tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86643379912432621122024-03-13T10:07:38.868-07:00YACHT STOLEN KISSTHOSE WHO WANDER ARE NOT NECESSARILY LOSTPeter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-79047922043386913942015-01-21T03:56:00.002-08:002015-01-26T15:34:44.551-08:00Adelaide to Fremantle - the last leg!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Setting sail early in the new year was an excellent start as far as we were concerned! All the planets lined up, so to speak. We had Jules and Marg with us (Jules has crossed the Bight 5 times and Marg 3), it was a full moon and the best time for an east-west crossing.<br />
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On Jan 2nd, there was a strong wind warning with northerlies. As far as we were concerned an excellent window to get over to Port Lincoln from Wirrina Cove Marina, south of Adelaide. Alas many locals warned us of going out due to sea conditions. We usually listen to local advice, but by 1400 hours the wind was not as strong as forecast so off we went.<br />
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Half way across the Gulf of St Vincent I requested a weather forecast from Adelaide Sea Rescue, which was interesting as there was no "W" in the wind direction. Marg simultaneously downloaded the updated forecast from BOM which had the westerlies forecast and indeed, the wind started to come on the nose. That cemented our decision to go into Nepean Bay near American River, Kangaroo Island.<br />
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What a wonderful anchorage in the bay outside the river entrance! We stayed for two nights then headed west on a fantastic SE window!<br />
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Julie's advice was to stay high in the Bight, following the 100m line for calmer seas and better wind. Not many people know or understand this, yet it makes so much of a difference! With a full moon and SE winds 18-25 knots behind us, with a brief 30 knots past Cape Catastrophe, we settled down for a 4 day stunning sail to Daw Island at the western end of Israelite Bay. It took us just under 24 hours to clear the SA coast, departing from Kangaroo Island!<br />
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It was a lazy sail for most of the miles!<br />
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We followed the 100 m line for most of the way. As a front was forecast to go below us on the last 12 hours, we made a direct westerly course for Daw Island. Being high in the Bight meant that we only got the top end of the front, translating into Southerly winds, rather than SW winds. Had to be happy with that! With such good winds, we were clocking an easy 180 miles a day, with our least run of 172 miles in a 24 hour period. The easterly winds had knocked out the SW swell, but as the winds clocked south, a bit of a swell kicked up and we had a few waves crashing over the boat during the last night! We had our cockpit overs on, so we were warm and dry inside the cockpit! Gotta love cruising as opposed to racing! The down side was that the delivery skipper to Adelaide had also damaged the seals in the autopilot, so it was hand steering for the last 100 miles in quite trying conditions...for us as opposed to the boat. We had spare seals with us so we would now go into Esperance to affect the repair.<br />
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In the wee hours of the morning, up popped Daw Island. A welcomed sight! This was another Jules' suggestion - not many people know about Daw Island. A gem of a protected anchorage, only open to the north. Nice sandy beach and sandy bottom. The fishermen hang here, so it must be good!<br />
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As the chart did not show any detail, Google Earth confirmed its location.<br />
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The whole anchorage is sand so there are many places to anchor to get out of the swell. it is only open to northerly winds.<br />
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What do girls want at the end of a long southern passage??? Dark and Stormy of course!!<br />
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From Daw Island it was a short hop to Middle Island, then into Esperance, sailing through the stunning Researche Archipelago. The anchorage here, is somewhere along the bay with the pin lake or over against the other island if westerlies.<br />
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Its wonderful being in the Southern Ocean - no need to motor!<br />
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I remembered what I did not like about sailing in Esperance - windy and cold! We waited in Bandy Creek for a few days and hired a car. We had 0.8m below our keel at LW over the short bar getting into Bandy Creek (we draw 1.8 m), with the rest of the creek being deep at around 4 to 6 m.<br />
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Our hydraulic seals were replaced in a few hours. We caught up with some friends then looking at the weather, although a little too much wind, it was in the right direction!<br />
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However, Esperance still looked stunning and the reason why I started sailing - the landscape is so inviting!<br />
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BOM forecasts had been consistently accurate, albeit a little out in their timing. The forecast was for SE winds reaching up to 30 knots between Hopetoun and Esperance. We ended up with 45 knots and 3 to 4 m seas behind us for the best part of the day. So happy to be sailing a Hylas! Promptly, when we were 5 miles east of Hopetoun, the wind dropped to around 20 knots, swung further south, the seas settled and we had a quiet night reaching into Albany!!<br />
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As we decided to stay an extra day in Albany, Peter and I missed the window to get around Leeuwin and sail to Port Geograph. The SW winds that were forecast changed to SE'lies, so Julie and Marg set forth without us!<br />
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Not all marinas have exercise for horses!<br />
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Peter and I were homeless for 4 hours from 0500, when Jules and Margaret set us ashore so they could be on their way.<br />
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We, of course, missed the best sail of the lot, with calm seas and a good breeze.The girls anchored in Bunker Bay for the second night and by all accounts, it was the best conditions one could expect there - glassy seas and no swell! We were happy for them to have such a great sail.<br />
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Peter and I picked up the boat from Port Geograph and had the usual amazing sail on easterly winds north. Departing at the usual first light, we were interested to see the entrance to Port Geograph had changed; apparently in the last 12 months. We could see the channel from Google earth and it was well marked. The track on our charts just looked a little strange!!<br />
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Anchoring back in the beautiful Bunbury harbour found us amongst other yachts returning to Fremantle. It was great to catch up with early Esperance sailors...from the 70's!<br />
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Much has also changed in Bunbury with a plethora of cafes around the harbour. From Bunbury we had an 11.5 hour sail into Fremantle Sailing Club - 80 nm! We had a magnificent sail with one foot on the beach all the way up to Bouvard, then motored to James Service reef until the SW filled in. We dropped a reef in to come on the breeze through Challenger passage - a long time since we had been through there.<br />
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A yellow floating mark appears just south and inside the outer green floater, which we think must be marking Challenger Rock, which a few racing yachts have hit as the round the mark and harden up to head south. All the old salts were aware of this rock!<br />
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So now we have Stolen Kiss home. A wonderful feeling and an adventure that has extended over 11 years and some 42,000 nm.<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-22794383369937933182014-10-23T02:13:00.000-07:002015-01-22T00:09:34.751-08:00Fremantle here she comes!<br />
Feeling the need to have her closer we decided to use the services of a delivery person. There have been many horror stories of delivery skippers, concerning lack of care. One such skipper delivered a yacht from Asia to Australia, using the new high performance sails rather than the Dacron sails!<br />
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After having the boat picked up from, Pittwater, she spent a few days at CYCA without us!<br />
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They just managed to leave before the wild weather hit Sydney in early October, taking shelter in Eden until the weather cleared. From there it was a reasonable run for them with a maintenance issue of dirty fuel tanks - turned out we had algae in the tanks! Last fuel up was Pittwater! This is rather surprising as we had cleaned the middle tank out in Galápagos.<br />
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We were very dismayed to hear that part of the autopilot broke. They did have big seas but the autopilot is oversized (suited to 50 to 80 foot boat) and is only 4 years old. It has done a lot of miles (around Mexico, down to Central America, across the Pacific and up and down the east coast) in big seas in that time. Sadly, delivery skippers push the boat and do not understand about having a low response value on the autopilot so the seas can be taken more easily.<br />
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We found Peter Neaves, Australian Yacht Deliveries by word of mouth..he had delivered a yacht to FSC. We would recommend him again.<br />
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Peter Neaves did comment that he thought the boat sailed well in big seas. That is the very luxury of a Hylas. We found crossing the Pacific, that the production boats around us found the conditions uncomfortable, whilst we did not even notice the sea state. When you are down below on the Hylas it feels as if you are only just moving along, when in fact you are hooning at around 8 knots!<br />
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Stolen Kiss is now in Adelaide. Jules and Marg will come with us on our final leg home. Jules sailed our first leg with us, so quite fitting for her to be there for the penultimate leg around to Port Geograph.<br />
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<span id="goog_1065667351"></span><span id="goog_1065667352"></span><br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-3582812846539808332014-03-31T16:42:00.000-07:002014-03-31T16:42:29.455-07:00Sensational Summer in Sydney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Exploring Sydney by boat..there is just nothing like it!<br />
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Although we missed the New Year Spectacular as in the fireworks off the Bridge this year due to family committments, we will be there for the 2015 New Year!<br />
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January/February in Sydney was just sensational for a few reasons. The weather had settled and we had no thunderstorms, just a few windy days. Most people had returned to work so there were only a few yachts moving around, most of which were international visitors. Maritime appparently were a little slack, so moorings of course were overused in the sense that yachts were staying on them for more than their allowed time. This was not a problem as there are many to go round!<br />
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All in all, there are so may fabulous anchorages around Sydney Harbour, not to mention the amazing Middle Harbour, Pittwater and Cowan Creek. Once out of the main harbour you are free from ferries and commercial traffic and its hard to believe you are anchored in the middle of such a metropolis! We were in Northbridge Marina for a while ...the courtesy dinghy's that you row are fabulous....watch out for the penguins!!<br />
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Public transport is excellent and it is so easy to get around! From the water, there are ferries, trains and busses which all run to the city centre and around. We first did the whole tour of the Harbour by ferry! It is really worth it.<br />
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For provisioning, Blackwattle Bay is close to a major shopping area, Birkenhead has a Coles and shopping complex just behind the Marina (or anchorage), Northbridge in Middle Harbour has access to a good shopping centre once you walk up the hill, and Mona Vale is a small bus ride from the dinghy dock at Church Point. This is also a great walk. We did get very fit as there are so many fabulous hikes and its very hilly!!<br />
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There are so many moorings around in terms of courtesy moorings and in Pittwater, you can use the moorings in the Bays like Morning Bay and Coaster's Retreat as long as you stay with the boat in case the owner comes along. Moorings and anchorages a plenty up Cowan Creek....which is in a National Park. maritime NSW has all the lastest info on moorings and locals are always a great source!<br />
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Sydney is not expensive if you know where to look and ask around!<br />
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Australia Day celebrations on the harbour were great fun, especially since it was Peter's brother John's (visiting from the UK) birthday!<br />
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We really enjoyed seeing Captain Cook's Endeavour again as she was built in Fremantle and we were on the water sharing her launching! She has sailed to the UK and around, tracing Cook's Voyages.<br />
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We are sure we gave John a birthday to remember! Although many boats on the harbour, everyone behaved themselves. It was not difficult negotiating the traffic! The 21 gun salute was awesome but a little unnerving when many boats moved up under the Bridge to watch, but then stopped! A bit of a pile up and a few anxious moments for Peter!<br />
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The new A380 QANTAS Airbus did a spectacular fly pass 3 times across the Bridge...not a newbie pilot flying that one! It was all a case of national pride for us and a welcome home to Australia!<br />
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We had a family visit, sailing around the harbour<br />
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and enjoying a sensational land tour up to the Blue Mountains around Katoomba. None of us had ever been up there and one thing is for sure, we have some exploring to do in Australia!! We did not do this place justice as it has a high WOW factor! Amazing hikes! We were first worried about the bushfires (me more than anyone else!) but it just so happened that our week was clouded in for most of the time. The upside was some sensational walks in the cool weather! We did get a little peak at the vista when the weather cleared a little! The 3 Sisters would have ot be one of the most photographed scenes in Australia.<br />
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Familial traits are interesting. John on the far right is Peter's oldest sibling and of course Peter is the baby of the family. They have not spent a lot of time together due to age difference and geography, but they are just so alike!! Even to the extent they both always carry a hanky! Mannerisms and humour....its all there. We laughed much!! How wonderful for them to share such a special time together. Peter's sister, Ann is on the far left. Next year we will go to Europe to do some of the canals ...Danube with them. A boating family of course!!<br />
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With inclement weather comes the freedom from crowds! Always an up side!<br />
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For those cruisers who do not come to Australia, having seen a lot of the world, we know you would be missing out!!</div>
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-57453854789518943322013-12-05T00:41:00.002-08:002013-12-05T00:42:32.188-08:00NSW..it keeps getting better! Oct/Nov 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The weather windows to head south this year, being northerlies have been short lived and followed by a strong southerly change, usually around 30 knots with thunderstorms in some cases. We have had troughs by the dozen! It's early December and still they come!<br />
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However, we no complain! Our longest passage along the NSW coast was a little over 200 miles, but more of that later!<br />
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We had a 24 hour window to scoot the 90 miles from Southport to Yamba. The swell was more of a concern as we needed to get in over the bar at the Clarence River. It appears that the swell dies down within 12 hours after a blow. The southerly will die down and there will be usually a day of Light SE winds with a NE seabreeze, followed by a NE'ly the next day. We wait for the NE'ly which gives us a great sail in around 20 knots! The EAC was pumping; we had 3 knots with us passing Byron Bay, with Laine and Terry (Virgos Child) ashore telling us we looked fast! BOM's updated forecast put in a little Sou'easter late evening! Great! We hit it 20 miles north of Yamba. A bit of a slog, but we had made good time with wind and seas easing as we approached the bar, so with calm seas and little wind, over we went with no moon near the top of the flood. We could not see any breaking seas and we had spoken to a cat who crossed earlier on an ebb and said it was flatter than the seas outside! That was just before the southerly hit and should have been a warning of what was to come. Nothing like getting into flat water and dropping the hook!<br />
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The Clarence River Bar on a good day....the bar breaks on the leads, so don't follow the leads but come in on a SW course to the end of the southern breakwater...inbetween 2 breaks!!<br />
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We had a great time in Yamba catching up with Margaret, exploring the town,<br />
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and finding some nice real estate up the river.<br />
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We hid up the river near Maclean waiting for another blow to pass, having to organise a bridge opening.<br />
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There were many sugar cane fires, which look great at night as long as they are not close enough to drop soot on the boat!<br />
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Its great being tucked up the river when its blowing outside! The public dock was available, but the choice of anchorages were more peaceful.<br />
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These small wallabies were very prolific and thought they were hiding!<br />
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Almost two weeks later we had another small window to jump the 200 or so miles to Port Stephens. Many yachts were out there in the same weather window! Our back up plan was to go into Coffs if the forecast changed. With us was Billabong, a Bavaria whom we met up the Clarence. We departed with a little residual swell at the bottom of the tide at 0600 before the wind came in! Easy to dip around close to the southern breakwater and scoot around the breakers!<br />
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Whilst Billabong went out to the edge of the shelf to find the current, we skunked along the 100 to 200m line and found the same. We had mostly 3 knots with us once past Coffs, then smoked along at 10 and 11 knots with a 4 knot current fromTrial Bay. We had to exit the current early as we would have been entering Port Stephens in the dark and on an ebb. That gave us a 200 mile run in 24 hours. Billabong continued through to Pittwater. We had a 30 knot following breeze from midnight, helping us along with the current. Fantastic sailing! We encountered a few ships heading north and gave one ship a scare when we pinged him with our radar...it was 0200 and we were going to take his stern but we think he saw our radar and thought we were heading towards him as he did an abrupt 90 degree turn. Strange him being between us and the shore. He must have been trying to get out of the current.<br />
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As we were expecting another southerly blow later that day, we had made a reservation at Soldiers Point Marina for a mooring, which with the special, worked out at $35/day. With this came a complimentary car (new small Mercedes no less!), a library with free internet and complimentary wine, amazing ensuite showers and complementary bicycles. What an absolute bargain. They are such nice people there and a great restaurant to boot!<br />
