beaches and the wine regions like the Clare Valley and McLaren Vale. Our plan is to drive back to Victoria early in the new year. We'll need to readjust to living aboard again and then sail back up to New South Wales.
We left Yaringa Boat Harbour early Wednesday 9th April. Fog contributed to poor visibility in Westernport Bay but forecast was good for the next few days. Instead of stopping at Cowes, we decided to sail overnight to Wilson's Promontory. As dawn broke a massive rock loomed ahead. This was Forty Foot Rock with Skull Rock to our port side, part of the Anser Group of islands off the foot of the Prom. We were glad we had planned to arrive here in daylight. No problem sailing around to Refuge Cove in light breeze. Good to anchor in this safe haven again.
After three days in Refuge Cove the swell was predicted to subside so we could continue our travel across Bass Strait. To begin with, winds were light so we were able to cook scrambled eggs and boil water for coffee on the metho stove. We had been out of mobile phone range for several days by now but finally got a signal as we passed by Lakes Entrance. As we sailed through the first night, we were grateful for a full moon and the bright lights of the drilling platforms were easy to pick out. Swell and high seas increased the second day making for a lumpy ride. On the second night, as we approached Gabo Island, we witnessed a partial eclipse of the moon. Quite spectacular! It was still dark as we passed by Eden and headed on to Bermagui. This was a long haul for us, 3 days and 2 nights at sea, but all went well.
At 6am our coordinates were 36'56.257S and 150'10.023E. Getting up into warmer latitude. Doing 5 knots with main sail well out and SW winds of 15 knots, surfing down 3 metre swells. Happy to sight the Bermagui heads at 1400 hours. It was just on low tide but we had no problem crossing the bar. We were allocated a narrow berth between two fishing boats. It turned out to be a safe spot to stay for nearly a month.. Sadly, Dolores had to fly back to Canada for the funeral of her mother, Helen, who passed away in Guelph Ontario.
Barometer steady. Temperature 12'C. Crossed the Bermagui bar at sunrise. Heading north again. Light winds from the west. Decided on another overnight sail past Batemans Bay, Ulladulla, Jervis Bay destination Port Hacking. After 33 hours arrived at Jibbon Beach late afternoon. Beautiful calm conditions tucked in behind Port Hacking Point. We picked up a mooring for an overnight stay. People were swimming so the water must have been warm.
When we radioed in to Marine Rescue Sydney at 7am, the radio operator wished us a safe trip but suggested we wouldn't have much wind. As it turned out, we had a good breeze off the land and were soon making 6.5 knots with the genoa and main fully out. We sped past Maroubra and Bondi beaches in beautiful sailing conditions. In only 3 hours we were approaching Sydney Heads entering just behind a navy warship. We made the Spit Bridge 10.15am opening, arrived at Cammeray Marina late morning and were soon catching up with old friends.
After a pleasant 5 weeks in Sydney, we're off again. This time our destination is Cairns, a long way for us. We got away Thursday morning, 19th of June making the 10.15 Spit Bridge opening. Our friend Rob followed us out as far as the bridge in his boat Kochin. We had a bit of a lumpy sea caused by NE winds but it was nice to see Lion Island again as we entered the Pittwater. We stopped at Coasters Retreat overnight and left before dawn on Friday for Newcastle. This was a much better day with NW winds flattening the sea and mostly 10 to 20 knots with occasional gusts to 28. We made good time using one reef in the mainsail assisted by the heavy weather sail and, at times running as a cutter with the genoa out. The whales are headiing north but we didn't see any today. Luckily we arrived at the entrance to Newcastle harbour late afternoon so called the marina to confirm our berth. One ship was leaving the harbour as we approached and then we were surprised as another massive one appeared just as we were about to enter the channel. We were happily settled in the marina before dark. We decided to stay a week here to check out changes in the city since we were here five years ago.
