Headed North ... Farewell the Whitsunday Islands

Southern Belle in her berth in Abel Point Marina, Airlie Beach.  It was the biggest berth we had ever seen!  30 metres!  No worries getting in and out of this one.  Wish they were all this roomy.

I love marinas!  (With the exception of getting into them and then out again.)  They represent a sanctuary from so much....weather (wind, rain, etc.); food shortage; dirty laundry; and a need to walk on stable ground.  But a few days after any marina stay - no matter how pleasant - its always good to break away and start the journey again.

While in Airlie Beach we had a great time.  Our "boat partners" from the last few weeks - 'Bogart', 'Whimaway' and 'Nirvana's Kitchen' were there and we've grown so fond of them we love being around them.  Also new boats and crew joined in time for the rendezvous on Sunday night.  The bustling township of Airlie Beach - a backpacker heaven on earth - wasn't too far from the marina so we walked into town for dinners and the weekend markets.

Rendezvous dinner at the sailing club .. a good night all round with terrific people!

This morning we were still waiting on the battery charger that Captain G had ordered - originally promised to be delivered by Friday or Monday at the latest - and still not there by Wednesday morning.  I woke up anxious to get moving for 2 reasons .. the first - everyone we knew had already left; and secondly - the forecast for wind and sun were excellent and I did not want to stick around too long and end up in the fierce (30+ knot) SE winds again.  After 5 or more calls to the seller and to the local freight company it arrived - at 11:45 - which meant we could collect it quickly and then cast off for Gloucester Passage some 20 or so nautical miles away.

The sail was what any yachtie would call "great"!  15 - 20 knots (gusting up to 25 knots) blowing from the SE which meant we were averaging 6.5 knots the whole way.  Leaving Airlie Beach meant we were saying farewell to the resplendent islands and surrounds of the Whitsunday Islands.  The area is quite something with wildlife, national parks, and fabulous waterways.  It deserves to be well loved and protected for generations to come!

Rounding the headland called George Point to line up for the Gloucester Passage we passed Saddleback Island which had a rock formation on the top that looked remarkably like one of the carvings on Easter Island.  I took a photo but the boat was rolling too much.... here it is, see what you think.

The boat lifeline is in the photo .. and at this angle it looks a bit like a monkey head!

Now we're on a mooring outside the Gloucester Eco Resort.  Just a word about the moorings here - most barely exist.  The mooring buoys are there but the mooring lines from the buoy to the boat aren't!  After a bit of yelling at each other in the fresh winds we found one that had all it's bits.  Good trip.  Tomorrow its lunch at the resort and a day walking on the beach. 

The Eco Resort bay.  Beautiful area with big mountains.

Whitsunday Heaven

Captain Cook, on his first voyage of discovery in 1770, was the first on record to find and name the group of islands now commonly called the Whitsundays.  He discovered and named them on Whit Sunday in that year.   The islands are actually a drowned mountain range and are made up of continental islands - so called because they are made up of the same "stuff" as the mainland - they are distinguishable from the mainland by their fringing reefs with some coral.  But the main coral is located in the outer reef areas some 25 or more nautical miles out towards the sea.  For a long time - nearly a century - this area has been a haven for sailors and then outposts of holiday areas for those longing for a warm place to 'get away from it all'.   And that's where we are now.

The past few days we've been out of range of phones and internet again which is why I haven't been able to blog.  But I think I can speak for both Captain G and myself when I say we didn't miss anything because we've been in heaven.  The wind finally stopped and we've been to and seen some of the most beautiful places I think I've ever been.  So instead of my usual "dump" of words here are some pictures and captions of the places we've been and seen and loved.

Lindeman Island.  There's a Club Med resort on the southern end but we were anchored on the North Western end looking for a National park walk in this photo.  There wasn't a soul around for miles and you can see how far out you have to anchor out to avoid the low tides.  We spent one night here with absolutely no one anywhere to be seen.  We found the National park walk but it was way too overgrown for me to tackle.

We made bread in the afternoon while off Lindeman Island.  I don't remember the last time I tried to make bread!  We had been given some info about a bread mix that can be bought in the grocery store by Ian (Captain of Bogart) and the mix worked reasonably well.  Unfortunately we didn't listen to all that Ian told us - which was to add more yeast than the instructions called for - so the bread was a bit dense.  But all in all we've enjoyed it for toast in the morning.

