Night Lights 18th & 19th July

 

Fuel jetty at Cabarita Marina - look out for the rocks and the ferry wake!

 

Our stay at Cabarita Marina was a very pleasant one. We found the IGA at Breakfast Point and purchased some stores to keep us going for the next few days. The day was sunny and warm so we looked into all the bays we had bypassed on the way up river - Five Dock Bay, Lane Cove River and Blackwattle, Rozelle and White Bay. These last three are accessed through Darling Harbour, but by now I am getting used to the traffic surrounding us as we travel. Peter, of course, was never worried by it anyway.To get there we had to motor through the Old Glebe Island Bridge which has been partially dismantled so that you go through one of the spans with the top removed. Careful lookout needs to be kept in case there is a boat coming in the opposite direction. Immediately after this is Anzac Bridge (commonly known as Madonna's Bra) then right into Rozelle Bay or left into Blackwattle Bay. We cruised around looking at the huge motor boats (small ships) cruise ships, tugs, etc, then anchored in a designated anchoring area in Blackwattle Bay for lunch. We decided not to spend the night there as the Anzac Bridge is very busy and noisy.

 

Going through Old Glebe Island Bridge, Anzac Bridge behind.

A decision was made to relocate to Athol Bay, near Taronga Park Zoo, and put up with the ferry wash rocking and rolling us about in order to get a good view of the city lights for a night. This morning we were awoken by the "Whoop! Whoop!" of apes and monkeys as they greeted the new day. There are five courtesy moorings in Athol Bay and they were all taken for the night. This morning Peter and I decided to take the beautiful bush walk to Chowder Bay for a coffee before we headed to Middle Harbour for the weekend. We had just climbed back on Rene when the rain that had been threatening all morning arrived with a gusty bluster that had us diving for shelter. Lucky us!

Once the weather settled a bit and we had lunch we made the break for Middle Harbour and Spit Bridge. We knew we were cutting things fine, as the last bridge opening for the day was at 2.15pm, but had decided to take one of the courtesy moorings near Shell Cove if we missed it and wait for tomorrow's 10am opening. However we did make it and the man operating the bridge waved us through, so here we are in Sugarloaf Bay on one of the courtesy moorings along with three other boats. We are surrounded by steep bushy hills and reserves. It hardly seems possible that Australia's largest city centre is only a few kilometres away.

  

Cabarita Marina 17th June

Today we decided it was time to move on up the Parramatta River. As we slowly chugged west past many small bays chocked full with moored craft and acres of suburbia, we decided to look into the possibility of securing a marina berth for the night. After more than two weeks out on the anchor we had used most of our water and were at the stage where a soak in the shower would be a good idea. There is a lot to be said for the old bucket bath and we have practised it down to a fine art, but eventually the yearning for a shower cannot be denied. Greg had told us about Cabarita Marina and we contacted them to find they had room for us, showers, laundry, kiosk etc.

An oil tanker leaves Gore Bay as we arrived in Balls Head Bay

Cabarita Marina is located on Cabarita Point and near the entrance to Hen and Chickens Bay. We were instructed to tie up at the fuel jetty next to the marina while paper work was completed. This is an interesting experience as there are some unforgiving looking rocks just to the north and front of this jetty. Luckily for us there was no ferry steaming past at the time we berthed as we didn't realise the effect the bow waves had on this area. We do now, after observing one of the fast ferries travelling upstream at a rate of knots, leaving us bouncing about like drunks staggering and stumbling up the pontoon. Our pen is on the inner most pontoon and is quite protected from the surge. Unfortunately the cost is $70 per night, but we are after all in Sydney Harbour and the facilities here are new and clean and the staff very friendly and helpful.

Our trip up the beautiful Parramatta River from Balls Head Bay was most enjoyable. The weather was superb, sunny, warm and the river sparkling in the sunshine. This afternoon we walked for about 8 kms up river and back around Breakfast Point and the newish housing development there. This is high density living, but well planned with attractive apartments and acres of open space and native gardens lining the river. The water bags are full, laundry is done, Peter and I are showered (hair washed, oh bliss!!) and we are looking forward to another couple of weeks out on the water.   

