SV SEAKA: CRUISING AUSTRALIA IN 2019.

May 24
Well last Wednesday we were moving by 0630 onto the leads to leave Pancake Creek in very calm conditions compared to the last week. We were very glad to be finally leaving, seems I have a one week connection with Pancake Creek as we were here for a week in 2011 and at about the same time.

There was only a very long one meter swell out of the south east to greet us and a light wind. We had to maintain around 5 knots to ensure we got into Gladstone with as much of the flood tide as possible, so the iron sail was also on. It was a pleasant trip but as we approached Gladstone I noticed that we were about to cross the main channel. Now my voyage plan did not have that fact in it so a quick check on the chartplotter showed that I had entered a way point incorrectly! Remedial action was immediately taken with new waypoints created to correct the mistake. This could have been embarrassing as there was a coal ship heading out of Gladstone as we came around the corner of the main Gladstone channel. [ For non-sailors a waypoint is a pre-planned position created on a chart or chartplotter towards which I sail. In Gladstone there is sufficient depth for yachts outside the main channel, so most of the time small yachts sail along side them. ]

Well it was my intention to enter Gladstone on the flood tide but this was not to be and the next 10 nautical miles took almost three hours against a 3 knot ebbing tide. On the way in I was passed, at 7 knots, by a ship over twice as large as any coal ship I have ever seen. This was a gas carrier going up to one of the three, or is it four, gas depots on Curtis Island. It was still at the dock when I went up to The Narrows so have no idea how long they take to load.

Once in the marina I started on my jobs the first to refuel, only ULP this time for the outboard motor. I did have four containers for diesel but have converted one for outboard petrol as we almost ran out at Pancake Creek. Next on the list was washing which we completed about 1900 after a scratch meal. A long day.

On Thursday at 0900 I was up at the marina office as they had offered me a ride into the shops in central Gladstone. What I didn't realize was that there was another Woolworths out at a major shopping center. So after doing a major shop I rang the marina office and they came and picked me up and on return I quickly dumped everything onboard Seaka and walked 1 km out to the bus route that goes past the marina and the Queensland University. Enquiries at a local shop gave me no information on bus activities. So one hour after waiting for a bus and seeing only one going the wrong way I started to solicit rides from the shop's customers. The first I asked said he wasn't going that way but was soon back saying he had to get stuff out that way so gave me a ride. That saved a 4km walk!

At the shopping center I discovered another Woolworths, grrr, so got those items that I couldn't get in town. There was also a Big W which meant I could get another kettle; the one on board was breaking up, and a couple of cheap T-shirts. I now had to find BCF and Bunnings to get a new landing net, the old one was stolen in the Scarborough Marina, and some methylated spirits for the stove. While waiting for the bus a got talking to a lady and we both missed the bus, so we then walked about 2km to get there. After doing my bits and pieces I started back but no buses, then just after I had rejoined the walking path on the opposite side of the now four lane highway one went past. This was not my day for transport. As I arrive back at the shopping center a bus pulled up, just the one I wanted, so now I only had a 1km walk back to Seaka. By dark I had repacked the sea berth food storage with all the food brought today and was tucking into a T-bone steak. Wonderful!

On Friday morning at 0700 we left the marina on our way to The Narrows. Just outside the marina we saw a large coal ship, or should that be small compared to that gas carrier, being docked by three tugs. We proceeded up the harbour at 5 knots with the flooding tide passing on the way all the industrial wharves of our mining industries. One good thing I learned in Gladstone was that The Narrows would not be bridged and thus shutting off access to yachts going north or south inside Curtis Island. The gas pipes the bridge was to carry are buried under the harbour.

At 0930 we arrived at the first port beacon for The Narrows and anchored up to wait for the last hour of the flood tide. On the way here we had seen a pod of those small Queensland Dolphins, I don't know their proper name, and believe it or not a Sea Snake. At 1115 we up anchor and proceeded into The Narrows. The flood tide took us along at an easy pace and we had no problems with navigation. As we approached Boat Creek the flood changed direction, yes it was now coming towards us, and we slowed to cross the shallowest section with only 15cm or 6 inches under us. With that over we motored out into the northern section of The Narrows at 1240.

With the predicted high winds and seas over the weekend I had opted to weather them out at Pacific Creek under Sea Hill on the northwest corner of Curtis Island. This was in preference to siting in the marina at Yeppoon for a week! We motored out of The Narrows and headed towards the Sea Reach, into Port Alma, for Pacific Creek. As we cleared the mainland we came under the influence of a strong westerly wind which was building a short choppy sea. This chop was starting to reach one meter when we were one nautical mile from Pacific Creek. With the tide now half way out and considering that we had to cross a small bar to get into the creek I spun Seaka on her heels and we beat our way back to Maria Inlet which is inside The Narrows and thus not affected by the westerly winds.

We motored up two bends into Maria Inlet and let go the anchor in 4 to 7 meters [tidal range] of water. We are here on our own and I don't expect to see anybody else either. On Saturday I raised anchor and motored around a bit trying to sort out the depths in this area and eventually re-anchored close to where we started. I am thinking seriously of re-anchoring again but closer to the southern band as the ESE and SE winds are pushing us towards the northern bank.

At this stage we are going up to Yeppoon on Tuesday or Wednesday, overnight in the marina for fuel, water and fresh food before going to Great Keppel Island then up to Port Clinton on Friday.

New photos in Gallery.