Sailing Whitsunday's to Mooloolaba.

Kawana Marina

byronandkath — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:10:13 +0000

6am & here we are at Kawana marina, nice n snug.

We are going to have bacon & tomato & then have a nap before we meet the marina manager at 8:30am.

So we left Tin Can Bay around 2:30pm & arrived here at 6am the following morning.

Kath plans to get here via car around 9.

Here is some photos of Mooloolaba

Night Sailing to Mooloolaba

byronandkath — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:13:18 +0000

What a great night. Unfortunately the winds where so light we ended up pulling the sails down & motored all the way. But the sea was so dead calm you could have water skied on it.

I took the Helm from 7pm to 9pm
while David dosed below. From 9pm to 11 pm I tried to sleep but couldn’t. My phone kept coming into reception so SMS messages people had sent me earlier kept coming through.

I then ‘stird the pudding’ from 11pm to 12:45am while David stayed up next to me.

The stars are so bright out here, the milky way really does light the way. They seem so close you would almost reach up & touch them.

I then slept in the cockpit & woke just before 4am to find mount Coolum to our beam, and luckily David still awake.

David just put in a long stint at the Helm so it’s his turn to have a nap before we reach Mooloolaba.

Passed old woman island around 4:30am, it’s just getting light & a 14 ft power boat just passed us at speed going in the opposite direction.

I can see all the lights of the sunshine coast & already I feel at home.

All I need is some bacon & eggs & a coffee.

Here is a photo of the island plus Maroochydore & Mooloolaba at 4:30am.

The last sun set

byronandkath — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:10:04 +0000

We had really light winds & very calm seas as the sun set over rainbow beach last night making it a really slow but enjoyable sail down the east coast of Australia.

Here are some photos.

Over the bar

byronandkath — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:49:04 +0000

5:45pm we are safely over the wide bay bay & have our sails set & heading for Mooloolaba which is about 50 miles away.

I don’t know what all the fuss is. I actually think navigating Port Hacking river can be more dangerous.

We have light NE winds & do far a calm sea, so if this holds up we should get to Mooloolaba within 10 to 12 hours through the night 1

Goodbye Tin Can Bay. Hello fraser island

byronandkath — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:05:43 +0000

We just had a great 1 hour sail from Tin Can Bay Marina to Fraser Island where we plan to anchor for 30 minutes while we wait for the tide to turn. As you can see in the enclosed photo we are anchored about 50 metres from the beach at Fraser & it’s a wonderfully afternoon.

Then we plan to head 4 miles & cross the dangerous wide bay bar where we will be out in the ocean & set for our over night trip to Mooloolaba.

We have light 15 knots winds from the NE & if this keeps up we are hoping it will take us 10 to 12 hours to sail to Mooloolaba.

“Goodbye Yeppoon Marina again” said the chicken

byronandkath — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:24:49 +0000

Bokawk… Bokawk… That’s the sound of a chicken. Me.

Due to bad weather, being high seas & strong winds from the south I have decided to leave the boat in Yeppoon & get a bus home. I’ve already spent the last few days at Yeppoon marina & with the weather forecast seems I would have go spend at least the next few days more while the weather improves.

David chose to stay on board & we have agreed he will organise for one of his staff to meet him on Saturday & they would sail the boat to Tin Can Bay.

The next leg will be the most demanding. a 36 hour non stop trip from Yeppoon to Bundy.

Goodbye Yeppoon- Hello Yeppoon

byronandkath — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:05:08 +0000

Weather still wasn’t great today but we decided to get the boat ready & put 2 reefs in the main & one in the headsail & go for a sail to have a look. If it was ok we would keep going.

Well after about an hour of being bashed around by waves i decided it was way to wild for me so we turned back. David would have been happy to solder on but he is a real seaman. On our return a few guys at the marina mentioned they didn’t blame us for not going further.

Strong winds from the south with big swells just make it too freaky & too slow going.

They are forecasting weather like this for the rest of the week so we might be stuck here for some time yet. Unless we are work out a new plan.