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Trevor and Emma came up for the weekend and had a condo around the corner. We had some nice meals and a walk on the headland overlooking the entrance. Although a longer stay in Port Stephens would have been good, another weather window popped up, giving us a day with northerlies to get the 65 miles down to Pittwater.<br />
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It's a bit of a trek getting out of Port Stephens and around the headlands to eventually head south.<br />
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Two hours after our departure we still had 65 miles to go to Pittwater....the same as from our mooring! A strange day evolved as we were shrouded in heavy fog until 1100 hours. We could hear a ship off Newcastle blowing its foghorn. We could not see it until it was a mile away! It was waiting to go into Newcastle. They do not like ships anchoring there now after the last disaster so the ships book their berth when they enter the reef in up north and slowly drift down with the current. As we were motoring we had the radar on as well as the AIS, so I guess the ship could pick our radar up and maybe thought it was a ship heading for him!<br />
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It was just so fabulous to get into Pittwater. Wow! We picked up a mooring in Towler's Bay for the night whist the wind was still north. You can use these moorings if you do not get off the boat, so if the owner comes along you can move. It seemed that there was a general relaxed attitude towards moorings in general.<br />
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We found another mooring near the motor boat club and made it our base. We found out from some local paddlers that Church Point was the place to go for coffee and to catch the bus into the Mona Vale shops. There is a great dinghy dock at Church Point for those who live on Scotland Island. We hard some interesting stories about Scotland Island and seems that perhaps paradise is not at all what it is cracked up to be for some! Still looked idyllic to us!<br />
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Trevor and Emma visited us for the day and we took a hike around Barrenjoey. Spectacular views!<br />
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The storm that came in one night gave us a two hour sound and light show, but thankfully no more than 25 knots. Storms were raging all up the coast. We had enough time to wander up Cowan Creek for the next blow, which was so well protected. With 35 knots at North Head (Sydney Harbour) we had nothing over 10 knots...just lots of rain..and lots of waterfalls!<br />
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Showing the coloured rock as opposed to the sexy legs!!<br />
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Another day of northerlies almost 2 weeks later we zipped off to Sydney Harbour on a beautiful easterly! Magic sailing through the heads and down past the iconic Opera House and bridge....<br />
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ending up squeezing into Blackwattle Bay at the back of the city, near the fish markets. Another great chunder and frightening event which seemed to go around us until a bolt of lightening must have earthed on Anzac Bridge as it lit up all around us with lots of zapping and sizzling...thankfully all the yachts there were ok. The loud bang made us jump. Alan from Amnesia was visiting; he made a quick exit.<br />
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What a place to be for a while! Great access to the city, ferries and light rail. We zipped everywhere! Just up the road were the Glebe shops and a great laundry.<br />
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We did wonder what this ship was thinking..but they berth just the other side of the old bridge!<br />
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The Opera House is all that its cracked up tp be!<br />
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We decided to move around into Middle Harbour and found some great walks and anchorages.<br />
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Trevor and Emma came to visit and took us shopping. We walked up Bantry Bay and enjoyed the magnificent view. The bays around Middle Harbour are very protected and offer a few cafés to enjoy. There is a mobile coffee 'shop' that comes around on the weekend, also offering papers. You would never guess you are in the middle of such a metropolis.<br />
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Our favourite places in Middle Harbour are either side of Spit Bridge for the great cafés, restaurants and walks around the headlands. The buses depart from the either side if the bridge and it's a quick ride into town. Roseville Chase, by the Roseville Marina is very protected and offers similar, although only one cafe.<br />
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There is also a great protected anchorage up the third arm, being Sugarloaf bay where there are also some complimentary moorings. There are many places to anchor is water under 10 m, but depth is an issue....being too much as opposed to too little! It's all excellent holding in mud and sand.<br />
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Previously in the week, we had met up with Richard, whom I used to work with. His in-laws and family were on their new boat behind us in Bantry Bay....so we were delighted again to catch up! Such a small world the boating community. Richard and Mark have two beautiful children and it was just so wonderful meeting them.<br />
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The waterways of Sydney offer many secure anchorages, even around the moorings, where you can find depth and don't mind the ferries in the main hoarbour! We have motored around most of the bays. Perhaps it might be a little more busy in January, but apparently after New Year it settles down again. We thought we would find more visiting yachts...but not so. Hopefully later. Paddling out in Middle Harbour in the early morning I found two penguins floating about! Wow! Apparently there were sharks around too, but I figured I was safe if the penguins were. There are many Bull sharks that come back to Sydney Harbour for summer!<br />
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A fantastic 6 months cruising and more than 1500 nm along the east coast. Although we have sat out some blows, we were well tucked up and saw nothing over 32 knots. Part of that was sheer luck NAND the rest picking protected anchorages and keeping an eye on the weather. Every night the wind dropped and mostly went west or SW, even in the big blows. During the whole 6 months we had wind over 12 knots at night only a handful of times. Every other night the wind dropped out with the sunset and rose after sunrise. How good is that! The east coast is certainly up there with the best in the world, but then again, every anchorage and sail is weather dependent! We are happy to be sailing now more than we are motoring. Is that because for the first time in 10 years we are sailing outside the tropics?<br />
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We have now scoped out the essential bits of Sydney accessible by boat (which is a lot!) and look forward to showing the family around!<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-8890054858629226972013-10-28T23:20:00.002-07:002013-10-28T23:20:38.330-07:00Onward and southward; Farewell Queensland.<br />
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With the Whitsundays in our wake....<br />
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It just so happened that the northerlies started early September which many yachts took advantage of, including us! Onward and south ward!<br />
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We sort of got stuck in a few places with SE blows. Island Head Creek was one....<br />
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Urangan Boat Harbour and the Gold Coast another. Whilst the anchorages were great, Urangan turned out to be not so good as the marina pontoons were like a bucking bronco for the last three hours of a flood in any strong northerly winds. Considering we had up to 30 knots.....it got a little scary. We had a few bolts missing off our dock near the post! However, they were painting the rails so the marina looked good! We still preferred it to sitting somewhere down Great Sandy Strait in 30 to 40 knots for the week!<br />
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Whilst in Urangan we caught the bus down to Maryborough..more river ratshanging out there. Some beautiful old buildings..but the poor old town has certainly seen better days.<br />
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The upside of Urangan was meeting Stylopora's new owners who gave us the use of their pen at RQYS, Manly, Brisbane! We would have stayed there longer (than 2 weeks!) had they not been returning! We waited in the Gold Coast, Bums Bay for the weather to improve further south. A great anchorage, even though a little tight at times.<br />
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During our waiting, Peter has done an excellent job finishing polishing all the lights...well much more than polishing as the solid brass lamps have gone from being horribly tarnished to looking like new! I have been writing a few more articles....so we have kept ourselves busy!<br />
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We had some great sails with one frustrating evening getting into Hexham Island where the wind came in SE 20 knots after dark resulting in us having our two enemies against us...wind and tide! Hexham is a small, rocky anchorage but we felt ok as we had been in before. Anchor down at 2300 hours ending a long day from McKay. We were in a hurry to sit out the strong winds at Island Head Creek, which we made the next day.....as did 15 other boats. Excellent anchorage!<br />
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We did another big hop from Yeppoon to Bundy in 18 hours with good NE/NW winds. Sitting in Pancake Creek in a NW'ly with little protection was not for us! We had great TV coverage at sea so were able to watch our favourite program in the evening. Anchor down at Bundy by 0100 was like coming home!<br />
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Late one afternoon, during this sail, whilst waiting for the HF weather update, I was watching the speed; 9.7 knots and was wondering how long Peter will keep the assy up.....a yell from the captain that I was needed on deck....foredeck duty..oh my..I don't do foredeck! It takes two of us to hoist and drop the sock.....a little bit of info Peter picked up by watching the racing yachts at Airlie and Hammo. I hold the sock so it does not twist!<br />
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Anyway.....in pulling the sock down in 22 knots I thought Peter was going to do a Mary Poppins on me! With two of us...we managed to get the sock down. lesson 1.....run more square and blanket the sock a little more and get it down before the wind gets up to 22 knots. Peter thinks he is racing and has a full crew!! However, not having the halyards twisted would also help!<br />
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Heading south has been a wonderful catch up,time with so many yachties. We spent a few days with Tony and Val (previous Stylopora owners we met in the Kimberly)...Tony now drives the boat to and from 4X island....so we got a little trip out there.<br />
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Trevor from Malarkey who just arrived in Bundy, Deb and Jonno, Taka Oa in the Great Sandy Straits,<br />
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Deb and Russ, Lady Ann in Mooloolabar, Marg as in the other half of Jules in Tiarre II and Lyn and Nicholas from Shweetie in the Gold Coast. Some of these yachties we crossed the Pacific with. Last but not least we had a great Pacific reunion with Virgos Child, Malarkey, and Condesa. We had a brief chat with Alan from Amnesia, who also crossed with us last year. Aeolus whom we met in Mexico was anchored in Bums Bay, Gold Coast and it was fantastic catching up with them as well.<br />
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We were able to anchor outside Kawana Marina, Mooloolabar, which was great as Deb and Russ were there. We cycled a few 20km days up and down the coast!<br />
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I was pretty chuffed as I got to borrow my ideal bike!</div>
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We have finally got the boat sailing well and 200 mile days, or part there of, are getting to be a norm....pity it has taken us 5,000 nm to work this out...are we slow learners or what! Maybe it's just that we have steady winds now and the assy has made a huge difference, not to mention that we sail 3/4 of a knot faster with the Kiwi Prop. We crossed to Australia from Fiji with Malarkey, a Beneteau 473 who sailed marginally faster than us. We were happy to see that when we both sailed from Mooloolabar to Brisbane, we were faster and higher than Malarkey! We were cruising along and they were trying to sail faster! Malarkey was sold to a Kiwi couple whom we had the pleasure of meeting.<br />
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There have been so many pods of whales to keep us company heading south and thankfully we did not have any close calls, although many close encounters! The bar at Great Sandy Strait was a doddle....flat calm so that is one bar under our belt! Anything after the bar at El Salvador would have to be a doddle!<br />
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Brisbane is a great city<br />
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set up for visitors and people in the city.....free community pool/swimming hole in the centre of town much like Airlie Beach<br />
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and City Cycle....bike stations all around the city. For a $2 registration, you can ride for free if you time your route well and swap bikes at the stations. Otherwise it's around $6 for 1.5 hours. A fantastic way to get around. Busses and trains make for easy travel around Brisbane, albeit expensive!<br />
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Our trip through Morton Bay was interesting and worthy of further exploration. Due to silting up of the channels, we were advised to stick to the main channel, which was fine at LW of 0.34m. After much discussion with some of the yachties we met, and looking at the chart, we decided to go under the power cables just before Jacob's Well at LW ......with 65 feet from water line to mast head, we had about 1.5 m clearance.....including the VHF antenna at the top of the mast! Being a cooler day, the sag would have been less and there is reportedly a margin of error as well...ie they are higher than officially listed! Which was just as well as otherwise we would have had only 1/2 m clearance! The east west channel from Jacob's Well had been dredged and in exiting the eastern side of the channel, it's best to stay as close to the red marker as possible! Following the charts, we did park here momentarily! We saw 6 dugongs on our way through Morton Bay. Would have loved to have gone swimming with them!<br />
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Queensland is certainly set up for visitors and the public to enjoy the great outdoors. Parks along the Gold Coast had something for everyone. Something Perth could learn from. We had to visit Surfers Paradise but would not like to be here permanently.<br />
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Certainly fantastic beach culture. The iconic beach looks its part, although getting a little washed away after the last storms in January.<br />
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The sun beds that line the walk ways are a treat.....Peter taking in the atmosphere!<br />
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Some great parks; if not a little quirky!<br />
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Everyone we met in Queensland along the way were helpful and extended us kindness.<br />
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Our next destination is Yamba, our first port of call in NSW. We have missed some amazing events in Sydney like the tall ships and Naval Celebration as well as the Opera House's 40 th birthday. We are looking forward to sailing past the great Australian icons of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and just hanging out in the myriad of bays that make up Sydney environs. We have 340 miles to go to the heads!<br />
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We managed to escape the big thunder storms that can plague this area. However, they are also present down the coast with the southerly changes. It's late October and we are seeing some signs of changes in weather patterns, however the next 200 miles to Port Stephens will be done quickly to avoid the strong southerlies.<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-50916642184564976472013-10-28T23:20:00.000-07:002013-11-23T13:55:50.737-08:00Weather tutorials from Pacific Crossing 2012These are the tutorials from David ....retired Meteorologist and cruiser, NZ.<br />
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Author:<br />
David Sapiane BSc<br />
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These topics were covered on The Rag from Fiji (8173 at 1900 UTC) in 2012
The MJO, Tradewind Surge, Lows on the back of a High, Clouds in the tropics, ENSO,...
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<b>1. THE MJO CYCLE in the SOUTHWEST PACIFIC</b> - 10 July 2012 as presented on The Rag
The MJO or Madden- Julien Oscillation is a wave oscillation travelling eastward around the globe on an average of 40 days. It was discovered by Madden and Julian in 1971 who called it the 40 to 50 day oscillation.<br />
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Cycles have varied from 30 to 60 days.
The MJO directly affects the weather for cruising yachts. When the MJO is overhead the yacht will expect light to heavy rain and squally conditions. The downflow winds can be gale force and may come from an inconvenient direction making a safe anchorage a lee shore. In addition to direct effects there is a major indirect effect for global weather. During heavy showers a tremendous amount of heat is released into the upper atmosphere and this affects what we call planetary Rossby Waves. These become the Long Wave pattern that affects global weather. If the MJO coincides with the Australian Monsoon it will increase the monsoon effects. If there is an existing quasi-stationary front or trough the MJO will exacerbate the feature. And perhaps most dangerous of all is the MJO’s interaction with Tropical Cyclones.
The MJO begins its life in the Indian Ocean . It starts as a small area of precipitation south of the equator near 60 East. It then grows and moves eastward at about 8-12 knots. So, it becomes an eastward propagation of deep convection and rainfall from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.<br />
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The convective pulse and precipitation from a cruising yachts perspective affect the area between roughly 10 North to approximately 30 South when between the longitudes 150E and about 140W. As the pulse moves eastward from 140W it becomes more or less nondescript as it moves over cooler waters of the eastern Pacific, but later reappears over the tropical Atlantic and Indian Ocean as the cycle ends.
The convective pulse is detected by usually two sources. The first is Satellite Infrared and Visual imagery. The second is also a satellite but one that uses radiometers and detects what we call OLR or Outgoing Longwave Radiation. As OLR decreases it’s an indication of increased cloud build-up.
( MJO prognostic charts on the internet typically use OLR with two colors, Blue and Red, with blue indicating the convective area.<br />
<br />
Other prognostic models are used as well, one such is called the velocity potential at 200 hPa. These forecasts use colors as well; green being divergent flow at upper levels which corresponds to enhanced convection, while red is used for suppressed convection).
There are many atmospheric cycles on earth, and they all affect our day to day weather. Many climatologists look dumb struck when appraised of them. Cycles of one sort can affect cycles of another sort. An example being strong MJO activity is often observed during weak La Nina years or during ENSO-neutral years, while weak or absent MJO activity is typically associated with strong El Nino episodes. This discussion revolves around the Southwest Pacific, but the MJO in actual fact affects global weather. A good example is a strong MJO pulse creates what is known as the ’Pineapple Express’ which brings several days of significant rain and flooding to Western North America.
Yachties should be aware of the MJO. BoM offers forecasting available on the internet .<br />
<br />
<b>
2.TRADE WIND SURGE</b> - 10July2012 as presented on The Rag
To start the topic I want you to visualize that air is a fluid and behaves in a similar way water does. Assume you have a beaker of water. If you pour it out straight down to a flat surface it splashes in all directions at once. An atmospheric analogy is a common phenomenon called microbursts. Nearly everyone has heard of what happens when a big Cb suddenly dumps a tremendous burst of air straight down. The wind goes in all directions at once and the strength of the downflow can cause, and has caused aircraft to crash.
