Thursday, December 6, 2007
23rd Nov to 1st Dec 2007
In Yamba had Mechanic check engine over as the engine is now using a gallon of oil for every pint of fuel. Well almost and the barge we’re towing stocked with product to facilitate this consumption is slowing our progress. His opinion was that the only time a Perkins doesn’t blow smoke is when it’s run out of oil. Right. So we left Yamba with another $100 worth of monograde 40w. Back to Iluka to reacquaint ourselves with the Sedgers Reef Hotel no apostrophe.
24th Iluka
Met up with our great sailing buddies from our previous exploits, John and Marie, for lunch at the Sedgers Reef and drinks at their caravan and then more drinks at the beach before we weaved our way back to the boat in the early evening for a bit of R and R and sleep before our pre dawn start next morning. Managed to vote despite directions from a local. “Which is the quickest way to the school?” we enquired. “Are you walking or driving?” he replied. “Driving” we informed him. “Yup, that’s the quickest way”
25th Iluka to Coffs
Motor sailed all the way to Coffs. They ought to do something about the reliability of the East Coast Current. Capricious is the word that comes to mind. With us to Cape Byron, against us to Tacking Point, then with us, then dormant, then against us.
26th Coffs Harbour
Breakfast with friends. Then summoned up the Dunkirk Spirit and went off to a Telstra shop in an attempt to get connected again. Starting up a new wireless account ……maybe allow half an hour. Try 5 hours and then the bloke gave up and asked us to return at 5.30pm. Anyway bless him he persevered and got us back on the air. Had drinks to celebrate this accomplishment with Des and Cate as a fitting end to our day in Coffs.
26th to 30th Nov.
Basically beetled home via Trial Bay spending one night at each of Trial Bay, Camden Haven, Broughton Island and arriving in Pittwater on the evening of the 30th November. Spent the last 90 miles watching the rain radar and trying to avoid several ‘anvil-headed cumulo nimbus’. One of those days when you just want to get there.
.
Was great to arrive home and sail into Pittwater with a rum in hand and a feeling of great satisfaction that we have completed nearly 2,500 nautical miles. The satisfaction had nothing to do with getting the boat back and everything to do with the fact that no blood had been shed in the process. A touch of cabin fever maybe, a close encounter with a rock and a shark, along with a couple of questionable bits of navigation but no blood. Well not much anyway.
So now the boat is tethered to its new mooring in Pittwater and we have stopped listening to weather reports. We have also stopped searching for the next lateral mark, taken our eyes off the depth sounder, we wouldn’t have a clue if it’s high or low tide at the moment or what the range is. The strange noise in the night is no longer the anchor chain growling. It’s the nocturnal ravings of a demented possum.
We’ve learned a bit about overtightening stern glands, vented loops, fridge systems, sacrificial anodes (or lack thereof) and the importance of avoiding whales in the middle of the night. For the time being it will be good to spend time ashore.
We have been persuaded to get on a boat since returning however. This was to assist in moving it from outside the bar of the Newport Arms Hotel to outside the bar of the Royal Motor Yacht Club. And yes there is a thread that weaves its way through this narrative……….
“More wine for my friends…………….!”
Over and out
Nick and Pam (Captain Jack Sparrow and Curvier)
In Yamba had Mechanic check engine over as the engine is now using a gallon of oil for every pint of fuel. Well almost and the barge we’re towing stocked with product to facilitate this consumption is slowing our progress. His opinion was that the only time a Perkins doesn’t blow smoke is when it’s run out of oil. Right. So we left Yamba with another $100 worth of monograde 40w. Back to Iluka to reacquaint ourselves with the Sedgers Reef Hotel no apostrophe.
24th Iluka
Met up with our great sailing buddies from our previous exploits, John and Marie, for lunch at the Sedgers Reef and drinks at their caravan and then more drinks at the beach before we weaved our way back to the boat in the early evening for a bit of R and R and sleep before our pre dawn start next morning. Managed to vote despite directions from a local. “Which is the quickest way to the school?” we enquired. “Are you walking or driving?” he replied. “Driving” we informed him. “Yup, that’s the quickest way”
25th Iluka to Coffs
Motor sailed all the way to Coffs. They ought to do something about the reliability of the East Coast Current. Capricious is the word that comes to mind. With us to Cape Byron, against us to Tacking Point, then with us, then dormant, then against us.
26th Coffs Harbour
Breakfast with friends. Then summoned up the Dunkirk Spirit and went off to a Telstra shop in an attempt to get connected again. Starting up a new wireless account ……maybe allow half an hour. Try 5 hours and then the bloke gave up and asked us to return at 5.30pm. Anyway bless him he persevered and got us back on the air. Had drinks to celebrate this accomplishment with Des and Cate as a fitting end to our day in Coffs.
26th to 30th Nov.
Basically beetled home via Trial Bay spending one night at each of Trial Bay, Camden Haven, Broughton Island and arriving in Pittwater on the evening of the 30th November. Spent the last 90 miles watching the rain radar and trying to avoid several ‘anvil-headed cumulo nimbus’. One of those days when you just want to get there.
.
Was great to arrive home and sail into Pittwater with a rum in hand and a feeling of great satisfaction that we have completed nearly 2,500 nautical miles. The satisfaction had nothing to do with getting the boat back and everything to do with the fact that no blood had been shed in the process. A touch of cabin fever maybe, a close encounter with a rock and a shark, along with a couple of questionable bits of navigation but no blood. Well not much anyway.
So now the boat is tethered to its new mooring in Pittwater and we have stopped listening to weather reports. We have also stopped searching for the next lateral mark, taken our eyes off the depth sounder, we wouldn’t have a clue if it’s high or low tide at the moment or what the range is. The strange noise in the night is no longer the anchor chain growling. It’s the nocturnal ravings of a demented possum.
We’ve learned a bit about overtightening stern glands, vented loops, fridge systems, sacrificial anodes (or lack thereof) and the importance of avoiding whales in the middle of the night. For the time being it will be good to spend time ashore.
We have been persuaded to get on a boat since returning however. This was to assist in moving it from outside the bar of the Newport Arms Hotel to outside the bar of the Royal Motor Yacht Club. And yes there is a thread that weaves its way through this narrative……….
“More wine for my friends…………….!”
Over and out
Nick and Pam (Captain Jack Sparrow and Curvier)
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