16 September onwards
The plan was to stay at Keppel Bay Marina for 3 weeks which would include Susie making one of her trips to Canberra for DVA, whilst allowing for occasional visits to Great Keppel Island if and when the weather was suitable.
With this plan in mind I decided to finish a project which I had started in January – complete varnishing to the teak toe rail which is attached to the sides of the boat. When I started the project we were on a swing mooring in Sydney Harbour and I was only able to do the bits accessible from the top, this time we were tied to a dock which made the work easier. The first step was to unscrew the D shaped metal strip. I’m still wondering why they used different sized screws in different places! Susie catalogued where all the long and short screws were used and labelled all the pieces of stainless steel including the nylon backing. As the timber had be varnished a couple of times with the stainless steel in place there were big ridges of old varnish to be remove, plus the cleaning of the stainless prior to re-installation. Lots of work! We managed to complete the starboard side before the marina asked us to move to another berth. Fortunately the strong winds had eased and we were able to move tying up with the port side to the dock this time.
Having moved, I got stuck into varnishing the port side teak rail when we had a call from our friends David and Jill in Mackay. In the meantime DVA postponed there planned meeting which meant that we had a much easier timetable to get back to Keppel. and then DVA cancelled Susie’s meeting in Canberra.
David and Jill have recently purchased a 37ft Prout catamaran in Cairns called “Shamali” and were in the process of slowly delivering it to the Gold Coast with a few stops on the way to entertain friends and family. Jill decided to take the opportunity to fly home for a few days, so I volunteered to help bring the boat from Mackay south to Keppel Bay Marina, leaving Susie behind to finish the varnishing.
I caught the bus from Rosslyn Bay via Yeppoon to Rockhampton and then the Greyhound bus to Mackay. The bus left Rosslyn Bay 20 minutes late, I explained to the driver that I need to get to Rocky to catch the Greyhound, he made up 10 minutes in less than an hour, good bloke! Standing around at the bus depot we were told that the Greyhound was running 20 minutes late, ho-hum. When it arrived at the Rocky depot was a huddle at the back end with much pointing in the engine bay. The driver thought he had broken a fan belt, but no, he had lost the whole pulley! Fortunately there was a spare bus at the depot so after shifting all the freight we set off an hour late.
Poor David had to meet me at the marina gate at 1:30 am. Next morning the wind was strong and directly on the nose, so we stayed in the marina and enjoyed the beer and fish and chips. The following day, Saturday 6th October we left Mackay Marina and headed south in light winds and anchored at Cape Palmerston near Sarina. The next day we covered 65 miles, some motoring but mostly sailing with the wind abeam. We anchored at Calliope Island just south of Poynter Island, putting out a stern anchor due to the swell creeping around the island. By dawn we were pitching into a 0.75m swell and still at anchor! We left as soon as we could see where we were going and made it to Island Head Creek that night.
The defence forces were undertaking military exercises in their Shoalwater Bay area. We saw helicopters and grass fires which had probably been started by the fun and games. It’s beautiful spot but as the northerly winds were forecast to continue, we moved on the following day to Port Clinton, utilising different anchorages to the ones we used on “Water Music” because of the wind direction. On Wednesday, we sailed into Corio Bay. It is a barred entry which would normally be too shallow for “Water Music” but “Shamali” being a cat and with a much shallower draft was able to enter easily. Another beautiful spot! After a quiet night we sailed on to Keppel Bay marina the next day to be met by Susie and Jill arrived back from the Gold Coast that evening.
Next morning David, Jill, Susie and I used the marina 2hr courtesy car for the shopping expedition into Yeppoon fetching adequate supplies for a three week trip.
Having replenished supplies, we set off for Great Keppel Island together. As usual the bay rolled and we had to set a stern anchor, “Shamali”, being a cat was luckier. While we were there we had a call from Ashley in Townsville, telling us to look out for a boat with Tasmanian Ham radio operator aboard, but unfortunately he had just left the anchorage, heading towards Pancake Creek.
Next day, in a very light north easter we headed south across the entrance to the Fitzroy River and Rockhampton, passed Port Alma and anchored in the waterway between Curtis Island and the mainland waiting for the tide to change and for “Shamali” to catch up before motoring a further 8 miles to anchor for the night at Badger Creek. Monday 15th October we commenced our carefully planned trip through the Narrows. Not only is it narrow and winding it is very shallow in places, in fact the shallowest part is 2.1 metres below land low tide! Fortunately we had tides in excess of 4 metres. The idea is to motor southwards on the last of the incoming rising tide, transiting the shallow spot at high tide, then continue southwards in deeper water with the ebbing tide because the water shed is at the shallow spot. The plan worked well, we never had less than a metre below the keel and we had the added safety of being able to follow the shallow drafted “Shamali”.
