Bermagui to Eden (28th February - 8th March)

We haven't made much progress since the last Blog - approximately 40NM.  Unfortunately the weather gods are just not playing fair with us.

Bermagui Harbour

We ended up spending 8 days in Bermagui (27th February to 6th March) which is definitely a record.  For the first couple of days in Berma we were pretty much boat bound as it was pouring rain so when the rain finally broke on Friday (2nd March) we were off the boat like a shot and headed out for a walk over to the Blue Baths.  On the way we checked out the outdoor sculpture display which was pretty interesting but they picked a crappy weekend for an outdoor display.  The waves around at the Blue Baths were pretty big and we figured swimming was off for the day as the chances are you would end up outside the baths pretty quickly.

Blue Baths

Saturday morning was fine so again we are out for a walk but in the arvo the rain returned and we are back to on board activities.  Finally on Monday the weather turned for the best with plenty of sun and a gently breeze blowing so we just couldn't help ourselves and decided we had to check out the golf course which was still pretty wet under foot but we all had a lot of fun chasing the little white ball around the course (or in Barry's case a little fluoro yellow ball).

The weather looks like it is starting to form into some sort of shape to get across the paddock so the plan is to head down to Eden on Tuesday.   We did find a ripper of a Patisserie in Bermagui called Cream and would highly recommend it if you are ever in the Bermagui area as we certainly enjoyed many a coffee and a little sweet treat or two during our stop over.

Sunrise leaving Bermagui

Tuesday 6th March and we finally put Bermagui behind us and we are off down to Eden. It is a pretty big day (~40NM) so we are up early and our way at first light.  The trip down to Eden was rather pleasant with plenty of sun and light winds (mind you they were pretty close to being on the nose) so we motor sailed all the way and arrived latish afternoon.  As there is a ship in at the naval wharf loading ordinance we had to go around the anchorage off Boyd Town for the night with the plan to head off at first light and get across to the prom.

Seahorse Inn

We are all up early however, yet again the weather is not playing fair and we find that it is blowing around 40kts out at Green Cape and an east coast low is forming a bit further south than first expected so it looks like we are going to be spending a few days in at Eden (definitely not in the brochure).  The one positive is that we are anchored directly off the Seahorse Inn and it is open to guests for both lunch and dinners.  Every other time we have been in this part of the world it has been shut.

As the whole trip is becoming a bit longer than first anticipated and with plenty of things going on at home with renovations, family reunions etc Barry has decided to vote himself off the island so we figure it is the day to stop in for a bit of lunch at the Seahorse Inn which certainly didn't disappoint.  The inn was built in the 1850's and has recently been renovated for guests, functions, weddings etc.  It is a beautiful old building which has had plenty of love and has some excellent views out over Two Fold Bay.
8th March and Barry is off early in the morning to catch the bus home.  It wasn't quite the departure he was hoping for as it is pouring rain and he had the negotiate the creek which was about 3 foot deep to get to his taxi rendezvous point.  We did hear from him a little later in the morning to let us know that he had safely made it to the bus stop.

As there are big swells and wind forecast we figure it is time to move anchorage to East Boyd Bay for the day.  As it is raining again outside it looks like we will spend the day on indoor activities and may even get to make a cake in the arvo.

Based on the current weather outlook we are kind of expecting to be here until Monday morning and weather dependant may head over to the pier tomorrow for a few days before we move on.

Broken Bay to Bermagui (18th - 28th February)

We arrived at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club and quickly enjoyed the wonderful facilities and had a spot of lunch at the club.  After the usual jobs and a bit of pottering around we caught up with Ron, Ros, Brian and Sue from Cloud Nine and went to the RMYC just up the road for a lovely meal and a catch up on our various adventures etc.  Cloud Nine had an excellent day on the water and got a third so a bit of celebrating was also enjoyed!

During our stay at RPAYC Mark spotted a number of new yachts which certainly caught his attention including the new McConaghy 38 all carbon everything race machine,  the super luxurious cruising Buizen 52 and the very fast "Cruising" 66' Gunn Boat

New Buizen 52

66' Gunn Boat

McConaghy 38

19th February

Leaving Broken Bay

It is a beautiful day and after a leisurely morning we leave Broken Bay and head south along the coast down to Sydney - as usual we are staying at the CYCA which almost feels like our second home these days.  The trip down the coast was really lovely with a very gently northerly blowing and still seas so we hugged the coast and enjoyed the awesome coastal panorama.



