SV SEAKA: CRUISING AUSTRALIA IN 2019.

Third Edition:
It’s been just over 20 days since I last posted and the reason has been battery charging issues which I’m happy to say have now been resolved. At this time we are in The Narrows waiting for the weather to do her thing and the military to finish their games. I’ll explain as we go along.

We left Newport Marina at first light and headed for Mooloolaba in very light conditions [9th June]. We hadn’t gone far when we heard a very rare “Security call” asking shipping in the Caloundra area to look out for three persons in the water after their boat had sunk. Not long after that we heard the Captain of a large ship saying he could see them off his starboard side. Thankfully all were recovered alive.

Our entry into Mooloolaba was accompanied by a large schooner worth mega bucks. In the 1800s vessels of this size were common on the Australian coast. The next day [10th June] Greg [in LEWIE, an H28 sloop] and I went up to Whitworths, I needed a thicker furling line and a couple of over small items. With the food shopping and refueling completed we were ready for an early 2am start for the Wide Bay Bar.

As we left Mooloolaba [11th June] I logged onto Mooloolaba Marine Rescue as they now transfer details to Tin Can Bay Marine Rescue. Hopefully in the next couple of years they will combine all the rescue outfits in Queensland as they have in New South Wales. The winds were light again so did a bit of motor sailing to make the bar at high water. As we started to cross I was joined by two other yachts. The crossing was excellent and entering the Great Sandy Strait we were soon anchored in Pelican Bay for an early night.

The next day [12th June] we rested and waited for the tide change at 2pm to go up to Garry’s Anchorage. That morning I found that both my battery banks were really struggling, something was not right. The sail up to Garry’s Anchorage was a beauty of around 6 knots assisted by both sail and tide. On arrival I inflated the dinghy and installed the beach wheels.

I went fishing trying various lures and got some bait for the mud crab pots [13th June]. Only thing worth eating was a large cuttlefish, which I enjoyed for a change. With bait I tried a bit of night fishing but gave up after a couple of sharks, a stingray and a puffer fish. Still having power issues.

A big day [14th June] with the fishing as I finally crack the code for fishing in these estuaries. Caught a bream and large flathead, both of which I gave away. The highlight of the day was catching and releasing an 80cm flathead. Unfortunately this fish did a job on my dinghy which required an immediate puncture repair (of the largest hole) during which I discovered that the transom is coming away from the tubes, so essentially it’s done.

On our last day [15th June] in Garry’s Anchorage I caught two flathead and taught another cruiser the secret, he caught a flathead also.

On Sunday [16th June] we had an easy motor sail around to the Kingfisher resort at the top of the Great Sandy Strait. I made arrangements for the possible delivery of a new dinghy in Bundaberg. The purchase of the dinghy on Monday morning [17th June] over the phone to Whitworths was made at 8.30am and as it was very bumpy Greg and I decided to go for Burnett Heads while we still had the ebbing tide. We had a good three hour sail out to the Fairleads (to the Great Sandy Strait) before heading north into very light winds. It would take me until 8.00pm before I finally anchored at Burnett Heads.

As soon as the tide turned the next day [18th June] we set off on the three hour motor, with the odd jib out, to Bundaberg. On the way I was informed that my new dinghy had already arrived and arrangements were made to do a swap as my friend said he would take the old one to see if he could repair it.

As I first mention we had problems with charging our batteries and as we were in Bundaberg [19th & 20th June] I had the opportunity to sort the problem. After a discussion with Shaun I decided as a first move to replace the solar panel regulators for an MPPT type. I purchased one from Jaycar but we just couldn’t get it to work. After a discussion at a local Solar Panel shop I was a bit more enlightened. Seems we should have had only one regulator before, which would explain why I kept blowing fuses, which should not have even been there! With no results from the Jaycar regulator I took it back for a refund during which one of the shop assistants said “Oh we had one of them returned last week as well!” So I will be getting an MPPT eventually but not from Jaycar. I split the system through another three way switch and upgraded all the solar wiring to a heavier grade and we now have control of the system. Or so I thought!

So on Friday [21st June] with food and fuel onboard we motored down to Burnett Heads for a 2am start for Pancake Creek tomorrow. Well the winds were blowing a lot harder than predicted [22nd June] so the early morning hours were fairly hard and then between 1770 and Pancake Creek I had to do a bit of hand steering as we are still having battery problems? During that stretch of sea we were passed by a 60’ motor boat doing some 20 knots, 10 metres from me! I had to do an immediate 180 to just meet his two metre wake! Maybe he just missed me, I’ll never know!

We would spend two days [23rd & 24th June] at Pancake Creek during which Greg and I walked up to the Busted Head Lighthouse. I finally figured out that maybe the engine regulator is stuffed so rang an Auto Electrician near the Gladstone Marina and made arrangements for a service call on Wednesday.

With a gentleman’s start for a change of 7am [25th June] we sailed out for Gladstone, passing Pascal and Troy, from the YouTube Free Range Sailing site, at the outer Pancake Creek anchorage. We had a good sail into Gladstone but the wind died at the shipping channel. Once we arrived it was a hot shower first, then the washing.

The Auto Electrician [26th June] soon confirmed that the regulator was shot (probably always has been since I first owned SEAKA) and they would have one tomorrow. I then recharged all the batteries off the main power with my charger, it turned out that that was the problem with the solar panel not being able to get the batteries up to 100%. That evening four yachts got together for a BBQ at the marina.

When the Auto Electrician fitted the regulator [27th June] he also got the engine control panel charge light to work as a bonus. Now the batteries are fully charge and it’s a management problem for me to ensure they all stay at full charge.

Today [28th June] we were supposed to head north but after I had done the last few jobs it was still blowing very hard (25 knots plus) so we decided to stay another day before heading north to The Narrows.

The next afternoon [29th June] we headed north to Black Swan Island where we anchored for the night.
The next morning [30th June] at 6.45am we proceeded into The Narrows. This area actually dries out to 1.2 metres above low tide so we had to get out timing right. During our passage another eight yachts also went through The Narrows.

After coming through The Narrows I anchored and went fishing during which I caught a Tailor, half which was consumed that night. The frame was used last night to catch a Mud Crab which I have been nibbling at while writing this blog.

We have two problems to get around at the moment, first is a strong wind warning for Thursday to Saturday and the closure of the Shoal Bay Military area until the 9th July. So I will retreat to Maria Inlet off The Narrows tomorrow until Sunday when I intend sailing to Great Keppel Island before heading north on the 9th or 10th July depending on the weather.

I will post photographs within 36 hours that relate to this blog.

Monday 1st July 2019.