Sailing Around Australia ; The little things

On our Sailing Around Australia Adventures aboard Easy Tiger, I have found that it's really the little things that can make or break ones day.

Small things can take on big proportions, especially when we are on edge. Today, we have had to anchor the boat in a position that is about fifty metres from the sheer rock face of an island, here in Duke of Orleans Bay. This means we will have to be on anchor watch all night tonight.

After suffering a pretty rough night last night, where the wind was trying to tear our anchor out and push us on to the beach, we repositioned ourselves to the other side of the bay, in the lee (out of the wind) in preparation for the wind direction North East wind that was forecast. We anchored the boat perfectly to get protection behind a sand dune. 

Unfortunately, the forecast was a little bit out. As we sat aboard Zofia for a morning meeting about our planned departure for the Great Australian Bight, we looked back at Easy Tiger to see her swing right around  on the anchor chain and straight toward the beach. It seems the wind was actually from the south east not the north east. By the time we got back to the boat, East Tiger had her  stern only about 50 metres from the beach.

We decided to travel by dinghy to the caravan park to drop off some rubbish and scout out the possibility of supplies. The caravan park was about 1 nautical mile away but as we would follow the shore line I decided that I wouldn't need the usual wet weather gear and life jacket we would normally wear for such a trip.

We started off well, then as we got out from the Lee of the Island, we realised there was quite a wind blowing. I spent the trip surfing the dinghy on the little wind waves and we got to the caravan park with Leanne and Myself quite dry. We dropped off our rubbish and had a chat to a couple of caravan "parkers".

Then it was time for the return trip. You know the saying, what goes up, must come down. Well what went down wind must return up wind. I found this out the as we headed out from the caravan park back towards the boat. The little waves slapped into the side of the dinghy, creating a splash that the wind delighted in spraying over us. It didn't matter which way I turned, either myself or Leanne in the front of the little dinghy copped a spray every couple of metres all the way back to Easy Tiger. We got back on board dripping wet.

On board as we dried off dried off, the wind was howling, and we were creeping closer and closer to the beach. 

Zofia had anchored quite close to Table Island in the morning anchor shuffle. But we could see them being caught in a swirling wind as it "wrapped" around the Island. Suddenly, as we were watching, they were on deck, anchor up and motored off to the previous night's anchorage. This left us a dilemma. Do we follow suit or do we look for something better where we are. Either way we had to move. The wind was pushing us ever closer to the beach, with bullets (short gusts of wind) now hitting 35 to 40 knots.

After some careful observation of the wind patterns in the lee of the island, I suggested to Leanne that there was a small area that seemed to be protected from the wind, but it would be very close to the island. As we were considering this option, Urchin crew got their anchor up and headed to the spot where Zofia had just vacated. That would not leave us enough room to take the area that we had picked out. As we waited for them to get set, the wind gave us another shove and Easy tiger lurched back over our imaginary "line in the sand" that meant we were too close to calamity. We had to immediately pick up our anchor and head out into deeper water.

We got our anchor up quite professionally using nothing but hand signals, as the wind was too strong to yell against and our headsets were playing up. Urchin then turned around and headed back passed us. This meant our spot was open so we headed in as close to the deadly rocks as we dared and dropped the anchor. Immediately the boat was hit by a bullet of wind and threw us dangerously close to a semi submerged rock. "pull up the anchor, lets get out of here" I yelled back to Leanne. She hit full throttle reverse with both motors, but the boat didn't seem to pull back.

I had lost sight of the anchor chain while staring at the rock that was getting closer instead of further way like I desperately wanted it to. I found our anchor chain disappearing under the back of the boat and started a cold sweat. If it got stuck under our keel as we had happen with mooring lines a couple of times I would have to dive under the boat and manhandle it off the keel, with the boat propellers spinning just a half a metre away. Finally the engines started to make progress against the wind and the strong current and we started to go backwards.

