Sailing around Australia; Expect the Unexpected

Two Peoples Bay, Albany Western Australia

24/12/2013 – Expect the unexpected

It was such a beautiful morning here in Two Peoples Bay today. Very little wind,

glassy water and the birds chirping away in the trees that are quite close to shore.

Leanne and I decided to head to shore. Little did we expect to find a beautifully

maintained picnic and barbecue area. Just past the first row of trees is a toilet

block that you would expect to be a bit ordinary in a remote place like this.

However we were quite surprised to see the rubbish bins empty, the toilets all

clean and in working order and the surrounding grass mown. Even the limestone

pathways were swept clear of leaves and debris.

Our friends Marie and Eva had been for a walk on the trail “up the hill” so we

expected to tread their same path. We must of taken a different turn at some

stage as we came across the two peoples bay visitors centre. This was also very

unexpected. There is an interactive video display, we watched the movie about

the Noisy Scrub bird and spent some time looking at the exhibits of snake skins

and dolphin skulls etc… Again it was all so neat and tidy and very well done.

A short walk up the hill revealed a magnificent view over two peoples bay in it’s

entirety. Alas, no phone or internet cover was available up there either, so it may

be a bit of a downer on Christmas if we are unable to contact friends and family

by tomorrow, Christmas day.

Following our walking discovery, we decided to go venturing around the rocks

that line some of the shores. We found some massive granite rocks that we could

just fit the dinghy between. I turned off the motor in case our propeller hit rocks

and Leanne got out a paddle. As Leanne paddled I took some photo’s.

Leanne said that for some exercise she would paddle over to the next group of

rocks. We didn’t expect this to look like our dinghy was broken and we were in

any trouble. However, it obviously did look like that to our cruising companions

as they both arrived at the same time in their dinghy’s to “rescue” us. Perhaps

they had mistaken Leanne’s singing Christmas carols as she paddled her pretend

Gondola, for crys of help.

 They claimed that we would have to pay some sort of penalty (such as beer, food

and or wine).  Thank god they were here, because if we had been in distress we

could not have expected better assistance.

Both B1 and B2 decided while in their dinghy’s bobbing around, that they would

re-anchor in closer to shore as there didn’t seem to be any of the dangers that

they expected on our arrival to the bay.

B1 and Marie on Urchin, had some bother getting their anchor re-set. As they

tried the winds began picking up.

The next part of our day was to be had on board Zofia. However at lot earlier

than expected  the wind whipped up to gale force out of nowhere and Leanne

and I struggled with the short trip in the dinghy over to Zofia.

We no sooner had boarded Zofia, when we had to get back in the dinghy as it

seemed Easy Tiger was starting to drag her anchor across the bay, propelled by

the 25 knot plus winds now screaming in from the hills to the west.

Leanne and I then had the unfortunate time of trying to get our anchor up with

our friends aboard Zofia watched on. After trying the anchor winch many times,

we managed to only lift the anchor a foot or so off the bottom. Normally it comes

quite easy. Leanne was really battling to control the swinging, swaying boat

saying she felt like we were stuck. I couldn’t understand it. The anchor was up off

the bottom but we still could get the boat to move forward or backward. Then a

clump of weed fell off the anchor. I thought this was good as maybe I could lift it

some more, but still the anchor winch was stalled. Then I saw it. Our anchor was

tangled in another huge chain that we were trying to pull up. Obviously there

was no way to free our anchor in this wind, so we let our chain out again and

went back to Zofia to enjoy our lunch. Who would expect to get their anchor

wrapped up in another chain out here. That will be a job for Christmas day or

when the wind has died down.

The next unexpected event of the day, came in the form of a special Christmas

eve luncheon of Polish fare made by our friend Eva onboard Zofia. We all

chomped and laughed through 5 courses of such things as beetroot soup, pickled

herring and wobbly stuff starting with P for sweets. How special that unexpected

treat was. Thanks Eva.