Okay, put this aside for a minute and look at another experiment. If you’re waist deep in water and flatten your hand vertically just below the surface of the water and move it rapidly from say right to left you’ll quickly see you’ve created an eddy. Your moving hand has created a mini whirlpool.
At this point we now we have the basics of a common occurance in the Tropics, called the Trade wind surge.<br />
<br />
These surges are often seen when a strong Anticyclone forms to our south. Typically whenever a big High, usually over 1030 central pressure moves in, we cruisers in the Islands not only get a blast of reinforced trades but the wind is accompanied by cloud and often rain and squalls. Where does the cloud and rain come from?
Lets assume you are in Fiji and the prevailing wind is a light to moderate E or ESE and at the same time a strong High moves east perhaps at 35 to 40 degrees south. At this point the isobars tend to compress creating a tighter gradient as this mountain of Air, which is another way of looking at an Anticyclone, moves to your south. As these stronger winds reach your latitude they are of course faster than the winds directly to your north. If we go back to our hand in the water analogy these winds create an eddy. The wind to the south creates what is known as cyclonic shear and as it tries to turn right it collides with the mild wind already there. At this point there is no where for the clashing air to go but up and that’s exactly what happens. As the air ascends it reaches the dew point where cloud forms, and if the air rises high enough rain develops.
Here is where the first analogy comes in.<br />
<br />
The one where we pour the beaker of water down to a flat surface. When the cloud builds air rises, but at the same time an equal amount of air returns to the surface. That is why we have lulls and gusts when cloud is about. The downflow wind strikes the surface of the ocean and spreads out. But the only direction that means anything is the direction toward the existing trade wind. These flows collide and again, the air has to go somewhere, so all that’s left is up. The result of this is more cloud and rain. So now we can see how this becomes self sustaining. So that, in a nutshell, is the nature of Trade Wind Surges.
<br />
<br />
<b>3 LOW FORMATION ON THE BACK END OF ANTICYLONES</b> -10July 2012 as presented on The Rag
. Many cruisers have noted that as a large and intense Anticyclone or High as we commonly refer to them moves eastward a small Depression often forms on the Highs left shoulder. Much of this depends on the shape of the back end of the High. This phenomenon is more apt to occur if the High has a notable ridge on the left side, so that the air flow makes a relatively abrupt turn from moving westward then suddenly turning southward. Some key ideas must be noted.<br />
<br />
First we must accept that as an airstream makes a turn counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere it speeds up. This is because of coriolis force which is a function of the earth’s rotation. In other words wind speeds up going around a ridge and slows down when going around a trough. <b>This is why when you estimate wind speed using geostrophic spacing you have to adjust downward or upward depending on whether flow is around a ridge or trough. If the isobars are straight no adjustment is needed.</b><br />
<br />
If we were able to mark air parcels with a dye of some sort this effect would be clearly noticeable. Once the air parcels make the turn and then resume a relatively straight line the parcels must slow down and in this mode bump into the parcel in front of it. Much the same as a line of cars on a motorway; if the first few cars abruptly slow the ones behind bunch up very quickly, sometimes not quickly enough. Substitute cars for air parcels and what happens is also a bunch up but as the air has nowhere to go, it simply goes up. When the air goes up far enough where the temperature lowers to the dew point, cloud forms and precipitation may follow. Now, this is not quite enough to form a Depression but it’s the start of one.<br />
<br />
Lets shift our thoughts to what follows the departing High. Usually it’s the next High in the progression of weather circling the globe. The departing High has wind flow going southward, but the new High has wind flow going northward. The air parcels of each High are vastly different in density. The southbound air is warm and moist, while the northbound air is cool with less moisture. Air parcels of different densities do not mix, they clash. So try to visualise this: Air going south clashes with air going north and spin is initiated. The spin is clockwise, the same direction that a depression spins. Now we have rising air creating cloud and rain and in addition we have cyclonic spin and so we’ve just created a depression.<br />
<br />
This in a nutshell is how we find Low formation on the back end of Anticyclones.
It is not necessarily a requirement to have a new Anticyclone following to have a low to form as we’ve just described. Often any large intense High can have a Low form somewhere on its equatorward side. This process starts with a fairly round isobaric shape of the intense High. The next thing we notice is somewhere in the middle of the Highs perimeter the isobars dip in a polar direction then swing back equatorward; this is termed a ‘polar dip’. The cause of this is generally a split in the upper levels, initiating a slight pressure drop at the surface. If we were to draw a line perpendicular to the dip to represent the dips axis the pressure on either side of this line would be higher. The only side that matters here is the upwind side or eastern side. The air flow accelerates as it initially turns left, then slows as it turns right and heads equatorward. This causes the air to pile up and rise, creating a small surface low.<br />
<br />
Now to sustain either of these small depressions we must have a way to vent the rising air and a way to encourage it to continue. Therefore we need an upper level short wave sandwiched in between two upper level ridges which maintain our Highs, or in our second case the wave would be just equatorward of the surface high. If such a short wave is present then the Depression develops. If there is no short wave it doesn’t, and all that happens is a brief period of cloud and rain seemingly coming from nowhere and often not picked up on synoptic charts. If we’re unlucky enough to be under all this we get some miserable seemingly unexplained weather, and as the next High moves in it all goes away.<br />
<br />
<b>The lesson here is to be wary of the back end of any Large Anticyclone and in fact be wary of any intense Anticyclone particularly if over 1030hPa. The main point is to be aware of your synoptic map and never assume a nice High means nice weather</b>.<br />
<br />
<b>4. CLOUD IN THE TROPICS</b> - 10 July 2012 as presented on The Rag
Today we will talk about clouds. What you see in the tropics and what they mean for weather you now have and what to expect for the future. For those of us under the influence of a large Anticyclone to our south we’ll generally see nice puffy Cumulus. They will be fairly white in colour and will be no taller than they are wide. They will appear to have the same altitude and the tops will all be the same level. This is because of the inversion layer common to an Anticyclone.<br />
<br />
An analogy is a pot top on a stove. However if the tops climb high, are not even, and overall the cloud is taller than wide that is a message that the atmosphere is unstable and we should expect showers and possibly squalls in future. If we are experiencing a trade wind surge the cloud will certainly break thru the inversion layer and rain and windy conditions will prevail. The cloud bottoms will change colour from white to dark, almost black at times. If the top of the cloud leans that means there is strong wind in the middle layers of the atmosphere and is an indication of weather change. When cloud is made from updrafts there will always be downdrafts. A leaning cloud indicates the downdraft will not tend to snuff out the parent cloud but will encourage a new cloud to form as the downdraft collides with trade wind flow with the resultant updraft.
Where does the nice fluffy cumulus come from in the open ocean? The basic mechanism is simple. The sun heats the surface of the water which in turn radiates water vapour. Air mixed with water vapour is less dense than air without, so it rises. When it reaches the dewpoint cloud forms and if the air rises far enough rain occurs. In time the falling rain scavenges cloud droplets and the cloud starts to disappear; its called ‘raining out’.
<br />
<br />
Should you see Altocumulus or Altostratus and you’re in the sub-tropics normally it means nothing. <b>But in the tropics they could be the residue of rained out Cbs or it could indicate bad weather is approaching especially during cyclone season.</b> If Alto stratus or even stratus turns dark and appears to be a grey thick cloud continuous rain may develop. This sort of cloud is found on the eastern side of upper level troughs. If your weather map indicates a cold front extending to the tropics signs of approach will be initially cirrus which gradually thickens and gives way to middle cloud, altostratus and altocumulus. At times cumulus will break through the inversion layer and grow very tall, but skinny.<br />
<br />
This vertical development is called castellanus and indicates unstable air, and possible thunder activity later in the day.
Cirrus cloud can be just residue from Cbs or it can indicate the jet stream. Lumpy cirrus is found on the poleward side of the jet stream and smooth cirrus on the equatorward side. If jet stream cirrus is moving from NW to SE it indicates you are under the east side of an upper level trough and the <b>possibility of a depression forming is increased.</b><br />
<br />
If its cyclone season and cirrus is heading your way, better take notice.
If cloud above you is moving counter to the trade winds it is usually the result of an upper level trough or the cloud is under a jet max. A jet max can cause cloudy and rainy conditions not forecast on your weather maps.
Extensive cloud cover with seemingly no explanation from your maps can also be the result of a shear line forming between two upper level ridges. It can also be the result of cyclonically flowing wind at 700 or 850 hpa. <b>These sorts of conditions are seldom forecasted</b>.<br />
<br />
When you are on watch at night ever wonder why unexpected nasty squalls interfere with reading your book? Almost always at O Dark Thirty. It’s called radiative cooling. What happens is that the tops of your nice big fluffy Cumulus get cold, very cold because of the absence of the suns heating; while the surface of the water is quite warm. When we have cold on top and warm on the bottom air rises very quickly to create a nasty squall. The lesson is if there are lots of big cumulus around before dark you may want to think about putting in a reef.
One more thing to be aware of. If you have a quasi-stationary trough over you in the tropics with low cloud it may be quite mellow with little wind or rain. But if a cold front passes you by to your south it tends to re-activate the trough. So suddenly, mellow changes to not so nice.<br />
<br />
<b>Lesson, pay attention to your weather charts. If you see a cloud band or Cb that seems to be moving with the trades; its not. </b>The cloud actually moves with the mean wind between 5,000 to 10,000 feet or 850 to 700hpa. This is almost always to the left of the trade winds. So if you are at anchor and the cloud seems to be coming at you it will in fact move to your right as you are looking at it. <b>So the cloud to worry about is the one to your left.</b> And should the cloud actually move over you a wind shift will be guaranteed, because the gust from the cloud will be moving in the clouds direction.<br />
<br />
Often when sailing in the trades the nice small puffy cumulus arrange themselves in ‘streets’. Rows and rows of streets. This occurs only in stable conditions, meaning there is a cap or inversion which prevents the cloud from further buildup. <b>The streets are usually aligned with surface wind and when sailing under the cloud portion you’ll experience a drop in wind and when under the clear area, an increase in wind. </b>The drop means some of the air is going up and robbing the tradewind a bit, while the gust is the return from the robbery.
If your cruising takes you near the Solomons and across to Vanuatu, you’ll notice an increase in cloudy conditions. This entire area is considered the ‘hot pool’ of the South Pacific. The water temperature is very, very warm which causes evaporation. The less dense moist air rises, sort of an ‘upwelling’ of the atmosphere. As the air rises the surface pressure drops a bit and more air rushes in to replace it. This creates a large area of convergence which results in cloud, possible showers and squally conditions.<br />
<br />
Lastly we have the <b>SPCZ</b>. The south pacific convergence zone. It’s not really a zone but the result of air from the semi-permanent High situated near South America, the flow generally from the East clashing with southerly or southeasterly flow from passing Anticyclones on their journey from the Tasman to the eastern pacific. The air streams are of different density and when they clash the colder air stream pushes the warmer stream up to create cloud and squalls. There is no set location for this unpleasant event.<br />
<br />
<b>
5. ENSO AND WEATHER IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC</b> - 15July 2012 as presented on The Rag
The term ENSO stands for El Nino Southern Oscillation. It’s a catchy term that encompasses, La Nina, El Nino and Neutral states. Years ago researchers pinged onto the fact that when the barometric pressure over Easter Island became weaker than in Darwin for many months coincidently the sardine fishery in western South America failed. An index was created using barometric pressure, called the SOI or southern oscillation index. Today the pressure measurements are from Darwin and Tahiti.<br />
<br />
In addition more emphasis is placed on sea surface temperature,and a new index was formed called the ONI. The prediction models today use both indexes and basically when the SOI is +8 or greater La Nina is possible; -8 or lower, El Nino. For ONI, El Nino events are defined as 5 consecutive months at or above 0.5C and -0.5C for La Nina.
In the El Nino phase easterly trade winds weaken and SST (sea surface temperatures) in the eastern tropical Pacific become several degrees warmer than normal as a systematic shift of heat and moisture. Australia experiences higher air pressure and drought while NZ experiences more NE wind flow, higher temperatures and wetter conditions in the North and east of the country, but drought in the south. From a season standpoint during El Nino NZ has stronger and more frequent winds from the West (thus more dry in the east and more wet in the west).<br />
<br />
<b>La Nina brings more NE winds and that means more rain in the NE of the North Island</b>.
Looking at the Tropical Island groups <b>El Nino generally brings weaker trade winds</b> (notice the word ‘generally’). There is generally more cloud over the central equatorial regions. Fiji and Vanuatu experience drier and hotter conditions than normal from Dec to Feb (summer) followed by drier and cooler weather from Jun to Aug. A great deal of this is due to the <b>SPCZ moving NE</b>. Samoa and Tuvalu have an increased likelihood of drought. The eastern Islands have a greater chance for Tropical Cyclones. And in general the eastern Islands experience more rainfall activity.<br />
<br />
During<b> La Nina</b> events most of the Islands experience greater rainfall ,troughs and generally cloudy conditions. This is a result of the <b>SW movement of the SPCZ</b>. There are more Tropical Cyclones west of the dateline.<b>
Going from La Nina to Neutral and possibly into El Nino we would expect to see more Tropical Cyclones east of the dateline:</b> Samoa, Tonga, Cooks, French Polynesia. The impact for Fiji in this case would be a decrease in rainfall to below average. This can escalate into a mid-scale drought to a harder scale. The longer El Nino lasts the worse for the country. This general effect probably starts first in Australia then New Cal followed later by Fii and Tonga.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Fiji Met says there is often a time lag between changes in Fiji because Fiji is in a transition zone regarding the SOI</b>. For example it can take 4-6 months for drought conditions to occur. An example is the 1997-1998 El Nino. Two months after the SOI dropped below 0, rainfall had just begun to decrease from normal levels.
So what causes this? Why does water near Peru suddenly move west and why does warm water in the western Pacific decide to move east? The fact is not one researcher knows for sure. It has to do with what we call equatorial oceanic waves setting up a pulse in the deep oceans, but a tongue in cheek little story is to picture Neptune having a dip and some exercise in the his Pacific pool So, hands on Peru, legs and feet stretched out toward Australia and he starts his kicking exercise. Water moves west and starts to pile up over the western equatorial region. In fact it piles up 600mm in a strong La Nina episode. Thats right, water is 2 meters higher in the western pacific than the eastern. The displaced water near Peru gets replaced by upwelling. This upwelling water is very cold and cools the air in contact with it. Cold air is dense and creates a robust Anticylone and strong trade winds quickly develop.<br />
<br />
In addition to bringing cold water to the surface nutrients follow and with the nutrients come the sardines and anchovies. At some point in time Neptune gets tired and stops kicking. The big pile of warm water near the Solomons rushes downhill, eastward, accompanied by very warm air which snuffs the big High near Peru. So the strong trades cease as does the upwelling and cold water. The anchovies take off and the fishermen fret. Now, some of our current and less gifted climatologists think this is proof of climate change. The problem with this dimwittedness is the fact these cycles have been occurring for millenniums. <b>The next tactic is the implication that the cycles are more severe than in the past. I have a graph from 1960 to 2011 and I assure you there is an absolute balance of La Nina intensities to El Nino intensities while the degree of intensities has changed very little.</b>
What we are learning is there are more and more cycles being discovered. I won’t get into them but they include the MJO, PDO, AAO and the list goes on. The atmosphere is very complicated indeed.