We left the port of Newcastle early on Wednesday 2nd of July, The day started off well and we were able to sail nicely in 14 to 18 knot winds. However the wind died about midday and the increased swell of 2.5 metres made the ride uncomfortable. We decided to go in to Port Stephens and picked up a courtesy mooring in Shoal Bay. Two dolphins appeared beside us just as we rounded Tomaree Head and entered the calm waters of the bay.
Stayed in Shoal Bay for two days and then did an overnight sail to Port Macquarie. Just at dusk we saw several whales quite close to the boat on both starboard and port side. Quite exciting! This is their migration period to warmer waters. We had hoped to stop at Laurieton but got there too early for the flood tide necessary to enter Camden Haven Inlet. Just a few hours later we entered Port Macquarie where a new sectored light has been installed instead of leads. We were able to get a berth at Port Marina and will stay for a week.
Southerly gales have kept us in Coffs Harbour marina for several days. Surf looks spectacular but we're happy to be tucked in away from it. Sailed overnight from Port Macquarie on Tuesday 15th July arriving at Coffs 8am Wednesday. Not a pleasant trip with strong northerly winds and current combined with a southerly swell making the boat pitch and roll most of the way. Have been doing some research into the Solitary Islands which may be our next stop.
Iluka is a fishing village on the northern side of the Clarence River. This area of Yamba Iluka has the biggest fishing fleet on the NSW coast. Many trawlers were on their way out of Iluka Bay when we arrived just before sunset Wednesday 23rd July. The winds have become northerly so this is an ideal place to wait for a change.We're now at 29 degrees latitude so the conditions are mild. The population of Iluka is only 2500 but it's a busy holiday destination. Caravan parks are booked out during the summer months. The Clarence has a long history of early settlers and logging. Yachts can travel well up the river but the bridge at Harwood has to be raised to continue up to Grafton.
We finally left Iluka on Monday the 4th of August ducking out at the end of the southern breakwater to avoid the breaking waves across the bar. The swell was much higher than expected and wind directly astern so we considered sheltering at Evans Head but that was ruled out as level at the entrance was too low. We proceeded with plan A to continue overnight to the Gold Coast. (Timing would be too early for entry at Tweed Heads). There was some moonlight and it was a quiet but, at times, annoying night as the swell rocked us from side to side. At dawn the highrise buildings of the Gold Coast came into view. We entered the seaway and happily anchored in 'Bums Bay' just near Sea World at 0900 hours.
Having sailed overnight from the Gold Coast Seaway, we arrived at the entrance to Mooloolaba at 3am Sunday the 10th of August. The approach to the Mooloolaba river was unexpectedly busy considering it was early morning. There were fishing boats,cruise boats and pilot boats setting off our AIS alarm. Luckily we were wide awake by then, having dozed on and off during the night. The wind had been strong and consistent enough for us to maintain our speed with genoa only from Point Danger onwards. The lights at the river entrance were confusing as there was a dredge anchored on the west bank. Anyone watching our track on marinetraffic.com would have seen three loops as we worked out our approach and finally headed in across the bar. The tide was still rising so we waited until 6am to proceed up the channel to Kawana Waters marina where we had stayed on our last voyage to Mooloolaba seven years ago. While here we have put in four new 120Ahr AGM Full River batteries. The ones they replaced were eight years old....a very good life for a battery!
After three comfortable weeks in Mooloolaba, it looked like we had our weather window to head further north. We had made an unsuccessful attempt seven years ago to get up to the Great Sandy Strait so were keen to have another go at it. The Strait is between Fraser Island and the mainland entered via a particularly challenging entrance called Wide Bay bar. The timing of the crossing is critical so we had a ten hour sail up past Noosa to Double Island Point on Sunday, arriving just on sunset to anchor at the foot of the famous multi-coloured cliffs overlooking Wide Bay. Soon darkness fell and all we could see were the anchor lights of the other three boats in the bay. Early Monday morning, to our chagrin,our chartplotter wasn't working. We went through anxious moments thinking about our options,then suddenly the charts appeared and we headed for the bar. Conditions were good with light winds and a 1.5 metre SE swell. Nothing could have prepared us for the experience of crossing this bar. First you head toward a beach on Fraser Island. Suddenly the water was standing up all around and, even though we tried to weave our way through, the boat was picked up and carried by the surf several times. Then you need to make a 120 degree turn to head to leads on Inskip Point on the mainland. This is called the 'mad mile' for good reason. The sea was turbulent for what seemed like a lifetime but was probably about half an hour. It was quite spectacular with wavs crashing all around us. We would love to have taken a photo but were too busy keeping the boat on course. Having reached calm waters in Wide Bay Harbour, we decided to motor down to Tin Can Bay where we can relax in a marina for a few days.