Sydney 10th to 16th July 2013

The Battery World people at Brookvale were very good and delivered the new alternator/regulator to us at Balmoral on Wednesday. We spent the morning hovering about waiting for them to contact us and explored the Balmoral Beach area from end to end. There must be an active group of people regenerating the bush reserves behind the beach as the new plantings of native flora are flourishing and beautifying the area. Quite impressive. At midday we decided to buy lunch and of course that was when the Battery World man arrived.

In the afternoon Peter fitted the new alternator and we motored around the outer harbour towards Rose Bay and back along the northern shores. The problem was obviously solved.

On Thursday we moved to the courtesy moorings near Middle Harbour Yacht Club. Greg thought it would be better to leave the dinghy on the lawn near the Dinghy Sailing Club when we caught the bus up to Neutral Bay for dinner with him and Leisha. While we were waiting for the bus at Spit Bridge we started talking to a man who informed us that we were supposed to have pre-purchased our tickets. Of course there was no place to buy them there, so we were in a bit of a quandary. After some more discussion we found we were bound for exactly the same place so our man hailed a taxi and we rode in comfort to Wycombe Road. He insisted on paying for the taxi as he said his company would pick up the tab as he had been at a PD day. People are very helpful and friendly - even in the city. Our meal with Greg and Leisha at Ta Ta Thai was, as usual, scrumptious. It is such a delightful place to eat out and only a short walk from Greg and Leisha's apartment. Luckily when we arrived back at the dinghy the area was reasonably well lit and in the dark we were able to see Rene clearly.

By Friday we were low on stores so we decided to motor over to Manly to stock up for the weekend at Quarantine Bay with Greg and Leisha. Coles is close to the water front where we anchored, just to the north of the swimming baths. The ferries arrive at the jetty close by, which made interesting viewing while we ate lunch. Just as we were leaving Coles Peter noticed that a fellow had walked his cat down to the shops. It was sitting next to  his bag at the front of Coles and did not seem perturbed by the multitudes walking past. What a cat!

Peter and I anchored in Quarantine Bay just under North Head for the night. On Saturday morning we walked up to the old hospital area and watched for Greg and Leisha. They anchored next to us and we spent the weekend exploring the North Head/Manly area. The weather was superb, so we had a relaxing break with them.

This week we have decided to take Rene up the harbour to the west and explore beyond The Bridge. As this was probably one of the least busy times, after lunch on Monday, we set off along the northern shores. Things still became busy off Circular Quay and at one time we had six ferries heading towards us. It turned out to be interesting rather that scary and we enjoyed the trip. At present we are anchored in Balls Head Bay which is a dedicated anchoring area for small boats. This bay is surrounded by bushland areas. Nearby is HMAS Waterhen which is alive with Navy business. On the other side is a deep bay which houses large oil storage tanks and so far we have seen two ships coming and going from there. We watched the tugs manoeuvre a huge oil tanker out from this small bay when we walked around Berry Island. This bushy little area is not actually an island but is joined to the mainland by a low parkland lawn area at the end of our bay.

Today we decided to walk around the bush reserve, that flanks Gore Bay, to Greenwich. We had read that there was a row of small shops up on the hill which included coffee shops. Peter likes his coffee. Surprisingly the walk was through wet, shady rainforest type vegetation. Huge Tree Ferns, Bird's Nest Ferns and various others grew thickly amongst the stately gum trees. We continued on to the Ball's Head Reserve and came across the derelict Coal Wharf. This area has had a lot of money spent on it as a community park. There are community gardens there and also the Centre for Sustainability. It was a most interesting area to explore.

Sydney 7th to 9th July

We are in Sydney!!! Yay!!! We have just done 2 159nm from Albany. Greg and Leisha  phoned us to say they were coming through Spit Bridge on the 10am opening and would see us soon after.
The bridge opens at about 2 hourly intervals on the weekend to let boats in and out of Middle Harbour. It opens during the week as well, but not quite so frequently I think. It was wonderful to see them and have both yachts anchored together at Balmoral. We all went ashore and had brunch and then walked up the steep steps to Middle Head for a view of the main harbour. Great day!

 We have had no problems until the last part of our trip when Peter noticed that the alternator was sporadically overcharging the batteries. He contacted Battery World and was advised to get a new alternator. The old one was 28 years old, so I guess that was a good innings. At the moment we are waiting for the Battery World man to advise us when he will deliver the new alternator to us here.