Lastly keep in mind there are at least 7 forecast sites for ENSO. I tend to look at POAMA which is from BoM in Australia. Regardless of which model you prefer if you are trying to rationalize where to spend a southern summer you can’t do it on ENSO alone. <b>Take the forecast with a grain of salt. All that is certain, one cycle follows the other, but the unknown is the time frame and the modifiers.</b><br />
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<b><br /></b>
<b>FORECASTING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Rules of thumb and general discussion<br />
<br />
David Sapiane<br />
<br />
<b>FORECASTING SURFACE HIGHS AND LOWS</b><br />
<b>LOWS</b><br />
<br />
1. Intensifying Lows tend to slow down and deflect more southward toward<br />
colder air.<br />
2. The speed of a Low seems to approximate the speed of the winds in the<br />
warm sector and usually move slower than the associated cold front.<br />
3. Look for surface Lows to develop where a strong jet crosses a frontal<br />
boundary between different air masses.<br />
4. A surge of cold air moving in behind a cold front can turbo-charge the Low.<br />
5. A surge of warm moist air ahead of a cold front can intensify the Low.<br />
6. Look for surface Lows to develop under cyclonically curved diverging<br />
upper level contours and weaken under anticyclonically curved contours.<br />
7. A temperature at 500mb of -30C is often associated with strong<br />
deepening of a surface Low.<br />
8. Lows moving toward colder air deepen, and weaken if moving toward<br />
warmer air.<br />
9. Lows move at about 50% of the 500mb wind speed and 70% of the 700mb<br />
wind speed.<br />
<br />
<b>HIGHS</b><br />
<br />
10.Highs build when they move under converging contours aloft and weaken<br />
if they move under diverging upper contours<br />
11.Highs strengthen when under anti-cyclonically curved contours aloft and<br />
weaken when under cyclonically curved contours aloft.<br />
12.Highs will avoid the heat of Australia during summer.<br />
13.Traveling highs tend toward the equator and track with the 500mb winds.<br />
14.Highs move at about 60-70% of the 700mb wind speed.<br />
15.Blocking Highs usually intensify if they retrograde, and tend to weaken<br />
when they progress eastward.<br />
16.If there is strong low level (through 500mb) warm advection moving into<br />
the western side of an upper ridge the surface High will build and possibly<br />
retrograde.<br />
17.There is a symbiotic effect that when an upper trough intensifies, it<br />
intensifies the downstream ridge, and as a consequence, the surface High<br />
also intensifies.<br />
<br />
<b>TASMAN SEA</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
18.Lows that form in the north Tasman , in winter, can be deep and slow<br />
moving<br />
19.Winter Highs moving eastward have a tendency to move equatorward<br />
20.As a High in mid ocean collapses a new one tends to form somewhat to<br />
the southwest.<br />
21.Highs forming south of Tasmania are preceded by cold southerlies and<br />
often move slowly.<br />
22.Highs west of NZ can extend a ridge eastward. Then a new High center<br />
forms east of NZ as the old center loses intensity. The cycle can repeat.<br />
1/8/2012 1<br />
23.An easterly dip is a trough that forms on the equatorward side of an<br />
anticyclone near the east coast of Australia. It’s occasionally a precursor to<br />
more vigorous cyclogenesis because of the warm/cold advection couplet<br />
enhanced by the East Australian current.<br />
<br />
<b>ISOBAR AND CONTOUR CURVATURE GUIDELINES</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. Where the isobars or contours are cyclonically curved, expect cloudiness<br />
and precipitation<br />
2. Where surface isobars are cyclonically curved, and are supported by<br />
upper level cyclonic curvature, the chances of precipitation are enhanced.<br />
3. Anticyclonically curved isobars, with straight upper level height contours<br />
are usually dry.<br />
4. If the isobars are anticyclonically curved, but the upper level height<br />
contours are cyclonically curved, cloudiness and some drizzle is possible.<br />
5. If the upper level height contours and the surface isobars are anticyclonically<br />
curved , expect fair or fine weather.<br />
6. Typically a Northerly wind that blows straight or curves cyclonically, will<br />
have clouds and some precipitation associated with it.<br />
7. Typically Southerly quadrant winds produce clouds and showers only if<br />
they are curved cyclonically; straight southerly quadrant winds produce<br />
intermittent clouds and precipitation.<br />
<br />
<b>SOME ASPECTS OF THE 700MB CHART</b><br />
<br />
1. If 700mb winds parallel a cold front the front is called an Ana front, is<br />
active, and most of the precipitation is at and behind the front.<br />
2. IF 700mb winds blow more perpendicular to the cold front it’s called a Kata<br />
front, and most of the precipitation, including squall lines, occurs well<br />
ahead of the front.<br />
3. If 700mb winds cross a warm front and curve cyclonically or flow straight ,<br />
precipitation is enhanced<br />
4. If 700mb winds cross a warm front and curve anti-cyclonically precipitation<br />
is minimal if at all.<br />
<br />
<b>SOME ASPECTS OF THE 500MB CHART</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. If the maximum winds in the long wave are oriented NW to SE expect<br />
short wave production<br />
2. Cold advection from the surface through 500mb entering the west side of<br />
troughs will deepen the trough.<br />
3. If the upstream ridge is too sharply curved for the wind speeds<br />
approaching it, the wind will overshoot, possibly filling the trough to the<br />
east of it.<br />
4. Troughs move eastward more rapidly when the strongest winds round the<br />
northern periphery or apex.<br />
1/8/2012 2<br />
5. Strong winds on the west side of a trough cause it to dig toward the<br />
equator<br />
6. When the strongest winds are on the east side of the trough the surface<br />
low tends to elongate in the direction of the upper winds. The surface low<br />
will usually last for another 24-36 hours.<br />
7. When short waves get into phase the trough deepens considerably<br />
8. Long wave troughs are hard to identify but look for lobe like extensions<br />
toward the equator<br />
9. Usually the surface storm track follows and is poleward of the 5640<br />
contour<br />
10.In general when the equator side of the trough axis points upwind surface<br />
lows start to develop; as the axis rotates downwind the low deepens; and<br />
once the axis swings downwind the surface low usually begins to fill and<br />
weaken.<br />
11.Positive or westward tilting troughs exist when the upper level trough is<br />
west of the surface trough. Cyclogenesis is favored as a jet max and<br />
subsequent CVA and temperature advection encourage development.<br />
12.Negative or eastward tilted troughs exist when the upper trough is east of<br />
the surface trough, and in general surface systems become weaker.<br />
13.In the southern ocean zonal flow can last a fair while. It provides a ‘mobile’<br />
pattern in contrast to a blocking pattern.<br />
14.If an upstream ridge greatly intensifies and assumes an overlapping<br />
orientation over the downstream trough, a cut-off low will form in the<br />
trough<br />
15.Upper level cut-off Lows typically last 3-4 days with surface conditions of<br />
wind and rain prevailing. When the capping ridge moves on due to a<br />
strong jet, the cut off dissipates.<br />
16.Closed lows aloft move toward the greatest divergence aloft.<br />
17.The short wave can be identified early by a kink or constriction of contours<br />
within the overall large scale wave. This is most visible on 500 and 700mb<br />
charts.<br />
18. Numerical models have historically moved upper troughs too fast and not<br />
deepened them enough but are steadily improving.<br />
<br />
<b>THICKNESS CHARTS</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. Thickness lines curve anti-cyclonically around warm fronts<br />
2. Thickness lines curve cyclonically around cold fronts<br />
3. Lows often develop on the right side of diverging thickness lines<br />
4. Highs often develop to the left of diverging thickness lines<br />
5. Lows often develop to the left of converging thickness lines<br />
6. Highs often develop to the right of converging thickness lines<br />
7. Thickness gradients are strongest behind cold fronts and the tighter the<br />
gradient the stronger the front.<br />
8. Thickness gradients usually parallel fronts<br />
9. Expect upper mass convergence when winds are blowing in about the<br />
same direction but slowing down, and when upper contours converge.<br />
10.Expect upper mass divergence when winds are blowing in about the same<br />
direction but speeding up, and when upper contours diverge.<br />
<br />
1/8/2012 3<br />
<br />
<b>SOME ASPECTS OF THE 200MB CHART</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. Warm pools at 200mb are found above cold pools in lower level troughs<br />
2. Cold pools are found above lower level warm pools in ridges<br />
3. Diverging contours (diffluence) indicates divergence with cyclogenesis<br />
likely in the area.<br />
4. Diffluence, as stated, favors precipitation but divergence must also occur<br />
(a net outflow of air).<br />
5. Strong troughs at 200mb have temperatures from -40 to -45C (not valid for<br />
cutoffs)<br />
6. Strong ridges at 200mb have temperatures of -65C or colder.<br />
7. Temperatures in the middle -50C’s indicate weaker systems<br />
8. If the lower level troughs and ridges don’t reflect their existence at 200mb<br />
the system is weak.<br />
<br />
<b>THE JET STREAM</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. In a series of lows of a cyclone family, each low is associated with a jet<br />
max.<br />
2. All lows have an associated jet max of varying magnitude.<br />
3. All short waves are associated with a jet max of varying magnitude.<br />
4. The jet parallels the warm sector of a surface low.<br />
5. As a surface low is formed the jet moves equatorward pushing cold air into<br />
the west side of the low.<br />
6. When the surface low occludes the jet moves around the low center and<br />
crosses the front at the occlusion<br />
7. The sub tropical jet is found roughly above the 500mb -11C isotherm.<br />
8. A mid level trough may deepen when the jet max is west of its axis.<br />
9. A mid level trough may fill when the jet max is east of its axis.<br />
10.A mid level ridge may intensify when the jet max is west of the ridge.<br />
11.A mid level ridge may weaken when the jet max is east of the ridge.<br />
<br />
<b>BLOCKING HIGHS AND RIDGES</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
1. Strong warm air advection through at least 500mb into the west side of<br />
ridges will build ridges.<br />
2. Often there is cold advection at 200mb associated with lower level warm<br />
advection<br />
3. Blocks strengthen when they retrograde and weaken when they progress<br />
eastward.<br />
4. The most common cause of a block in the NZ area is a jet splitting into a<br />
subtropical and high latitude branch<br />
5. In general, if a long wave encompasses about 45 degrees of longitude<br />
than a blocking high occupies the crest and/or a blocking low occupies the<br />
adjacent trough. If greater than 45 degrees it may retrograde.<br />
6. Blocking surface highs sometimes appear to have “left and right”<br />
shoulders and lows may form on them. The left shoulder low tends to<br />
behave like a blocking low and stall. It eventually will unravel into a trough.<br />
<br />
1/8/2012 4<br />
<br />
<b>SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE CYCLONE CLASSIFICATION </b>from Sinclair<br />
Class Location of Jet Location of Low Upper flow<br />
<br />
U upstream from upper trough Beneath jet exit Diffluent<br />
E downstream from upper trough Beneath jet entrance Confluent<br />
D downstream from upper trough Beneath jet exit varies<br />
T equatorward of upper trough axis Directly beneath the Sharp<br />
upper trough Trough.<br />
<br />
Sinclair’s study categorizes southern hemisphere cyclones on the basis of<br />
precursor upper jet and trough configurations. A feature common to all the<br />
classes is the presence of a 300mb wind max exceeding 70 knots and most were<br />
100 knots. The importance of jet max circulations inducing a cyclonic circulation<br />
extending throughout the troposphere to the earths surface is discussed.<br />
<br />
<b>Class U</b>. The dominant jet is upstream from both the surface low and the upper<br />
trough. The max occurs in equatorward moving (digging) or zonal flow and is<br />
upstream from the upper trough. Average 24hr pressure falls were 15mb and<br />
some met the “bomb” criteria. Lows forming in diffluent flow can favor meridional<br />
elongation of both the low and the cold front.<br />
<br />
<b>Class E</b>. The low forms beneath the confluent entrance region of a jet max,<br />
which lies downstream from the upper trough axis. Flow patterns are similar to<br />
the “instant occlusion”. Pressure falls similar to class U. Strongest frontal strength<br />
is on the warm front poleward and east of the low. At maturity the low processes<br />
a strong warm front and weak cold front aligned almost perpendicular to the<br />
warm front. These lows elongate zonally and have characteristics of the Shapiro-<br />
Keyser model.<br />
<br />
<b>Class D</b>. The low forms in the exit region of the jet max which also lies<br />
downstream from the upper trough. The dominant feature is a northwesterly jet<br />
which is sometimes on the eastern flank of an upper trough of considerable<br />
meridional amplitude. The mature cyclone has the smallest and tightest<br />
circulation of the four classes.<br />
<br />
<b>Class T</b>. This category has the upper jet approximately 400 miles equatorward of<br />
the low which forms almost directly under the upper trough. Most of the observed<br />
cases formed off the east coast of Australia. It too, has a strong bent back front at<br />
maturity.<br />
<br />
While the above is a useful way of classifying cyclones one thing is certain, no<br />
two cyclones or pattern of cyclogenesis is exactly the same. The significance of<br />
the jet stream and jet maxes in southern hemisphere cyclogenesis cannot be<br />
underestimated. No significant surface cyclone occurs without an accompanying<br />
jet max. The ageostrophic flows about a jet max traveling through a long wave<br />
are replicated downward where the “twisting” of height contours and temperature<br />
contours are translated as a “short wave” which is most evident at 500 and<br />
700mb. Thus mass removal occurs at upper levels as divergence, with pressure<br />
falls at the surface. Coupled with this is air flow crossing isotherms creating warm<br />
and cold advection, all of which is the perfect recipe for cyclogenesis.<br />
<br />
<b>The following provides further exploration of cyclogenesis in summary form.</b><br />
<br />
1. Frontal Cyclogenesis. This is the closest to the Norwegian model with the<br />
jet max lying to the west or cold side of an existing front. Satellite imagery<br />
provides a view of the flow distortion as cyclonic-anticyclonic curvature of<br />
the cloud band… the reverse S shape, or “baroclinic leaf”, with a sharp<br />
edge on the cold side. The cold front may take the form as an Ana or Kata<br />
structure. The final cyclone could resemble anything from the classical to<br />
the Shapiro-Keyser model, or something in between.<br />
<br />
2. Warm Influx Cyclogenesis. This involves a moist low level airmass of<br />
tropical origin. A surface isobaric chart would show a broad High with a<br />
polar dip in the isobars on the equatorial side. When a sub-tropical jet max<br />
crosses the dip the system activates and “winds up”.<br />
<br />
3. Cold Air Cyclogenesis. This is development within a cold air mass with<br />
areas of shallow convection; usually found behind an established cold<br />
front. Another jet max moving through the upper trough distorts the low<br />
level flow and shapes the convective area into a vorticity center, or closed<br />
isobar Low, with accompanying cold front.<br />
<br />
4. Instant Occlusion. This essentially is the same as cold air cyclogenesis<br />
except in this case the vorticity center, caused by a jet max, catches up to<br />
the leading cold front, which buckles. The resulting new Low consists of<br />
the original cold front, and as this front is twisted, a warm front, and trailing<br />
from the warm front is the southern extension of the original cold front.<br />
This is called an instant occlusion only because the vorticity center<br />
“catches” up with the existing cold front.<br />
<br />
The northern hemisphere conception of a continuous front extending around the<br />
hemisphere separating polar and maritime air is classic. This “polar front” was a<br />
cold front when it moved south and a “warm front” when it moved north;<br />
otherwise it was quasi-stationary. In the South Pacific we seldom find a long<br />
continuous “polar” frontal system extending east and west. More commonly we<br />
