Sailing Around Australia; The adventures of Hire a Bubble

Marina Adelaide, Largs North Adelaide, South Australia

11/7/2014 The amazing adventures of Hire a bubble.

AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!! Cabin fever had set in courtesy of foul weather.  Wind at 50 knots plus, rain and freezing cold temperature had us locked in Easy Tiger’s cabin for a couple of days.

When the weather got a little better (and I emphasize the little) we dashed to Cut Price Hire cars and managed to hire a metal bubble with four wheels. Leanne negotiated as only Leanne can and we paid the princely sum of $20 per day with 200klms per day available to us.

Have wheels will travel. First up we headed up into the spectacular Adelaide Hills to the town of Hahndorf. Here was the place where I was happy to go and browse the souvenir shops, not something I like doing normally. But, if they had a heater going strong, I was happy to stand and stare at their offerings.

Hahndorf, a lovely German influenced village in Australia full of the same Chinese made souvenirs one would find at any tourist destination.

Hahndorf is however, home to Otto’s bakery where the world’s biggest donuts are made. It would be a huge challenge for any man woman or child to eat one of these monoliths in one sitting. Leanne and I ordered one cut in half, with the chocolate icing and cream in the middle. We both struggled to finish our portions and did not eat anything for the rest of the day!!! We also had a sausage roll each, but these were not even near the top 50 on B2’ s Sausage roll league ladder.

Giant Donuts at Ottos in Hahndorf.

The Sausage Rolls weren't in the top 50 on B2's League Ladder

Hire a Bubble then took us to the next town over the hills, the town of Birdwood. Here (much to Leanne’s delight) was the Australian Motor Museum.  I did feel a little awkward in there, as the they had on show replica’s of my first motor bike and my first car. In a museum?  Surely they wouldn’t be worth exhibiting, they’re only… 30 … something years old?

On display the museum has a customized panel van called midnight express, that has expertly airbrushed murals and is fitted out inside with blue velvet. Ahhh, the memories.  My first car was a customized panel van, that I lovingly re customized. You know one of those never ending projects. I was gunna enter it into a show one day, if I could just finish it.

Midnight Blue, Top customised van in Australia (in 1979)

The good old Holden Sandman....memories

Also they had the Morris major. A friend of mine had a collection of these, except he used to keep tipping them over on his way home from the nightclub.

After the motor museum there was a chocolate factory. Still suffering the after effects of the giant donut though, we managed to go in and out of the chocolate factory quickly and only spent $4.00.

Then the hire a bubble took on the form of a rally car. The road we took back down to Adelaide during the drizzling rain at dusk in the evening was steep, winding and quite busy. We managed to do our bit for road safety in South Australia, with our hire a bubble acting as a pace car up the hills and then flying wildly down the other side. Believe me, rolling down a steep hill on a wet winding road at dusk with half the towns population behind you in their four wheel drives feels like you are flying wildly. Needn’t have worried too much though, we never once managed to hit the speed limit! Much to the delight of the locals who were behind us, I am sure. Just to add to the effect I had my hat on!

Next day, with the weather gods still trying to either blow or freeze us out of existence we decided to strap ourselves back into the hire a bubble and ventured down to Victor Harbour. One reason for this intrepid journey was that we had been told it was really pretty, second reason was that we could check out potential anchoring or mooring spots and thirdly it was Leanne’s Birthday.

Just as well Adelaide is set out in a grid pattern of roads. While I was driving Leanne was navigating. Well, supposed to be navigating. She spent most of the journey to Victor Harbour texting and facebooking well wishes for her birthday and then negotiating with car hire companies for our up coming trip to Cairns.

Somehow we managed to head south and found the delightful town of Victor Harbour. There is a long causeway from the town foreshore that has horse drawn tram cars to take you over to Granite Island.

They also have a few moorings tucked in behind the jetty and the island, which seemed quite well protected.

On Granite Island they have penguin colonies. We got talking to the man that was manning the penguin feeding ticket counter, who was explaining that feeding is on again at 2.30pm. We looked at each other realizing that it was now 1.45pm. We weren’t so worried about feeding the penguins, but feeding ourselves.