Trip To Sydney 5th & 6th July

The morning was cold, clear and still as we pulled the anchor and motored out of Chain Bay. The forecast was for NW going W up to 20-25kn of wind later in the day. This would be on the nose as usual at the start, but sounded OK. For the first 4 hours the wind was very light, but as we headed north it grew in strength, so that by midday we were just south of Jervis Bay in strong winds. Both north and south of Jervis Bay the cliffs are huge, reputed to be highest in Australia. They are certainly impressive. At this stage the wind was coming directly out of the entrance to Jervis Bay and the sea was very lumpy. As we had to motor right across the bay to find any relief from the wind and the anchorages there are still exposed, we decided to go on to Crookhaven River.

Sailing along the cliffs we noticed two whale watching boats sheltering beneath, watching whales. One whale came very close to us. So much for keeping 100m off them. What if they don't keep 100m away from you - lawmakers? Yachts don't travel that fast. We had a false sense of security behind the cliffs and once we left them behind the true strength of the wind became apparent. By now it was gusting well up to 35kn and settled in at 30kn from the west. Of course this made a quick trip, but it was very uncomfortable in short choppy seas. Peter decided to shorten the sails and this meant getting very wet and cold. Once this was done we realised Crookhaven was not an option as the entrance would be untenable. We decided to go on to Sydney.

After we phoned Greg, who told us that the wind there was light, our decision was confirmed. As we got closer to Sydney the wind eased and we coasted through the Heads at 4am. A ship was sailing out at the same time and as we couldn't see it amongst the background lights, the AIS proved its worth. Eventually we could see it against South Head as we cruised past Middle Head into Balmoral Beach. Dropped the anchor at 4.45am and fell into bed at 5am.

 

Cook's Pigeon House (Cook must have been politically correct here. Doesn't look like a pigeon house to me!)

Chain Bay 4th & 5th July

As the weather forecast for the next few days was N/NW winds and strong wind warnings, we decided to relocate to Chain Bay, on the north side of Batemans Bay. This is a lovely bay that has good holding in sand and is reputed to be calm in these winds. It was. We spent a couple of comfortable days there with beautiful views of Maloney Beach and surrounds. The only small problem was landing the dinghy, usual problem of surge up the beach and not getting soaked on landing.

We found a very nice little coffee shop come deli where we indulged ourselves both days. The small suburb of Maloneys Beach is neat, surrounded by forest and on the east side by Murramarang National Park. We noticed that there were mobs of kangaroos relaxing on the beach reserves. Later in the evening they migrated to the gardens and were doing a wonderful job of mowing the lawns. One disadvantage of this was that my ability at advertising myself as a mobile restaurant for small critters meant I ended up with a hungry hitchhiker, a roo tick! Soon sorted it out! An early meal and we were in bed ready for a 4am rise for the trip to Jervis Bay.

Coffee shop at Chain Bay

 

 

 



Batemans Bay 30th June to 3rd July 35" 42.9'S 150" 11.4'E

That insane music of the mobile alarm rang out at 2.00am. The trouble is if you don't answer it the thing continues on indefinitely - no sleeping in! Helen and Brian heard us making preparations to leave and came out to wish us a safe trip and help us let go the lines. Thank you. Hope we catch up soon. The Bermagui Bar was behaving beautifully and we were underway, motoring to Batemans Bay. Actually we spent about two thirds of the time sailing today which was a change and as our route took us close to the coast the scenery was stunning. We sailed past many cliffy headlands interspersed with golden beaches. Again there was more forested land than cultivated.

We made good time and at 11.30am we approached Batemans Bay Bar. The weather was superb and the bar calm, the only ripples on the water being on the sandbanks to the north of the channel. The bar was crossed gingerly at 2 knots and at one stage there was 0.2m under the keel. The water was murky and muddy so no seeing the bottom. Luckily it is sand and as planned the tide was rising, so if we got stuck it was a matter of waiting for a bit more water to continue our journey. Peter had organised a marina pen for us for two days and we docked at midday after and incident free trip.

The facilities here are good with toilets and hot showers not far away. The town of Batemans Bay is a little over 1km walk along the rock walls retaining the river. Once in town coffee shops and eating places line the banks and we found a very nice place to sit and observe the activities on the river and walkway.

