A Miss Is As Good As A Mile
01 August 2017 | 50 miles South of Westernport
Twixt A glorious sunrise lighting up Deal Island and a spectacular sunset over Wilson's Promintery a perfect days sailing along Bass Strait was thoroughly enjoyed. Close reaching in a gentle wind of a S to SSW direction it was hoped that a predicted backing in the wind would comfortably avoid the peninsular, but fell just short. A quick about and half an hour close hauled and another tack saw a nice line between the shore and some rocks. Zooming in on the chart up came the name "40 Foot Rocks". An omen for a 40 foot record attempt? Of course not. Nevertheless purely in the interests of good seamanship a close eye was kept on them in the gathering gloom and " buuuuuuurrppp buuuuuurrpp " - the AIS alarm informing me that the helmsman of a large container ship was also carrying out good seamanship; the intention of being where I would be in 37 minutes time. Now you've heard the expression great minds think alike but in this case mine was mindful to be elsewhere. Not a probl em. Just ease away to starboard and the breeze will gently move us out of the designated Inshore Shipping Channel, where he had every right to be and I, none. Breeze? What breeze? You may also have heard the old nautical saying " The West Wind and an honest man go to bed at night". Well the wind hadn't actually gone to bed but was getting decidedly drowsy. And I, to be honest with you, was too busy, easing sheets, cajoling sails, tweaking the AIS, and keeping an eye on those rocks ( 12m high ) to do any such thing. The good news. Thirty seven minutes later L'Eau Commotion was just on the Northern edge of the shipping channel and the box boat passed serenely by at a distance of exactly one nautical mile.