Wednesday Sailing and Sunset

WISC 5 22nd March

Folie A Deux was a bit slow in the light winds and heavy slop and seemed to point poorly making the windward leg of 5 miles seem like forever. The excitement started after rounding the spoil ground buoy. The spinnaker was hoisted but took its tackline with it then decided to pull the boat to windward with great force giving the boom a wash. The beast thrashed about shedding its snap shakles and the debate about having knots in the spinnaker sheets was settled when it was discovered that they had gone to King Neptune. Paul and Dick assisted in the spinnaker retrieval and we narrowly missed a very surprised David Bingham returning from Tassie in Mirrabooka. Mel and Karen cheered us up with some lunch. The wind then blew with great force making the final legs of the race lumpy but the best bit from my point of view was the ride back in sunshine and the G&T's afterwards. We're 4th in the series still and looking forward to spinnaker practice before the next race on April 5th.

The Return Journey

Mersey Yacht Club Devonport

Sea Eagle spotted on the leads our of the Tamar

We set off on Tuesday afternoon, 14th March for Deal Island but the weather man had it wrong and the wind blew up whipping up the swell and the contents of Bryan's stomach so after a few hours we turned back , found or way throught he moored boats in pitch darkness to the public marinas at Georgetown. There we had ANOTHER beautiful hot pot cooked by Mel and a big sleep in. By now it was getting to be a bit late to head for Deal or the Prom so we headed out the next afternoon (no point in hurrying) and pointed towards the heads. As it was getting dark and Bryan was recovering from the night before , we stayed the night in the Mersey at Devonport. The Mersey Yacht club have a floating pontoon for guests (great as the tides are big), a bar that is open every night and a very welcoming commodore. Best of all were the hot showers. Refreshed, we set off again at sun risefor the big blue. I could not convince Bryan that a slight deviation to the west out of the shipping lane might save us having to dodge ferries but during the night they were well lit and acknowledged radio contact and dodged us! We were able to sail for about 8 hrs during the night and had flat seas , dolphins and more wonderful scones ..made by Mel. We arrived at the heads just before the start of flood , stayed the night at QCYC and made it home Saturday in time for the WISC

Cruising Group Reunited

Sunday 15th Cruising group reunited over a beautiful meal

Back Downstream to Beauty Point

Early morning Sunday 16th saw us cast off at Launceston before the mud could trap us and head down river with a stop off at Rosevears in the hope of a cooked breakfast , coffee and a loo stp. They didn't open til 1100 then didn't have the coffee machine working! We met Howard and Cathy Strong on a 50 ft steel ketch Amanda plan to who were learning the ropes with a big plan to sail away into the blue.

Launceston

Today, Friday 13th March we woke to a horrible smell and the sight of half of the adjacent marina berths showing bottom ...mud...at low tide. Bryan was determined to go to TAmar MArine to check for necessary boat bits and insisted on going in the dinghy. Unfortunately the tide continued out leaving it impossible to get back until the tide rose again . Coffee at the The Mill , the off up Cataract Gorge where , tea..but not Devonshire Tea was had in Bryans absence. Currently its sun down but Bryan and Pete are in a cleaning frenzy with the availability of tap water ....no water conservation here....to wash down the topsides.

Up The Tamar

Thursday 12th March we headed up the Tamar to Launceston stopping at Rosevears pub for lunch with YKnot. We were running a little late for the tide so had about 1 kt of opposing tide which meant we got there a little late than high water. We had no difficulty manoevring into a marina pen

Georgetown Maritime Museum

Wednesday 11th

We motored over to Georgetown , Had lunch aboard at the marina and went to the Maritime Museum where ther is a replica of the boat that Bass and Flinders circumnavigated Tasmania in. Its held together by 10,000 wooden nails that are wedged in . Treenails or trunnels . There was a replica of the whale boat that a guy called Kelly circumnavigated in ..called the Elizabeth.

Some great boats of the Tasmanian variety in the marina. Basically spent Tuesday trying to find a coffee in the town... capa machine but no beans at the only food shop in town.

We were greeted at Beauty Point by Ron Chandler in his tinnie and guided into a pen. Funny thing was Ron took a picture of us. Possibly all the yachts he has stay...any way this is Tasmania.

Monday 2.30 pm. Mel looks disbelieving as we enter the Tamar ...yes safe at last. We pass Low Head then Pilot Bay and on to the Tamar YAcht Club Marina at Beauty Point

Sun Down Moon Up

The sun went down at 8pm with a beautiful pink glow and an almost full moon came up. We started with 2 hour watches but unfortunately after missing a Travacalm Green by one hour only Bryan became a little indisposed. Mel sleeps very soundly so watches became 4 hours and the wind swung round to the east sitting steady at 10-15 kts . We shook out a cautious first reef and turned up the iron headsail and scudded along in the dark at an unbelievable 8 kts!!!! wind on the beam. I kept checking the windspeed in the gusts for the inevitable lift into the 20's but it never came and by mid morning we were in view of TAssie. Whoa. What relief as we called into Tamar Sea Rescue and Port Control and pointed to Low Head. PS Dovie took 32 photos of dolphins

Crossing Bass Strait

During the day the wind stayed in the SW at 10-15 kts and the crew , exhausted from the early start took it in turns to sleep enjoying dolphins , views of the Bass Strait Ferries and avoiding downstairs "where Chuckie lives".

Mel left her hat with John from "Kathleen" as a memento and we all held our breath as we headed off in relative darkness. It is surprising how difficult it is to judge distance in the dark at 0400 heading to the heads. We lined up 4 fingers west , and radioed Lonsdale Light who informed us of the incoming vessel . The GPS had a bit of a disagreement with the lights but the Coast Radio Melb man came to the rescue and Folie moved further west as per instructions and the huge ship slid past to Port . We were off! THere are no photos of this bit as it was dark and all abit tense.

The Big Trip To Tassie

Saturday 7th was D-Day. The weather at Queenscliff was glorious but the forecast was for south westerlies until sunday night which, if we left on sunday morning would only give us 12 hours worth then swinging round to the east...just the direction we were heading. Now the rule of cruising is to sail with the wind behnd the beam so by Capt Sue's reckoning we should head to Port Fairy and enjoy the aftermath of the folk festival. By Capt Bryan and bosun Pete's reckoning we were intending to go to TAssie and thats shere we were going. Mel quietly remained neutral. Given that the worst forecast was 30 kts which would be as we got to Tassie thus not for long Capt Sue aquiessed and thought we'd better get going ASAP to make the nost of the SW wind...ie at 4 am slack on Sunday morning. Admiral will from "Andalucia" is a man of principal and if it blows east go west so his plan was to head to King Island for a nice day hop. Enya opted for a later start , as did Lena. Happy J and Y KNot were already out and headed east to beat the easterlies, not stopping at Queenscliff.