20th February
Jobs day. Did the washing, Mark serviced the main diesel motor which has now done 1500hrs and did a general clean up on the boat in preparation for the final chapter in the journey back to Melbourne!

21st February
Decided to do a bit of sightseeing and at the recommendation of Sue and Ros decided to take the ferry to Parramatta.  The day started early catching the 9.15am ferry from Darling Point across to Circular Quay where we caught the Rivercat which travels all the way up to Parramatta which takes around 1hour.  It is a really pleasant trip through the harbour and the up the narrow, shallow and windy Parramatta River.  We wandered around Parramatta for a few hours before we headed back on the ferry and decided to stop at the Sydney Rowing Club for lunch.  What a spot which a great location, excellent views and a comprehensive wine list.

Rivercat

22nd February
Our new crew Barry (aka Walu) arrived in the arvo and after settling in we wander up to the club for dinner and met up with two of his nephews that joined us for a meal.

New Farr 400 at CYCA

There was another a new arrival at the CYCA which caught Mark's attention - the new Farr 400 .  As well as the chaos of the Wednesday arvo twilight race there was a new boat / arrival party going on the aft deck of the Farr 400 which we believe belongs to the very well known Matt Allen.


23rd February
We are on our way south again.  First stop is the fuel wharf and then we head out of Port Jackson on our way to Woolongong.  It is around 45NM to Woolongong and we have a light North Easterly blowing and arrive around 4.30pm in time to have a quick shower before heading out for a meal at the local leagues club

Jervis Bay Lighthouse

24th February
The good weather continues at this stage and we have another sunny morning with light winds for our trip down to Jervis Bay.  We arrived at Montague Roadstead anchorage and the north end of Jervis Bay mid afternoon and enjoyed a swim off the back of the boat however we have noticed a distinct drop in water temp which is down to around 23C "BRRRRRRR". 

25th February
As we are spending the day at Jervis Bay we have a more leisurely morning before we head off for a beach reconnaissance.  We originally thought this was going to be a quiet little anchorage but it looks like it is quite a popular spot for all sorts of water craft especially as it is a sunny weekend!.
With great pleasure and relief our dinghy outboard starts first time after the various trials and tribulations we have had with it lately.  We first wandered down to South Long Beach where the boats  launch on the beach only to find someone bogged.  We then walked to North Long Beach where we were lucky enough to get a lift with the ranger to the start of the Green Point walking track which then took us along the coast back to our anchorage.  We had a great stroll and enjoyed a swim when we arrived back at the boat and had a leisurely afternoon on the boat and in the water.

26th February
Back on the road again but today it is a fairly short hop of 30NM down to Ulladulla.  Luckily the harbour is a lot less busy than last time when we were here, which was Easter when all the trawlers are in for the blessing of the fleet, so we manage to find a nice spot rafted up to a big 50' catamaran.  We had a good sail today with a 20kt northerly blowing.  The first time we have sailed (without the motor running) since we arrived back on the boat in Manly.

27th February
The march south continues and we are up early for the big trip down to Bermagui (70NM).  Again the winds are favourable so we are able to sail for most of the day and also have a bit of current just to make the trip a bit quicker.  After a good day on the water we arrived around 4.30pm into the snug little harbour of Berma. 
It looks like our good run of weather is about to stop as we have rain forecast for the next few days and we are also a bit miffed about the wind forecast which seems to keep changing on a daily basis so we are not quite sure how long we are going to be here before we can start making our way south again.

Southport to Broken Bay (10th -18th February)

10th February

On  the road again - Southport to Coffs

Luckily we were able to find someone to fix the dinghy outboard motor so it seems to be running like a new one - at least for the time being. 
We caught up with Colin and Anne from Annacol and had a lovely meal at the Southport YC.  We had the steak dinner special which was pretty awesome!