As we were backing out, I also noticed something else. There was no wind. "Stop the boat and drop the anchor", I shouted to Leanne. We set the anchor in the exact spot I had observed earlier, a little pocket of water well protected from the wind by the Island.

After we had sat for a while and set  three anchor alarms, we marvelled at the fact that we were actually facing Urchin in a sort of stagnant game of chicken. As we were caught between 2 directions of wind causing Easy Tiger to face away from the island, they were in a direct stream meaning they were being swung to face the Island, yet we were only some 200 metres apart.

After working out who would keep watch for which hours and getting ready for a long night of staring at the rocks (which always seem closer at night), the wind had another part to play by changing direction. You guessed it, the wind then swung around to the North East (where it was forecast to be all day), swinging us around on our anchor chain to mean that we are now parallel with the sheer rock wall that is Table Island, in Duke Of Orleans Bay.

As we are now in quite a strong wind flow and facing into the wind, there is a high chance that our anchor could come unsettled and we could drift, hopefully out to sea and not onto the rocks. To hold us in position a little more firmly, we let out another twenty metres of anchor chain.

I am now on my turn on anchor watch. At least I don't have to stare at the rocks, wondering if they are getting closer. I now have to be alert for sudden wind direction changes. My "guesstimate" is that we were 50 metres from the rocks when the wind was south, earlier in the afternoon. As we let out more chain, if the wind goes back to South this means we will be 20 metres closer to the rocks.

Nothing to worry about there, as long as my "guesstimate is accurate to within 20 metres. It's only a little thing but a wrong calculation here could ruin more than our day.

Table island rocks with our life bouy in the foreground. A bit close for comfort.

Table Island Rocks look scenic in the dawn light but are really not friendly to fibreglass boats.

Steve, Leanne and B2 with a crayfish we "caught". See previous Post.

Leanne's "I got a bargain" smile.

"Duke" the upsized sea gull at Duke of Orleans Bay

Sailing around Australia; Now that's Fishing.

28/1/2014 Now That’s Fishing.

On our Sailing Around Australia Adventures, Easy Tiger, Urchin and Zofia have become quite easy to notice as we stay in various places, like Duke of Orleans Bay.

If there are people around many of them like to come and say hello and enquire about our travels. The three boats travelling together is a bit of a rare spectacle on the south coast of WA. I would assume that is because many boats that are travelling through don’t stop in these small bays, but chose to go from Esperance straight through to Middle Island and then on to Port Lincoln.

Of course interest in us is reciprocated as interest in the people we come across. as we are genuinely interested in local activities, weather and other information.

Showing interest in other people often also has material rewards.

Some years ago, we went camping at Bremer Bay, with some new found friends, the Aylmores. A few days after arriving and setting up camp in the caravan park, Brian Aylmore asked me if I would like to go fishing with him.

I replied that I was not much of a fisherman and didn’t have any gear. He said that it would be alright, I wouldn’t need to bring anything, just maybe a few beers. That much I could do. We climbed into his utility. As he started up the vehicle, I asked him if he was bringing a rod of if he had bait. You don’t need any of that to fish the way I do he said.

As Brian was a farmer and the vast majority of people in the park were also farmers from the Great Southern region, most were well known to each other. This also meant that there were many utility vehicles with trailers loaded with fire wood and motorbikes etc, parked in clumps throughout the park.

We would not have gone more than 50 metres, when he stopped the ute and started to jump out. “Smithy’s camp, good fishers”, He said. He sauntered up to a group of men standing around a camp fire as if he was just passing by.

After the initial greetings and some farming type conversation, Brian asked them about their fishing success yesterday. They were completely oblivious to his agenda, but responded with news that they had a fair bounty. Would he like a couple? He was offered 2 skipjack of good size.

We deposited these back in Brian’s vehicle and then headed on the next camp, where the previous conversation and result was repeated. Then to another camp around the back of the caravan park where another excellent result was achieved.

After one circuit of the caravan park, we had six fish to bring back to our camp site. “Now that’s how you go fishing” said Brian with a wry smile.

