Sailing Around Australia; Hopping to Kangaroo Island

American River, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

16/02/2015 – Hopping to Kangaroo Island

Our arrival back on board Easy Tiger after six months of working, holidaying and visiting family was exhilarating, exciting and frightening all in one.

We were exhilarated to be back after a series of delays, including Leanne fighting off Dengue fever and an airplane with a broken door.

While we were away our friends and prospective catamaran owners Ian and Susan had been keeping an eye on Easy Tiger for us. They had found the art of sundowners (drinks on board at sundown) to be quite to their liking and had come to chat with many other boaties in the marina. We offered and they accepted to come with us on the hop to Kangaroo Island.

It was so exciting to be now back into our sailing adventure. We had to immediately get back into the routine of being in “sailing” mode. Twice daily we check the weather, looking for winds to be mostly behind us and between 10 and 20 knots.

The weather gods smiled on us, presenting favourable conditions for a couple of days, at the end of the first week we were back, which would suit our hop.

Now the fright stepped in. As we hadn’t done any sailing for the past twelve months we were not quite sure of how we would fare. We used to have a good system between each other, but after so long everything including teamwork gets rusty.

Our nervous excitement energy was put to good use we planning our hop. It is a touch over 70nautical miles from North Haven Marina to American river. We normally allow a cruising speed minimum of 5 knots. That is by the time we allow for no wind, against some current one of our Yanmar engines at ¾ throttle will push us along at 5 knots. This meant that the hop to Kangaroo Island would take us around 14hours or so.

The next step we try to take is to plan to arrive in daylight and on a high tide. With these factors taken into account we planned to “throw the ropes” and depart at 3.00am.

Then it is off to the shops for provisioning. As we don’t know how long we are going to be in a given place, we normally provision for three or four weeks at a time.

Also, we prefer to stay in the best protected anchorages. This does not usually equate to having services or stores easily accessible. Plus we have no idea as to when the weather will be right to move on.

Our departure day came in a blur. As planned we did cast off at 3.00am and slipped quietly out of the marina. Past the rock walls and out into a glassy ocean we motored.

I sat looked at the lights of Adelaide sliding by for the next few hours. Planes appeared, first as stars, then bright flashing lights until they landed and melded into the myriad of twinkling colours.

There was only the deep throbbing of the port motor, punctuated by the odd dolphin puffing as they broke the surface nearby. The serenity is what I will always remember of our cruising sailing adventures.

Dawn brought with it the predicted wind. We deployed the main sail and the multi purpose sail made for these light conditions.We were able to kill the engine, making our planned speed easily under sail. Well, for 2 hours anyway.

Southwest rain squalls that were not predicted set in. A quick sail change from the multi purpose to headsail was done albeit by a rusty and novice like skipper.

As we crossed Investigator Strait, the wind came up to 25knots from the south west, but Easy Tiger galloped along at 7 knots with just her head sail in use. We had one motor going just to help against sideways drift.

Once we were inside the Eastern Cove at Kangaroo Island, Ian produced a Blue vein trolling line. He had 2 fair sized Snook on board in quick succession. Great for us, not so good for him as he is allergic to seafood!

Arriving in American River at Kangaroo Island right on our planned ETA also reminded us of why even cruising sailing is an adventure. Winds and conditions were certainly different to the forecast of all three services we use. We also reminded ourselves that having a routine is so important as are checklists to ensure each eventuality is at least considered.

Very quickly after our arrival and attachment to a swing mooring, we had the crab pots in the water and caught some good sized sand crabs for dinner.

We found that the inhabitants of Kangaroo Island must be from a long line of sheep farmers, because we were “fleeced” the next day by the car hire place. $154 per day for a hire car! Plus they only give you 100klms. Any more than that and it’s 28 cents a kilometer if you don’t mind. That might seem alright until you work out that it is 50klms just to get back to the boat. We are used to hiring bubble cars for about $30 a day unlimited k's.

We ended up doing 240klms. We went to the honey farm, the Eucalyptus farm had coffee and a look another anchorage in Kingscote, then lunch in Penneshaw and out for a look at Antechamber bay.

Ian and Susie caught the ferry back to the mainland and reality the next morning.

Leanne and I are now sitting on the boat smiling at each other. Yes this is why we bought the boat. This is why we worked hard and went without a lot of “stuff”.

We are back! Let the adventures begin.