11th - 12th February
Finally we are moving south again. Depart the hustle and bustle of Southport and head out into the ocean again for the trip straight through to Coffs Harbour (~158NM).  This is Alison's first ocean experience and she seems to have taken to it like a fish to water.  The trip down to Coffs was a pleasant one with light North Easterlies blowing for most of the day however, we did have a bit of excitement when we were hit by a rather large thunder storm during the evening.  We arrived in at Coffs Harbour around 11ish and first stop was the fish co-ops fuel wharf which is never a fun experience but we managed to get in, fuel up and get out without too many issues.

Fuel Wharf at Coffs Harbour

We went for a bit of a boogie board in the arvo which turned out to be an excellent idea as the waves here are very "Di Sized" and most suitable for boogie boarding.  Eventually we dragged ourselves out of the water and on the way back to the boat ran across Malcolm and Kathy from Atticus which was just tying up so decided we would all catch up at the Yacht Club for a meal.

Kathy & Malcolm - Atticus

Dinner at the Coffs Harbour YC

Atticus tied up in Coffs Harbour

13th February

Alison getting ready for a walk

Yet another great day with plenty of sun,  Considering the wet weather that they have recently had along this coast we have been blessed with beautiful sunny weather with only the odd thunder storm in the evening.  As Chris and Alison are heading off tomorrow they have offered to cook up the winnings from The Little Ship Club in Dunwich so it is going to be steak dinner tonight.




14th February
Up early to see Chris and Alison off to the train station.  They are catching the train down to Port Stephens to catch up with some friends before heading home to Melbourne.  
Grant and Leanne from Masala were kind enough to pick us up and take us for a wonderful tour around Coffs and to their new home town of Bellingen.  We had a fantastic day and was good to get out and about a bit and see some different sites.  We now also understand the move to Bellingen as it is a really pretty little spot with plenty of community spirit. Hopefully we might be able to do the same for Grant and Leanne one day if they drop by down south for a visit.

View of Coffs Harbour

15th February
The winds are continuing to blow from the south so elect to spend yet another day in Coffs Harbour.  Luckily we like the place and it does give us another opportunity to spend some more time in the waves which has been excellent fun.
Dinner on the boat tonight as we will be up at first light to continue the southward adventure

16-17th February

Sunset at Sea

*Yay* - the weather is sticking to the plan and blowing from the east so we are out of here and back on our way south.  As the weather is looking good we plan to head straight through to Broken Bay which is around 230NM.  Although there is not a lot of wind to assist there is plenty of current and at times we managed to sit on 10knots SOG so it is certainly going to be a quick trip. 
We had a pretty uneventful trip which is always good and pulled up a mooring at America Bay at around 3.30pm and looking forward to a good nights sleep.
As it is a Friday night there are plenty of boats in the anchorage - we have never seen it quite this busy.

18th February
After a great sleep we are off to spend the night at RPYAC and really looking forward to catching up with Ron, Ros, Brian & Sue from Cloud Nine.  We were also hoping to catch up with Ross & Lorraine from Elvina but unfortunately that does not look like it is going to happen.
On the way down the Pittwater we crossed paths with Cloud Nine who are on their way out to do the Saturday race but will catch them in the bar later and then we are off to RMYC next door for a meal.

Back on the road again - Manly to Southport (Feb 2nd to 8th)

Xmas Day @ Sorrento

After a couple of months at home doing home type things we are back up on Mustang Sally in Manly (Brisbane).  We had an excellent time at home which included some sailing on Ray Bateman's Couta Boat - LOLA and also Al's 80th birthday party.

Al's 80th

As the BOM keeps telling us that there are southerlies blowing it is going to take us a bit longer to head south from Queensland than originally thought so have now moved onto Plan B which involves a nice slow trip from Manly down to Southport via the inner passage.

