Into the tropics

Sunday, 25 July to Saturday, 31 July 2021

We left Bundaberg early on Sunday morning in a light W/SW breeze for a nice 2 sail reach to Pancake Creek (or so we thought).  Most of our fleet had decided to leave on Monday for Lady Musgrave Island and a route up the reef to the Keppels. We decided on the inner route with an extended stay at one of our favourite anchorages. After the wind went to the north, it was slow going tacking the 20nm to Pancake Creek and 1730 when we finally dropped anchor. There were about 25 boats there and that number remained the same as boats came and left over the coming days  

We spent 5 nights at Pancake Creek and enjoyed the rest after a hectic few weeks (months?) leading up to our departure. 

We enjoyed walks on the exposed sandbanks at low tide and a 7km hike to Bustard Head lighthouse. 

Aircraft beach

One day we kayaked to the outer anchorage - poorly timed as we battled the tide both ways. It was good exercise however and a beautiful beach for morning tea. 

The rest of the time, Warren fished while I read my books and finally finished this challenging jigsaw puzzle. 

On Friday it was time to leave as the wind finally came from the SE and we enjoyed our first day under spinnaker to Great Keppel Island. 

When we passed Cape Capricorn, we were now in the tropics. It might have been my imagination but it felt warmer that evening.

A walk on the beach Saturday morning and then the short sail to Keppel Bay Marina at Rosslyn Bay to rejoin our RQ friends. 

Trying to keep the sea from eroding the beach

Cruising north in company

Raby Bay to Bundaberg 

Friday, 16 July to Saturday, 24 July 2021

After a break in 2020 (like most of the world), we set our sights on a trip up to the Whitsundays this year. We decided it was best to stay in Queensland and not risk border closures. Our club, Royal Qld Yacht Squadron had a cruise planned that fitted our schedule so we signed up along with about 30 other boats.

Our sail up on Friday afternoon was an adventure in itself - 30 knot westerly with gusts to 38kn! Mum came to say goodbye but in the cold and windy conditions didn’t wave from the point as she usually does. 

After a farewell dinner at the club, on Saturday we made an early start for the 55nm to Mooloolaba. 

Another westerly, 15-25 knots so we elected to sail up Deception Bay and duck around Skirmish Pt on Bribie. The wind direction meant the entrance to the Mooloolah River was good with no breaking waves. 

Another early start on Sunday, 6am for us - 4am for some. Spinnaker up for a while but mostly 2 sail reaching in light to moderate breezes. 

Wide Bay Bar was flat and we sailed up to Garrys Anchorage in the dying breeze to anchor at 1730 after 73 nm. 

Yankee Jack Creek and then Big Woody Island which we left at 0700 on Wednesday morning in company with the rest of the fleet.  There are 6 Seawind cats in the group and we got some great photos on the way. A strong WSW so it was a bumpy, wet trip to the Bundaberg Port Marina. 

Scarlett going well

We had 4 nights in Bundaberg, a fleet dinner (top 3 of the Limerick competition¡), trip to town for provisions and a great bike ride to Bargara.

Sydney to Moreton Bay

Monday, 1 April to Saturday, 13 April 2019
We left our mooring in Middle Harbour in beautiful weather in time to go under the Spit Bridge at the first opening at 1015. We headed off with a forecast of 10-15 knots so set the main and genoa for the short trip to Broken Bay. A rain squall that saw gusts over 30 knots hit us as we rounded North Head so we quickly furled the genoa and ran downwind with the squall.

Unfortunately that kept us in the squall as it headed up the coast so it was a wet trip all the way to Coasters Retreat in Pittwater. On Tuesday, we headed into the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Marina for 2 nights to catch up with Jenny and David on Kailani who had circumnavigated Tasmania with us in 2015. We celebrated my birthday with dinner at their home on Tuesday night. Warren sorted through some boat maintenance issues and we did the necessary washing and shopping while we waited for the northerlies to pass.
On Thursday afternoon we left the marina and picked up another mooring in Coasters Retreat in readiness for a early start the next morning. It is about 80nm to Port Stephens, so we were glad of the 10-15 knot SSE wind that pushed us along. More squalls meant we didn't fly the spinnaker but we still had the anchor down in Shoal Bay at 1800.

On Saturday morning we climbed Tomaree Head. This is a popular walk on good tracks that include lots of steps. The track rises 160m but the effort is rewarded with spectacular 360 degree views from the summit.

On the way down, we detoured to Fort Tomaree and the remains of the WWII gun emplacements. These are all that is left of the fort that was built in 1942 to prevent enemy forces entering Port Stephens and reaching the steelworks in Newcastle.