I have had a continuing blocked ear problem since leaving Port Fairy so we decided to bite the bullet and do something about it. We were advised to front up to the local hospital emergency department for treatment. Anyone who has done this before knows that you should not be in a hurry. Three hours later, after a syringing the problem was solved and I can now hear perfectly for the first time in a couple of months. Yay!!!!

Today is the 3rd of July and we are going to do a small shop and pay our marina fees. Peter is now filling the water bags and then we will motor over to Chain Bay on the north side of Batemans Bay. We may be there for a couple of days as there is a strong wind warning N/NW, of course exactly where we plan to go. Our research tells us that Chain Bay is a secure, comfortable anchorage in northerly weather and the holding is good in sand. Sounds good to me. Murramarang National Park extends into Chain Bay so there should be some exploring to do to keep us occupied over there for a couple of days.

Bermagui 28th to 30th June

We have decided to stay an extra day at Bermagui, partly because another yacht tied up alongside us making four rafted up from the jetty and that meant we were boxed in, and partly because this is the first sunny day for quite a while and we intend to make good use of it. Later we plan to walk to Wallaga Lake some six kms along the coast.

This is quite a crowded little harbour and that means, for the first time, we have had to raft up alongside other boats. We are the third from the jetty, the first a large trawler, the second is a large motor vessel being partly charter boat and the home of Brian and Helen, then there is us and until early this morning an older design wooden yacht out from us. Very cosy! Everyone is very polite and the general etiquette is to walk around the front of the mast and not the back to protect privacy. On the shore adjacent to the harbour is a new two storey building which houses the Fisherman's Co-op, amenities for boaties, several café/bar/restaurants, gift shop etc. The upstairs coffee shop has a lovely outdoor seating area where it is very pleasant to sit admiring the view of the harbour whilst sipping your cuppa.

 

Still has surf across the entrance.

 

 

 

 

After a good night's sleep we awoke on our first morning to be greeted by Brian and Helen (Peter met them previously in East Boyd Bay) and they informed us that they intended to take a bus to Bega for the day. We thought this sounded like a good idea so 9.30am found us lined up at the bus stop with half a dozen other people. Peter flashed his Senior's Card and BINGO $5 bus fare for both of us to Bega, 65 kms drive through some very scenic countryside. What we found out later was that this was a return fare. That's value! Bega doesn't have a lot to recommend it, except more shops than Bermagui, but it was a pleasant interlude and we restocked the larder from Woolies and saw a place we have not seen before. On the way back the bus driver (a very friendly bloke) stopped at a roadside stall and everyone piled out and bought pumpkins. Great day.

Yesterday was gloomy and very overcast, almost thunder stormy looking. We decided to catch up with some domestic chores in the morning and then went for a walk along the beach in the afternoon. Again we heard the Bellbirds in the Spotted Gum forest on the edge of town. They sound so beautiful. Helen had offered us the use of her washing machine and dryer (luxury) so I caught up with the washing. Brian and Helen invited us over for roast dinner that evening and we had a wonderful evening on board Furneaux Explorer. Brian and Peter disappeared upstairs for some time and later I found out that Brian had been showing Peter some of his favourite spots up the coast. Local knowledge is very handy. Thanks Helen and Brian for your hospitality and friendship.

 

Peter with the Spotted Gum 'Octopus'

Today is our last day in Bermagui as there appears to be a good weather window for our next foray north to Bateman's Bay. Apparently the bar at Bateman's Bay is trickier than here so we need a high tide and fair weather to cross it. That means we will have to be up at 2.00am to arrive at approximately midday to catch the high tide in. It will be about 40nm and again there is not much wind forecast so I suppose it will be more motoring. At least our entrance here is absolutely calm now, so there should be little trouble getting out. 

Eden to Bermagui 27th June 36' 25.6" S 150' 04.3" E

East Boyd Bay was a very different scene to the one we left four days ago. The beautiful blue/green water was now Cadbury milk chocolate brown and the remains of the ocean swells rolling through the bay crashed onto the beach in such a way that there was no way we could go ashore. Brown foam had built up along the shore making the beach look like someone had been out with the dirty detergent. The anchorage was comfortable and we had a restful nights sleep and were up early to prepare for the trip to Bermagui some 40nm north of Eden.