The Great Sandy Strait is a wide, shallow, protected expanse of water between Fraser Island and the mainland. Despite the challenges of tides and depth, this is often the preferred route for passage to Hervey Bay and Bundaberg as the alternative, outside the Island, is twice the distance and open to swell and wind. We left Tin Can Bay on Monday September 8th and anchored outside Gary's Anchorage late afternoon. The tide was too low for us to enter the Anchorage but we were in a good position to leave early the next morning for Kingfisher Bay, again moving with the tide to cross through very shallow Sheridan Flats at the optimum time. Just as we were going through a tricky passage with depths of 4 metres and carefully manoevering past the beacons, we spotted a whale very close by but we didn't have to alter our course. It's easy to see why catamarans are so popular in this part of the coast. Late morning we anchored north of the jetty that leads into Kingfisher Resort. The tide was out so we weren't able to get to shore until the next day but were glad that we took the time to have at least a glimpse of this part of Fraser Island. It is famous for its beaches, rainforests, birds and wildlife including dingoes. The Resort is beautiful in a natural setting with a great program of activities and very welcoming to cruising yachties.
We departed Kingfisher Bay at 3am to get some advantage from the last of the ebb tide. We were a bit apprehensive about starting out in the dark but actuallly the lit beacons were easier to spot than in daylight and we were fortunate to have a nearly full moon to help us. It was a long day with fog early clearing to a beautiful, clear day. We were able to use the autohelm once we got into deeper waters of Hervey Bay. The entrance to Bundaberg port begins well out from the entrance to the Burnett River and is well marked and deep. Floods in recent years have silted up the river close to the city and damaged moorings and the central marina so the best option is Bundaberg Port Marina which is only a mile up from the entrance. We've found the facilities are good including a courtesy bus into the city and the excellent Shalom market on Sunday.
Daylight saving time so clocks spring ahead in NSW, Vic and Tas. Our Samsung smartphone jumped ahead not realising Qld remains on EST. I.jumped up at what I thought was 4.30am but it was only 3.30 so had to go back to bed for an hour. At 5.45 we left our berth in Port Bundaberg marina at the top of the tide. By the time we cleared the mouth of the Burnett River the tide was helping us along. Very little breeze so we soon had to take the sails down. We saw several juvenile whales before we reached the fairway marker, just backs and finally one fluke. No sign of mother whales although they would not have been far away.The water was a beautiful aqua. We arrived in Kingfisher Bay late afternoon. Several other vessels were already anchored on both sides of the jetty.We enjoyed a quiet night in anticipation of our return trip through the Sandy Strait.
The tide had turned and was coming in at 3am in Kingfisher Bay. High tide was expected at 8.33 at Sheridan Flats, the shallowest part on our route. We have 14 miles to cover to get there. We were up at first light and weighed anchor at 5.15. We made good time with the incoming tide pushing us along. Just approaching the flats, at Ceradotus, two yachts were heading out, a catamaran and a monohull. They were really powering along and we increased speed to keep up. At 7-8 knots we were well off their stern but followed their general track which was helpful through the shallows. After the flats the water was very turbulent as the tide was at this point receding to the Wide Bay entrance. Our timing was perfect and I was tickled pink with the result. We anchored at Elbow Point just near the tip of Fraser Island at 9.45am. There was a bit of water in the bilge and, on inspection, I found that the water pump was leaking. "Bugger' I thought to myself. Do we risk continuing to Mooloolaba which is about 16 hours away or go down to Tin Can Bay for repairs? What to do??