On our Sailing Around Australia Adventure, Leanne has tried the Brian Aylmore fishing technique a few times. She has come up a bit short handed, but was able to buy some very fresh fish from a couple of fishermen who came in to the wharf at Esperance.

Yesterday, as we enjoyed morning tea on Zofia, a cray fishing boat that had been befriended by Maree and Brian on Urchin, arrived in the bay and offloaded a cargo into a large dinghy. My story of Brain Aylmores fishing techniques was recounted among our group.  We all looked at each other to see who was going to give it a shot with Maree taking up the challenge. Within a few minutes of conversation we had been offered three crayfish. Now that’s what you call fishing.

Cray tails caught by Maree and prepared by B2

Fish Bryani caught and cooked by Leanne

Sailing Around Australia; Australia Day

Location; Anchored off Nares Island, Duke of Orleans Bay, Western Australia

As we departed Esperance on our Sailing Around Australia Adventures this morning, with the usual anxiety and apprehension that comes with the start of each leg, I was reflecting on how fortunate we are to live in Australia.

Leaving Esperance at sunrise

We threw the ropes at 0500hrs and sailed into the Recherche Archipelago. The sky was bright orange in the glow of the rising sun, that gave the many Island's a dark silhouette.

With only 6 knots of wind, we decided to motor for a while as this would give "the fisher" a good opportunity to trawl. Not long after Leanne put her line in we put the new fishing rod to the test. Three Southern Bluefin Tuna were hauled aboard in fairly quick succession. The only thing missing today was the victory dance, but of course, Leanne was straight on the phone to her Dad and sister to report the catch. No photo's either, as our fishing guide book says that Tuna must be bled and gutted immediately after capture.

During this gutting and filleting process, dark coloured sea birds started gathering behind our boat. How good they must be at spotting an easy feed. They showed us all manner of ticks, no doubt hoping for a reward to be thrown their way.

Walking on water; neat trick but you don't want to get your wings wet!

Stare into the camera... watch the birdy.

ERR... Foxtrot November you seem to have a problem with your landing gear!

Surprise!

I do like to snorkel, I do NOT like getting my wings wet.

We noticed that these birds were very good at snorkelling. Every so often while floating on the surface they would just dip their heads into the ocean, no doubt looking for a feed. Just their heads and just for a few seconds.

As Leanne was filleting the fish and I was watching the bird show, Zofia snuck passed us with sails up.

The usual saying when this happens is... smile n wave boys, smile n wave.

It was such a nice morning out on the water, we had forgotten about the sailing side of things for a few minutes. So after Zofia glided by, we put up our Multi Purpose sail and turned off our engine for what we thought would be the rest of the day. How peaceful it was to be nudged along by the wind.

Until we rounded the next headland, to be greeted by a threatening rain squall. It was immediately all hands on deck. Furl up the giant multi purpose sail, reef in the head sail and get the motor on. Just in time to be hit by 30 knots. By this time we are in the middle of a narrow channel between 2 islands a keeping watch for reef or rocks.

We saw Zofia heel violently over then turn away from the wind and change course to go around one island rather than try to go through the channel. This is when Urchin with some main sail up and a head sail the size of a hanky flew past us on our port side.

While the other 2 boats disappeared into the distance ahead, we chose the conservative approach. Once we were clear of the channel and the wind had died down a little we put up our main sail. No sooner had we done this than it started raining.

It rained moderately for a half an hour or so. I was quick to get the buckets out to catch a bit of rainwater, but only got enough to fill the sink for dishes. But every drop counts when we will not be able to replenish supplies for three weeks.

After the rain, the wind changed direction and we settled in to a very pleasant sail, through the best landscapes we have seen by far. Pictures just don't do it justice.

See the rock that looks like Cookie monster from Sesame Street.

Again, this gave me time to reflect on my good fortune to be able to sail, able to sail into any bay of my choosing, which will be safe from pirates or other unmentionables, which will usually be deserted and if not deserted, the other people will be happy to come over and say hello.