Pentecost Island on the way from Lindeman to Whitsunday Island and Whitehaven Beach.  No anchorage here and not much usable shelter for yachts but spectacular none the less.  You can see its peak all over the area.

Captain G going for a dip at Whitehaven Beach.  This beach is one of the most celebrated beaches in Australia.  It's a 7km stretch of very white sand - made up of 98% pure silica - which means it is startlingly white.  The wind died and being here was heaven.  We met up with Bogart again and had drinks on the beach with Ian and Sharon.  During the day its fun to watch all the tourist boats, planes and helicopters come in and dump tourist on the beach.  At dusk they all go away.  We spent a fabulous night here.

The view of Whitehaven Beach from the cockpit.  When I took this photo I wanted to show the beautiful colour of the water which is a breathtaking aqua blue.  But the photo doesn't do it.  Wish you could see the colour ... it is stunning.

 

We moved to Tongue Bay which is north of Whitehaven Beach but  - from a lookout walk at the top of the hill - you can see the expanse of the beach.   Tongue Bay on Saturday night was like a backpacker heaven on earth.  There were about 5 boats that pulled in with young people from all over the world.  When we went ashore early the next morning to walk up to the top of the hill all the boats started bringing their kids over to do the walk too.  There were a lot of them but they were lovely.  One asked me to take a photo of their group and I said "sure" but then I ended up with 8 cameras on my arms .. and Captain G with another 5 or 6!  It was fun.

The Captain and Me on the hill at Tongue Bay.

The anchorage in Tongue Bay.  We saw Dugongs and Turtles in this bay really close to the yacht!!!!!

We're currently at South Molle island.  This used to be a popular resort but no more.  There are a number of National Park walks on the island and we did one of them this afternoon.  This is a shot from the top of the mountain looking down on Southern Belle.  She's the boat in the centre of the photo between the plant shoots.

 

Me on the walk on South Molle with my "hiking" gear.  My foot gave me a bit of grief during the walk which was about 3.5km round trip but I made it!

A run down room at the South Molle resort...the grounds are kept up pretty much and they bring groups of backpackers here for the weekend but - as you can see - many of the rooms are abandoned.

That's it.  We've had a great time over the past few days...fantastic weather and wonderful places.  The weather is forecast to turn nasty again on Wednesday so we'll be moving towards the mainland and plan to be in the Airlie Marina by Wednesday.

Resort of the Damned - and More Windy Weather

If you recall from my last post, we were stuck in Mackay Marina for a week due to the weather – it was blowing a steady 25 to 30 knots all day every day and every night without a break.  On Saturday things looked promising with a forecast minimal decrease in wind strength so everyone in our group decided it was time to move on.  The decision was not totally a wind issue but borne of the urge by everyone to get out of the confines of the marina and move northward again. 

So early on Saturday morning, July 13, with the wind still blowing hard and black rain squalls moving in to dump some quick rain and then travel off to the horizon we all left Mackay Marina.   Bogart and Nirvana’s Kitchen left very early, then Whimaway and then it was our turn.  I must fess up here … I was doing everything I could to delay the inevitable…. taking the key back, finding rubbish bags to be taken to the bin, complaining about how I didn’t think the weather had improved … but at 9:00 Captain G said we were going.

 

The term “going” is as difficult sometimes for Southern Belle as for me.  Bless her, she just can’t back up worth a damn and high winds and crowded marinas make the task that much more difficult.  I’ve used the term “hair raising” before and it’s applicable here.  We went out backwards only to be pushed around by the wind into an entirely different direction.  I could elaborate about the goings on, but I won’t except to say thank goodness for the two empty berths downwind of us.  Captain G, with steely determination, managed to manoeuvre SB into them backwards and then get the boat pointed he right way and out we went!  I swear by the time we get back to Sydney and our home I will have lost at least 5 years off my life from the sheer stress of marina ins and outs.