The all you can eat roast carvery was about to close! We would have to sprint to make it, but the guy wanted to ask us where we were from. He wanted to tell us about the moorings and give us the contact to ring. The guy wanted to tell us about the aboriginal dreamtime rocks representing women and children of the prince along the shoreline of the Island. He wanted to tell us about the famous artist who had been here to carve rocks. He wanted to tell us about the view from the boardwalk etc.. etc…. The only carving I wanted to see was the chef working on roast lamb.

After a huge roast lamb and beef lunch at the pub (no need to eat for two more days) we drove around to the caravan park and saw 2 yachts anchored off the beach. Looked quite protected and relatively calm considered it was blowing about 40 knots with drizzling misty rain. We added Victor harbour to our list of potential stop overs after leaving Kangaroo Island.

The navigator was back on her game after her phone went flat and the hire a bubble followed the coast road to Cape Jervis. Spectacular countryside through rolling green hills dotted with cows or sheep and steep cliffs along the shore. From the Cape Jervis lighthouse we could see our next sailing destination, Kangaroo Island.

 

The Kangaroo Island Ferry, busy loading trucks and cars.

Cape Jervis Light house, we'll be looking of that when we sail around the corner.

We then rolled around to the St Vincents marina (Wirrina cove).  We were going to stay there instead of Adelaide, but on visiting we became very glad with the choice we made. It is just marina, that doesn’t seem quite finished. Judging by all the for sale and mortgagee sales it ha been a good idea that hadn’t really worked. There are no services, no transport just an isolated marina with about fifty boats jostling in the wind.

St Vincents Marina, good idea, just didn't quite work, judging by the for sale signs everywhere.

We arrived back at Easy Tiger by about 7.00pm. As I unfolded my body out of the hire a bubble I thanked it for not breaking down, for making it up the hills and for having just enough breaks to stop at each set of lights. Then I thanked it for the adventure and thanked god I don’t have to drive it any more.

Happy Birthday Leanne.

Sailing Around Australia - Getting back on the Bike.

Marina Adelaide, Adelaide South Australia.

6/7/2014 Getting back on the bike.

According to the weather predictions, Saturday the 5^th of July would see the next leg of Sailing around Australia Adventures start. Easy Tiger was ready to take us from Port Lincoln to Adelaide.

The forecasts were for South West winds turning westerly with low swell and moderate seas. This seemed to be right when we woke to find one of those beautiful crisp mornings. We immediately layered on the clothing. Leanne put on two pairs of base layers, then windcheater and trackies, then Musto sailing gear.

As we threw the ropes off , the remainders of our sailing family, Brian and Maree on Urchin were there with hugs and best wishes all round.

A couple of locals that we had got to know well Gary who had very nicely helped us out a lot, and David (Sonja sensibly stayed in bed) from the cat Vaya Con Dios, were also on hand to wish us farewell.

Off into the calm grey morning we motored. Not far off Port Lincoln we had to jostle for our route to the waypoints I had set with the Tuna boats. Perhaps twenty or so boats ranging from ships to crayfishing sized boats were gathered on the outer side of Boston Island. The Tuna fish harvest is obviously in full swing.

Once out of the protection of Boston and Taylor Islands the southwest swell started rocking the boat. As we were travelling southeast, the side on swell caused an unpleasant ride and a couple of queasy tummies. Seems we had lost our sea legs in the four months we spent shackled to the Port Lincoln Marina.

At 8.00am we waited for the VMR Tumby bay Scheds and were a bit dismayed that only 2 boats responded. That meant that we were the only boat in our area, on a weekend. Did we miss something? Was there something they are not telling us?

Our trip plan went well. We would try to make it around Cape Spencer before dark as there are a number of shoals, reefs and islands in that area. Easy Tiger had managed to keep over 6 knots all day so made it around the “haystack” islands before well before dark. The only hazard being a small ship that decided to cross our route. Thanks to our AIS system we spotted it early and were able to follow it’s course clearly.