How fortunate we are to be able to through a line into the clean sea, and catch healthy fish. How fortunate that we can explore the beautiful white beaches, that other than a few four wheel drives and the odd jet ski, are deserted from other people.

How fortunate that the weather is relatively predictable, with a moderate climate that we can enjoy during any given outdoor activity.

How fortunate that we have technology to assist us provided by a stable democratic government. How fortunate we are to live in a peaceful inclusive society.

How fortunate we are to be living in Australia, on Australia day.

Another day, another beautiful bay

Sailing Around Australia; To Go or Not to Go?

As he was under there anyway, I tried to get this guy to clean Easy Tiger's hulls.
Said I would pay in fish... but no deal. He went back to sleeping on a rock. 

Location; Tied on to Service Jetty; Bandy Creek Boat Harbour, Esperance Western Australia 

It seems to me that after a week or so in one place the crews of Easy Tiger, Urchin and Zofia start asking the same question; “should we go or shouldn’t we go? Is it time to continue our Sailing Around Australia Adventures?

We are now facing the big fat, hairy, scary one. Sailing 550nautical miles across the Great Australian Bight. 100 hours of not stop adventure sailing across the Southern Ocean. If we get the weather right we could do it quite easily and wonder what the fuss was about, get it wrong and we could suffer 5 days and 5 nights of the trip from hell.

So far, our group of sailing adventurers has been spot on with picking the right weather to stay put or to sail on to the next destination with. I think that is because we made a commitment to ourselves to wait for the right conditions, rather than have a time frame or date that dictates when we sail or when we wait.

At our get together yesterday, we actually called it sailing by weather systems, not by time.

This decision making process has seen us sail around Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin in light breezes and only 1 to 2 metres of swell. Those are  highly unusual conditions. It has seen us anchoring in John Cove Bremer bay, where the locals said no-one has been able to do that comfortably in the last 5 to 8 years.

We also managed to spend a week in Hopetoun on anchor, where we were told that occasionally they get the odd boat for an overnight visit, but to have three stay a week is unheard of. In fact at the Esperance yacht club, people are giving Brian (B2) and Eva strange looks and talking about them in hushed tones, because they are the yachts that went to Hopetoun and stayed a week, no one does that.

The main strategy we follow is using our “predict wind” system that gives us a seven day localized weather forecast. This is useful as a guide only, as it predicts so far in advance things change during the long time frame.

Then we turn to the Bureau of Meteorology or BOM. They have a system called Meteye, which we can use to also back up the Predict Wind forecast. By far the most accurate though, is the BOM Coastal waters forecast. This, while not localised, gives accurate forecasts for the next three or four days.

Another part of our strategy is to talk to the local boaters, such as fishermen and yacht skippers. Brian (B1) and Maree have mastered that here in Esperance. They have had a local fisherman put all his way points (route plans) into their GPS. These way points include places to hide while going across the bight. If things get too bad, we can use these marks on our electronic chart to find places to hide until conditions improve.

Tied to the service jetty at Bandy Creek Boat harbour, we have a constant stream of people  parking literally 4 feet from above the boat and staring at it. Sometimes they get out of their vehicles and wander around for half an hour or more.

I saw a couple with a baby doing this the other morning, while I was wrestling with the hot water system leak.  I went out back to get something and to ask these people if “they were right”. He introduced himself as Fud and said that they owned a fusion 40 catamaran. anyone who can pick the map and model of Easy Tiger, must know what they are talking about, so I invited them on board. Turns out Fud and Faye Mackenzie own the Fusion 40 called Phayse 2. The baby was their grandson. They spend 6 months sailing from their base in Cairns and six months in Esperance, their hometown.

Over a barbie at their house and then a sundowner in town, we picked their brains about sailing around Australia and up to the Louisades in New Guinea and they entertained us with humorous stories of their sailing around Australia adventures, many of which involved crocodiles. One story involved them pretending to be a crocodile scaring the life out of someone asleep on the front of their boat. They have also experienced their mast breaking off while under full sail in the Kimberly's. It was very reassuring that they have had these adventures and are still keen sailors.