 

With Brampton Island our destination, out we went between the high rocky walls of the manmade boat harbour into the wild grey sea with another squall almost on top of us.  It was awful.  I made one attempt to say to the Captain, “let’s go back, please”, which was met with the expected, “No, we’re out now!”  And off we went slamming through the swell and chop with the rain belting down.  It got a tiny bit better when we turned with the wind behind us but the sea was so wild after days of strong wind that I wasn’t the least bit embarrassed to call the Brampton Island cruise the way I saw it, “it sucked!”

 

We weren’t the only ones feeling the wrath of the sea.  Both Bogart and Nirvana’s Kitchen who originally planned to sail out to Scawfell Island – further away and with more of the wind and sea on the beam – were at Brampton when we arrived.  We were all really tired so Saturday night was spent on the boat settling down after a pretty rough trip.  The decision was to do the 8 km walk on Brampton the next day as a group.

 

Brampton Island was once a major resort destination.  It first opened in 1933 and operated as a major resort over the years with many “notable” celebrities staying there including the English rock group ‘The Police’.  The island came to grief eventually with a murder in 1983 and a few small plane crashes (the result of the island’s tiny airstrip).  Then it closed…no real fanfare.  Even searches on the internet still reveal accommodation deals.

Brampton Island in its heyday.

 

Now the resort on Brampton is only for the damned … those cursed enough to wander forever the desolate lanes, stay in the cyclone destroyed rooms and swim in the abandoned pools.  Well that may be a bit melodramatic but it sure looks like that now!

 

Brampton now...one of the freshwater pools.

 

 

Nothing anywhere but weeds and coconuts.

 

There were a lot of kangaroos on Brampton... and they were huge with absolutely no fear.   They would just stand there and look at you and then eventually move out of your way.  Very disconcerting.

 

As a group we wandered down an overgrown road from a still standing dock to the once famed resort.  The first thing I said was, “This would be a great place to film a zombie movie!”  As we stood on one of the overgrown pathways – that would have once been beautiful – we were confronted by the only caretaker on the island.  He had an aggressive demeanour at first, it is still private property with signs all over, but with our friendly talk he soon came around and gave us a lot of information about the place.  He did say that there are those who want to bring it back to its former glory... but frankly I can’t see it.  The place is so run down it would cost millions to make it habitable – and marketable - again.

 

We had drinks that night on Southern Belle.  A good night and all decided we would go to Thomas Island - only 2 hours away -the next day.  Of course the wind and the waves were still crazy.  The nights – we spent two - on Brampton were both bouncy and uncomfortable.  Monday morning greeted us with more squally showers and strong gusts.  The sail wasn’t too bad and on arrival at Thomas the sun was shining and the water was the most astonishingly turquoise blue.   By this time we were 4 boats – Whimaway had joined us at Thomas – so it was decided to have drinks on the beach in the early afternoon.  We had a good catch up and all went back to our individual boats for the night.  And what a night.  Strong winds, rain and howling winds.  It was all starting to get me down.  I really want – and need – some pleasant weather and a flat anchorage.



Drinks on Thomas Island before the next rain squall.

 

All the crews on Thomas island.

This morning – Wednesday, July 17 – Southern Belle and her 3 companions left early for the short (1 hour or so) trip to Shaw Island.  And what a good move it turned out to be!  This bay we’re in is huge and is the most sheltered so far since we left Mackay.  We had planned to have a shared lunch on the beach and what a great idea that turned out to be!  It was almost celebratory.  A great get together with good food and wonderful people….a fun Sandy Rendezvous!  Leon, from Nirvana’s Kitchen, created a game on the beach made up of tossing beach coral.  Sharon (from Bogart) and I won!!!  Go the girls.

 

 

Our Sandy Rendezvous lunch!

Checking out the places in Coral Tossing!

 

 

The Shaw Island Coral Tossing champions!

We may stay here tomorrow.  It will be so nice to have a night’s sleep without being tossed around.

 

 

Entertaining and Extended Rendezvous

This past week has been spent waiting out the weather in the Mackay Marina.  Mind you it has still been relatively lovely weather - between rain squalls - but the wind has been blowing hard.  As Captain G described it to someone on the phone the other day, "it would blow a dog off a chain!"  The notorious south-easterly wind has arrived in the tropics and clearly placed sailing way down on the "to do" list.