Lola and Ctrew

Through some earlier communication via US Yachts (the Hunter importer) we were lucky enough to get in touch with the original owner of Sally who strange as it may seem just happens to be in Manly with his newly imported stink boat - Atticus.  We were lucky enough to catch up with Malcolm and his mate Bruce in Manly for a drink but couldn't chat for too long as they had a couple of big days ahead of them sorting out the new boat before Malcolm's better half arrives on Friday,  They are also heading back to Sydney so we are guessing that we  will be crossing paths with them along the way

Chris and Allison arrived on the evening of the 2nd and as expected we enjoyed a nice meal at the Southport YC.  We headed off on Friday morning and did a heady 10NM across to Dunwich - the home of the Little Ship Club.  We had a great night here and the people were very welcoming.  Allison helped out as the barrel girl and did an excellent job as we ended up winning a meat tray and a bottle of wine!

The next day we headed off to an anchorage off Russell Island and had great intentions of heading ashore for a bit of a reconnaissance but unfortunately it is looking like the dinghy and the normally trusty 3.3HP Mariner motor really are now on their last legs as the motor just would not fire no matter how much encouragement it got.  As we were close to the shore decided we could paddle in for a bit of a look see.

After a couple of cruisy days we finally ended up at Tipplers Passage which is a really nice little spot  just north of Southport only to find Annacol which is a Hunter 45CC.  We had previously met Ann and Col at the Marlin Marina when they kindly grabbed our lines for us.  As is usual with cruising boats we decided to catch up for sundowners at 5pm.  During the arvo we managed to paddle the dinghy ashore again and went for a great walk over to the other side of South Stradbroke Island to see the surf and had a walk around the various shops and buildings that are there.

Sally & Annacol

On Tuesday (7th) we were hoping to stop in at Couran Cove for lunch but unfortunately it is only open on weekends so we made the rash decision to head into the madness of the gold coast a day early which may not be a bad thing as it at least gives us a day extra to see if we can get the trusty outboard repaired.

Yeppoon to Manly (16th - 23rd November)

After a couple of pleasant days in Yeppoon we headed off again on our quest to go south.  This time we didn't have far to go as we were off to Kingfisher Bay Resort for a few days which is only about 15NM.   We had a lovely sail to Kingfisher and after a bit of a wander around the resort in the arvo headed back ashore in the evening for Sundowners at the Sand Bar on the pier and a meal.  It was really nice to see a resort up here doing well and there seemed to be plenty of coming and going's every day. 

On the morning of the 18th we thought it was a good idea to have a bit of an explore so did a couple of the walks that leave from the Resort.  The first was up to the look out at North White Cliffs lookout and we then headed off to the McKenzie Pier and then back to the resort past the remains of the WW2 Commando Training centre which was based on Fraser Island. 
After all the morning activity we were back to the boat for a swim off the back and a bit of R&R on the aft deck.

On the 19th we are going back through the Great Sandy Straits.  With a bit of luck and good management we seemed to time the tides perfectly and had current with us all the way and also had plenty of depth to get through the shallows.  We decided to spend the night at Elbow Point which is just around the corner from the Wide Bay Bar as we will be having an early start in the morning to get through the bar at the best time.

Up at 4.00am on the 20th which means we will get through the Wide Bar Bar just at the end of the Flood.  The swells are pretty low at the moment so our exit was relatively gentle which was rather nice as it can get very nasty going across this bar.  We had light north easterly winds so had a lovely motor sail down to Mooloolaba - one of our favorite spots!   Initially we were only going to spend a night here and then head off to Tangalooma (North Stradbroke Island) for a couple of nights but with some odd weather forecast plus I really like Mooloolaba we decided to spend a couple of nights here so we had a good walk around and also managed to fit in a body surf - always a favorite!

Up again early on the 21st and this time we are heading to Manly (just south of Brisbane).  This will be our last sail on Sally until we come back up in January to bring her back home to Melbourne so feeling a bit sad - especially as this means this part of our adventure is actually coming to an end. 
The trip to Manly was quite pleasant although the wind did build to 25knts during the day which meant parking procedures were going to be a bit exciting but luckily one of the locals here helped with our lines which was much appreciated as always.

The next couple of days are going to be spent giving Sally a bit of TLC and pack her up before we fly home for a couple of months.  We will be back up at the end of January when we finish off the trip and sail her back home to Melbourne. 
So far to date we have done around 6200NM (or around 12,400kms) and looking forward to our next big adventure in 2013....

Sorry but we didn't think to take any photos for this entry.