 

We have an informative guide book called 'Cruising the New South Wales Coast' by
Alan Lucas which we consult and read carefully before we travel to the next anchorage or port. Also our chart plotter has detailed charts of course and a great feature we have found since beginning this trip. There are little cameras dotted along the shore and at first we thought this meant it was a scenic spot. It turns out that if you click on the camera you get a great a aerial shot of that particular place. Very handy for visualising where you are going. After doing all the homework I was a little concerned that Bermagui has is a river harbour and therefore involves crossing a bar. Lucas and several locals told us it was fine, plenty of water and quite safe. Hmmmm!!!

We spent the day admiring rugged headlands and white sandy bays mostly surrounded by forest and tended to forget the swell that was still 2.5m or so since the wild weather a couple of days ago. The wind all day was again on the nose, NE at about 3kn. We rounded the headland ready to line up the leads into Bermagui Harbour when suddenly Peter and I realised the reality of the entry. Waves were breaking right across the entrance and as by now there was no turning back Peter gunned the motor and in we went through a maelstrom of white water and foam. I did the really brave thing and shot below and didn't look. I thought a screeching crazy woman on deck was not a good look for the numerous photographers on the rock wall photographing the proceedings. Two other runabouts followed us in so I guess it was all in a days fishing for them. What an adrenaline rush! Anyway we arrived in a calm little harbour literally full of boats. We were allocated a space on the Fisherman's Co-op jetty and here we are, enjoying being here safe and sound and sipping a glass of wine.

 

Just south of Bermagui. The bar swell was not quite this big.

   

 

Eden 23rd to 26th June

We have just spent the last four days at Eden, partly sheltering from the weather and partly reprovisioning. The first two nights we tied up to the Eden jetty, which was interesting as there were the biggest tides of the year, so Peter was kept on his toes tweeking the ropes. Once the lines were correctly positioned we found a café for a coffee. As we walked in both of us noticed a gorgeous painting of Eden fishing boats in the harbour. We wanted it - both of us. We rarely like the same paintings. It was decided to think about it and come back tomorrow if we couldn't live without it.
Of course we purchased the painting. Here it is, my 60th birthday present. (Good excuse anyway)

 

 

After two days on the jetty the weather became considerably worse with strong wind warnings and heavy rain predicted for the Eden Coast. The jetty is no place to be in this weather as the surge into the harbour constantly sends boats crashing into the jetty. A decision was made to anchor in the bay just beyond the moored boats along with three other visiting yachts. It was comfortable there, but very wet as it rained without stop for two days. At one stage Peter must have had a bad case of cabin fever as he thought it would be a good idea to go and do the shopping. There was a huge black cloud making its way steadily towards us and I questioned his judgement. I was told firmly and somewhat irritably, I might say, to get in the dinghy. Well guess what. We got soaked just as we were unloading at the jetty. Both of us were totally drenched. I will not mention this episode again!!!

Today the weather is much improved so after motoring over to the jetty and filling up with water, walking up to the town to wash and dry some of our wet gear and purchase a few final stores we left for East Boyd Bay. We will be spending the night there and in the morning will be up early to make the journey to Bermagui, 40nm north of here.

Fashion Statement

It has come to my attention that there are those of you out there who are 'impressed' with my fashion statement of lime green heater socks on the outside of the trackies! Like all up-to-the-minute, good fashion there is method here. I am perhaps a bit phobic about leeches and having been on the East Coast before and been appalled as the hungry, slimy little critters made their wriggly way up my shoes I decided to make things more difficult for them. I don't like being regarded as leech lunch!

Liz and wombat at Refuge Cove,  Wilsons Promontory

   

East Boyd Bay near Eden 21st June 37' 06.5" S 149' 54.4" E

Nine o'clock found us slumbering peacefully in our bunk when all of a sudden I thought I was woken up by Peter asking if there was any muesli on board. It took a couple of seconds to realise that someone was hailing us and asking if anyone was asleep on board. By the time Peter had stumbled out of bed they had gone. During the night a naval ship had docked at the jetty and they must have come to tell us we were not allowed to move until it had loaded and gone. This jetty is where they load explosives on the naval vessels and although you are allowed to stay if already in the bay you are not allowed to move until the ship has gone and the all clear given. We also discovered that we were out in the middle of the bay. During the night it had looked like we were almost on the beach. Distance is very deceptive at night.