find cold fronts extending northwards from Lows. Warm fronts are much less<br />
common mainly because the air between cold fronts warms by descending, so<br />
that while surface air ahead of a cold front is warm because its trajectory has<br />
brought it from lower latitudes, the air is warm IN DEPTH. In addition, the warm<br />
fronts are less abrupt in the southern ocean and satellite imagery does not show<br />
pulses of warm advection as clearly as pulses of cold mainly because higher and<br />
middle cloud obscures the surface warm front.<br />
<br />
One further difference from our cousins in the north is the occlusion process. As<br />
the cold front catches up with the warm front, and as each front slopes upwards<br />
in opposite directions, warm air naturally is present in higher levels. This warm<br />
wedge is held aloft and depending on temperature differentials on the surface<br />
terms like ‘cold’ or ‘warm’ occlusion are used. However in the south pacific these<br />
terms are seldom used mainly due to the difficulty in determining which type is in<br />
existence. Thus it may be better to view occlusions as a process in which the<br />
Low or vortex center becomes progressively separated from the warm sector of<br />
the low, leaving a tongue of intermediate temperature air extending from the low<br />
center to the warm sector. This tongue is the ‘occluded’ front.<br />
<br />
1/8/2012 6<br />
<br />
As a side note sometimes the surface chart shows an elongated occlusion front.<br />
A satellite image would show a band of cloud, but with respect to surface<br />
temperatures there is no air mass differential on either side; thus an ‘occlusion’ is<br />
drawn or a convergence zone symbol in the tropics.<br />
<br />
A still further departure from ‘classical’ is the Shapiro-Keyser <b>‘bent back’ warm</b><br />
<b>front type of cyclone which frequently occurs in the south pacific.</b> It is also known<br />
as the ‘T-bone’ because of this descriptive appearance. In one version and in<br />
simple terms the cyclone or low starts out with a definitive warm and cold front.<br />
<br />
The cold front slides along the warm front to give the appearance of a ‘T-bone’. A<br />
second cold front forms just behind the first with the air between the two being<br />
‘relatively’ warm, but it’s not the same air in front of the warm front. This<br />
‘relatively’ warm air, which has minimal cloud, spirals into the vortex of the low<br />
center and becomes completely surrounded by cold air and the clouds in the<br />
comma head, thus creating an ‘eye’ of sometimes cloud free, and certainly warm<br />
air. The pressure gradient near the eye can be enormous resulting in storm force<br />
winds in some, but not all, systems. <b>Another variation</b> has the original cold front<br />
‘fracturing’ from the warm front allowing warm air to rush through the gap and into<br />
the vortex where it is wrapped up and surrounded by cloud and cold air.<br />
A further variation is a cyclone which is also distinctive for having secluded air of<br />
warm sector origin at its center coming from a branching warm conveyor belt<br />
early in the seclusion process. However, there is no evidence of a traditional cold<br />
conveyor belt, or an ‘occlusion’ process having occurred. The cold air, coming<br />
from higher latitudes, also splits, with part wrapping around the vortex and warm<br />
seclusion, and part paralleling the eastward moving branch of the warm conveyor<br />
belt.<br />
<b>Another variation on cyclone development</b> is a process quite common over the<br />
southern ocean, occurring in relatively cold air and not interacting with warm<br />
moist air from lower latitudes. This starts with a jet max west of an upper trough<br />
axis. To the west of the max a cirrus band is evident and a cumulus cloud field to<br />
the east. As the jet max migrates around the curved part of the upper trough<br />
divergence downstream of the trough axis creates a comma shaped surface<br />
depression. This development has no requirement for a pre-existing front and no<br />
classical warm front is present.<br />
<br />
<b>COLD FRONTS</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Processes regarding cold fronts are varied and intriguing as well. As mentioned<br />
earlier there are two types, Ana fronts and Kata fronts.<br />
An Ana front is quite active and has the warm conveyor belt paralleling the cold<br />
front with rearward sloping ascent as descending dry air comes in beneath it. To<br />
identify the Ana front look for:<br />
<br />
1. The surface cold front is sharp with a significant drop in temperature and<br />
wind shift.<br />
<br />
2. There is little rain ahead of the front. The jet runs along the back of the<br />
cloud band and the surface front is drawn on the eastern side of the visible<br />
band.<br />
<br />
1/8/2012 7<br />
The <b>Kata</b> front is also known as a split front where one front is the surface cold<br />
front and the other cold front is an upper level feature which forms as the<br />
descending dry air, instead of undercutting the warm conveyor belt, rides over it<br />
creating underneath it, and well in advance of the surface front, persistent rain<br />
and squalls. There is only shallow precipitation at the surface front itself. This<br />
type of front is common when very warm and moist tropical air is dragged south<br />
and into a low forming in mid-latitudes like the Tasman Sea. Ideally the upper<br />
front could be drawn using open triangles, but usually a surface trough in front of<br />
the cold front is drawn. Sometimes this upper front pushes on poleward and the<br />
wedge of warm air in front gets pushed along too and winds up spiraling into the<br />
low center as a ‘Trowal’ or warm seclusion; however this seclusion is above<br />
colder air and is unlike the Shapiro mode.<br />
<br />
<b>DOWNSTREAM DEVELOPMENT</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Another phenomena is the concept of Downstream Development. The energy<br />
released during strong cyclonic development takes two routes. One into the<br />
storm itself, and the other into the jet stream where it’s rapidly transported<br />
downstream. Arriving in the next system downstream, these huge amounts of<br />
kinetic energy can have a significant domino effect by intensifying the next<br />
cyclone or amplifying the next anticyclone. Explosive cyclogenesis upstream<br />
releases enough energy to drive the jet poleward creating a blocking High and<br />
further equatorward movement can rapidly turn cyclonically creating an upper cut<br />
off Low. This is evident on satellite imagery as the developing upper cirrus has a<br />
‘fountain’ shape with the fountain pointing westward. <b>Explosive events in the</b><br />
<b>southern Indian Ocean can affect the south pacific.</b><br />
Presented were ‘rules of thumb’ chosen to be useful guides. Many exceptions<br />
occur which of course is the nature of such rules. The discussion is a general<br />
overview and each topic merits deeper study.<br />
<br />
Compiled by David Sapiane on sv CHAMELEON. chameleon4844@yahoo.com<br />
1/8/2012 8<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-36871160452329393052013-10-28T23:19:00.001-07:002013-11-23T14:03:31.508-08:00Excellent Anchoring Technique for CyclonesWe particularly like this article we found, not that we ever intend to be anchored in a significant named storm....but you never know!<br />
<br />
Set for a blow<br />
Author:<br />
Foster Goodfellow<br />
<br />
Years ago, whilst tucked away in a secure anchorage at Stewart Island, an Englishman shared the secrets of his anchoring technique with me. Charley was sailing round-the-world in his small boat, Aquila Nova. He and his lady had voyaged across the South Pacific and, when we met, had just returned from a visit to the windy Auckland Islands, several hundred miles south of New Zealand in the Screaming Fifties.<br />
<br />
Charley didn't have an engine, so he needed to be firmly attached to the bottom when he anchored. He used two anchors attached to a swivel which seemed to make good sense. As a method of weathering high winds, it fit the bill for us, too, because although we have an engine, it is small. Once the winds rise to gale force, we don't have enough horsepower to get us out of trouble. Like Charley, we have to rely on our anchors.<br />
<br />
I liked his method of creating an Anchor Mooring because it didn't require any expensive, oversized or hard-to-store anchoring gear. We simply count on the effectiveness of the system and our regular ground tackle.<br />
<br />
<b>You need a plan:</b><br />
Several years ago we opted to stay in the tropics during cyclone season rather than make our annual pilgrimage to more temperate latitudes. New Caledonia - with its French flair, moderate temperatures and monokinis - seemed a good alternative. But our first cyclone popped up within 24 hours of checking in to Noumea. Immediately we were put to the test.<br />
<br />
Though we have plenty of anchoring gear - 5 anchors, lots of chain and heaps of rode, it soon became apparent that we needed to look more seriously at our method of anchoring. We decided to employ Charley's technique.<br />
<br />
Our cyclone hole, deep inside the Baie du Prony on the southeast side of Grande Terre, was a classic hurricane hole, surrounded by high hills and an S-shaped entrance which closes out the wind and seas. But unlike hurricane holes such as English Harbour in Antigua, there is no soft and yielding fringe of mangroves along the edge. Consequently, you must anchor in the middle of the bay and swing with the wind.<br />
<br />
We created an Anchor Mooring using our 35# CQR and our 35# Brittany anchors set on separate chains and joined at a giant swivel. These are laid out 180 degrees from each other, one toward the direction of the wind and one away from it. As a deep low approaches and we determine which way the wind is going to move - i.e. will the centre pass to the east or west of us? - we set our third anchor (a Fortress FX37) approximately 90 degrees to the line of the two anchors in the direction towards which the wind is going to swing. At the height of the storm we lie to this third anchor, which has more nylon anchor rode than chain and which absorbs the stress and pitching. Meanwhile, the other two anchors and swivel dampen the boat sailing from side to side.<br />
<br />
I chose this technique of creating an Anchor Mooring using two anchors joined at a swivel because (1) we don't have enough horsepower in the main engine to move us around once the wind gets going; (2) we needed an anchoring technique that worked with the wide range of wind direction experienced with the close passing of an intense depression; and (3) an Anchor Mooring enabled us to use maximum weight of gear and catenary effect for the area required to swing in - a relatively small area compared to using tandem anchors. Whatever we do has to hold us until the wind abates.<br />
<br />
<b>How we create an anchor mooring</b><br />
:
Before we start our anchoring routine, we set up the second anchor with its crown hanging outside the pulpit on a line so that we can release it easily. The chain is stacked so it will release from the bitter end (which is attached to a swivel) towards the anchor end - the reverse of what you normally do for anchoring. If this sounds confusing, read on.<br />
<br />
To start with, we use three or four times the depth of water in chain on our main anchor, i.e. a scope of 4 to 1 to the swivel. Then we drop the main anchor down in the direction the wind is blowing at the time, with the chain and nylon rode attached to the swivel, and pull it in and set it with the motor. Then, after this first anchor is good and set, we pull the line back in to the end of the chain. A large (1/2") swivel is attached to the end of the chain, to which we attach the chain of the second anchor. Our second anchor has an amount of chain equal in length to the first anchor. We back down to leeward, paying out all the chain and rode.<br />
Once the chain is stretched out, we release the second anchor from the bow. After it drops to the bottom, we pull ourselves back to the swivel in the centre, using the anchor rode attached to the swivel. (See Illustration A)<br />
<br />
The next step of the operation is to turn the boat around, using the kick of the engine, and use the engine to pull in the second anchor to windward. (See Illustration B) Having done that, we go back to the swivel one more time, pull it to the surface (which is very hard work as we now have 300' of chain down, 150' in each direction). We attach a second backup nylon rode to the swivel for extra security.<br />
<br />
At this point two nylon rodes lead from the swivel over the bow rollers to large cleats, with large reinforced one-metre length vinyl hoses over each rode as chafing gear. This may sound time consuming, but once we worked out the drill to put the anchors down, it took only 20 minutes to set the second anchor.<br />
<br />
What was perfect about this setup was that, before a storm arrived, the boat could swing around in a number of directions as wind and tide changed, and the swivel allowed the boat to go around and around without getting fouled. (See Illustration C) Then we'd wait until we knew if the storm system was close and on which side it was going to pass. Once we determined if the wind was going to veer or back, we laid out a third anchor in the direction/quarter that the wind was going to shift. On that anchor (an FX37 Fortress), we used 250 feet of new nylon rode and 50 feet of chain so that it would have a lot of stretch and be easy to deploy from a dinghy.<br />
<br />
Managing the anchors during the storm:
As storm approached, we lay to the first anchor. Then, as the wind came around and reached its peak intensity, we started laying on the third (FX37) anchor. During this time we kept tension on the rode so that we were chiefly pulling on the third anchor. The swivel and chains to anchors 1 & 2 lay almost directly underneath the boat on 50 feet of line with all the chain keeping the centre low. These two other anchors were mostly responsible for keeping the bow of boat still, and we experienced little shearing motion on the anchors. Finally, as wind came around to the westerly quarter, we started paying out both rodes until we were laying on the second and third anchor as if they were in v-formation.<br />
<br />
Pulling up the anchor mooring:
To pull up our anchors, we lifted the swivel to the surface and attached a chain hook and safety line to the 2nd anchor chain. We undid the shackle holding it to the swivel (being careful not to drop the pin!) and then attached the shackle to a nylon rode. Now we could pull up each anchor separately. (See Illustrations D & E) The third anchor can be retrieved independently before or after retrieving the first two.<br />
<br />
How to create an anchor mooring if you have one piece of chain:
If you have one piece of chain 200 to 300 feet long, the best solution is to cut it. You can then use a chain joining link sized for your chain to rejoin the chain afterwards. The joining link should have the same dimension as your chain links so it will work in your windlass wild cat and be as strong as the shackles at either end. The alternative, according books and articles I have seen, is to use a shackle to attach the swivel in the centre of your long length of chain. But nobody explains how you can possibly do this except by using the smallest of shackles, small enough to get through the hole in the chain link but probably not strong enough to survive storm force winds.<br />
You may try a large shackle around the whole chain but you still have to seize the shackle in place so it cannot travel up or down the chain. If you decide to use one piece of chain for an Anchor Mooring, you must have a trip line to one anchor to be able to pull the anchors up. Two separate pieces of chain for the Anchor Mooring work best.<br />
<br />
<b>What we used on fellowship:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
First anchor - 35# CQR with 150 feet of 5/16 (9 mm) high-test chain, 200 feet of 5/8" nylon rode.<br />
<br />
Second anchor - 35# Brittany anchor with 150 feet of 5/16 (9 mm) chain.<br />
<br />
Third anchor - Fortress FX 37 (19# Danforth-type) with 50 feet of 5/16 (9 mm) chain and250 feet of 5/8" nylon rode. Light weight and easy to set with dinghy.<br />
<br />
Fourth Anchor on stand-by and on deck - a D2000 or 20# Deepset Danforth with 75 feet of 8 mm chain and 250 feet of 1/2" nylon rode.<br />
<br />
Fifth Anchor - 12H Danforth with 45 feet of 1/4" chain and 250 feet of 1/2 inch nylon rode.<br />
(You never know when your neighbour might need to borrow one!)<br />
<br />
Swivel - 1/2 inch size swivel. Remember to use the round forged end to attach the two anchor chains to as they will be pulling at right angles to the swivel and use the D-shaped end for the nylon rode as/so it will pull in line with the swivel.<br />
<br />
Shackles - High tensile proof-tested galvanized steel shackles with appropriate Safe Working Loads (SWL).
1/2" - pin diameter 15.9 mm. SWL 2000 Kg. - for 5/8 rode to swivel.
3/8" - pin diameter 11 mm. SWL 1000 Kg. - for 5/16 or 10 mm chain.
