It only seems like yesterday, but 8 days have past since we left Gove on Wednesday 27th October. After refueling Kiella and with some timely help from Ken who was delivering a yacht to the east coast, then we helped him refuel with his 180 litres; saw us leave the harbour at noon.
The previous evening Manureva, one of the boats from North Goulburn come in to anchor, a great excuse for a get together. It would have been so easy for us to have stayed for another day or two as the stories that are told and all their experiences are wonderful to listen to.
The weather forecast for the Gulf crossing was good, well if you can back on an accurate one for up to 48 hours. 25nm from Seisia, 33 hours into our crossing we had at 2000hrs one of those situations that go…” isolated storms, winds up to 35kts with showers over the Gulf today”. Boy the timing could have been better, but after 2 hours pushing into it with spray going over the top of the boat we still managed 7 kts. We finally dropped the anchor at 2300hrs.A stiff whiskey or two; we toasted one another for making it safely. We did the 350 nm. in 35 ½ hours with an average around 10 kts. Considering the direction of the swell and winds, [of course we had to bash into them all the way] we did a mighty job. The average time for yachts is around 4 days. Two that we had met in Gove had 2 goes at the crossing and turned back because of the conditions.
Friday saw us transfer fuel from those wonderful bladder tanks, and generally check over Kiella.Why we had water in our generator heaven knows, but phone calls to Mark soon sorted out the problem.
Saturday 30th, before sunrise saw us slip away from Seisia after listening to some great music and singing the previous evening. This explains why the few locals who live on their boats were dressed up and going ashore. We planned to put as much water under the keel as the weather dictated. After rounding Cape York the seas began to ease so Margaret Bay inside Cape Grenville was our plan. Eleven and a half hours later we dropped anchor.
A lay day on Sunday and we decided to walk across the peninsular to Indian Bay were the rubbish that has been washed up over the years was so disgraceful. Some enterprising folk had marked the walking track between the two bays with anything blue, so we added to this with thongs,[ all sizes];rope, kiddies toys, tooth brushes ,rakes ,safety helmets ,buckets etc.
Monday the start of another month,[ only seven and a half weeks to Xmas] and to Lockhart River to take on fuel, then to Night Island. This peanut shaped mangrove cay at evening is the home to Torres Strait Pigeons who fly in from the main land in there thousands. Thankfully that the wind was louder than the haunted hooing sound that they make.
Dawn on the water is lovely with the sun making an attempt to break through the clouds on the far horizon .Lately we have seen lots of these as to cover the distance we need to travel, early starts are mandatory. Melbourne Cup day and we have know idea what, who or whom; but we are planning another day heading S/E into the now familiar swell that increases as quickly as it decreases. A rolly polly anchorage in Ninian Bay , home to Dugongs, had the Fruno working overtime that evening as what you read about and what is fact can be deceptive.
Cooktown we have heard many conflicting stories about as to the anchorage and space in there, so it was great to see ample room for us to anchor on Wednesday 3rd November. Ian chatted to another boat and learnt that 6 had departed that morning, thankfully.
We plan to be in Cairns on Friday or Saturday as the winds have increased ,and will spend 4/5 days there while we have the motors checked out and generally catch up with some R and R for us both plus restocking food etc..Flynn tells us that he and Kai may meet us and spend time going south with us; that will be wonderful.
8 days since we left Gove so we think we both deserve some pampering after this huge effort, 758.36 nautical miles.
Ian has remaindered me that we have done 1208.65 since Darwin, boy and still along way to go.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Oil Change at Gove
Our new motor had its first oil change while we waited for the weather to change at Gove.
Waiting and a break to get to Gove.
Friday the 22nd of October at 2015 CT and finds us still at North Goulburn Island. The weather has been very consistent 15 to 20 kts every day with gusts from 29 to 27 kts, showers/rain with gusts up to 35 kts as well. The direction is easterly, naturally, and that is the way that we would like to go. It can be quiet frustrating as we are rather protected in the bay, but take a hike across the island to the other side and the BOM site is correct.
We have another 2 boats here and their stay has been longer than ours by 4 days. The prognosis seems to be that our earliest opportunity to go is Sunday or more likely Monday.
Any rate we prepare every evening just in case these experts at the Bureau of Metrology are incorrect .Good practice for us after our game of cards with Anika11.
The Island is over run with goats and I mean over run. The devastation that they bring to this fragile Island is huge. We believe that culling does take place but boy they need to be proactive and not reactive to the damage.
Well Saturday turned on the computer to read The Age and thought check the weather again, what a difference over night. With the stronger winds further north, the window that we had been waiting for was there.
In short we anchored at Howard Island at 1900 after doing 123nm and with a full moon giving us light, up at 0500 on Sunday, through the Cadell Straits and with a great tide we dropped anchor in Gove at 1430.
Found some more boaties that we knew, and listened to their tales of trials of the sea.