In the afternoon we sailed further into Port Stephens and anchored in Fame Cove. This is a popular all weather spot with 5 public moorings (all taken unfortunately).

On Sunday we got our exercise by kayaking up the creek as far as we could go. When we came back a few boats had left so we picked up a mooring.

Fame Cove

On Monday we motored 2nm to Soldiers Point to see if we could buy some fresh bread. We enjoyed the walk along the foreshore however no luck with the bread so returned to our mooring.

We spent our last day in Port Stephens with a long paddle across to North Arm Cove where we found a nice spot for morning tea where we could watch the yachts participating in the Sail Port Stephens regatta. With over 100 yachts it was quite a spectacle.

On Wednesday morning, with a good southerly forecast, we left Port Stephens bound for the Gold Coast Seaway, 330nm away. 53 hours later, we entered the Seaway. It was a good passage but not particularly fast with the wind directly behind and a 1-2 knot current against us much of the way.

Seal Rocks

Second evening at sea off the NSW north coast

With an incoming tide we decided to push on to Canaipa where we dropped anchor for a good sleep before the final leg home. On Saturday we sailed the last 13 nm home to be greeted as always by Mum on the rock wall of Raby Bay. We had traveled 2651nm in the 3 months we were away.

Eden to Sydney

Saturday, 23 March to Sunday, 31 March 2019

We spent 4 nights in Twofold Bay, the first 3 in Snug Cove, Eden which is well protected from the northerlies that blew. 

Eden Whale Museum

We walked to the shops and around the headland and enjoyed the antics of the local dolphins.

Mussel farm in the background

Good view of Saturday racing in Eden

On Monday, we motored over to East Boyd Bay when the wind finally switched to the south east. This is a very pretty anchorage and we would have liked to stay longer but we wanted to make progress north while the winds were favourable.

Misty morning to leave Twofold Bay

At 0700 on Tuesday we left, intending to sail the 120nm to Jervis Bay. The winds were light and we alternated between sailing under main and genoa and motorsailing. We got the spinnaker up for an hour and a half in the afternoon which helped our progress. When we received the updated weather, we realised that after tomorrow the winds would stall our progress for a while and we decided to push on another 70nm to Sydney. We dropped the sails at 2200 in light winds and were abeam Jervis Bay at 0300 on Wednesday.  We had passed a few fishing boats during the night but the fleets are much smaller than on previous trips up and down the NSW coast. The sails went up again at first light and we enjoyed a good sail until after lunch when the wind died and we were back motoring. 

About 3nm south of Botany Bay we clicked over 30,000nm on our log.

South Head Light

We entered Sydney Harbour at 1710 and picked up a public mooring in Hermit Bay. 

This was a great place to unwind after 34 hours and 207nm sailing, watching the twilight fleet sail by, and taking in the view of the bridge and Opera House.

Great view day or night

On Thursday morning, we enjoyed a walk around the foreshore track to Shark Beach and the historic Greycliffe House in Vaucluse.

Dressing Pavillion built in 1932

Tunnel to the beach to guard the privacy of  swimmers

Greycliffe House, Vaucluse

We then sailed under the Harbour Bridge to Rozelle Bay to where Multihull Central have their office and marina. They run a Thursday night twilight race and asked us to join them.

This swinging bridge was replaced by the ANZAC bridge

Multihull Central marina

About 9 Seawinds and 1 racing cat sailed (and won with daylight second). Racing on Sydney Harbour is chaotic! We did have a close encounter with a Manly ferry when we tacked towards them before quickly tacking back. Locals said if he didn’t blast his horn at us then it can’t have been too close but we kept a much better watch after that. 

Manly ferries are BIG up close

We were second Seawind just a boatlength behind the Seawind 1160 Lite Pegasus. A BBQ afterwards ended a great day in Sydney.

On Friday morning we sailed back up the harbour and into Middle Harbour, where we went under the lifting Spit Bridge. It opens 5 times a day and was easy to negotiate. 

We spent 2 nights in Bantry Bay and then another night in Sugarloaf Bay. This area is a mix of expensive houses built on steep blocks of land and native bushland.

Bantry Bay is the site of munitions magazines built during the first world war. They replaced old hulks that had been storing explosives on Sydney Harbour. The facility was closed in 1973 so boats are now welcome in this protected bay.

Munitions magazine built into the hillside

On Saturday we had some rain in the morning and very strong northerly winds. In the afternoon, we planned to do the walk up to the Bluff Lookout and were all ready to go when we heard an enormous crack. I turned in time to see a huge gum come down in the area we were going to walk. Needless to say, we decided to wait until the next day when the winds had eased a little for our hike.