The great news, however, is where we were originally here for one of the sailing club's rendezvous nights - a dinner meeting with other boats participating in the Coral Coast Cruise 2013 - the activities and camaraderie extended - due to the weather - over the many days and nights stuck in the marina.  And we've had a great time!

First there were welcome drinks as different people and boats arrived and then the original rendezvous dinner planned for this past Monday.  The crews from 5 boats met in the marina pub before going on to a Thai dinner.  The boats are:  Nirvana's Kitchen, StressFree, Bogart, Whimaway and our boat Southern Belle.  Leon, the skipper from Nirvana's Kitchen, has been our extraordinary events organiser.  Before the dinner he negotiated a couple of free bottles of wine on arrival at the restaurant which kicked off the evening with a bang.

Everyone at the pub before going on to dinner.  Fantastic bunch of people!

The following day we all pretty much went our own way with most of us taking a trip up to the Eungella National Park....once back at the marina we all met for a catch up in the pub where Leon had planned two excursions for us over the next couple of days. 

Flowering cane.

Our first adventure was a tour of a sugar cane mill.  I mentioned in my last post about the miles and miles of sugar cane growing here so a trip to a mill - which none of us had done before - sounded like a good idea.  Arriving at the mill down more roads thick with flowering cane we waited in the "instruction" room for our briefing on what we would do and see and then donned our regulatory hard hat, earplugs, safety vest and glasses for the walk through the noisy mill.

Signing in for the tour and getting ready for our briefing.

The tour was very interesting....and loud.  The mill we toured was built in the 1800's and looked like it too in some places.  I think we were all fascinated with the process of rolling in the cane via the purpose built railway, pulverising it, boiling it and then turning it into crystals.  Once the sugar is milled and crystallised its sent to different places to be washed and made ready for market.  Good tour, really interesting and fun.

Inside the mill with our tour guide.

At the end of the tour you pass by the dumpsters with lots of spilled sugar and sugar by products.  These rainbow lorikeets were everywhere.  The tour guide said they get "drunk" on the sugar.  There were at least 50 or more in the rafters and squabbling around all the sugar piles.

 

The next night's activity was lawn bowls!  Leon organised not only an evening of bowls but dinner and a bus to take us there and back.  Bargain! I think we all expected a small rather run down club on arrival but the club was huge with two courts completely covered and enclosed ... well sort of enclosed, the wind still whipped in from the far side.  If you've never played lawn bowls you probably think - like me - that it would be easy.  Simple really, just roll the ball down a field in a straight line and hit the target ball.  Right?  Wrong.  It's bloody hard.

Our group with our "instructor" as we try to figure out how to play the game.

Our group at the table for dinner after bowling.

Today is Saturday....and the week's over with everyone happy with the friendship and activities but more than ready to get on with the trip - the RPAYC group and the boat, Momentum,  left Mackay this morning for various islands in the Whitsunday Island group.  Southern Belle, Bogart and Nirvana's Kitchen are now anchored in a lovely little bay off Brampton Island tonight.  Tomorrow we're all planning to do the 8km walk in the Island's national park. 

I think you'll agree so far so very good!

An 'arboraceous' change of pace.

Looking down through the trees to the creek.

We're still in Mackay Marina.  Since we arrived the wind has been blowing the forecast 25-30 knots and more every day.  Even the Skipper, who's gnawing at the bit to get moving, has been happy to stay here and wait out better weather. 

The best thing about being stuck here has been the camaraderie of the other RPAYC crews and our schedule of activities....more on all of those activities tomorrow.

On Tuesday, July 9th the Captain and I took a drive in our little rental car inland through the Pioneer Valley and into the Finch Hatton Gorge.  It was a lovely drive and felt good to be away from the coast for a while. 

This coastal plain area is a major producer of sugar cane and before the road starts to climb into the hinterland forest it passes miles and miles of sugar cane fields.  Each field has access to the narrow gauge rail system specific built to carry the cane from the fields to the mill.  Along the way we saw a few of the little train engines used to shunt the basket like cars into a long line before moving on to the nearest mill.  They're cute and different and a reminder of how we humans have built an infrastructure to fit the environment wherever we find ourselves.

Flowering sugar cane.  I didn't realise it flowered!