We had just finished congratulating ourselves on getting clear of the cape when Leanne shouted “Cray POTS!” As we were both inside the cabin trying to keep warm, Easy Tiger was on Auto Pilot. I looked up and saw the floats about thirty metres directly in front of our port bow. In one movement, I opened the cabin door, hit the stand by button on the Auto Pilot, swung the helm hard to starboard and stopped the port motor. Luckily, the cray pot floats went by, missing the port side by about ten meres. Then there were others up ahead, so again immediate evasive action was taken. Then there was more. I managed to dodge and weave Easy Tiger this way and that for about ten minutes until we were finally clear.  We did not want cray pot ropes wrapped around our propellers. Especially our new propeller!

Soon after the cray pots, darkness fell. I mean very, very, dark due to heavy cloud cover. Again we huddled in the cabin to keep warm and dry. Easy Tiger plodded along with the auto pilot holding our course. We peered into the blackness through the windows, but except for the odd hazard marking light, we literally saw nothing. Just ploughed on trusting that there was nothing but ocean in front of us.

We tried 2 hour shifts of sitting up and staring into the black, but this became 1 hour stints as the concentration and fatigue quickly took their toll.

We passed Edithburgh and turned towards Adelaide. This turned the side on swell to the other side of the boat. That is I think we passed Edithburgh. We couldn’t see the town lights. We had considered stopping over here, but would not have possibly found the mooring buoy in the darkness.

Finally at 5.00am half a dozen ships on anchor or slowly moving around signaled our arrival to the approaches to Port Adelaide. By 8.30 we were on our last waypoint for the journey, at the entrance to the marina.

Leanne called the guy who was going to show us where to go and help tie on. She couldn’t get him. We slowed to a crawl and moved into a well laid out marina, passed a dozen or so empty pens. Passed people standing chatting on the jetty’s. No-one seemed to notice us, no-one seemed to be waiting for us. No-one even acknowledged us. The layout seemed very different to what we had been told. Leanne rang him again.

Contact. “We are here” I heard Leanne saying “but we can’t see you”.

Wrong marina!

We had to turn around, go back out to sea. Then around a long rock wall through the main shipping harbour and seven miles up the river.

We thought we had booked into the North Haven Marina. No. We had written down North Haven Marina but had rung the number for Marina Adelaide. Bit of a blessing in disguise as Marina Adelaide is brand new. There was Richard waiting for us. He helped us tie on (using mooring ropes supplied). We saw the Fuel jetty with the easiest access ever, plus camp kitchen, bbq’s, clean toilets, showers. It seems to have everything; except people. There is literally no-one around.

That is quite a relief though. After 28 hours of sailing adventure we weren’t feeling that social.

OK, someone is going to have to yield... probably me!

Excuse me... your on my waypoint.

errr... no we are not the Sea Shepard

Sailing Around Australia - Separation

30^th June 2014  Lincoln Cove Marina, Port Lincoln South Australia

Seperation

It’s official from today. Our sailing around Australia adventures will continue within the next week. For the foreseeable future though, “Easy Tiger” will be sailing alone.

We had a farewell sundowner (that finished at 11.00pm) for the crew of Zofia, who headed off to Port St Vincent this morning. They are eventually headed for Tasmania. We will be heading for Adelaide (probably on Saturday) with a vague plan of Sydney by Christmas and the Urchin crew are staying a little longer in Port Lincoln.

Our “last supper” for the time being, was a good way to consummate our separation, with quite a few rounds of question and answer bringing us all to the realization that together, we had achieved and experienced some pretty amazing things.

The questions ranged from the best place we had been, the best experience we had enjoyed, the worst moments or anchorages, and went to, if you were to write an article for a magazine to describe our adventures so far, what would be the title?

Interestingly, there was only one unanimous answer. It was the people that we have met along the way have been the real highlights for all of us.

Someone told us before we left that they did not think that 6 crew aboard three boats would be able to cruise together for long.  That has now come true as each boat crew has different ideals and plans for the immediate future.

I think we have done particularly well to spend so much time with people who, let’s face it, were just acquaintances not so long ago.

What has come to light during our sailing around Australia adventures is that our mix and blend of six very different personalities has made for an “internal” adventure as well. As each personality has shone or dimmed at different times we have seen the best and otherwise in each other and so we have become friends. A bit like a family.