Here is a photo of me thinking I am about to leave the marina, only tonreturn later. Plus a few photos of the conditions. ( photos just don’t seem to show the size if the waves )

Yeppoon Marina – Day 2

byronandkath — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:02:12 +0000

We had a great day in Yeppoon. It started with a free breakfast at the cafe & only got better.

The the local machanic helped with our alternator issue, which needed a special bolt, nut & washers. He had to make a trip into town for the parts & when I asked him how much I owed him he replied ” 3 bucks will do it”. I was almost embarrised to give him $3 so I splashed out & gave him $4. Lol

Then my cousin Sandra poped in to
check out the boat, we went to her house for home made scones & butter & a cup of tea which was a real treat, then she lent us her car ( how good is that ! ). It allowed us to stock up on supplies for the next leg.

We toped the car up with petrol & returned it.

Sandra then treated us to a home made roast dinner. Sandra’s husband Tony also had a mate over called Steve who is a real card.

Tony & Sandra have a huge purpose built sound studio & media room & Tony & Steve entertained us with a few songs before it was time to get back to the boat. Luckily it’s fully sound proof cause boy it was loud.

How good is Sandra, as we left she presented us with a block of chocolate for the trip & a frozen home made spegetti bolonaise to take with us.

The plan is to leave tomorrow for Bundy but only if the weather is a little better. At the moment the wind is 30 knots plus & the boat is swaying even though it’s tied to the marina.

Here is a photo of Tony, Steve, & Decky their dog on drums. ( btw the room is heaps bigger, this is just one corner of it ( damm I wish I had my wide angle lens with me ) )

Yeppoon Marina – Day 1

byronandkath — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:29:25 +0000

Glad I’m tucked away safley in the Marina because the winds tonight are up at 30 knots. Gee it reminds me of last night when I was actually out in it.

Today was a recovery day. We did the washing, tidied up the boat, sorted & checked our food supply etc. We also looked at the alternater. Seems it’s just a loose belt because a screw will not tighten enough so tomorrow we will buy a new nut & washer.

I spoke to my cousins Sandra & Tony today & they have invited us over for dinner tomorrow night which I am really looking forward too. They have lived here in Yeppoon for several years now.

Just hope this weather dies down before we leave on Tuesday.

I spoke to Kath about 100 times today which was really great too. ( Maybe I will make it 101 & give her one more call to say good night )

Townshend Island to Yeppoon

byronandkath — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:55:01 +0000

This is my Saturday blogg which got deleted some how ( Doh )

Crickey, today was our biggest day so far. We upped anchor at 6am & arrived at 10pm in Yeppoon.

We had 25 plus knot winds from the east and 3 to 4 metre swells.

Most of the time we where cutting through the sea at 7 knots, which is fast for a boat of this size.

It was heart pounding, white nukkle stuff. One word for it would be intense.

To add to it we sailed through about 4 squalls, which are mini storms where it rains & the wind picks up. We saw more but managed to set a course around them. ( Phew )

Should also mention the occational rouge wave that would hit the boat & throw buckets of water into the cockpit drenching us.

It’s great to have someone as experienced as David along for the ride.

At one stage I had to go to the front of the boat which is a little bit like being on a roller coaster, but they are a lot safer. At night it’s like being on a roller coaster with your eyes closed, you never know which way the next wave is going to take you.

We had to get to Yeppoon for a few reasons. Our alternator is playing up & we need to get this checked, all our ice had melted which we need to keep our food fresh & we needed to get into mobile recepion so I could update my blogg.

I’m really missing Kath & the kids so it was wonderful to phone her at 10 pm & hear her voice.

Due to weather we are going to have to stay here until Tuesday then do an all day all night to Bundy. Well that us the plan anyway.

We where so buggered all we had for dinner ( at 10:30pm ) was some apple juice & some crackers.

Here are some photos of us leaving townshend Island before we hit open ocean & here is s photo just after a wave put water in our cockpit .