5/16" - pin diameter 7.9 mm. SWL 750 Kg. - for 1/4 or 8 mm chain.<br />
Anchoring for storm conditions:<br />
<br />
<b>Single Anchoring </b><br />
When anchoring for storm conditions with a single anchor, you need to use a larger anchor - at least one or two sizes larger than recommended. One recommendation is to have 50% chain and 50% rode or, if you are using all chain, multiple spring lines and good chain hooks. One disadvantage with this technique is the weight and stowage of a special storm anchor, used only in storm conditions. Any anchor over 45 lbs. is hard to manage on deck. In addition, you need quite a bit of swinging room. Thirdly, a single anchor is subject to a lot of stress from the boat sailing back and forth on the rode. Finally, an anchor two sizes larger may warrant an increase in your chain size which entails all the problems of windlass compatibility and storage.<br />
Two anchors in a V-formation Here, the anchors are set from 45 degrees to 60 degrees apart, using the main anchor in conjunction with a second anchor. It is relatively fast to deploy and reduces sailing on the anchor. This second anchor should be on 50% chain and 50% nylon rode which is easy to stow and deploy. You do need to have a bow roller capable of handling two rodes. The effectiveness of the v-formation diminishes as the winds shift, putting the stress onto one anchor. This anchoring technique is the most common one for storm anchoring but is not a desirable choice if the wind decides to shift right around the clock - as when an intense depression passes close to your location.<br />
<br />
<b>Tandem Anchoring </b><br />
Using tandem anchors, two in a row, is a very reasonable option because you increase your total holding power and weight while using your regular anchors and chain. Its disadvantage is that setting and recovering anchors can be complicated, depending on how you attach the them together. Tandem anchoring does not dampen sailing on the anchor and is not the best for radical wind shifts of 180 degrees, as happens with the passage of a cyclone directly overhead.<br />
<br />
Earl Hinz in his book on anchoring recommends that tandem anchors be set "four fluke lengths" or about five feet apart. I disagree. If they are set too close together, the anchors could become fouled or entangled. However, if they are set too far apart, they take up too much space. The distance between the anchors should be about one to two times the water depth - this minimizes the chance of the anchors fouling on the way down (or up).<br />
<br />
<b>There are two approaches to Tandem Anchoring</b>.<br />
<br />
The first involves shackling a length of chain to the head of your main anchor and attaching a second anchor. The length of chain is open to debate as some sailors use only a few meters of chain with the thought that the first (main) anchor ploughs clear the bottom so the second (tandem) anchor can get well into the bottom. This may be a good idea in very weedy bottoms.<br />
For storm anchoring I prefer to have a greater distance between the two anchors. This prevents the anchors from becoming tangled with each other and/or the rode while deploying them. If you use a length of chain equal to (or a bit longer than) the depth of water you are anchored in then, when you anchor, the tandem anchor will touch the bottom and enable you to back down and stretch out the chain before the main (1st) anchor reaches the bottom. This should ensure that both anchors are not tangled in the rode and that each has an opportunity to dig into the bottom. It would be reasonable to expect that the length of chain between the two anchors would not be subjected to the same snatch loads as the chain closer to the boat so you could use a small size for this length. If you make the length between the anchors too long, you may have problems with other boats fouling your anchor.<br />
<br />
A second approach to Tandem Anchoring is to shackle your tandem (2nd) anchor after your main anchor using a short piece of chain (1-3 meters). This method means you can shackle and unshackle this 2nd anchor relatively easily. The drawbacks are: 1. How do you effectively attach the shackle to the chain? and 2. How do you ensure that the 2nd anchor won't entangle the rode? Additionally, only a burying-type of anchor such as a CQR or BRUCE could be used as a tandem (2nd) anchor because a Danforth-type would surely catch on the rode as it drags back and forth over the tandem anchor.<br />
<br />
<b>Anchoring tips</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
Safe Depth If you have your pick of the anchorage, choose deeper water rather than less to gain maximum catenary effect from your anchoring gear. Also, areas that have less water have the disadvantage of being more attractive to other boats and hence became more crowded. Other boats dragging are often your biggest worry.<br />
<br />
Swinging Room Many hurricane holes are crowded when there is a cyclone. Try to use an anchoring technique that will keep your swinging room at a minimum.<br />
<br />
To avoid fouling by other boats coming to anchor after us, we marked our anchor with a light line and a small buoy attached to a dinghy anchor. We preferred to use separate marker in the area of our anchor (rather than a line attached directly to the anchor) in case someone fouled the marker and accidentally pulled up the anchor!<br />
<br />
Strip It cannot be stressed enough: To increase the holding power of your anchor, the easy and cheapest thing to do is reduce the boat's windage. Strip as much as you can off the deck. Lee (or weather) cloths around the cockpit should be easy to remove (i.e. not laced with 1/2 mile of cord!). Ours are designed with a top flap that wraps around the life line with quick-release twist lock fasteners. Light line holds the bottom corners.<br />
<br />
The main sail should come off in extreme storm conditions such as those experienced during a tropical cyclone. Under those severe conditions, sailing off the anchor and out to sea is not the final option to facing a storm at anchor. You must hang on, no matter what. Take the mainsail off and rest the boom on deck.<br />
Roller furling should be removed anytime a blow is expected at anchor. Saying that, I know few people will. However, a jib unfurled in high winds is highly dangerous, noisy, and costly. It can cause the rig to fall down, the anchor to drag or, at the very least, the sail to shred.<br />
<br />
Nylon Rode The nylon rode we use for the third anchor (that we set and relied on at the height of cyclone Drena) was a brand-new never-used piece of line. The other rodes were relatively new, too. New line has additional stretch and it provides more shock absorption than old. New line will also be more resistant to chafe than old.<br />
<br />
Stretched-out, nylon chain snubbers may be fine in a 20 knot blow, but are a poor choice in higher winds.<br />
Chain Hooks Chain Hooks are used to attach a snubber line to the chain. The best hardware is a proper proof-tested steel chain hook built to fit your chain-size. Don't rely on inadequate but sexy stainless carabine hooks. They look good, but are designed for lesser loads.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Dinghys </b><br />
Windage is your enemy in a storm so keep your dinghy off the deck. The best way to deal with the dinghy is to half-sink it with water or with filled jerry jugs and tie astern. Small inflatables can be flattened and stowed. The force of the wind is incredible so remember to tie the dinghy to stout cleats. Friends who weathered super typhoon Paka recounted the tale of a dinghy turning into a kite and flying away with the lifeline stanchion it was tied to and part of the deck attached, leaving a gaping hole in the deck!<br />
<br />
<b>Shackles</b><br />
Use only high tensile, proof-tested (the ones stamped with SWL) galvanised steel shackles. Shackles are weaker than the chain - which is weaker than the nylon line - so use only the best. Do not use stainless steel shackles. They look nice and shiny and cost so much but chances are you'll tend to use them long after they are worn out. Galvanised shackles get rusty to remind you to replace them every two years!<br />
<br />
<b>Cleats</b><br />
All large cleats should be thru-bolted with large backing plates even if you are not in storm conditions. It is best to have two separate cleats on the foredeck to use for storm anchoring.<br />
Winches are strongly thru-bolted but in storm conditions when a line is wrapped around the winch, it is still held in check only by the small paws in the winch. For this reason it is best to use only thru-bolted cleats in extreme loading conditions.<br />
<br />
<b>Chafe Guard</b><br />
I used one meter lengths of reinforced walled-vinyl tubing. These could be slipped over the anchor rode and tied in place with a small line. The tube was large enough that I could feed the line out through the tube. A second layer of fire hose (or vinyl hose) slipped over the first hose gives the best protection against chafe.<br />
Barometers A barometer is the best indicator of wind strength. See box on page 47 YW November 96.<br />
Anchor Lights Use an anchor light. When the wind rises in the black of the night, it is nice to know your neighbours know where you are. It's even nicer if you know where they are!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Chain Weight (AKA Anchor Sentinel, Angel or Chum) </b><br />
A chain weight is a good idea as it effectively dampens the strain on the anchor by producing a catenary effect. In desperation, a cruiser attached a bucket of rocks to his chain as a make-shift anchor buddy!<br />
To deploy, the weight should be lowered down the anchor rode until it is a few feet from the seabed. To be effective in very strong winds, though, the weight has to be very heavy (more than 30 pounds).<br />
The End of the Chain The bitter end of the chain should be examined before facing a storm at anchor. Splice a nylon line directly onto the bitter end of the chain with enough line so that the chain end can be pulled out of the hawser hole, onto the deck, and the end of the nylon rope fixed to a strong eye inside the anchor locker. This will permit you to cut the chain free in an emergency without getting into the chain locker. The shock load will be tremendous if the winch fails and lets the chain run out so keep the line in new condition and ensure the eye fixed in the anchor locker is very strong. Many yachts are lost due to the anchor chains simply pulling free from the boat. Rope anchor rodes should have their bitter ends tied around the mast and ready to run free.<br />
<br />
The anchor end of the chain should be looked at closely, too. The last link on the chain (where the shackle attaches) is often subjected to a lot of wear. It may be best to snip the last link off and start anew.<br />
<br />
Be Prepared Before facing a storm at anchor you should prepare yourself and your boat as much as time will allow. Spare anchors and line need to be brought up on deck ready for deploying. Top up with fuel and water, and don't forget outboard gas. After the storm, supplies may not be readily available ashore. Review food stores and have supplies handy. Get all boat gear stowed as if for sea and secure hatches and dorades. High wind may blow twigs and leaves onto the boat, plugging the cockpit drains so make sure they are screened off. If you expect winds in excess of 70 knots, have a dive mask available so you can go on deck to check lines. Research the effect of coastal storm surge and flooding for the area you are in and be prepared.<br />
<br />
If your boat is not equipped with a minimum three good anchors and plenty of rode, then head to the nearest marina at the first warning of storm force winds. With good anchoring gear and a solid plan for anchoring, though, you'll be Set For a Blow.<br />
© Sally Andrew April 2005<br />
<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-64305908657063806382013-08-29T22:15:00.001-07:002013-08-29T22:15:06.479-07:00Wonderful Whitsundays! <div class="MsoNormal">
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As we were
now in the Whitsundays, it so happened that the highs were not so high being
around 1022HP and hence we had 3 weeks of winds under 10 knots. Of course the
two regattas, Airlie Beach Race Week and Hammo Is were both plagued with light
winds. For us, heaven on a stick!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">From Shaw Island
in the south of the Whitsundays we had stunning calm anchorages littered with
whales and turtles! How good is that! We have mat many cruisers and enjoyed the
walks. The stunning Whitehaven beach was
all that it lived up to and we stayed for 5 glorious days. It got little busy
between 1000 and 1530 with tourists, but we had only a handful of boats there
in between.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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We walked
the entire length of Whitehaven beach and back up, 10km in all which was a
decent exercise. There were helicopters that had dropped their punters off at
various places to get the experience of being on an isolated beach…they almost
got what they paid for!</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">In the
afternoons, yachties gather on the shore to do what we do….sundowners.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Peter, on
his walks, would sing. A lovely thing to share but I suspect it was to scare
away the snakes! He carries a spider stick to carefully remove the webs as we
walk. The views and beaches we came across on our walks never failed to
disappoint. We found many bush turkey mounds that were larger than Peter!<br />
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There was
one day and night when winds over 20 knots were forecast so we decided to go
into Nara Inlet, which offers all round protection. Peter said that he had
sailed all those miles overseas, and he finds what he was looking for at Nara Inlet!
Well almost! It is certainly a stunning anchorage with aboriginal art at its
head. There were only a handful of boats there when we arrived and by nightfall
we had over 40! The anchor lights twinkling provided our own little galaxy!<br />
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We climbed Whitsunday Peak...a lengthy and somewhat of a challenge, however when you have climbed Mt Kinabalu, anything is possible! The views, of course are worth it!<br />
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Hamilton Is in the background.</div>
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Outboard
issues we had earlier (ie engine cutting out; not so good in a tidal race!)
were solved with putting the fuel through the baha filter. Water in the fuel
was the culprit! Old fuel left over the wet season with condensation inside the
tank.</div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We have the
VHF on scan to listen to the goings on and pick up any useful information.
There is one yacht, Fluffy Muffy…whilst we thought we could not charter a boat
with that name, Sam and Stu thought that would be fun!! It sounds as though the
yachts here suffer from a lack of maintenance and punters who either do not
have engine instruction or ignore it. Complaints about over heating engines is
common…the cause…the engine being upset at being run over 3000rpm. We must
admit that the charter operators at the other end of the VHF do have the patience
of a saint, as they are very polite and patient!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Our venture
into Airlie Beach was to meet Sam and Hitchhiker. Dave McCready (aka Macka)
from FSC once again trucked HH over here. He is such a great guy who does his
job with such a passion, and of course being a yachties, enjoys the history of
HH. Outback Truckers, a Ch 7 program are doing a session on the journey here,
being 10,000km. Dave and his escort Andy had a film crew with them the whole
time. The first crew were apparently great as they had done filming in
Afghanistan and various difficult places, but the Sydney city crew ….well, it
sounds like they learnt a few things being with Dave and Andy! We look forward
to seeing the program.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">Airlie was in full swing with the Airlie Beach Regatta. There is a lagoon swimming pool on the beach which is open to the public. One thing is for sure, Queensland and its people are so welcoming to visitors and tourists and especially to yachties. Something that Perth could take on board.</span><br />
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In the afternoons a tiger moth entertained very brave souls with an acrobatic joy flight. it would buzz around the anchorage then on a dive, cut its engines for a while. Screams would errupt..not surprising. A little disconcerting when you are on the boat and hear the plane in the background then all of a sudden...silence! By the law of averages the engine will fail at some stage...hopefully when he is not above us!</div>
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Peter
helped Sam put the boat together. With two other crew, it only took the boys 4
hours to complete the task. How amazing is that! When all was going smoothly,
the foil broke as Sam unraveled it. This was Friday and racing starts on
Sunday. Stu pulled a lot of strings with his contacts in Sydney and within 4
hours had a new foil flown up from Sydney to Hammo, with the owners meeting the
plane at Hammo to collect it! Magic! There was only one foil in stock in
Sydney!<br />
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<span lang="EN-US">We enjoyed Airlie..they do tourism, visiting yachts and regattas very well! Easy to get around and there is a bus to take us out to the large shopping centre at Canonvale to re-stock! We were soon off to Hammo, having a great sail there wth HH close behind.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US">The new club house at Hammo was an atention seeker!</span><br />
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HH, having won
the inaugural Hamilton Is Race Week 30 years ago, was a special entry. They
received a lot of well-deserved press and the Marina gave us a complimentary
mooring for the week, along with a night in the marina for presentation night. We were not going to drift off on this mooring!</div>
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We were in good company out on the moorings!</div>
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The boys
won many races during the week, culminating in 1<sup>st</sup> in Frist Fleet
and 3<sup>rd</sup> in Performance 2. Given that the winds were in light airs,
their effort was awesome! Sam had organized
the girls with their ‘Shore Things’ shirts and all in all, they got the best
dressed! How could they not! We know Emma was there supporting Sam.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The 'thumb' was adopted by many people and as you went by in a croud, the thumb was the accepted gesture; at trophy presentation there would be always a group of guys with their thumbs in the air. Many people stopped by the boat to see her and everyone had many comments regarding how pleased they were ot see her back!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Peter and I
sat at one of the social gatherings and looked at all the crew and their girls.
We have not seen such a wonderful, happy group of people who all got along. They
all share a great sense of humour and fun! Quite a rarity. We enjoyed getting to
know them all better and were over the moon to be part of race week. </span></div>
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Sam's uniform won the best dressed yacht. We think it was the 'Shore Things' that was the icing on the cake!<br />
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Of course, having Macka drive the boat there..well, it would not have been the same without him. He takes an enormous amount of care with the boat and a lot of pride with it sharing in a bit of WA yachting history.</div>
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We are as proud as punch seeing what Sam has again achieved and appreciate the effort it takes to get
the boat and all the crew here and back....not to mention out sailing! It was a special time for us spending
time with the boys and their girls and are so proud to see them all grow into the amazing, wonderful adults that they are.</div>
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After one of the successful wins, the HH crew put a little dent in the Piper Heidieck champagne...which was very nice! Sam in his usual amusing manner helped Anita out with her photo!</div>
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The owner...he had a fantastic week as well....</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We took the girls out to Whitehaven on one day and another to watch the windward /leeward racing, which HH outperformed a Whitbread 60! Macka came out and gave the girls an excellent running commentary the racing!</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">There was a lot of off water fun to be had, with the tug of war (HH won one lost one!) Of course with Audi being a sponsor there were a few cars Peter fancied!</span></div>
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We did have
a little hiccup on leaving Hammo Marina as the engine lost power and blew out a
lot of smoke and soot, the latter of which emptied out into the marina!