Peter rang the Harbour Master at Eden to find out how long we were to be here and also if we could move closer to the shore. That was OK so we motored closer to the beach and settled in for the day. The naval ship wasn't expected to leave until 4.30pm when it is almost dark, so we decided to stay for a second night and spend the day exploring East Boyd Bay. What a bonus! We had a lovely day there. Out came Lily and we stocked up with snacks and water and rowed ashore to have a look around. Behind the beach was a small estuary and being so still the reflections were superb. A track lead over the hill to the next bay so off we went to see what was there.

The bush reminded me of Clackline, same stony, clay ground and although the trees were bigger it looked a lot like that area. After a twenty minute walk we discovered that we were at Kiah Inlet and the historical site of the old Davidson Whaling Station. The National Parks and Wildlife Service had installed paths and signs to explain what had happened here. There was also a weatherboard cottage known as Loch Garra and sheds up on the hill that had been restored. It is such a beautiful place amongst the forest.

On the way over the hill we noticed some very beautiful bird calls in the distance. We thought they could only be Bellbirds and as we got closer to Davidson's cottage the birds and their calls surrounded us. It sounded like many clear little bells being rung out in the forest. Later we discovered that they were indeed Bellbirds. On our way back to East Boyd Bay we could hear the Bellbirds in one direction and the insane 'beep, beep, beep' of the forklift loading explosives onto the naval ship in the other direction. I couldn't help reflecting on the contrast of sound and activity.

In the end our naval ship did not leave until after 5.00pm so it was a good thing we had already decided to stay another night before heading off to the town of Eden to restock the boat with food, water, fuel and gas.

 

 

 

Goodbye Bass Strait 19th & 20th June

We departed Refuge Cove in fine, calm weather with only a small swell entering the opening.  The wind was predominately ESE and very light the whole way to Gabo Island. However, it was a forgettable trip, owing to the mashed up seas in this area. At times it was so bumpy that we both felt vaguely seasick and couldn't do much below. After the bumpy seas at the beginning of the trip, the seas started to get spikey, then around Point Hicks the sea looked prickly. Stranger little prickles stood up on the top of the waves. There was a swell coming in from the west and another from the south east as a result of a huge depression in the Tasman Sea. Compounding all this must have been various competing currents. I'm glad Bass Strait is behind us.

As soon as we had rounded Gabo Island and began the trip north the seas flattened out, the wind whispered in from the west and we sailed comfortably up to Twofold Bay and the town of Eden. As we arrived at 1.30am we decided to go to the south part of the bay to a smaller bay called East Boyd Bay. This was behind the Naval Munitions Wharf and as there were no navy ships in we could go around it into the bay and anchor. This was a sensible place to go as it is well lit and has no troublesome shallows to avoid. We were in bed and frozen at 2.00am.

Refuge Cove, Wilsons Promontory 17th to 19th June 39' 02.5" S 146' 27.9" E

Refuge Cove - what a beauty! By the time we set anchor and watched for a while to see how things stood the daylight was disappearing fast.The sun sets at 4.30 pm around here, being behind the mountains. The anchorage was surprisingly rolly as we were held side on to the reflected swell rolling around the point. Luckily we felt secure enough to ignore it and slept soundly.

Tuesday morning dawned clear and we found ourselves surrounded by densely forested mountains, blue sky and a lovely little golden beach lined on either side with large granite boulders. Out came Lily. We hadn't used her since Kangaroo Island, so it was a good time to air her out. Again we had to dodge the surge and little breakers slapping onto the beach. Our landing was well timed and after carrying the dinghy above the high tide line we set off to explore. Our part of the bay had a stream running in at the corner and two camping areas, one for hikers and one for boaters. I couldn't think why the segregation, but there it was. In the boaters camp area many of the crews that had come through had signed in with varied "we were here signs'. It was interesting seeing who had come before us and at what time of the year. Most had come in summer of course, but we did find two or three others who had been there in winter. We took a twenty minute walk through the forest to the northern end beach and observed that the swell was much larger here and that we were definitely in the right place.

After lunch we decided to take one of the bushwalks south of our bay. The path soon crossed a small bridge over the creek we had seen in the morning and upon coming around the corner we spotted a wombat grazing on the green grass at the edge of the water. Now we knew who the lawnmower was. The banks of the creek were lined with beautiful trimmed green lawn like grass. Our first wombat in the wild and he/she stayed long enough for us to get a good look.