While we all sat nervously watching our boats swing harshly around on their

anchor points, we made a new way of measuring wind speed. Eva and B2 had a

pair of pants hanging on the back of the boat that would inflate to differing

degrees depending on the wind velocity. One leg inflated we thought was about

twenty knots, both legs inflated about 25 and if the crotch and both legs filled,

well that was sheer gale force. Comment of the day went to Eva, who said that

this really was sailing by the seat of your pants.

So another day of our adventure draws to a close. It really has been a day of the

unexpected.

 

It'll be hard to leave here!

Cruising Sailing around Australia; This is Christmas.

25/12/2013  This is Christmas

Today we woke at the normal time for us. That is quite an unusual feeling for Christmas day.

On normal Christmas day our daughter Bree gets the whole house up bright and early to start festivities.

This year we had a Christmas celebration in October while our family was all together. Afterwards our son went back to work in Italy and our daughter went to Cairns to work with her boyfriend on a slug diving boat. In November we left Mandurah Marina on our epic adventure sailing around Australia.

So this Christmas was going to be anything but normal. It started by me diving on our anchor.  We got it snagged on a great big chain that is lying on the bottom of Two Peoples bay, yesterday. Not normal for me as it was only the second time  I had used a breathing apparatus and the first under water.

Again it was B1 and Marie to the rescue with an air hose and regulator and B2 supplied gloves and a weight belt. The anchor was caught underneath the chain so I had to spend enough time on the bottom to lift our chain to relieve the tension on it, then lift the anchor slightly and get it out from under the big chain.

We then repositioned Easy Tiger in beautiful turquoise water only about 50 metres from the beach. Hope the anchor holds or we will have an entirely new experience. It seemed Ok all day but the wind sounds stronger at night, the beach seems closer and those on board don't sleep for anxiety.

After our diving experience we headed to shore in an attempt to get phone cover. I managed to make a couple of calls to loved ones, by standing on a mound of grass that had a 2 foot high pole in the middle. I found that by standing on the pole and facing due North without moving we were able to get a call to connect. It was a bit frustrating to go to all that trouble and  only talking to  message bank.

We did manage to celebrate the day, in the normal way, as we had our sailing buddies aboard Easy Tiger for secret Santa’s and lunch after which everyone went back to their boats for the very traditional nanna nap.

During the day phone cover would be received for a minute or do here and there. It was a mad dash to the phone to read a text. It is very nice to think that we have friends that think of us.

While we are in another paradise here, we are now starting to look for the right weather for the next step in our sailing adventure. At this stage it looks likely to be at least five more days here in Two Peoples Bay. Really that will be five more days just like Christmas.

Leanne brought a little bit of Christmas on to our boat.

Our gang from left; Brian (I'm sailing with idiots) Oldfield, Leanne (nearly awesome) Eva (no rubbing) Oldfield, Marie (Dinghy Diva) Glover  and Secret Agent Lowe.... Brian Lowe.

Cruising Sailing; Life is too short.

Princess Royal Sailing club, Albany Western Australia

22/12/2013  Cruising Sailing; Life is too short

My Aunty Sandra passed away this morning. I am feeling very torn between our adventure and my Mum in her time of grief.  It does make it hard, wanting to be in 2 places at once. But it also reinforces the point that we don’t know how long we have, so we need to make great use of the time we have on this earth.

There are or were a thousand reasons as to why Leanne and I should not have set off on our great cruising sailing adventure. From business reasons, family reasons and definitely financial reasons, all were like rubber bands holding us back from pursuit of our dream.

Every time we spent money on something for the boat, such as the new flexible type solar panels, or a bigger dinghy we stressed, argued and worried over whether we were throwing money at a pipe dream.

Even now that we have left on our adventure, and the going gets a bit tough, we have to remind ourselves that adventure does involve getting out of the comfort zone.