If dealing with the tides and the laws of nature was stressful enough, then transiting Gladstone Harbour with all the construction traffic, dredging, barges and shipping, was really quite scary. We anchored at Observation Point on Facing Island, from where we could observe the harbour traffic from a safe distance.
The following day in NE winds of less than 8kn we set off across the main channel towards Pancake Creek. As luck would have it three big ships lined up behind us, the first and largest was 984ft, doing 8.3 knots, no wonder Susie asked me to steer! After motoring at 6 kn we made it to Pancake Creek before half tide and were able to enter the inner and more protected area.
This is one of the best and prettiest places on the east coast and is one of our favourites. We all went for the walk up to the Bustard Head lighthouse and were very fortunate to be met there by Stuart Buchanan who was the last light house keeper to have worked there and together with his wife has been instrumental in getting the light house restored. It will soon be open to the public but as a special treat Stuart allowed us in. Susie chose not to step out on to the circular verandah and because of my height I was asked to remove a crow’s nest which Stuart could not reach without a ladder. We spent several days enjoying this lovely anchorage. We even caught up with John VK7ZZ from Tasmania who was helping deliver Duncan’s yawl “Coel Mar” to Bundaberg. It’s great to meet face to face after talking to people on the radio. David decided to give “Shamali” a bit of a bottom scrub on a sand bank so we all got mucky, even Max had a bit of blue on his back. “Shamali” left for 1770, which is too shallow for us.
The following day with a favourable forecast we left Pancake Creek for Port Bundaberg, “Shamali” later leaving 1770 following behind. As usual we trolled a line, ever hopeful! Then bang, the line went off and there was Susie hand over hand hauling in a blue marlin! The big fish bent the hook and spat it out, which is just as well, as neither of us could kill such a beautiful looking fish.
We covered the 65 miles from Pancake to Bundaberg in just under 12 hours. Max was his usual stressed self, even his with medication which does not appear to last very long. The wind had reached 25 knots by the time we arrived, which made the option of anchoring in the basin a safer option than trying to get into the marina and our allocated berth was not accessible due to the low tide. We moved in the next day without any trouble and were soon surrounded by boats arriving from Port Vila as part of the Port 2 Port race / rally. Busy time for the marina and we were very lucky to get a berth.
The forecast southerly blow came through and coated the boat with fine grit and dust, inside and out, ho-hum. We hired a car and visited the Hinkler Museum in Bundaberg, very interesting. While we had the car we did some shopping and toured some of the local attractions such as the turtle colony at Mon Repos and the lovely local towns of Bargara and Burnett Heads with it historic lighthouse.
We have enjoyed meeting several of the boat crews who are part of the Port 2 Port race. One of the boats, “Aurora B” with Mike and Liz, from UK, Mike is the the Roving Rear Commodore for the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC), we have been members since our Atlantic crossing in 1984. You can only be a member after completing a 1000 mile non-stop ocean passage.
We are planning on staying another week as Max is relaxed and the stress of going sailing with him is hard on Susie. I think they should both be on valium! The “Shamali’s” have headed south towards Fraser and the Gold Coast. Hopefully we will see them next year when the head north again. In the meantime we are enjoying Bundaberg, it’s the Lighthouse Festival today and the Beerfest tomorrow – tough life!
Susie made a few notes while I was away on “Shamali” so I have pasted them on the end for a different perspective.
Friday 5th October 2012
Nick left last night, taking the bus into Rockhampton where he is to then catch the Greyhound bus to Mackay to help David on “Shamali” to sail down the coast to Rosslyn Bay. Jill having taken the opportunity to fly back to the Gold Coast to spend time with her Mother on her 86th birthday, Jill will then fly to Rockhampton and then the bus to Rosslyn bay to meet up with David and “Shamali”.
So, I am all on my lonesome, well almost as I have “stressed to the max” Max for company. We began the morning with a long walk along Kemp Beach. Max was very reluctant at first without his best buddy but as soon as we reached the beach he was in his element. It was quite windy but sunny and the seas very messy after the gale conditions of the last two days. We came upon a smallish turtle (the carapace would have measured approx 20” x 14”) up on the high water mark and as it was low tide it would have suffered in the sun. I lifted it while it flapped flippers indignantly while taking it down to the water and then I released it into the sea where it recovered finding its way into the waves, it was such a thrill!
My mission today has been to do a number of jobs, some delegated by Nick and others I have added to the list. Nick had removed the port side rubbing strake stainless and stripped the timber back and he and I had masked up, he also had put two coats of varnish on, leaving me to do more. Today I manage to apply two further coats. Not easy while trying to deal with “stressed to the max” Max (he’s missing his best mate).
While I varnished, the washing machine was on, so that will mean some ironing tomorrow. I also whipped an untidy rope end (he will never notice). Another job he has left me to do is too clean of the stainless rubbing strake while it is off and I have begun this too and should complete it tomorrow.