We will be catching up with Leapy Lynda on Friday for a bit of a celebration - she has just finished her first week of work.

This will be the last Blog until Jan or Feb 2012 so thanks for following and hope you will keep tabs on us again when we set off again next year

Southward Bound - Brampton Island to Yeppoon (9th - 15th November)

Things didn't quite work out as planned on the morning of the 9th November.  If the weather behaved itself we were hoping to have a longish day sail through to Curlew or Digby Islands however, the weather didn't behave at all and we were greeted with moderate South Easterlies as we left the bay at Brampton Island so we moved onto Plan B which was to go to Keswick / St Bees Islands (just off Mackay) for the night in hope of better winds tomorrow.  As we approached St Bees we were met by the Marine Parks IRB that informed us that anchoring was not allowed at St Bees as there was a goat cull in progress so after a few mutterings we diligently moved around to the anchorage on Keswick which unfortunately was pretty roly and not that nice at all.  Luckily a bit later in the morning the Parks people got back to us and encouraged us back to the original anchorage for the night which was very polite of them and made conditions aboard a whole lot more comfortable.  By evening we were accompanied by a  number of other yachts all waiting for weather windows to move south. 

A "Tough" Sail to GKI

The forecast for the 10th was looking great with light ENE winds so the alarm was set and we picked up the anchor at 4.45 and were on our way but this time the plan was to do an overnighter through to Yeppoon or Great Keppel Island (locally known as GKI).  The forecast was to plan this time so the start of the 165NM trip began.  The day was all pretty uneventful and we enjoyed very light and favourable breezes so were making good time especially considering the tides that you find in this part of the world.   Just on dusk we went past the Percy Islands - one of Mark's ambitions is to stop and spend a few days at Middle Percy however, yet again this was not to be as we sailed past still en route for GKI.  The moon was absolutely awesome and excellent for a night sail - it was so bright we had shadows on the boat.

The Percy's at Dusk

Remembrance Day and we turned up at GKI mid morning and dropped the pick at Second Beach - before you could blink we were in the water for a refreshing and much needed swim.  GKI was one of our favourite stops on the way north so we decide to spend a couple of nights here waiting for our next weather window. 

GKI Sign Post

When we were here last we did a number of the walks on the island but never made it to the Light House so figured this would be a good thing to do on the 12th.  As it gets warm pretty quickly in these parts we decided that an early start would be best.  The walk was pretty much all up and all down but was great to have a look around the island again.  The view from the Light House was pretty good especially the one looking back over Wreck Beach.

Wreck Beach

Guess Who at the GKI Light

As the anchorage as Second Beach was proving to be a bit roly we decided to move around to Fisherman's Beach which is the resort side of the island.  We kind of forgot that it was a Sunday but soon remembered as we were met by an army of people on this side of the island who had decided to come for a beach day out from Yeppoon.  Despite the chaos we also had a lovely day at the anchorage kind of just hanging out but did go ashore for a bit of a wander around the shops and ended up going to Island Pizza for a spot of dinner!  One thing we did notice as we were sunny ourselves on the back deck of Mustang Sally was the poor condition of our very well travelled Little Red Dolphin.  According to our log the Little Red Dolphin has now completed around 6000NM (or approximately 12,000KMs) and he still has quite a ways yet before we get him back to his home at Safety Beach however, I think we will be approaching the hierarchy at Safety Beach Sailing Club to see if we may be eligible for a new one before we start our next pacific adventure in 2013.  Don't worry we will be finding a good home for our well travelled friend.

Our Very Well travelled Little Red Dolphin

The weather was again looking good so up bright and early on the 14th and this time we are doing an overnight trip through to Urangan (Hervey Bay) which is about 170NM.  The trip started with good winds and in the right direction so we were able to sail for the best part of the day and evening but we ended up motor sailing for the second part of the trip as the winds lightened.  

I got some really exciting news today as Leapy Lynda and I have re-joined the Carlton Football Club which means, we will hopefully, get to a fair whack of at least their home games in 2012.  This isn't going to be anywhere near as easy as it was in 2010 when we were both living in Elwood as it looks like Leapy has moved to Brisbane for a while (she received the good news that she has a job at the University of Queensland starting tomorrow - the 16th) and we now live in Safety Beach however, I am sure with our determination and passion for the mighty blues we will find a way.  