Yesterday was a case in point. We had planned to sail just 20 nautical miles from Albany to Two

Peoples Bay.  We left at a leisurely pace meandering along in company with Zofia and Urchin. We were just congratulating ourselves on another diamond day, when the wind picked up.

With the wind came the waves and all of a sudden the swell got into the action too. Within perhaps half an hour we now had three metre swells coming towards us, along with 20 knots of wind just off our bows. Conditions had gone from quite ideal to quite uncomfortable within half an hour.

After Easy Tiger was bounced, jiggled and jostled for the next three hours as we rounded the rocky headlands and around the semi submerged reefs. Then we finally pulled the sails down and set the anchor, it would be true to say that we really had more than an enough for one day. That was when I did have a cursory thought that sitting at home on the big comfy lounge chair, watching cricket on the telly might be a better way to spend a Sunday. Surely it has to be better than out here in choppy sea, getting windswept and wondering if the anchor has set so that the boat won’t be blown on to the rocks.

As I said it was only a cursory thought. Because this morning as I put on my wetsuit, it reminded me of those constricting bands of mortgage payments, job pressures and day to day issues that we all seem to invent and then put on ourselves.

As I jumped into water that was so clear it was like air, it rammed home for me that a bad day out here on our adventure is way better than sitting home staring at a TV.

Life is too short to be sitting around watching others make the most of it.

Easy Tiger  anchored in another ideal setting.

Cruising Sailing; New friends Old Friends

21/12/2013

It came to mind today as our yachting trio discussed plans to sail  Two Peoples Bay, how apt that we should be leaving Albany for that destination. In Albany we have experience new friends and old friends or Two People.

On our arrival into the Princess Royal Sailing club, one member in particular made us feel very welcome. In fact Brian Holman had helped B1 and Marie tie on (as they were first in), offered his vehicle to go into town for fuel and supplies and offered several words of wisdom before we even got tied on to the visitors jetty. He then went back home to get his trailer so that we could each fill all our jerry cans in one foul swoop.

Turns out that Brian and his wife Maxine were Catamaran owners several years ago and had a wealth of cruising sailing experience. We very much appreciated his words of wisdom, tips and suggestions he made, as he visited us each day that we have been here, to see if anyone needed help.

I did, find though, each of his suggestions involved another trip to the chandlery or the hardware store and another $100 racked on to the credit card. Except of course, the great tip Brian gave us about not having the right anchor. That one cost me $500. B2 told me that he thought it was money well spent as the boat is worth a lot more than $500. Mind you, B2 didn't have to buy a new anchor!

Our group thought that Brian Holman was very worthy (and also very conveniently named) so we would bestow upon him the title of B5. Brian Lowe (Urchin) is B1, Brian Oldefield (Zofia) is B2. They have found a wine label called B3 so can't name anyone something they drink. While I am Steve (Easy Tiger) I am BEFORE (B4) all the Brians. So that left B5 for our new friend Brian Holman. 

While in Albany our old friends Steve and Denise Mirco came over from Denmark and spent an evening on our boat. Steve and Denise spent time in the small town of Tambellup, at the same time as us.

The great thing about old friends is that even though you don't see them very often, when you do catch up it is just like you saw them yesterday. It is really easy to pick up right where you left off and that's the way we felt after spending an evening with Steve and Denise.

Tonight, one topic of discussion  among our sailing group is that it really feels right for us to be cruising sailing in each others company. Sure some of us are apprehensive, some of us are challenged in different ways and some of us are broke after following all B5's suggestions.

But the power of sharing all this out in the open and getting reassurance from each other is the binding glue that will ensure our trio will succeed with our adventure.  I am sure it will also mean that we all become old friends when we are done.

Our friends; never far away during the scary stuff.

Cruising Sailing; Entertainment and Excitement

Quindalup, Western Australia

18/12/2013 Cruising Sailing; Entertainment and Excitement

When Leanne and I first started out on our sailing “life”, someone told us that there is only two things that happen. That is entertainment and excitement.