Embarassed, we wanted to quickly get out of there! The good thing is that we did not hit any
boats! We finally got towed out of the marina to sail back to Airlie (3 days of
good wind followed the end of race week!) but not before almost sinking the
marina tender that towed us out! They forgot to release the back line and I
bore away with the main up thinking they were free! OOPS! We turned back into
the wind and released them!</div>
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Our return to Airlie saw the boys have the boat from the water packed on the truck in just under 4 hours! It did help with the crew taking necessary bits off at the conclusion of racing at Hammo. Of course the wind started to blow the day after race week ended!!</div>
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We will
start to head south in a few days when the winds fall back to 10 knots, although there is a bit of a blow coming in the first week of September. Once around Yeppoon, some 140 miles south, the winds will be
lighter as we get below the trades. Our plan is to enjoy the Great Sandy
Straits before heading south to catch up with friends in Brisbane and Mooloolaba
and finally on to Sydney by late November.</div>
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Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0Whitsunday Islands National Park, Whitsunday Island QLD 4802, Australia-20.347202168291581 148.95538530078124-20.58540766829158 148.63266180078125 -20.108996668291581 149.27810880078124tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-32779196402947604222013-07-31T17:18:00.000-07:002013-07-31T17:18:03.942-07:00Sailing north from Bundaberg. July 2013<br />
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Peter had the pleasure of returning to the boat early to effect our preparations. The weather had been very kind to us, allowing all to be completed. We departed mid June, opting to spend a night at anchor in the river just outside the marina in a well-used anchorage. It just so happened, that at 0300 when we got up to leave, we found that the anchor was well stuck on something. It took us 45 minutes to free ourselves, finally going forward at high revs, dragging what ever we were attached to.<br />
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It was a little cooler than anticipated and reminded us of our first sail across the sea of Cortez.....with two layers of thermals, beanie and our wet weather jackets. The wind came up with the sun and we were off in a 20 knot SW breeze, reaching along at a little over 8.5 knots. After we passed 1770, the wind died and we made good time to Pancake Creek at 1300 hrs at the top of the tide, completing our 65 mile run. An amazing anchorage awaited us; calm and quiet with some nice walks.<br />
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With the new prop, the engine runs beautifully and we can now motor at over 6 knots at 2000 rpm. What a relief!<br />
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Bill Fleetwood from Blue Banana fame had said that when they were there around 10 years ago, the lighthouse and buildings were being restored. We are happy to report that all has been completed and looks fantastic. You can go on a tour of the buildings for a small fee.<br />
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At an isolated beach, we watched the small plane land to drop off some happy day trippers. We decided not to rain on their parade.<br />
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With our next destination, we toyed with the idea of going into Yellow Patch.....a beautiful sandy anchorage with a yellow sand cliff, but a bit if a challenging entrance over a sand bar. We now have the new seasons waypoints from another yacht and may got here on the way back. Instead we decided for another long day if the wind held and go through to Great Keppel Is, 73 miles away. We managed this is 11 hours, which we were more than happy with, dropping anchor in a stunning flat sandy bay, with 23 other yachts! Another 6 day stay, with only 6 miles to go to Keppel Bay Marina.<br />
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Although a little rolly in spring tides, the anchorage is surely one of the stunning anchorages on the east coast and the only one without a fringing coral reef.<br />
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Yeppoon, Keppel Bay Marina afforded us the time to get our Bimini and dodger replaced and somewhere to leave the boat whilst we returned to Perth to look after the grandchildren for two weeks.<br />
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As the war games were on with the US and Aus troops in Shoal Water Bay, just north of Yeppoon, the area was out of bounds for yachties, making our first leap a long one from Yeppoon to Hexham Island, some 83 miles north. Winds were lighter than forecast and many yachts were heading our way. Interesting to note that the US justified dropping their unexploded ordinances over the Barrier Reef, rightly causing a bit of a fracas, because of the amount of private vessels in the area. What do they expect when the military plan their games at the busiest time for yachts heading north with two major yachting regattas and the cruising fleet heading to the Queensland playground?<br />
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We found some good anchorages on the way to the Whitsundays. Hexham was rolly but easy for a night entry with moon; nearby Marble Is less rolly on a flooding tide, but nice walks and phone service at the top of the hill. Although many yachts in the area, you can still find anchorages on your own. We did get the tide right, only thought there were less rocks at this part of the beach!<br />
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..and Curlew a lot better with a drying sandbar behind us at LW, but with lots of bullets. Here, we did 2.8 miles at anchor in 4 days! Our track on the GPS....<br />
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Last year in the Pacific, the highs were only around 1028HP which did not feed into the trades. This year, so far the BFH ( big fat highs) are around 1035, giving us reinforced trades from 25 to 30 knots! It's gets a little bumpy out there with wind against tide! At least we can sail!<br />
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On board we are enjoying our cockpit covers, keeping us warm and dry. Peter has installed a new transformer and inverter and has spent many days gazing inside the electrics trying to work out where all the 110V have gone. He finally found a short with the water heater and after taking it out of the system, hey presto, we are good to go!<br />
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We decided to do a runner down to McKay marina for 2 nights where we found Twice Eleven, whom we met crossing the Pacific. It was fantastic to catch up with them.<br />
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Port Newry, south of McKay is an absolute gem of an anchorage, behind Outer Newry Island. Ticked our main box....being calm! There are many shoals to a avoid on our way to Newry. Having the navionics chart on deck has now become our mobile plotter when we need to check our course. We found out how accurate the charts are with the shoals as Peter had to run up on deck amid baking Parkin to assist the gybe before we ran aground! I did not wait for him to get sorted and gybed anyway with 1 m under the keel! Bit of a bang crash! We were just in the edge of the bank and I don't think we would have run aground...been there done that last year!<br />
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We are now officially in the Whitsunday area and our next anchorage at Shaw island will be our fist Whitsunday anchorage. We have a forecast of a few days of winds below 15 knots! Woo hoo! At least we have sailed 80% of the way up here!<br />
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Two more weeks and Hitchhiker will be here. We will enjoy watching them at Hammi Island.<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-30887029180794289972013-05-15T03:45:00.000-07:002013-05-15T03:45:05.191-07:00Cruising stories<br />
This is what I recently wrote for a book launch. It is one of THE best cruising stories I have read and worthy of a read. The book is available from Amazon as an ebook and hard copy.<br />
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<br />
Scenic Route to Paradise<br />
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My introduction to Jay was only recently via a third party, being Gordon Dunbar. It is through the experiences of both my husband and myself that Jay invited me to talk today.<br />
Our cruising having being 40, 000 miles over the last 10 years pales into insignificance with Jay's 200,000 miles, but in those miles comes the shared knowledge, enjoyment, discovery, experiences of local communities, understanding, and the camaraderie of all of us who go cruising. Its the sum total of your personal endeavour to survive, especially in adverse conditions and the pure enjoyment of what life on the ocean brings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Di and Gorbar with Peter and I at the book launch</td></tr>
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The camaraderie of those who sail is what glues cruising folk together in an otherwise transient life. It is what glues you all together as part of SofPYC or other clubs to which you belong. When you sail into a new anchorage, either you go visiting the other yachts or they will come to you. Immediate friendships usually evolve from this contact, some which may last a life time.<br />
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The hardest part of going cruising is letting go the dock lines and heading out on your first passage. Although we had a lifetime of sailing experience by the time we departed in April, 2003, a dear friend who was so worried about us being able to undertake this adventure, came as far as Shark Bay with us to at least make sure we did not sink in the first 300 miles.<br />
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As Jay wrote....<br />
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It’s funny those first few miles of a passage. I was only going as far as Cowes before stopping for the night,though I couldn’t kid myself into believing that it wasn’t the beginning of something much bigger, just as the departure from Fremantle three years before, there’s a curious mixture of excitement at the voyage ahead, apprehension that perhaps one has bitten off more than one’s teeth can handle, joy to be finally at sea after all the preparation and fear that after all that preparation you’ve been a bloody idiot and forgotten something really important. Maybe it’s a normal feeling experienced by all, whether novice or master mariner, certainly I’ve felt it and it can be most disconcerting.<br />
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Although Jay had done many miles before he set forth on his adventure on Mavoureen, he left with his mother and an additional crew member. When he departed Fremantle in October 1994, neither he or his mother had planned a circumnavigation. Cruising for many is just like that. It starts with a small step and a wonderment of what is over the horizon....but the horizon is always just a little further over there and it is easy to get caught up with just going a little further...just because....it's a bit like walking those extra steps to see what is around the corner or over the hill!<br />
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On departing FSC, getting past Geraldton seems to be the first milestone......surviving too many Geraldton races seems to spring to mind as to the reason for this.<br />
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Jay's circumnavigation was done without out a lot of creature comforts that we have, being a bigger boat, electronic charts, an autopilot that is reliable and steers the boat 99% of the time and protection from the elements in the cockpit. Our bedding is always dry and we tend to keep the ocean out of the inside of the boat.<br />
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Technology has enabled us to choose better weather windows and have more enjoyable passages, however there is always that wonderment at times as to why you are a actually out there? ( One instance for us was in our crossing of the Gulf of Panama. There are many horror stories of yachts sailing up to Panama from the Pacific coast. We had blown out our mainsail due to our own complacency, had light winds up to Punt Mita and thought how hard can 80 miles be? We soon found out as the sun set, the wind rose to 45 knots, the seas up to 4m and we were crossing them, falling into huge holes, in a shipping lane, awfully underpowered with our small trisail and an engine that kept cutting out. Our AIS screen looked like a dot matrix for most of the night.)<br />
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Of course the sun comes out and another day dawns, there is a nice calm anchorage waiting for you and all is forgiven. We did feel a little better when we heard that a power boat that had passed us earlier in the day took the coastal route around the Gulf and got equally hammered and a smaller yacht took 3 weeks to sail up the Gulf having to contend with the strong northerly winds on their northerly course.<br />
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Jay's experience in transiting the Panama Canal had its pucker factor moments.<br />
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The only point of danger for us in the whole transit of the canal was at the last lock. The tide was low and the ship behind had to get up a fair rate of speed to plow through the mud at the outer door of the lock. At the top of the Miraflores lock he had got stuck and it took over an hour for tugs to come through from Gamboa and shove him from the stern into each of the bottom locks. The one piece of advice all skippers had been given is not to get ahead of the pressure wave of the ship behind, otherwise you could be pushed sideways and be run over by the ship. You are supposed to keep aligned out of the lock and stay in the lock’s muddy water until the ship pushes the water with you floating on it clear of the entry walls of the lock proper, a distance of about 150 metres. With the ship already close behind and he hoping to get a run up to clear the silt, a pressure wave a metre and a half built up at the front of the lock. We went surfing when there was no water passing by and because of that there was no steerage. We were lucky that we had the boat lined up for the exit and lucky too that Mavourneen has a long straight keel. By the time the pressure had dissipated into the wider waters of the Balboa harbour we were perilously close to some of the concrete pylons marking the guide walls into the lock. Harry’s full revs and the big three bladed prop dragged us away from the rough wall and even the pilot took some time for his eyes to change from dinner plate size to mere saucers. I think we all just watched as the barnacle and mussel clad poles shot past.<br />
Jay's sailing was a lot tougher than ours has been.<br />
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His ability to find the needle in the haystack with a sextant and navigate coral reef by sight, without detailed charts is real seat of the pants stuff. Every year yachts cross the Pacific (Jay and I agree that the name is such a misnomer) and come to grief because they do not understand the colour of the water around coral reef. When we crossed last year, there was 1 tragedy with all hands lost and 4 yachts that we know of landing on reef, some yachts saved and some not.<br />
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Jay alerted one yacht coming out of Auitutaki in the Cook Islands, who ignored Jay's warnings and promptly ended up on the reef.<br />
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Coming into the Canaries on a delivery, Jay shows us how it's done....bear in mind that this was just after Jay and his crew almost lost the boat off the North African Coast.....a bit of a nerve wracking experience.....<br />
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The wind was again around 40 knots as I steered towards the entrance doing better than 6 knots. I tried to stall the rudder to slow us down to no avail and I didn’t want to get into the harbour without some sort of sail in case I had to abort and sail out again. We powered into the basin and were horrified to find that the harbour was chockerblock full of yachts and that the 40x25 metre space had shrunk to 25 to 15! I went past the fuel dock at 6 knots and prayed that I could get Maitresse around in her own length (a feat that would be impossible for Mavourneen). I kept the headsail aback as we came through the wind which pushed her bow round smartly, then called for it to be dropped. A few heads popped out of yachts’ companionways at the racket of flogging sails. We were still going fast and I reached across the wind for 20 metres before tacking again and reaching back to where we had dropped the sail. Our speed had halved and as I pushed her up into the wind to approach the dock the speed dropped even further. I had a sickening feeling that I had lost too much speed and that the head wind against our spars and rigging was going to stop us before we got there. We drifted up to the leeward end of the dock and Matt made an heroic leap to the wharf taking the bowline with him. He ran forward and secured as far forward as the rope would reach before getting the stern line that Bronwen had thrown. We moved the boat forward to lay securely against the piles. We heard a smattering of applause from our audience on the other boats. The fuel attendant came grumpily out of his office and told us we couldn’t stay there. I said we had no motor to which he replied “Bravo signor!”<br />
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Captain Ron comes to mind! (If you have never seen this movie, I suggest you do! A good laugh!)<br />
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With our Pacific crossing we knew that the last 500 miles or so, approaching the Australian coast had the potential to be the worst weather. Last year with a front crossing the Tasman every 5 days, we waited and waited in Noumea for a window. We had a wild ride on the back of a front for a few days before the wind died. At least the wind stayed behind us. Other yachts who left before us got hammered and one almost sank, having two choppers staying overhead until they made it behind an island for shelter. Jay took a bit of a beating in his crossing.....<br />
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Three days out from the Bay of Islands we encountered a rather stiff northwesterly which stripped us of a third of our miles made good and made us beat into the seas. After two day of winds in the 30-35 knot range, they backed through to SSW and we began scooting to the WNW. Enormous swells of 12-15m topped by seas of 2 or more metres made descent of these slopes precarious. Under triple reefed main and our diminutive storm headsail, we roared down the faces of these leviathans. Occasionally a rogue sea would smack into us from abeam and, as Mavourneen is a low wooded craft, we often had our own paddling pool in the cockpit’s footwell. Shortly after noon on the 28th we were surfing a beauty, when we were hit by a corker on the port beam and down she went. As the starboard side windows looked down into 4000 metres of Tasman briny blue, we both wondered if she would continue on her rotation. A seemingly never-ending hesitation as she thought of tripping on her gunwale, before deciding it wasn’t worth carrying all that lead if it wasn’t going to be used in situations just like this. She rattled upright, shook herself like a wet dog and blasted off in hot pursuit of the offending waves.<br />
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Jay also takes a step further of being 'out there' as a single hander; out of the 62,700 miles sailed on Mavoureen, 18,800 miles was single handing. We have sailed some 10,000 miles in company of a single hander. The question arises....are they all a little strange....and the answer.....of course! When the single handers meet up they generally all hang out together .....meeting of like minds!<br />
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So when Gordon told me about Jay and the book, my immediate reaction was high on the 'wow' factor.<br />
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How honoured I am to have been asked to talk today as Jay has captured the essence of all that it means to go cruising. His vast sailing experience is as understated as he is. Jay has written this book with such elegance and precision. Maybe his mother, suggesting he should have been a writer and not a boat builder was right!<br />
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Jay takes the reader from the early beginnings, through the decision to go cruising, the buying of the boat and the preparations and of course the adventure itself. Jay has not only shared his adventure with us but also a fascinating insight into the wonderful places he has visited and the wealth in experiences gained from the people he met along the way.<br />
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Whilst the camaraderie of cruisers is second to none, its the unexpected interaction with local people that is so very Inspiring. Scenic Route to Paradise is an adventure rich in experience that goes beyond the obvious of Jay's sailing adventure, which happens to be his passion, being on the ocean; where the less firma, the more terror.<br />
