Sailing in my Sarong Around the World

World circumnavigation on yacht Valiam & Caribbean to Turkey on yacht Lati

The Adventures of Linda and Captain Underpants!

Who: Linda and Bill Anderson. To buy our books 'Sailing in my Sarong' or 'Salvage in my Sarong' for $39.95 +postage, see Paypal/visa button below (or email us: valiam1@hotmail.com)
Port: Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
Linda's books "Sailing in my Sarong" or "Salvage in my Sarong" are A$39.95 each + A$10 postage in Australia for up to 4 books. Other countries please email Linda : valiam1@hotmail.com
Number of copies of each book you would like
Salvage in my Sarong
13 January 2025
26 November 2024 | Iluka
01 July 2021 | Iluka Beach
24 January 2021 | Esk River, Bunjalung National Park,
20 August 2020 | Lawries Boat Services, Orana St Buddina Qld 4575
19 August 2020 | Lawries Boatyard, Kawana Waters Qld
19 August 2020 | Lawries Boatyard, Kawana Waters Qld
12 June 2020

AGROUND!

13 January 2025
Bill and Linda Anderson
Yesterday was not a good day. After agreeing to rent a mooring in Iluka Bay we set off in the cruise craft to Valiam at anchor. Our allocated mooring was only down the river a bit towing the cruise craft - what could possibly go wrong?

After being anchored since December in all wind directions our Manson supreme anchor held firm. It took a while to get her up. So off we motored towards the moorings by the boat ramp and ferry wharf. I had my phone with me with the navionics chart and opened it up. Bill said we have to keep close to the wall. We were 2 hours after high tide and so far so good. As we turned into the designated mooring area I checked the chart. The depth numbers seemed to be very low on the chart the direction we were going. We draw 1.2 m. I did say something but my captain kept going…. The depth sounder read 1.9…..1.8… 1.7… BUMP! Ok we turned a bit and seemed ok but again BUMP and we stopped….. uh oh. Bill tried everything reversing, gunning the engine… nope she wasn’t moving. Next thing the cruise craft came adrift and went over by the rocks forming the breakwater…. Lucky for us a neighbouring boatmen took his dinghy over to rescue it. Thanks Andrew! Two loops around the cleat this time..

So what to do? The high tide was in another 10 hours at 9.03 pm. Bill put the sail up to heel over in the puffs wind. We had the engine on in forward gear. Nope that didn’t work. Then he tried swinging off the boom…. She wasn’t budging and she was listing over now as the depth went down…. Sailing friends from Seachange came over to give moral support and would come back later to help if needed. They took me ashore as I had some errands to do. I took these photos when ashore. Poor Valiam… what a spectacle and um embarrassing!

I was back on board a few hours later and she began to straighten up. The engine was on and in forward gear. I didn’t like the look of those rocks close behind us. As the sun started to go down we had a bit more water under us. Bill then decided to deploy the spare anchor with the cruise craft taking it out past her bow. Back on board he winched in the anchor at intervals and she did move forward a little. All this took a long time. As the sun went down she bumped on the bottom occasionally trying to get off the shallow patch. At around 8.30pm the depth sounder was saying 1.7 and occasionally 1.8.. C’mon Valiam let’s go! Bill winched in the anchor a bit more…. I was at the helm when she began to move. Hooray! I steered her around the boats in deeper water as Bill pulled the rest of the anchor chain in. Now it was quite dark with the moon glinting through the clouds. Bill took over the helm while I shone the dolphin torch looking for the mooring buoy. As we rounded the last boat it was reading 1.9!! Back into the deeper water I saw our buoy. Luckily it was calm. Bill raced forward to hook up the buoy as it was heavy with thick chain which went over our Sampson post. Thank goodness. We were secure and floating again at 9.04 pm a minute after high tide.

This was our first grounding of significance in 30 years of sailing Valiam. We were too relaxed being in our local area. A rising tide would have been better and a proper check of the charts along with local knowledge. A stressful and exhausting 10 hours!! A lesson learned that’s for sure!
Comments
Vessel Name: Valiam
Vessel Make/Model: Valiam: Lidgard 45 (Single chine plywood) designed by Gary Lidgard. Built by Bill Anderson and Steve Thornalley. Lati: 31ft 1967 Kim Holman built in Barcelona. Original name Latigazo
Hailing Port: Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
Crew: Linda and Bill Anderson. To buy our books 'Sailing in my Sarong' or 'Salvage in my Sarong' for $39.95 +postage, see Paypal/visa button below (or email us: valiam1@hotmail.com)
About:
Bill and Linda fufilled a 30 year dream to sail around the world. First they built a boat in a paddock in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Qld, Australia in 1994 with the help of friend Steve. [...]
Extra:
CIRCUMNAVIGATION ON VALIAM: We left Mooloolaba on the 7th November 2007, sailed to Townsville, leaving Australian waters on 26th November 2007 for PNG, Palau, Philippines, Borneo, Malaysia,Singapore, Cocos Keeling islands. We crossed the Indian Ocean to Rodrigues, Mauritius,Reunion and South [...]
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The Adventures of Linda and Captain Underpants!

Who: Linda and Bill Anderson. To buy our books 'Sailing in my Sarong' or 'Salvage in my Sarong' for $39.95 +postage, see Paypal/visa button below (or email us: valiam1@hotmail.com)
Port: Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia
Linda's books "Sailing in my Sarong" or "Salvage in my Sarong" are A$39.95 each + A$10 postage in Australia for up to 4 books. Other countries please email Linda : valiam1@hotmail.com
Number of copies of each book you would like
Salvage in my Sarong
"You just sit on the boat, pull a few strings and you get there." Bill Anderson aka Captain Underpants