Put simply, entertainment is when it happens to someone else. For example, some of the first boating people we met were April and Wayne McCarthy. Now they are truly great friends of ours, even though they originally came from the “other side”. Yes, they were motor boaters, or what we commonly call stink boat owners.

Wayne and April introduced us to the paradise of Quindalup at Christmas time. We sailed down and stayed a couple of weeks, with them nearby. I am quite sure they probably wished they hadn’t had company at Quindalup that year as they provided more than their fair share of entertainment for us and everyone around them.

Wayne managed to get their boat stuck on the only bomby rock in Quindalup bay. We woke one morning to find 99 boats facing one way in the breeze, while Wayne and April’s boat was the one facing a completely different angle.

April managed to fall out of their dinghy with just enough regularity to make each time completely entertaining. Especially as she managed to save her new I phone each time.

In fact, April still holds the record on our boat, as the person who came for a day sail, with three changes of clothes. Unfortunately, she needed each set within a couple of hours of each other as she kept finding ways to get saturated. She also managed to fall out of our dinghy, while it was on the beach. Now that’s entertainment.

Excitement is when it happens to yourself. One of our most exciting times was after we sailed all night to arrive at the Abrohlis Islands and tried to hook on to a mooring.

The mooring ropes are usually about 3 to 5 metres long, but the one we tried to hook on to was only about ½ a metre. We had to motor very close to the actual mooring bouy, with Leanne hanging almost upside down off the front of the boat trying to pickup this ridiculously short rope. All the while the wind is howling in our face, trying it’s best to keep our boat away from the mooring.

With Leanne upside down shouting underneath the boat and me with my head up though the roof, we were unable to use our usual method of communication which is shouting at each other. But we still gave that a good go anyway.

Leanne shouted from underneath the boat what I was sure sounded like “I got it”, so I cut power to the engines. The wind forced the boat into a rapid reverse now that there was no power pushing forward. After a second or so delay there was a massive crack sound like an enormous whip. Leanne managed to get her self upright and yell what sounded like it rhymed with truck or duck. Then there was another enormous crack, louder than the first.

“We’ve ripped the stays out”, shouted Leanne. “Oh my god”. It took some time a for me to register what had happened. Leaving the wheel and engine controls, I sprinted to the front of the boat. Once reality set in, I had to sprint to the back of the boat and rush inside.

Our boat, Easy Tiger, has a pole that sticks out the front about 2 metres. This pole takes the spinnaker sail. In order to do this, it must be held down by two stainless steel cables. What had happened, was the mooring bouy got tangled in these cables as we had pushed the boat too close to it. Without the motors to hold the boat forward the wind pushed the boat backwards. The steel cables were the weakest link in this scenario and snapped, whipping about like a stingray tail.

I had to rush down below, first to our clothes cupboard. There I had to throw the clothes aside to see if we were taking on water. The bracket that holds the steel cables goes through the hull, into the sea water here. So I  had to make sure we hadn’t ripped the bracket out or cracked the hull of the boat there. No water! Thank God.Then to the other side of the boat, in behind the forward toilet. Again no water. 

In a state of panic, I then realised that we were drifting very quickly across the bay. Leanne sat on the front, numb and disheveled. 

After some time to try to regain our breath, we summoned up enough of our last energy reserves to then approach another mooring, this time with a long rope. Once we tied on, we sat together, unable to speak or think. We just sat there slowly shaking our heads from side to side.Too much excitement for one day!

After further investigation that day, it turned out that we were so, so lucky not to pull down the whole mast and rigging directly on to Leanne. We ended our Abrohlis Islands adventure a week early to head to Geraldton for repairs.

Today here in Albany, with the first stage of our Australian circumnavigation under our belts, I do wonder what sort of entertainment we are in for and I hope and pray that we do not have too much excitement.

  

Easy Tiger (after the excitement) and Urchin at Turtle Bay Abrohlis  Islands