At 5am we were the first vessel to set out from Elbow Point motoring against the tide but, once we got to the mouth of the Wide Bay bar, we'd be running with it. As we crossed the mouth of the notorious bar we looked to the east and saw that it was like a mill pond. We were tempted to go across but no...continued on down Tin Can Inlet. Arrived at Tin Can Bay marina just as it opened at 8am. This turned out to be the right decision. The marina staff welcomed us back and phoned the mechanic for us. He had the water pump out within an hour, took it to his shop for repairs and was re-installing it after lunch. The mechanic did an excellent job so we'll be ready to continue as soon as the weather allows. We can't speak too highly of the marina staff and Bilge Rats mechanic. Very helpful and very professional.
We decided to leave Sherbro in a berth at Tin Can Bay marina during the cyclone season. Our services are required in more southern climes, housesitting and dogsitting for the month of November, possibly extending to December and January at another venue. There was a bit to do on board before departure...putting the genoa away, storing exposed lines to protect them from the tropical sun. We have a chap keeping a weekly check on the boat in return for French lessons and language materials. The problem of traveling from Tin Can Bay to Sydney presented itself...fly? train? bus? The greyhound bus turned out to be the only option and a 24 hour bus trip proved to be more of an endurance test than an overnight sail! So we're in Sydney getting to know the dogs' routines and acclimatising to inner city living.
We've been in Sydney for a week now and are gradually adjusting to life in the city. The roar of planes as they descend into Kingsford Smith and the constant hum of traffic in Parramatta Rd is quite a contrast to the peace and tranquillity of rocking on the boat in Tin Can Bay. The dogs enjoy their walks and we have a good excuse to get some exercise. We've been into the CBD a few times and Dolores took the train to Bankstown for 3 days of editing work. I walked her to the station at 6am and was back to meet her at 6pm. Long days but a nice change to our routine. Early Sunday morning now and we'll do a bit of gardening today. Gardening is one thing we miss on the boat. We bought lovely pots of herbs at Aldis yesterday and have marigold seeds taking root in egg cartons on the front veranda. Near the White Cockatoo pub we found a geranium plant on the verge for the taking so we're hoping that might discourage cats from the back yard as they annoy the dogs.
The weeks are slipping by so quickly. Most of our time is spent locally as the shops and library are an easy walk from the house and there are parks and excellent swimming pool nearby. We've subscribed to The Australian so it's a treat to have the weekend paper delivered and during the week we read the electronic edition on the tablet. The dogs get on well together, are happy sleeping together and love their walks. The pup is much happier now with our company and the older dog is very faithful. They got a shampoo on the weekend when Carla came for lunch. The back yard has a few patches of green where the herbs and geraniums have been planted. We're enjoying catching up with friends, Tomorrow a good friend is coming to help Dolores get started on a few knitting projects. We're not quite sure where we'll go in December but there are lots of options.
We are into our last week of house and dogsitting in Sydney and have had a grand time. Tomorrow we celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. Seems like only yesterday that we met in Levack and married in Sudbury, then honeymoon trip by train to Banff. We've hired a Toyota Hitop Hiace for a week in December. Plan to tour NSW south coast road, then spend some time in Canberra visiting with Michelle. We'll return the van on the 17th December, then will housesit for friends who have property near Bathurst for a month.