Today is Tuesday and already 3 boats have left and we are waiting to refuel. The weather looks like there could be an opportunity later this week, as the wind is forecast to drop to 10/15 kts. Huey master of the winds we would like not to bash into more seas, so please look after us.
We have another 2 boats here and their stay has been longer than ours by 4 days. The prognosis seems to be that our earliest opportunity to go is Sunday or more likely Monday.
Any rate we prepare every evening just in case these experts at the Bureau of Metrology are incorrect .Good practice for us after our game of cards with Anika11.
The Island is over run with goats and I mean over run. The devastation that they bring to this fragile Island is huge. We believe that culling does take place but boy they need to be proactive and not reactive to the damage.
Well Saturday turned on the computer to read The Age and thought check the weather again, what a difference over night. With the stronger winds further north, the window that we had been waiting for was there.
In short we anchored at Howard Island at 1900 after doing 123nm and with a full moon giving us light, up at 0500 on Sunday, through the Cadell Straits and with a great tide we dropped anchor in Gove at 1430.
Found some more boaties that we knew, and listened to their tales of trials of the sea.
Today is Tuesday and already 3 boats have left and we are waiting to refuel. The weather looks like there could be an opportunity later this week, as the wind is forecast to drop to 10/15 kts. Huey master of the winds we would like not to bash into more seas, so please look after us.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Good Bye Darwin
Good bye Darwin. Finally on Saturday the 16th October, 2010 at 0800 hrs we locked out of Cullen Bay Marina.
The small issues concerning our new motor took ages to fix and our patience’s was starting to run out. Ian even suggested that all the businesses wanted to keep us there so they took their time……I don’t think so. More likely they wanted us out; as to save listening to our concerns time and time again.
The weather pattern wasn’t the best, but we had at least 2 good days so we thought. The tide plays an important part getting through Beagle Bay and Van Diemen Gulf to Cape Don. We had a great run with winds 10/15 kts S/E and anchored at Alcaro Bay at 1745hrs. With in 15 minutes the skies opened up and washed all the salt off, this took ¾ hour to complete and what a great job it did.
The next morning our plan was to go as far as weather permitted and we anchored at Valentia Island at 1400hrs. as the seas and wind had increased and we do not have to push into 20kts plus and 1 ½ to 2 meter seas, well not yet. Sunday afternoon and all day Monday saw lots done with fuel transferred from our bladder tanks , checking the new motor etc.
This morning Tuesday 19th had us up at 0300 hrs and making way again as the winds seem to ease back during the evening and early morning, we put 44 nm. behind us before we anchored at North Goulburn Island at 0800 . The seas had picked up again and as we are taking it easy with the new motor; still every mile helps.
Who should be there but…. Anki 11 who we first met going to Broome at Red Cone Inlet.
The small issues concerning our new motor took ages to fix and our patience’s was starting to run out. Ian even suggested that all the businesses wanted to keep us there so they took their time……I don’t think so. More likely they wanted us out; as to save listening to our concerns time and time again.
The weather pattern wasn’t the best, but we had at least 2 good days so we thought. The tide plays an important part getting through Beagle Bay and Van Diemen Gulf to Cape Don. We had a great run with winds 10/15 kts S/E and anchored at Alcaro Bay at 1745hrs. With in 15 minutes the skies opened up and washed all the salt off, this took ¾ hour to complete and what a great job it did.
The next morning our plan was to go as far as weather permitted and we anchored at Valentia Island at 1400hrs. as the seas and wind had increased and we do not have to push into 20kts plus and 1 ½ to 2 meter seas, well not yet. Sunday afternoon and all day Monday saw lots done with fuel transferred from our bladder tanks , checking the new motor etc.
This morning Tuesday 19th had us up at 0300 hrs and making way again as the winds seem to ease back during the evening and early morning, we put 44 nm. behind us before we anchored at North Goulburn Island at 0800 . The seas had picked up again and as we are taking it easy with the new motor; still every mile helps.
Who should be there but…. Anki 11 who we first met going to Broome at Red Cone Inlet.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Damp Darwin
Wednesday 13 October finds us still in this great place.When we launched, the new motor needed some alignment plus a sensor was not happy. Any rate we made it into the Marina on one motor and here we sit , waiting, waiting for the people who can fix our problem to turn up.Yesterday the motor was given the tick now all we have to do is 3 to 4 hours outside to commission it.When Ty, our great fix it person who is the busiest man in Darwin turns up and hooks the shaft to the engine we can.
FA who we have been travelling with made it into Cairns on the 11th after some not really pleasant passage making.
The winds here have started to go more to the north for a few days at a time so may be our forced stay will have its rewards later. Who Knows?????
FA who we have been travelling with made it into Cairns on the 11th after some not really pleasant passage making.
The winds here have started to go more to the north for a few days at a time so may be our forced stay will have its rewards later. Who Knows?????
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
KIELLA in DARWIN
New paint on the underwater and a great garage for the blue car.Today yes the new motor started and all seems well. We go into the water at 1730 central time and will do some laps around Fanny Bay before we enter the lock into Cullen Bay tomorrow.
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