Correct to plan we arrived at the Hervey Bay Boat Club Marina at around 9.00am and are looking forward to a quiet ale or two tonight on the balcony of the Boat Club Clubhouse

Southward Bound - Townsville to Brampton Island (3rd to 8th November)

After a leisurely week in Townsville (one of our favorite spots) the weather is shaping up for a Thursday departure (3rd November).  Despite the Qantas debacle Leapy got herself on a flight arriving on Wednesday arvo so all is well. 

We are all up bright and early on Thursday morning and leave the Townsville marina about 7.00am before the tide gets too low plus we are keen to get on our way south.  If all goes well the plan is to do an overnight sail and end up at Bait Reef, (~135NM) Friday morning for a bit of a snorkel on the outer reef. 

Feeding the Maori Wrasse at Bait Reef

The sail went very well with light east to north easterlies blowing for most of the trip and we were able to pick up a mooring at Bait Reef around 9.30am in the morning.  It is quite a bizarre sight seeing boats parked in, what would appear to be, the middle of the ocean.

We spent a lovely few hours at Bait Reef and did plenty of fish feeding of the back of the boat which included the usual bat fish but also a huge Maori Wrasse and some Dolphin Fish.  We also spent quite  bit of time in the water and did heaps of snorkelling on the coral in amazingly clear water.  No matter where else you go in the world for a snorkel the Great Barrier Reef is definitely amongst the best diving spots in the world.  As mentioned the water clarity was excellent and the coral and fishies we saw were excellent.  We even got to swim with a few turtles which is a first for me.


After an awesome morning at Bait Reef we are off to the Whitsunday's proper for the evening and are hoping to pull up a mooring at Blue Pearl Bay but by the time we arrived late in the afternoon they were all taken so we sail on for a bit longer and stay the night at Bali Hi which is so named as part of the film was shot here.  Up early on Saturday morning to Blue Pearl again in search for an empty mooring and this time we were in luck.  The snorkelling in Blue Pearl is still as good as last time and again we managed to find a tamish turtle to have a swim with.  Juddy and Andrew also decided that it would be worth taking to the water for a bit of a swim with Nemo!

Juddy and Andrew getting ready for a snorkel



Sunset from Bali Hi Island

A bit of R&R for the boys

As we are on a bit of a time frame to get the boat back to Brisbane we can't loiter too long so we head off to Cid Harbour for the night and head into the Hamilton Island Marina for a day of R&R on Sunday,  Hamilton Island never fails to disappoint and is a hive of  activity and there are always lots of fun things to do.  We spent a few hours lazing around the pool and then decided it was time to have the obligatory holiday cocktail before having a yummy meal and the Manta Ray Cafe.  After the busy day we were all pretty stuffed and struggling to keep awake however, Leapy and I were pretty keen to stay up until 11.00pm to watch Casey Stoner in the last of the MotoGP races for the season and we are very glad that we made the effort as it was an action packed race and to make it all the better Stoner pulled out an amazing victory - YAY.

Bye Bye to Leapy Lynda

Unfortunately Leapy had to cut her holiday a bit short.  For those that don't know she took a redundancy package about 1 year ago and has been travelling around to Costa Rica, Bali and Turkey for the best part of the year.  We were hoping that she would be able to do the trip all the way to Brissie with us but it looks like she might be in with a job at the University of Queensland so she figured it was best to get things sorted on the job front.  We were naturally very sad to see Leapy go as she it is always good fun to have her on board and Juddy just isn' the same without his good mate Andrew Walker.  Leapy arranged for a flight out of Hammo early arvo on Monday so we figured it was also a good time for us to start heading south again.  Unfortunately the winds are not all that favourable at the moment with light East to South Easterlies blowing (our course is pretty much SE) however, we did manage to make it down to Shaw Island for Monday evening and have just pulled into Brampton Island for the night.

 The forecast is looking a bit more promising with very light East to North Easterlies planned for Wednesday and Thursday and so hopefully the BOM has it all correct so that we can make some good mileage south over the next few days.