New year's eve finds us in Duckmaloi, a most serene location 14kms east of Oberon just west of the Great Dividing Range. We are housesitting for very good friends and our task is to tend the gardens, cut the grass, etc. The house is set in the most exquisite gardens on 7 acres with about 4 acres of pasture agisted out for cattle grazing. It is truly a lovely environment. We're finding this quite a contrast to inner west Sydney....so peaceful here you can distinguish between the birds calls but fairly remote with no mobile phone reception. This has been a year of contrasts actually ...starting in Adelaide, then back to the boat in Westernport Bay and sailed up the east coast to Bundaberg Queensland with longish stops in Bermagui, Sydney, Newcastle, Iluka and Mooloolaba. Looking forward to getting back on board our boat at Tin Can Bay in the new year. We take this opportunity to wish all our friends good health and happiness in 2015.
This morning is sunny with clear blue skies; at 7am the air is still crisp after a cool night. It is as though we are in a different country. Sydney is sweltering with high humidity and sticky nights while, three hours to the west, we're putting a third blanket on the bed. Yesterday we drove to Bathurst through green countryside, full dams, picture perfect. Our stay here is drawing to a close and we'll miss the panoramic views, variety of birds and fresh garden produce. We've enjoyed exploring Oberon; see similarities with towns in Canada. Like Quesnel, there are lots of logging trucks on the road delivering their load to the mills. The industry means good facilities like heated swimming pool, library, hospital and a substantial dam for town water and water sports (no power boats). We did a historic walking tour of the town and discovered some majestic buildings in particular Ramsgate, a Victorian home built in 1906 and Malachi Gilmore Hall, an art deco building designed by an Italian architect in 1937 and used as a cinema and dance hall among other things. The latter now houses the Cobweb Craft Shop where the tapestries below are on display.
Summer in the Blue Mountains was a pleasant break from the heat and humidity of Queensland but, having been away from the boat for over three months, we were anxious to get back on board. We caught the train to Brisbane, then bus to Tin Can Bay, altogether nearly 24 hours travelling. The boat was in excellent condition. The engine had been started, the bilge was dry and everything was tickety-boo. As we expected, conditions are not suitable for sailing.... a cyclone is now approaching with anticipated high seas, dangerous surf and gale force winds. To explore the area, we looked at hiring a car but, finding nothing available, decided to buy a 2001 Nissan Pulsar we saw advertised on gumtree.com. . It has done a lot of kms but has had regular servicing. Should get us around to visit Maryborough, Hervey Bay, etc while we wait for the weather to improve.
We have experienced a lot of windy, hot and humid days recently but luckily were not directly in the path of Tropical Cyclone Marcia. Marcia formed in the Coral Sea and made landfall between Yepoon and Rockhampton on Friday, February 20th. When it hit land, it was a category 5 cyclone with wind gusts to 285 kms per hour! It caused a lot of damage before it decreased in strength and headed south inland. At the marina we were required to have an emergency plan but fortunately Marcia fizzled out as it passed well to the west of Tin Can Bay. Rivers are flooded in nearby cities like Gympie but we should be able to drive to Hervey Bay and Maryborough later in the week.
We chose Easter Sunday to leave Tin Can Bay. The tides were sutable, the winds light northwesterlies and there would be a full moon for an overnight sail to Mooloolaba. We set off at 10am, motoring slowly out Tin Can Inlet with the tide. Lots of other vessels on the water enjoying the holiday. We dropped anchor just off the beach at the south end of Fraser Island near the busy vehicle ferry landing. By 4pm the tide had turned so we were now facing east. It was time to cross Wide Bay Bar. Following the recommended course of 90', we motored through churning water, keeping an eye on a solid line of breaking waves to starboard. Having changed course following the Inskip Point leads, the ride was rougher along the 'mad mile'. The most challenging section was when we made the final turn and headed south into the shallower waters and surf. The depth got to 3.4 m, we were thrown about but did our best to weave through the breakers and stayed on course. We heaved a sigh of relief when we reached deep water at 6pm. The sun had set and we put our nav lights on for the overnight sail, arriving safely in Mooloolaba harbour at dawn Easter Monday.