After about an hour of driving and making our way upwards into the mountains and towards the gorge we came upon these cabins and tea room and decided to stop for a coffee and a quick lunch.

The picture is deceptive....this establishment was pretty much right in the forest with the river running behind it.  We sat in their covered - but not enclosed - eating area out the back with the sound of the river. 

We were the only people there and the proprietor - the husband - wanted to talk, a lot, while his wife prepared our lunch.  So we found out all about the area, the cabins and the weather.  As per usual when he heard first my accent and then the Skipper's Scottish lilt he assumed we were international travellers.  But when we said we were from Sydney it made for even more conversation about the big "smoke".

The Captain and I sat in their covered - but not enclosed - eating area out the back and, with the sound of the river and the cool from the forest canopy it was ideal.  At first.  But as our lunch was delivered a notice must have gone out across the forest that we were there...and eating!  Then the bugs started.  First the little black midges and then the mossies.  Needless to say we didn't linger over our meal.  We thanked them (not the bugs, the tea room people) and went on up the road to the entrance to the gorge walks.

This is the path to the waterfall & gorge....up there in the trees you can see Mr G's back as he checked out the path ahead.

The pathway to the lookouts looked so inviting and I haven't had any real exercise lately which meant I was more than ready for a bit of a walk!  The shortest path was a 3km round trip walk to the waterfall which I said I was ready for....the Captain had his doubts but decided to go along as far as I could go on my healing foot.  So with stick in hand off I went with the good husband up ahead checking out where the difficult bits would be.  I made it with no bother albeit slowly.  Mr G normally walks really really fast so this was a good exercise in patience for him. 

We made it to the waterfall.  A lovely cascade of icy cold water rushing over rocks and boulders on its way through the forest.  While I stayed up on the viewing platform Captain G climbed down to the waters edge to get a better view...and to check out the water temperature.  At the bottom of the falls there is a great looking swimming hole that would be ideal in the summer for a quick dip before heading back down the path or up to the top of the gorge.

Waterfall and the inviting swimming hole.

At the viewing platform.

The view downstream.

Just up the road - another 20 minutes or so - is the Eungella National Park where you can walk back into the bush and sometimes see Platypus in the wild.  After our walk - our very slow walk - we decided to head on back to the marina for a quiet dinner at home.  The day was terrific and a welcome change of pace.

PICTURES!!!!!!!

Southern Belle in her berth - she's the lovely cream and red boat just below the curve of the palm tree.

It is Sunday morning, we're in our berth in the Mackay Marina and continuing to enjoy the ease of marina life... 

• The boat is sitting flat - no rolling or bobbing;
• We don't have to worry about the batteries because we're plugged into shore power;
• The showers have great hot water, and you don't feel like the contents in a milk shake container standing in the boat's cubicle; 
• There is solid land, with palm trees and birdsong, just a short ramp away!

Sorry, that sounds like I'm complaining.  I'm not.  But it is very comfortable here.  

The Captain and I rented a little car yesterday and we've done a bit of looking around the town of Mackay as well as touring the local coastal communities.  We found a great place for fresh seafood yesterday which meant we had a big bowl of fresh prawn pasta for dinner last night.  Yum.

The other element we have enjoyed a great deal over the last few days is being with the other members of the RPAYC Coral Coast Cruise currently at the marina.  We've had lots of opportunities to share stories, visit and enjoy afternoon drinks with the crews of Bogart, Whimaway and StressFree.  The social part of cruising is certainly the most enjoyable for me.  Last night we had drinks on Bogart - thank you Ian and Sharon - and tonight we're meeting at 1700 (5pm) for drinks at the pub.  Tomorrow night is the official rendezvous dinner at the local Thai...I'm sure it will be a great night like all the rest.

So, with all this relaxing and not doing very much, I thought I'd post a few more pictures from the trip so far....



The Lovely Miss Southern Belle at anchor around dusk just off Great Keppel Island

This is the large yacht we spotted jammed into the mangrove on Great Keppel Island.  As I mentioned in one of my past blogs, we couldn't understand how it was even brought into this area of marsh land much less how they got it propped up in the mud and trees.  We landed our dingy well up the bay from this and walked down to it.  I couldn't walk that far yet so the Captain went on ahead .. and then turned a corner and disappeared from my sight.  While I was standing on the beach - a good piece away - I heard a truck driving down the deserted beach towards me.  As he passed I could see it was an old beat up truck with a dog and - what seemed like at the time - a rough looking man at the wheel.  Then - as you do - I started to worry that the Captain could have stumbled on something that someone may not want seen.  I know, I've seen way too many TV shows and movies!  It was a good while before my Captain came back around the corner proving all was good - including my imagination!

