The Great Sandy Strait

The weather coming up through the strait was great, I got about half way and was looking for an anchorage when I went aground and with a fast falling tide I was stuck fast. The tide still had about 2 hours of run out, so by the time it was low tide she was listing about 45 degrees.

I had to wait for a further 2 hours for the tide to come in sufficiently to float off, find some deeper water and anchor. VMR Sandy Strait were very helpful with info on tides, currents etc.

Next morning, yesterday, I completed through the strait and have come up Burnett Heads, long trip, 14 hours, and no wind to speak of so it was motoring all the way. having a day off in Burnett Heads harbour today, re-fueled, done an oil change and my washing and shopping. Now at anchor in the harbour having a "rest"

My apologies for offending everyone with today's photo, but Chez particularly requested it.

Some Photos

They don't appear to have come up in chronological order, but they are, and I think you'll work out which label goes with which photo

1 Horrible weather coming up from Mooloolaba

2 Wide Bay Bar

3 Frazer Island ferries

4 Paragon aground and listing

5 Benign Great Sandy Strait weather

some terrible weather and some good

I left Mooloolaba for The Great Sandy Strait last Tuesday, and had some good sailing conditions for most of the way. I had to anchor over night behind Double Island Point as the tides were wrong for getting over the bar at Wide Mouth Bay. It was a terrible night with a lot of rolling and heaving on the anchor chain. I got up during the night and let more chain out, 35 meters and this settled the boat down a lot.
Next morning when I went to pull in 35 meters against a 15 knot wind and 2 meter swell was quite a feat. I usually put the main up before bringing anchor up, but I had to drop it again this time as she kept trying to sail off against the anchor even with the sheets loose.
It took half an hour but eventually got it in. Didn't put main up, just used the jib.
Going over Wide Bay bar was an adventure in itself. There is a dog leg half way through it and it takes about 40 mins to get right over. At one time I was picked up by a wave from behind, it was about 4 meters and I surfed down it, the stern was on the crest and the bow in the trough, with white water surging on either side. It went on for ages, probably only 5 seconds or so, but when I checked my GPS for maximum speed for the day it was 15.8 knots!!

Another Wet and Windy Day In The Sunshine State

Today has been another day of rain storms accompanied by strong winds. Most of the time the winds were in the right quarter, but all over the place so I was constantly changing sails from running before the wind to a beam reach and occasionally a beat into wind, then it would start all over again.
I did a good time up to Double Island Point where I'm anchored now in relative calm waters, sheltered behind the point. I say relative, but it is still pretty uncomfortable, rolling a lot and the occasional rain shower with strong winds.
I have to wait here until tomorrow morning's high tide to cross Wide Bay Bar and into The Great Sandy Strait. High tide is at 9:30 and I want to get there a couple of hours before that, so I'll be leaving here at 6:30, with a one hour trip over to the bar.
Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day, but I was forever walking somewhere, grocery shopping or getting bits for the boat, that I was pretty tired by last evening. I left the marina about 5 and went outside the river and anchored in the bay. A reasonable night, but I was in bed and asleep before 8:00
I don't know how much internet coverage I will get going up the strait, so this might be my last notice for 2 or 3 days until I get to Burnett Heads and gave another day off.

I've just put 4 pictures on, hope it works OK; if it does then they are 1. Sunrise leaving North Point; 2. The tanker I had to avoid; 3 & 4 Today's sunny weather!

In Mooloolabah Marina

I was up early. 02:30 and underway from Surfers by 03:10, winds much lighter, and a long slog up the eastern shores of Stradbroke and Morton Islands. Pretty low, sand dunes most of the way, no population so no internet signal. Had some very heavy showers at times. Eventually after about 60 miles Cape Morton, at the northern end of Morton Island appeared out of the gloom, (remember I'm now in the Sunshine State). I eventually had to start my motor to get around the Cape and avoid the off shore rocky islets and shoals. Just around the corner there is a sheltered bay where I eventually dropped anchor. It was beautiful and calm with just a light swell. Unfortunately the way Paragon was lying was across the swell, so I had a bit of a rock 'n roll night.
The trip yesterday was fairly uneventful, from Cape Morton across to Mooloolaba, where I have treated myself to a night in the marina and a day off today. I did have a run in with a tanker, he was on a collision course with me and slowing down, eventually I saw a pilot boat coming out and I knew he was dropping off his pilot right on my track. I called him up on the radio and I agreed to alter course and pass behind him, he was very appreciative.
Last evening I was able to catch up on the washing and a have a proper shower. Today is shopping and a few jobs to be done on the boat. I'll leave here late this afternoon to avoid paying another $40 marina fees, then go out into the bay, anchor overnight and get another early start tomorrow.

Arrived In The Sushine State

Spending my first night in Queensland at anchor in Broadwater bay, Surfers Paradise.

Uneventful day, stronger winds today 25 - 30 knots, getting used to this fast sailing. Had a bit of a problem getting around Fingal Head, had to tack severely to get clear of the reefs of of the head. After that it was pretty plain sailing to Surfers.
I did have to take avoiding action, I had a power boat on a collision course with me, and, as I was under sail I thought he would give way. it was obvious that he wasn't and then I realised that he was a RAM (restricted in ability to manoeuvre) and he had right of way. he had a catamaran in tow which was what made him a RAM. I only had to make a small alteration to course to avoid him.
Tomorrow I'm heading north around Stradbroke and Morton Islands and probably wont get internet coverage until I get to Mooloolabah on Sunday evening.