Fud has lived all his life in Esperance and most of that has been spent on the local waters as a fisherman, tug boat and tourist boat operator. He has passed on lots of local knowledge of the anchorages, islands and points of interest along the next leg of our journey. 

Armed with three different weather forecasts and heaps of local information, we plan to sail out to Duke of Orleans bay. From Duke Of Orleans we will wait for the right weather to go to either Middle Island or we will cut out the Middle Island and push right across the bight.

It’s just a matter of making the decision, to go or not to go? The weather gods will decide.

Sailing Around Australia; A Different Aspect

The group inspecting conditions at Thistle Cove

20/1/2014 Location; Tied on to service jetty, Bandy Creek Boat Harbour, Esperance Western Australia

Today marks a week in Esperance and the 13^th week of our sailing Around Australia adventure. While it has been a normal port call for us all, with shopping, washing and provisioning foremost on the agenda, we have had a different aspect from the normal.

This started on arrival into Esperance, with Brian and Eva on Zofia finding a berth at the yacht club which is on the shore line of the town and Urchin and us coming right across Esperance Bay to stay at the Bandy Creek Boat harbour. So for the first time we are a little separated.

Another different aspect of our adventure came in the form of a tour by car of the bays that we were thinking would be our anchorage. Brian and Eva from Zofia had some friends drive down from Perth to stay a few days. They wanted to have a look around Esperance so the Urchin and Easy Tiger crews followed them around in our little hire car.

Most were keen to have a look at the full scale replica of Stonehenge. A local farmer has constructed this on his property. Apparently it is an exact replica, facing the same direction etc… as the original. Sounded like something worth having a look at. The value of having a look was quickly tested when we found the admission price was $10 per person. A majority was very quickly achieved and we turned around in the gateway. As it happened, we ended up seeing it from the road on our return trip to Esperance.

Next stop was into the Cape Le Grande National park where we were fleeced $12 per car for the pleasure of driving into the national park. I thought that the government of the people owned and operated these parks, and being one of the “people” I do object to having to pay to go in.

Next stop was at the place where the cruising guide said was a really good anchorage, named Lucky Bay. B2 was quite excited to stop here as the sign said there was a café and he was eyeing off another log in his sausage roll journal.   Turns out the Café is a trailer on a ute with chairs scattered about on the windblown beach. Needless to say we didn’t stay, just bought a few takeaway Ice creams and got back into the car to escape the sandblasting.

From the on shore aspect the anchorage didn’t look at all hospitable in the 30 knots of wind, waves breaking on the shore and the thick, thick weed just waiting to get tangled in the anchor.

Around at Thistle Cove we saw great lines of swell entering the bay. It would be fair to say that we were all taken aback. It also looked very inhospitable and in fact quite scary from high up on the hill.

A drive around the Twilight beach side of Esperance on the great ocean drive revealed much the same. Very windy, big waves created by the wind and more bays though beautiful, very inhospitable to sail boats. The were a dozen or so kite surfers in each bay who were obviously the only people enjoying the conditions.

Further on we got a new aspect of the famous Pink Lake of Esperance. I say a new aspect because Pink Lake was actually blue. No sign of pink anywhere. I think they have had such good rainfall down here over the last winter that there is too much fresh water in the lake for the algae to do it’s thing.

That evening over some barbecued fresh fish and chips we talked about a change of plans. We may now bypass all these beautiful bays with the hazards they present and go to Duke Of Orleans bay where the best shelter is available and then launch across the bight from there.

Then again, the locals say that in the right weather and conditions, Lucky Bay, New Island Bay and O’brien’s beach are all lovely anchorages. It all depends on what day you are there and from what aspect you are looking at it. 

This little black duck is either lonely or lucky to have the beach all to himself. Depends which way you look at it.

Pink...errr "Blue Lake" at Esperance.