See below for English version

De eerste 100 mijl voer ik met nog weinig wind single handed van Sydney naar Port Stephens/Nelson Bay van waar mijn Australische vriend Wej verder met mij mee zou varen. Dat was saai maar, hoewel de aanloop naar Port Stephens in het pikkedonker wel spannend was. Toen een paar zonnige dagen, in afwachting van gunstige (zuiden) wind.
Van Noord naar Zuid langs de beruchte oostkust gaat goed met hulp van de East Australian Current (tot 4 knopen) met NE wind. Maar terug is een ander verhaal. 400 mijl tegen wind en stroom in naar de Gold Coast is niet te doen. Of dagenlang motoren bij windstil weer, of een zogeheten Southerly Change afwachten. Om de zoveel dagen komt er een laag met een koufront uit het zuiden de hoek om, met abrupte wind- en weersverandering voor een dag of vier. Dat window dus afgewacht en op 9 april samen met Wej vertrokken om met 20 - 30 knopen voorspelde wind omhoog te varen.
Het werd een bumpy ride. Zie hierna de whatsapps met Cathy van SeaCloud. Raar idee trouwens dat ge-app vanaf zee.

WhatsApp:

"Are you safely in Nelson Bay? Hope you had a good sail x"

"Yes, arrived 20:00 after dark, anchored at Jimmy's beach because northerly wind change. Was rainy trip. Not much fun. Tuesday we continue.
Cheers"

"Doesn't sound great- here's hoping the next leg is better. Have a few enjoyable days on land. Ian said he'd rather have been sailing in the rain with you than at clinic yesterday! Keep in touch!"

"Looks like a good wind to head north. Good luck & fair winds. Ian & Cathy"

"Hi Dick, hope the wind has settled for you- sounded like very lively/rough conditions even for a stable cat!!"

"Hi Cathy. Lively and rough are a bit of an understatement...
We had a hard night, interesting this southerly change, but unfortunately not very fast. I miscalculated. Even in winds over 30 knots the speed was often less than six knots, because of the very confused seas. Max speed was 14 with jib only, but did only 125 NM/24h. Now the seas are more settled and the winds 15-20 knots. But the East Australian Current spoils it all. So one extra night at sea. ETA friday morning 12 april. Now near Coffs Harbour.
Enjoy your coming year without sailing ;-)"

"Sounds awful. The Aussie east coast is a difficult piece of water. Think we will avoid it - as will Wej probably next time he's asked! Hope you have a better trip the rest of the way to Southport. Ian said once north of Rockhampton you'll have tropical bliss again."

"Haha, actually Wej never sailed this stretch before. He sailed to Tasmania, but not here.
On our way down from Southport last November we had a 205 NM/24h run..."

"Currents great when it's with you!"

"Hi Dick, it sounds like u had a "sporty" sail yo to Southport. It will be nice when you are back in the tropical trade wind latitudes when things become predictable again! Cheers Ian"

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Bij Port Stephens waar ik vorige week dus 's nachts de buitenbocht nam langs al die griezelige brekers, is gister een jacht vergaan dat kennelijk de binnenbocht nam..:
http://2nurfmnews.blogspot.com/2019/04/three-men-rescued-after-yacht-sinks-off.html?m=1

Uiteindelijk duurde de reis 60 ipv de gehoopte 50 uur. Na middernacht liepen we de Gold Coast Seaway binnnen en ankerden daar om de hoek, om even een paar uur te kunnen slapen.
's Ochtends vroeg nog 10 mijl tegenstrooms naar Boat Works waar de boot om half negen er direkt werd uitgehaald en op de kant gezet en het onderwaterschip met hoge druk werd schoongespoten. Hehe.
Super werf, die Boat Works.

Over twee dagen komt Monique weer terug uit Birma. Gezellig.
Dan nog twee weken, dan zijn we bij het Great Barrier Reef, de Whitsunday Islands, 100 Magic Miles...


Google Translate:

The first 100 miles I sailed single-handed from Sydney to Port Stephens / Nelson Bay from where my Australian friend Wej Paradice would sail with me to the Gold Coast. That first part was boring with lots of rain, but the approach of Port Stephens in pitch dark was exciting. Then a few sunny days, awaiting favorable (south) wind.
From North to South along the notorious east coast goes well with help from the East Australian Current (up to 4 knots) with NE wind. But the way back is another story. 400 miles against wind and current to the Gold Coast is impossible. Or days of motoring in windless weather, or make use of the so-called Southerly Change. Every few days a low with a cold front from the south comes around the corner, with abrupt wind and weather changes for a day or four. So I waited for that weatherwindow and left with Wej on April 9 to sail north with 20 - 30 knots of predicted wind.
It became a bumpy ride. See below the whatsapps with Cathy and Ian from SeaCloud. Strange idea, by the way, apping from the sea.

WhatsApp:

"Are you safely in Nelson Bay? Hope you had a good sail x"

"Yes, arrived 20:00 after dark, anchored at Jimmy's beach because northerly wind change. Was rainy trip. Not much fun. Tuesday we continue.
Cheers"

"Doesn't sound great- here's hoping the next leg is better. Have a few enjoyable days on land. Ian said he'd rather have been sailing in the rain with you than at clinic yesterday! Keep in touch!"

"Looks like a good wind to head north. Good luck & fair winds. Ian & Cathy"

"Hi Dick, hope the wind has settled for you- sounded like very lively/rough conditions even for a stable cat!!"

"Hi Cathy. Lively and rough are a bit of an understatement...
We had a hard night, interesting this southerly change, but unfortunately not very fast. I miscalculated. Even in winds over 30 knots the speed was often less than six knots, because of the very confused seas. Max speed was 14 with jib only, but did only 125 NM/24h. Now the seas are more settled and the winds 15-20 knots. But the East Australian Current spoils it all. So one extra night at sea. ETA friday morning 12 april. Now near Coffs Harbour.
Enjoy your coming year without sailing ;-)"

"Sounds awful. The Aussie east coast is a difficult piece of water. Think we will avoid it - as will Wej probably next time he's asked! Hope you have a better trip the rest of the way to Southport. Ian said once north of Rockhampton you'll have tropical bliss again."

"Haha, actually Wej never sailed this stretch before. He sailed to Tasmania, but not here.
On our way down from Southport last November we had a 205 NM/24h run..."

"Currents great when it's with you!"

"Hi Dick, it sounds like u had a "sporty" sail yo to Southport. It will be nice when you are back in the tropical trade wind latitudes when things become predictable again! Cheers Ian"

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At Port Stephens where I gave the breaking seas a wide berth in my nightly approach, yesterday a yacht sank that apparently cut corners..:
http://2nurfmnews.blogspot.com/2019/04/three-men-rescued-after-yacht-sinks-off.html?m=1

Eventually the voyage lasted 60 instead of the hoped for 50 hours. After midnight we entered the Gold Coast Seaway and anchored around the corner, to sleep for a few hours.
Early in the morning another 10 miles upstream to Boat Works where the boat was immediately hauled out at half past eight and put on the hard and the underwater ship was cleaned under high pressure.
Super Boat Works.

Monique will be back from Burma in two days. Can't wait
Then another two weeks, then we sail near the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsunday Islands, 100 Magic Miles ...