Last week we drove from Mooloolaba through Brisbane to Boonah, about a 2.5 hour trip, to visit Ron's sister Maree and her husband Tony. Boonah is in the very beautiful Scenic Rim district of Southern Queensland. There are amazing views of mountains all around. It's popular country for rockclimbers and bush walkers. The volcanic soil is ideal for vegetable growers and we returned with a 10kg box of tasty tomatos, fresh turnips, radishes and preserves. Queen Mary Falls was one of the highlights.
As we watch the tv weather reports showing southerly systems bringing cold temperatures and even snow to Victoria and Tasmania, we're very happy to be spending the winter in the mild climate of southeast Queensland. Kawana Waters marina is very convenient to all amenities and a short walk to the surf beach. In fact, we have been so comfortable that we've even explored investing in a land base here. We looked at options in Gympie, Mooloolaba, Redcliffe and Beerwah but, in the end, have decided to live on the boat for a while longer and sail back to NSW. Our focus recently has been doing preventative maintenance on Sherbro. We've had the steering quadrant refurbished and replaced the steering cables. That will give us peace of mind when we set sail again in early October.
At 2am Sunday 11th October, on a dark, moonless night, we motored quietly out of Kawana marina, down the canal to the Mooloolah river mouth. There was no other boat traffic and we navigated easily through the red and green markers using the blue neon lead lights to guide us into the outer harbour and Coral Sea. By 3am we were struggling a bit in a high easterly swell trying to find our direction in the pitch black night. Finally, using our trusty chartplotter, we found our course heading SE along the Sunshine coast past Caloundra. The many months of not sailing combined with the high swell caused several hours of sea sickness. Sunrise made some improvement and we followed our plan to sail outside Moreton and Stradbroke Islands rather than weave beacon to beacon on the inside passage. The afternoon was more pleasant with a NE breeze allowing us to pull out the genoa. Our speed increased to an average of 7 knots, fast enough to get us to the Gold Coast Seaway at 5.15pm. At 6pm, just before dark settled in, we were safely anchored in the beautiful bay near Seaworld, the lights of Southport glimmering on the horizon.
The colourful high rise buildings of Southport and Coolangatta reflected the sun as we sailed away from Queensland early Saturday morning the 17th of October. There was a medium easterly swell but light winds and seas of less than a metre so we decided to sail overnight to our destination of Coffs Harbour. It was a long 30 hour voyage but good to make progress while conditions were favourable. By mid morning Sunday we were passing South Solitary Island. At 1400 hours we sailed into Coffs Harbour. As the marina was closed, we anchored overnight in the harbour off the south breakwater. Monday we arranged a berth in the marina at the base of Muttonbird Island.
We left Coffs Harbour marina Thursday 29th October at 7am destination Newcastle. We raised the mainsail in the harbour before heading out to sea. It was a cloudy, cool day but sea conditions OK and winds light. We had some assistance from the coastal current and were able to maintain an average speed of 6 knots. We passed by Trial Bay in late afternoon. By night the moon was full and we could see the lights of Camden Haven as we sailed by at midnight. Our two hour watches went well and by dawn Friday we were approaching Port Stephens and the long expanse of Stockton Bight. We did well to reach the entrance to Newcastle Harbour at 4pm after 32 hours at sea. Entering the port was not what we had expected. A high easterly swell combined with an outgoing tide caused waves to stand up, making it difficult to steer. Then, just as we approached Nobbys Head, a whale breached to our stern, producing an explosive sound. Quite a welcome to Newcastle! Just near the pilot boat anchorage we lowered the mainsail and were soon peacefully tucked away in our berth at the yacht club.
Just want to let you know that we are closing this blog site today. We have ordered a DVD to keep a record of our entries and photos and messages collected over the past ten years. Sherbro is now at Lake Macquarie which is quite appropriate as that was our very first destination in 2006. We will put her for sale there. It will be sad to end our life on board but we want to spend more time travelling overseas in the next few years. In July we will fly to Bellingham Washington to catch the ferry to Alaska and then go on to visit family and friends in BC and Alberta. Our sailing adventures have been a great joy and a huge learning experience made even better by sharing with friends like you.