A Good Day's Sailing

Today was one of the best days sailing I've ever had, perfect winds, 18 - 20 knots behind all day with the occasional times up to 29 knots.
I had to spend an extra day in Iluka due to strong wind warning, but now I'm anchored in Byron Bay and will leave early tomorrow morning for Surfers Paradise, about a 9 hour trip.
Temperature has increased markedly and for the first time I'm not wearing a jumper.
Only disaster today was that I lost my favourite beanie overboard when I was anchoring here. Very upset, but it was a Marine Rescue beanie and I've asked Chez to order me a new one

Another Day In Iluka

Didn't go to day, put off by strong wind warning. We had about an hour of strong winds and they were no where near the 30 knots forecast. Tomorrow is going to be the same, have to see how it is in the morning.
Went over to fuel wharf to re-fuel. That's about the only thing that happened today.

A day Off In Iluka

I'm spending the day in Iluka, my favourite NSW coastal village. I arrived here last night about 8 o'clock after a long 14 hours from Coffs Harbour. The first 5 hours were really good and I was sailing at between 5 and 6 knots, then the wind swung around to on the nose and increased to 15-20 knots. I started to use the engine, but the seas increased and I was doing a lot of tossing which made it very heavy going, and slowed me up to about 3 knots. I had been trying to make the Clarence River entrance around high tide, but this slipped dramatically and I arrived at about half ebb tide, luckily the bar was pretty good and the outbound current only about 1 knot. It can get up to 5 knots at times.
I dropped anchor as soon as I was inside the harbour, had a couple of glasses of wine and went straight to my bunk.
The previous day from trial bay to Coffs had been excellent with winds on the beam and 10-15 all the way, so that was done in record time and I spent a comfortable night at anchor in the outer harbour.
Tomorrow I'm heading for Byron Bay where I'll anchor for the night in the bay.

First day at sea.

I didn't leave yesterday, Friday as there was still a gale warnig, but today there was only a strong wind warning, Bit aprehensive as it is my first solo sailing for 2 years.
Good winds for the first half of the trip and I was doing 6-7 knots. Winds died off in the afternoon, but I still did it in record time, (for me). 7 hours 50.

Now at anchor in Trial Bay, watched a lovely sunset over the mountains and it is quite mild compared to Port Macquarie.

Intend an early start tomorrow for my run up to Coffs Harbour

The weather is against me

After all the problems with the engine and the prop shaft, I thought at least the weather would be kind, but today, the day I scheduled to leave, there is a north east gale warning! Its a pre frontal gale and once the front goes through later today, the wind should turn southerly. Tomorrow is forecast to be up to 35 knots from the south, but Friday it will have settled down to a nice 15 - 20 knots. So unless it settles down early, I won't be leaving until early Friday morning, but with a good southerly behind me I should be able to put a few miles behind me fairly quickly.

Panic this morning after spending my first night aboard, I couldn't find any clean undies. I've walked home to see if they inadvertently got left behind, but no. I have spoken to Chez in Sydney and she says they are on the boat somewhere. If I can't find them I'll have to buy a pack.

Spent this morning really getting boat tidied up and everything put away.

Back in the water!

I was expecting to be on the slip at least until tomorrow, but imagine my surprise when I went down to the Marina at about 10:00 and Neil said "Its all finished"
He had been able to free the seized shaft, clean up the bronze bush and get back in. I was back in the water by 11:00.
Spent the day taking bedding and last minute items down, but have decided not to leave until Wednesday morning, early. One last night at home, then Chez will take me to the boat tomorrow morning before heading off to Sydney. I'll be able to get all the rigging done ready for my early start on Wednesday

Finally got Paragon up on to the slip on Friday afternoon; it was too late to get much done, though Neil did pull the prop off and look at the shaft. It hasn't got a bearing as such but a bronze bush to which the shaft has seized. When he gets it out on Monday morning he will try and replace the bush with a proper bearing.
Hopefully I will be put back in water on Monday afternoon or sometime Tuesday. I should be able to get away the next day after going in.
Its just about loaded with all necessary stores etc so I should be able to make a quick getaway, only 3 or 4 days late. Still hope to reach Mackay by 19th August.
Chez is going down to her sister's on Tuesday for Dawn's 75th birthday; she'll be away for about 6 days.

Engine problems

I finally got the engine running yesterday, after Matt Hollis had re-fitted the high pressure fuel pump. Took a lot of time to bleed the system through, but it was good to hear the mighty roar of my 2 cylinder, 15hp Yanmar.

Only problem now is the seized shaft and Paragon has to be lipped to get it fixed. At present there is another boat on the slip; it was supposed to be off late last week, then early this week, now late this week. I can't see me getting up on to the lip before Monday and down on Tuesday, then depart Wednesday, 4 days behind schedule. This should still give me time to get up to Mackay by 19th August to meet Chez.