Our bushwalk took us on a 3km climb to the summit of Kersop's Peak from where we had a wonderful view of the whole area. At this distance the sea looked calm and blue, but we knew there was a decent swell out there as it was still rolling across the entrance to the cove. It was quite a climb and we were pleased to get some exercise after a couple of days at sea.

On Wednesday a window of opportunity opened for us to make the long trip, 220nm to Eden, just over the Victorian/NSW border. As we left the cove Kersop's Peak was dwarfed amongst the mountains of Wilsons Promontory. Yesterday we thought we had done a decent climb. Must be coming from WA. Over there it would have been a big one. We motored most of the morning with little or no wind and later in the day the wind picked up enough to sail.

 

 

 

 

 

Around Wilsons Promontory 17th June

From Oberon Bay we looked out and decided the sea and wind had settled a bit from yesterday, so we headed out to have a go at rounding the Prom. This is the southern most point of mainland Australia and also ours on this trip. We tacked up to the point in the lee of the Prom and thought we were doing OK. Once we poked our head around the bottom end things changed dramatically. The sea was a rough mixture of swell and current and us punching into it. Wind (20kn) and spray were going everywhere. Some of the waves were huge and Rene bucked, tossed and belly flopped off backless waves all the way around the southern end. FUN!! Unfortunately, due to the conditions, we didn't really enjoy the dramatic scenery all around us. Also there is a Traffic Separation Zone here that directs shipping around the point. You are allowed to go directly across at right angles only if necessary. Of course a ship came along and we had to keep an eye on our position and it as well.

The lighthouse came into view and then thankfully it wasn't long before we could bear away and head for Refuge Cove on the eastern side of the Prom. It was still rough, but at least a little more comfortable off the wind. Soon Refuge Cove entry came into view and we blasted in through the opening amongst the rolling swells. Once inside the sea calmed down and became flat. We tucked into the southern corner, which seemed to be the most sheltered and were glad to drop the anchor after four hours of unpleasant, 22nm sailing.

 

 

Apollo Bay to Oberon Bay, Wilsons Promontory 15th & 16th June

We made all the usual preparations to leave, put everything away where it will not fly around if things get rough, tarp over the bed to stop it getting wet (there is a small leek there), pay the Harbour Master for our stay etc, etc. I asked Peter to go and look at the entrance to see if it was calmer. It sounded like it was. He came back and assured me it was OK, so off we went.  It looked rather lumpy as we approached, but not breaking, at least not then. We had just cleared the rock wall when I happened to look back and see a wave break across most of the entry. 'That was lucky,' I said, actually with a bit more panic than that and possibly a few choice words thrown in. Peter must have had a really good look! I guess we were lucky, but Mr Ocean just wanted to let us know that he was still in charge and watch out! It wasn't dangerous so much as we would probably have got pretty wet.

The passage across to Wilson's Promontory was lumpy and ESE winds from 0 to 18 knots the whole way made it hard to do anything below. The overnight passage was hard to take. Like all one nighters you don't get into a routine and no-one wants to go outside at 2.00am when it's freezing cold. It seemed to take an age to finally get close to the Prom, but once there we found that the western side was beautifully calm. Oberon Bay looked like paradise, albeit a rather wet and cold one, so we went in and anchored for the night. We couldn't face going around the corner in the 18-20kn winds just then. What a lovely bay, very mountainous, rugged bush and long sandy beaches. We had a wonderful, peaceful night in Oberon Bay.

Apollo Bay 12th June 38" 45' S 143" 41' E

We're back! It is s-o-o-o cold! Out with the warm gear again! Rene was sitting next to the wharf where we left her, the only difference being a few more bird poos on the deck. Thank you to all the Port Fairy people who have kept an eye on her, especially John, Joy, Doug and Kev.
After taking a look at the weather forecast we decided that it would be a good idea to make a start for Refuge Cove on Wilson's Promontory tomorrow, with the idea that Apollo Bay would be a useful stop over if the weather deteriorated. We walked up to the IGA and stocked up on stores and generally made Rene ready for departure on Tuesday.