As in a “family” we have appreciated, recognized, encouraged, discouraged, accepted, ignored, annoyed, counseled, applauded and commiserated with each other on numerous occasions. I think that our biggest test has been giving each other “the shits” while sitting idle in the Port Lincoln marina for 2 months.

So last night’s sundowner was very fitting way to see off two members of the family as they venture off into the unknown by themselves. It was indeed a bit sad to see them go, but strangely, we are glad they did.

Knowing we are next to leave the comfort of our sailing family, we feel like Leanne said, “it’s time for us to grow up”. There will be no more borrowing bits and pieces from the others, no more splicing, sewing and knot help , no other boat to share bad weather with, no entertainment when anchoring, no-one to share anxiety with and dangerously for us, no-one to rescue our escapee dinghy.

When we do catch up with Zofia or Urchin again it will be a reunion of our sailing family. The memories of leaving Quindalup on a full moon among many shooting stars, Arrival

s in Albany and Esperance, spending a week in Bremer Bay and another week in Hopetoun, sailing across the bight, our month in Streaky Bay and our times in Port Lincoln will all be relived.

We will have new tall tales to tell, we will have a few laughs and maybe another session of Question and Answer. We look forward to that.

 

From Left Steve (Rattle, Bang and Clunk),  Leanne ( Is that the best you can do), Brian (B2 Hide your wine), Maree (I'm going up the mast) and Brian (B1 the gadget guru). Missing is Eva (nibbles). 

Sailing Around Australia - Holiday From Our Holiday

24^th June 2014  -  Lincoln Cove Marina, Port Lincoln South Australia

The Holiday from Our Holiday

Our sailing around Australia Adventures aboard our catamaran “Easy Tiger” brought us to Port Lincoln South Australia. From here went on our “holiday from our holiday”.

Easy Tiger’s sailing around Australia Adventures began in November 2013, which is when we left from Mandurah Marina. Our ports of call have included, Bunbury, Quindalup, Albany, Bremer Bay, Hopetoun, Esperance, Duke of Orleans, Streaky bay, Sceale bay and Coffin bay.

For the past six months we have been studying every intricate detail of the weather, the sea conditions, the next anchorage and calculating fuel consumption, watching the fresh water, while carefully managing our budget to the last dollar.

Maintenance and repairs have been on our daily program, with a never-ending list waiting for the next port of call. Local boat supply shops have been known to lick their lips when we arrive and shed a tear when we depart their town.

Socializing has been an important part of our “routine”. For getting to know the “locals”, learning information from passing yachts and other cruisers, or planning discussions within our own group, sundowners are held every three or four days. There is also a blog and emails to write, plus friends and family to keep in touch with.

We were in quite a routine and all this had become, well, “normal”, by the time we arrived in Port Lincoln in April. We had all booked an extended stay, to take holidays from our adventures. This would allow us to fly home to visit family and friends.

Some time before we left on our adventures, Leanne’s family had booked a trip to Europe to celebrate her sister’s 50^th Birthday. So, our five weeks at “home” included a trip to France and Italy and a cruise through southern Italy and Greece.

This meant that during our five weeks at home we had 8 airplane trips, 10 train trips and slept in 22 different beds.

Now back in Port Lincoln aboard “Easy Tiger” we have suffered a severe case of jet lag. It has been a struggle to get up in the mornings and long periods of the day are spent aimlessly.

 Somehow though, we have managed to get into some major jobs on the boat, included sorting out the new anchor winch and its new mounting brackets, Sail bag repairs, head sail sewn up, a trampoline repaired and  hatches resealed.

Our plan was to restart our Sailing Around Australia Adventures from 30^th June, so our routine of weather study and discussion has been restarted. However the weather report was all about a “megablizzard” bringing huge amounts of wind, snow and hail to South Eastern Australia, our next destination. So another week in the safety of the Lincoln Cove Marina.

I think actually, our real holiday from our holiday has arrived. The weather and conditions in Port Lincoln mean there isn’t anywhere to go and “normal” activities can’t be resumed. With that in mind I think I will roll over, pull the doona up and rest while the wind and rain howl outside. After all who says you can’t sleep in until 9.00am on a holiday?

Leanne swimming with the tuna in Port Lincoln.

Europe 2014 - Nice place to visit...

But it's nice to be back to "normal"