The captain off to set his new crab traps!  He didn't get anything that day except bug bites!  But the time is a coming'!

The first mate in "watch" position.

The Captain in Navigator mode under way.   One thing I can say about him - without reservation - is he's been a terrific navigator during the trip.  He's very careful to put is on a paper chart every hour.  We've made it to every destination well within our ETA without fail!

 The marina walkway and the top of our area's ramp.  The figure in blue is the captain pushing the grocery cart headed down to the boat.

That's it for now.  The Bureau of Meteorology has posted a strong wind warning for this part of the reef for the next two days so we'll be here until Wednesday it looks like.  There's a big national park not far from here and if we get the chance we thought we'd go and have a look at that - about an hour or so drive - in the next day or two.

Cruising Catch-Up #3 - Percy Islands to Digby Island and then Mackay

Sunset.

Fantastic "swimming hole" on South Percy.



"Swimming Hole" - South Percy.

Monday, July 1, 2013 – The first words from the Captain at 0630 this morning were, “we’ve got to move, I can’t stand this f**king rolling a minute longer!  Where can we go?”   Actually there isn’t much choice here in the Percy Isles to get away from the swell.  We are 60 nautical miles from the nearest harbour – Mackay – and the wind is howling.  It’s been blowing 20 to 25 knots all night and the sea is really angry.  There is a small island – still in this group – just north of us with a bay that could offer some respite from the southerly swell we’re suffering.  It’s about 4 nautical miles away, due north.  We can clearly see it from where we are now. 

“We’re moving!  Now.”  The first task was getting the anchor up.  With me driving and the Captain out on the foredeck – flying up and down with the front of the yacht - giving me instructions through our new “marriage saver headphones”. 

I’d like to thank John and Ruth Allen, friends from the RPAYC, for telling us about the “marriage savers”.  These things sure beat the hell out of shouting and getting frustrated with each other.   I can be at the wheel, even in screaming wind, and the Captain at the anchor and we can hear each other so it’s easy for him to tell me, “turn to port, take it out of gear, now put in gear just a bit forward….”  So much easier.  We do manage to yell about some things however.  Like this morning when I asked, while watching him bouncing up and down with the boat, if he was clipped on.  That simple statement resulted in a tirade of unintelligible words through the headphones.  So I took the answer as a NO.

Anyway, we got the anchor up and started across to the other island.  Once out into the middle of the bay separating the islands the wind was mean, unpleasant, cold and not a lot of fun.  It took an hour to get across and turn the corner to North East Island and then another wee while to find a clear spot away from the intermittent fringing reef to anchor.  Finally, bliss happened.  We were still in swell and wind but it was much more tolerable.  Heaven in fact.  As we settle in and I settled my jangled 8:30am (0830) nerves with a welcome cup of tea made by a very happy Captain we heard another 3 yachts over the radio discussing where to move.  They were all complaining about the swell and a sleepless night.   It wasn’t too long before we could see other masts coming around the corner headed for our bay.

We spent the day – still rolling – but relaxing.  The Captain went ashore to explore and I finished my book.  I saw my first large sea turtle of the trip.  He stuck his head up not far from the boat’s stern, had a look around and then dived out of sight.  That clearly says tropics to me!

Dinner was a low carb affair….grilled salmon (from the freezer), green beans and a salad.  Fishing hasn’t deliver any fresh fish to the fridge yet…but it soon will (I hope).   The evening was topped off with a return showing of ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’.  I’ve seen it 4 times now and the Captain twice but we enjoy it more and more with every viewing! 

 

Tuesday, 2 July 2013 – There wasn’t much sleep last night.  The wind roared like a malevolent beast all night.  It would tease with a break – maybe as much as a minute, not more – and then you could hear the gust coming.  A low groan at first like it was building speed from a distance and then it would hit with an almighty roar and scream through the rigging.  Miss Southern Belle would first pull at her anchor and then pitch wildly from side to side.  Every gust seem to get worse.  The Captain was up through the night checking the Anchor Position Monitor on the AIS and looking out into the darkness at the other boats and their Captains doing much the same things.