Saturday 6th October 2012
Not happy with Max, who peed on the carpet this morning – he really is losing the plot. I removed the carpet and water blasted it, then hung it over the boom to dry.
Nick and David stayed in Mackay yesterday and left today for either Sarina or Cape Palmerston. We spoke briefly while they were off Hay Point, underway using the “iron foresail”. I had another brief call from them letting me know that they were at anchor at Cape Palmerston and all was well on aboard.
In the meantime I managed to get the final two coats of varnish to the port side teak rail and clean a bit more of the stainless rubbing strake, by cleaning, I mean, scrapping all the old varnish off. It is bloody hard yakka!
Sunday 7th October 2012
Max is just so stressed, I went outside to do something - had only been gone a couple of minutes and he’s peed on the small piece of carpet tin the master cabin. Another carpet washed.
I texted Nick to say there was a lovely 10+kts of wind from the north east, just a gorgeous day.
The remainder of the day Max spent on his lead by my side shaking and panting as I worked, cleaning and polishing the stainless rubbing strake. I had to rig and awning as it was fairly warm in the sun as neither Max nor I can take the sun, so there we both sat under my little awning working my fingers to the bone.
Just before lunch the owner of the boat in the next pen came and once his guests were aboard he started the motors up and I could not believe my eyes he proceeded to drift down onto “Water Music”, then he tried to power out, catching us aft of the beam. There was nothing I could do. Nick had only just finished the starboard rubbing strake varnish and now this! When I saw him coming back in, I quickly tied the dinghy along our starboard side as he appeared to be having trouble coming in astern, not easy with so much windage in 15kts NE. Eventually he chose to come bow in. The guy came to see me later, he was most apologetic. I don’t think he has had the boat long and he really does not know how to handle it. When I had a good look our rubbing strake, we have only two relatively small bits to re-varnish, but the other boat has an extensive and expensive scratch about 6 metres long and 3 mm deep in his gelcoat.
Back to my work! I managed to get the two shorter stern to amid ship pieces stainless “D” strips and packers on by myself, but eventually had to avail the offer from John off “Carno” to help with the remaining longer forward pieces. Off we went to find John, and two large dogs unleashed on the dock bounded in our direction, I quickly scooped up Max but one of the dogs latched onto his right rear leg, Max yelped in pain. I was not amused to say the least and complained to the owner that the dog had bit my dog. The retort came back, but she has no teeth. Still not amused I told the owner that regardless of no teeth their jaws are quite strong had bit mine and he was hurt. They apologised, but Max limped for the remainder of the day and into his walk the next morning.
I’m absolutely buggered!
Monday 8th October 2012
The forecasted northerly picked up to a steady 15kts and is expected to freshen later this afternoon, which it did indeed to 20-25kts. “Shamali” and the two guys will be having some fun. I wonder where they are? There was talk they may head to Curlew, then the Percy’s, followed by the Dukes, Cape Townsend, Island Head Creek, Port Clinton, Corio Bay, Great Keppel Island, then Rosslyn Bay. I suspect they may be at the Percy’s heading for the Duke’s today.
Even after the morning walk with Max, which usually perks me up, I remained pretty knackered today after yesterday’s big day of cleaning and polishing then replacing the stainless rubbing strake. But eventually I decided to pick myself up and have a tidy and clean up. My goodness, I must be nuts, because I then did the ironing.
Had a call from Jill this afternoon, she is arriving on Thursday afternoon and I will meet her here at the Marina. Have not heard from “Shamali” but that was expected and is not a concern as there is little mobile reception in the area.
During our afternoon walk I noticed “Wizard of the Wind” had left the marina, 42ft this is the Catalina which would have been the one we would’ve bought if “Water Music” had not come on the market..
Tuesday 9th October 2012
After a long and reluctant walk along Kemp beach, I’ve given Max his usual dose of Prozac and 2.5mgs of Valium, then had breakfast while the Valium took effect. Waiting that period of time meant that he appeared less anxious while I washed the decks down and cleaned the brite work with a chamois, with load of washing in the machine. He wandered about the deck getting a little wet in the process and seemed to like going under the foredeck awning (I did keep a very close eye on him, while on deck, but he appeared okay).
I did some touch up varnish to the damaged varnish on starboard, first sanding it back very lightly.
My next big job for the day was to clean out all the lockers forward of the mast. Chucked a bit of stuff away that had not seen the light of day for one year, yes it is almost one year since we moved on board.
By this time I needed a shower!
Wednesday 10th October 2012
The owner of the flybridge cruiser in the next pen came to turn his boat before the wind came up early this morning. He has lost his confidence driving the boat and he was most apologetic. He thanked me for being nice and gave me a bottle of Moet Chandon and a bottle of very good red wine for the damage caused.
Had a call from Nick, they are heading to Corio Bay for the night then Rosslyn Bay tomorrow. I’ll be good to have him home.