Before we left in the morning we phoned Joy and John to say goodbye and thank them for giving us such a good time here. They came down, had morning tea and saw us off. Joy brought a present of a small bucket of Melting Moments for us to munch on for the next few days. They are delicious! Yo- yos is probably a better name for them as the only thing that is melting here at the moment is the ice-bergs. John gave us an MP3 device with several books on it listen to when we are underway. Thank you Joy and John and we wish you fair winds and happy sailing in SE Asia when you go back in July.

We set off at 11.30am with very little wind and plenty of light cloud. We motor sailed the 83 nm to Apollo Bay. A decision was made to call in there for a few days as when we checked the weather at 1am we noticed that there was going to be a strong easterly (we're going there!) Wednesday and copious quantities of rain on Thursday. So here we are, after motoring around very slowly until dawn gave us enough light to tackle the entrance safely. Contacted the harbour master and were allocated a pen at $22 per day and will stay here for the next couple of days until the weather improves. There is a fish and chip shop next to the marina and I'm thinking this should be a good place to indulge. I have just noticed that the wind is beginning to whistle in the rigging!

Bass Straight in winter! We must be mad! We thought that when we bought a DVD that some bloke produced about the anchorages around Bass Straight. He went in winter and our reaction was, 'He must be mad.' Well here we are and very glad that we have not hurried too much as even in winter it is a beautiful place to be.

 

 

Apollo Bay Marina and entrance.

 

 

 

 

Sculpture outside the fish and chip shop, Apollo Bay Marina.

 

 

 

 

Apollo Bay

 

 

Goodbye Great Australian Bight, Hello Bass Strait   13th June

 

 

Now I can say it. The Great Australian Bight treated us well - no unpleasant surprises. In fact, we found some very lovely and interesting places and friendly people. When we eventually sail back we hope to travel more slowly and do the places we missed.

 

 

 

This is our marina entrance today. I'm very glad we came in yesterday. Photos never really do justice to the real thing and at the moment this is no place to be.  We spent this morning reading and sleeping in as the rain and wind battered our warm little cocoon. Peter estimated it to be 35+ knots.  By mid morning we were able to make a dash to the shower and afterwards met up with Brian, the Harbour Master. An hour or so was spent in his office checking out anchorages on or around Wilsons Promontory and beyond. Local knowledge is advantageous when sailing in unfamiliar waters. Also he had the warmest office and it was dreadful outside.

 

 



Another wave rolls past the entrance.



 

Here I am cooking up a storm in the galley while outside the real thing rages.

 

 



 

 

OMG! Thank goodness that sign was there! I nearly walked off the edge!

Really this has to be one of our 'Nanny States' top ten efforts at sign pollution.  



Townsville and the Wedding

We have had a very warm and wonderful break in Townsville, staying with Peter's Dad at the retirement village at Rowes Bay, and helping prepare for Karin and Paul's wedding.  Catching up with Peter's family was an added bonus. I'm sure Peter and I are a kilo or two heavier as we indulged ourselves with plenty of eating out and sorbets/ice-cream at Juliettes on The Strand.

The Wedding

Prior to the wedding Karin's bridesmaids organised a day trip to Magnetic Island for her Hen's Party. The day was beautiful and we spent most of the time relaxing in Arthur Bay swimming and picnicking there. An evening meal at Cactus Jack's finished off a lovely day.

Karin and Paul's wedding was held in the Queens Gardens under a huge Rain Tree. What a perfect spot as the filtered light kept the temperature down and provided a cool green backdrop for the ceremony and photos. Of course she looked gorgeous and Paul a very handsome groom. I noticed I was not the only one reaching for the tissues.

The Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club on The Strand, was a great place to hold the reception and the relaxed tropical atmosphere overlooking the bay provided the perfect place for a good party. Everything went according to plan and everyone had a wonderful time. Many people came from WA and I think they were very impressed with Townsville. The food was fantastic, the photographer did a great job and the decorations beautiful. Excellent organisation everyone.

The photographer provided a box of dress ups, masks, hats, wigs etc so that later in the night, when people warmed up, everyone had a lot of fun on the dance floor. What a great idea. This is my sister, Linda and the bride in party mode. Even Billy Connolly turned up in the form of my brother Geoffrey. There was a very daggy mullet wig that he put on and everyone was amazed at the transformation. Unfortunately there is no photo evidence of that yet.