 

North East Island - Percy Isles.  The first guy at the refuge island!  9 more boats moved into the bay after we changed outlook.  Good respite from the screaming wind...but not perfect.

 

The morning wasn’t too different but it did seem like the wind had either died down a little or we were getting used to it.  The early morning weather report over the HF radio didn’t offer much respite with the same forecast for the next few days.  The good thing was we stopped thinking about the weather and just got on with what needed to be done.  Breakfast, followed by passage planning – we’re leaving here tomorrow with even the slightest break in the weather – and then I tidied up the living/cooking/sleeping area while the Captain took to the topside of the boat with the polish cloth.  Before we knew it was past lunch time and the wind really had abated.

Then, late afternoon after a post lunch nap, the wind was gone.   Amazing.  We went ashore and sat on a pebbly beach and looked out over our little bay.  Since we decided to move in here early yesterday morning, when the wind had started its attack, 9 other boats thought this might be a good place to ride it out as well.  The bay has a good sized population of boats at the moment.   Normally people are out and about in their dingys waving and sometimes inviting other boaties over for a sundowner drink.  But in the last 24 hours it’s been way too rough.  Everyone has been hunkered down like us enduring the rocking and holding the boat’s anchor in place with their thoughts.  It was good to pass our neighbours and say hi on the way back from the beach everyone was outside checking on sheets and things probably getting ready to move.

In the morning we’re headed to Digby Island on our way to Mackay.

 

Wednesday, 3 July 2013 – Up early for the sail to Digby Island…. Distance 25 nautical miles, Time for the journey should be about 5-6 hours.  As usual we were up at 0600 to throw down a cup of tea and toast and get everything tidy in the boat for the journey.  All good until we went to raise the anchor…something was wrong with the wheel, it is very hard to turn.   Not to worry, “keep going, let’s get the anchor up”, I was told.

Once out to sea the captain did a good check, unscrewed the bolt on the front and then went down into the bowels of the “engine room” (really just a crawl space under the cockpit).  He couldn’t see anything that could be hindering the wheel in anyway.   Concerned at the 6 hour trip ahead of us I suggested we go back to the bay we just left.  But he said no.  Unfortunately it got worse.  Once the autopilot was switched on the wheel started to make squeaking and grinding sounds.  Long story but the outcome was a good spray in every nook with WD40.  It seemed to help a bit (a little bit).   I’ve come to the clear realization that on boats there’s always something!

The sail over from North East Island to Digby was pretty good.  We had 12 to 16 knots on the beam so Southern Belle loved it.  I made the mistake of going below to look through all our papers for something on the wheel pedestal and unfortunately made myself sea sick.  After all the rolling and bucking from the last 2 days at anchor I can’t believe the waves under way made me feel bad.   The Captain put out his fishing line but the more I looked at it from my prone position in the cockpit the more I just couldn’t stand the thought of him actually catching something at that particular time.  I finally asked him – for just this time please – to reel in the line.  You can imagine his reaction – just try for a minute – but, he didn’t even argue and brought it in.  Good Man, Thank You!

 

Once we arrived at Digby the captain took the bits of the wheel apart that he could and soaked them all in WD40.  It worked.  Perfect wheel.  And I wanted to turn back. Silly me... that's why I'm not the captain!

 

Anyway...Digby Island was just as bouncy as the Percys.  We spent the night and then got up early this morning for the sail to Mackay.

 

 

Thursday, 4 July 2013 - Up at 0500 (5 am!) after a sleepless night checking the anchor watch with the wind blowing through the limited bay in Digby.  We left our anchor spot at 0600 for Mackay.  Southern Belle and the Captain (and me if I may say) had a GREAT sail.  Some 50 nautical miles sailed at an average of 6.5 nautical miles per hour and only the head sail out.  Perfect tropical trade wind sailing.

 

So here we are.  For me - finally we're sitting flat, no more rolling!  We'll be in Mackay until Tuesday.

 

Fantastic adventure so far!