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Jay's decision to go cruising was not because he was looking for any accolades or extrinsic rewards but because of the pure joy of being on the ocean and dealing with what ever Mother Nature threw at him.<br />
Mother Nature can be so awesome. The countless sun rises, moon sets and gliding along under a full moon or a star studded sky is something you just don't forget or tyre of. Jay's description is so vivid.<br />
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The predawn light brings a touch of colour to the otherwise sepia hue of our nightime vigils. This time of day is particularly enchanting, the waning moon still several hours to set casts her silvery path for us to follow to the west. The strongest and boldest of the stars remain in the sky despite the enlarging and blossoming glow of the soon to arrive sun. About the horizon are a few random and friendly, fluffy clouds. The morning star the brightest of all appears to be straining mightily on the sun’s umbilical to draw over the lip of the horizon to begin the new day; knowing all the while that with the sun’s appearance so the star will die.<br />
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Jay continues with a wonderful description of the sun set and moon rise. This daily sequence of life at sea is something to behold and indeed there are times when you are sitting in the cockpit after a rough, wet black night hurtling into oblivion when you praise the coming of first light....or maybe it's better not to see the waves coming at you!<br />
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The cruising lifestyle allows one to have time on their hands, which is a good thing as it can take a day to fuel, another to obtain gas and yet another day or two to re-vital. In an isolated anchorage in Sulawesi, we decided to take a young boy upon his offer to get fuel for us. We gave him all our jerry cans, enough money for what the fuel should cost and a small tip, promising another reward on his return. We had a bit of a laugh at the thought that we may never see him again, however the next morning he paddled out to us in his dugout and the fuel. In cruising you have to believe in the inherent goodness in everyone you meet and we have yet to be disappointed.<br />
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There is always the unexpected as Jay found out on one fuel run when he was rowing over unexploded ordinance on his way to the fuel dock; which can be a tads alarming, as can finding out that your copper lined tank for sherry storage on tap, may not have been your best decision.<br />
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As with any cruising story, the antics of anchoring is always entertaining, but eating goats eye soup does go a little beyond one's imagination, especially when the eyeball is looking at you! I nearly fell over from laughter reading about a knee trembler.....I have not heard that term for a long time and it may need a short explanation for foreign readers!<br />
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There are actually two adventures shared here.....the journey itself and the writing of that journey.<br />
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To quote Helen Keller, "Life is a daring adventure or nothing".<br />
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There is adventure in all that we do from club racing, exploring what ever our passion to raising children. Life can certainly be a juggling act with the wonderment of how you manage to keep all the balls in the air and of course some times you don't. Imagine if we could write down and record all the adventures of you all here or the people from SoPYC.....what amazing stories would be told. Perhaps Jay's book might inspire others to do just that.<br />
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Whether you are setting out to sail to distant shores, dreaming about an adventure or just sitting down to enjoy a great yarn, you will very much enjoy Scenic Route to Paradise.<br />
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Everyone has a story to tell and this is Jay's story.<br />
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Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-62251192388020710012013-05-04T22:02:00.001-07:002013-05-04T22:02:56.708-07:00Back to Bundaberg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Peter spent a week in Bundaberg to organise work to be done on the boat and to fit our new additions. It is the first time either of us has been on board since the floods and it was a relief to see that we were dry inside and that there was no mould. Vinegar is our saving grace! We are secure in an excellent cradle (different to the one we left her in!) and you can see the chain above, holding each side of the cradle.<br />
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We appear to be leak free; that is, until we go sailing again! It seems that Peter has finally, after several attempts, fixed the leak around the mast collar.<br />
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Our split coupling is on and we have great hopes for it to hold on to the shaft! Peter was able to cut the worn key way off and attach the split coupling. He had thought long and hard about this repair and it saved us having to buy a new shaft, which is problematic as we have to drop the rudder to get it out.<br />
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So now we have the new gear box, the flexible coupling and the split coupling!<br />
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We also have high hopes for the Kiwi Prop, allowing us to motor faster than 4.5 knots! Peter had the nut machined to fit in Bundaberg, but other than that, all assembled easily.<br />
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The batteries were fully charged so the solar panels had done their job well. Cushions are off being re-covered so we look forward to getting everything back together.</div>
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Whilst looking for transport and accommodation for the week, Peter decided on a Mr Juicy van for $32/day from Brisbane. He stayed in the marina car park for the week, having access to ablutions there. What a fabulous solution! The van came with all the necessary equipment and unlimited miles. He could not stay on board as the boat is still in the storage yard. Peter was allowed access to the boat during the day. There is no power or water in this section of the yard, but you can do work on the inside of the boat.</div>
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Meanwhile summer in Perth is sort of over and we are waiting for winter rains. There have been sensational beach days and of course sun sets!<br />
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Our plan is to head north up to the Whitsundays then down to Sydney for summer. Hitchhiker is doing Hamilton Island Race Week which Sam (sail master) and Barn (trimmer) are of course involved in. We will be the proud 'olds' watching from the sidelines.<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-2795823419894629222013-04-29T00:30:00.001-07:002013-04-29T00:30:36.382-07:00PPJ Recap<br />
Its almost May and Peter has gone off to Bundaberg for a week to check on the boat and organise work that has to be done.<br />
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He managed to drag 40kg of spares over and we have more!!! Considering all the stuff we now have on board has been added since 2009 when we bought the boat in Mexico, that is a lot of luggage dragged across the Pacific and now Australia!<br />
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We have engine parts, a new prop and an amazing split coupling from the UK. Beautiful, solid stainless steel! The new assy is on its way, so we are now more equipped to do some light air sailing..which means life according to Murphy...we will get a beating!<br />
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There are cushions to be re-upholstered and other bits to add. We can't afford the $4000 to get the bottom soda blasted (so OTT!) but we are going to pay people to sand the anitfouling instead. We figure there is 20 years of a build up of paint on the bottom...just more weight to push around!<br />
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Below is the link for the PPJ 2012 recap. Some great comments which also allow us ot re-visit so many awesome memories of people and places.Very pertinent comments like..the SE Trades being non-existent and the constant cross swells. We have a comment published......importance of weather of course! Intersting stats. Remember this is only for the crossing from the Americas to the Marquesas...the big long leg! Interesting to see the difference in miles sailed from yacht to yacht given those leaving from the same locations. We did not have any breakages at that point, but them of course we had gear box and engine issues (injectors) later in Tahiti. Not sure why we did not put our engine hours down...to many to count??? We actually sailed over 70% of the way, but given the distance and the limit of fuel on board, that is not surprising. All in all, we did well!<br />
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<a href="http://www.pacificpuddlejump.com/articles/12PPJRecap.pdf">http://www.pacificpuddlejump.com/articles/12PPJRecap.pdf</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-81969217221926981292013-03-09T16:33:00.000-08:002013-03-15T17:56:18.842-07:00Summer Sizzles On<br />
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We are now in Autumn but the days are continuing to get up to 35 C, however we are now having cooler nights and a few cooler days.<br />
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Cottelsoe Beach had their annual Sculptures By The Sea, which was a lot of fun. Some great ideas. In the background above are a group of sticks with wind vanes on them. They create music through a bamboo tube ..like Indonesian Angklungs. We will have to go listen when we get a huge sea breeze!<br />
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What else would one do but enjoy Gelati by the beach??<br />
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We now have our Kiwi Prop from NZ..feathering prop as opposed to folding.....we now hope that we can motor at around 6 - 7 knots. Now that would be novel for us! Wonderful service from the Kiwis of course! We are also in the market for an assy, so hopefully less motoring and more sailing in light breezes. People had said to us that we would suffer from not having light air sails in the Pacific...should have listened...maybe then our gear box would have made it to Fiji and saved us a heap....<br />
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Bundaberg is recovering from the floods and we hope to be back on board in June, then back here for 10 days in July to mind the grandchildren whilst Emily and Mark take a holiday.<br />
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Hitchhiker, with Sam and Barn are doing Hamilton Is Race week, so we will head up to there with Stolen Kiss, then down to Sydney for the summer. We have invites to go to Magnetic Is Race week, so if we can make it we will. (A taste of racing here and we just can't help ourselves!!)<br />
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Due to the number of yachts last year that overstayed their visas in French Polynesia, the government has had a severe crack down from this year.....an interesting year if those crossing the Pacific are not up to scratch on their info.<br />
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http://www.noonsite.com/Countries/FrenchPolynesia/french-polynesia-hefty-fines-if-a-yacht-and-crew-overstay-permitted-time<br />
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As for our refund from Customs/Ozone, apparently they are ensuring that yachts importing next year will not be charged...so beware...you do not have to pay the Ozone Tax, even if Customs say you have to. If anyone is in contact with Ganga and Happy Cat, who were made to pay the tax in Coffs, let them know about pursuing a refund. We have not got ours yet, but apparently it is coming!<br />
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HOT OFF THE PRESS....Refund has been approved and should be in our bank next week! Thanks to Customs. Department of Sustainability ....hopefully their poor legislation can be changed with a change of government later in the year. (We live in hope!) Such a scam. So....if you are importing a yacht into Australia, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY OZONE TAX! Bundaberg is now clear on this, lets hope other ports are!<br />
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We are both gainfully employed and are meeting our wish list for the boat! We miss cruising and especially the wonderful people we have met!Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-56724329773910592072013-02-04T03:36:00.001-08:002013-02-07T14:36:20.342-08:00Bundaberg Floods 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We gave much thought to where we would leave Stolen Kiss for the cyclone season. Lucky for us, our choice so far has paid off. Thumbs up for Bundaberg Port Marina at the mouth of the Burnett River, which was largely untouched by the floods, both this time and in 2011. The river peaked just over 1/2m from the top of the wall!!<br />
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The storage yard was dry and our covers still on. Fortunately for us, the 6 tornadoes touched down 1.5 miles to the south of us.<br />
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We have heard from friends up and down the coast and all are ok. Approximately 40 yachts were washed down the Burnett River; some have yet to be found and some washed up on the rocks at the entrance. We heard of a cat that had washed out of the Burnett River and ended up, on its own, on a sandbar on an island off Brisbane. It had gone down the Great Sandy Straits, over Wide Bay Bar, on its own. Amazing! We have found in other tidal races (floods must be similar) that the force of the water tends to keep the boat in the fast flowing water - where it is deepest. When we were in the Kimberley, we experienced one tidal race where we knew the chart was inaccurate and a big rock was in the middle. (Middle Rock!). The fact that the yacht that went through before us was aground on the mud bank was a bit of a hint. Although the saying 'still waters run deep', at 9 knots of boat speed we made a split decision to follow the 'bumpiest' track..we did not see depths under 25m and were doing to 11 knots across the bottom! A pucker factor moment!<br />
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One chap left the Mary River whilst in flood and had a wild ride down to Great Sandy Strait where he found shelter. Brown trouser stuff for sure.<br />
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Ex tropical cyclone Oswald has left its mark. Much of the north and east of Bundaberg is underwater and many people only saw their wrecked houses yesterday (Feb 2). Our heart goes out to all of those people who lost their house and cherished possessions. Many people are talking of leaving; no doubt that the event will leave a long lasting impact on Bundaberg.<br />
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The emergency services and police did their usual amazing rescues, airlifting people from roof tops at the height of the flood. Two women and a 14th month old baby boy were in the back of a ute. Their rescuer found a black sports bag in the back of the heli and they put the little boy in, zipped up the bag and he was then carried up into the heli. Poor little chap came out trembling and crying but he was alive. These people are absolute heroes and work endlessly until the job is done. The were many stories with happy endings, and of course pictures say it all.<br />
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This awesome shot came from Mooloolaba as the tropical depression kept heading south.<br />
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A High stalled over NZ feeding the low with moist easterlies, feeding it and keeping it going. An amazing system that formed as a low, then a cyclone in the Gulf of Carpentaria, crossing over Cape York, then swinging back over the coast south of Cairns and it just kept coming.It impacted on almost all of the east coast of Australia.<br />
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Our new prop, Kiwi Prop, made in NZ has now been made and we have other bits and bobs arriving. We have very little faith in Customs in Bundaberg so would prefer to deal with Customs in Perth. A little more to do here until June, then off to the boat and we will decide either to go to Hammi Island for race week, then head down to Sydney, or to just head south from Bundaberg.<br />
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I am still communicating with the authorities in order to get my overpayment back. The current Labor government should be ashamed of itself as it seems it did a deal (or two or three) with the Greens to pass any laws they wanted to in return for their support. That is the only way such poor legislation could have been passed to give the Department of Environment and Sustainability unquestionable powers allowing them to obtain money by deceit. Shame on them!<br />
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Meanwhile, we have been busy and enjoying summer in Perth, which is turning out to be a hot one!<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-86368226128211602272012-12-28T00:05:00.000-08:002012-12-28T00:05:04.649-08:00Sizzling Summer in Perth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Summer in Perth...our first for a very long time! There is nothing like it. Between xmas and New Year, we have had a week of temperatures hovering around 40 degrees Celsius. Only 1 place to be......at the beach!!</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We might not have palm trees, but we have lots of space and amazing white sand and gloriously clear water!</span></div>
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Our time has been flying by with Peter working and dividing our time between the grandchildren and boating with friends. What else does one do when away from Stolen Kiss???</div>
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A weekend down south with the 4 grandchildren on our own was just delightful. The two older ones are self sufficient so there are only the two smaller ones to really watch out for. </div>
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Every year our friend Timmy takes his Grand Banks to Rotto for the Kite Surfing race back to Fremantle. </div>
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The trip down the river and over to Rotto is just as enjoyable with Di and Gorbar also at the ready. </div>
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The harbour is nice and quiet before xmas. The white building represents an upside down dinghy and is our Maritime Museum.</div>
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We got to spend lunch in Thompson's Bay whilst Timmy went to the briefing. Very quiet here as well!! A different story over the xmas break.</div>
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It takes the kite surfers around 26 minutes to do the 9km dash. By the time we finish the start, get anchors up and move off, they are half way there. What a spectacle!! They had a 22 knot sea breeze, so a little wind for them.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">The local rag published a great photo of the start boat from the beach!!</span></div>
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Peter's two boys had some of the xmas cooking in hand......most of the men in our family are the chef's! Good role modelling from their dad!!</div>
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-88843418841262893432012-11-24T16:09:00.001-08:002012-11-24T16:14:40.439-08:00Awesome Australia..or not!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We arrived in Bundaberg at night, which made for an easy entrance with a well lit channel. Peter keeps reminding me its good to be back here!!<br />
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Back in the 'nanny state' where we have so many complex laws that they are difficult to interpret and are not being applied equitably. A bitter pill to swallow for me! The Ozone Gas Law is just one pathetic example. Being part of the Federal Government Environment department, the law is being applied in a very discriminatory manner, with no checks and balances. Basically they are obtaining money from yachties under false pretenses and have it written into their legislation that the Minister cannot intervene. What bunnies passed this law????????????<br />
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Yachts clearing and importing their yachts into Coffs Harbour and Sydney are all paying this. Yachts who meet the same criteria (ie have owned their yachts for more than 12 months and its for private use only) who clear in and import their yachts into Brisbane and Bundaberg (except for us..long story!!) do not have to pay this. Such a scam. As its a tax on refrigeration gas, they should be asking how long we have owned our fridge/freezer for...not how long we have owned the boat!! We have owned our fridge for 2 years and the boat for three...the essential question was never asked. If you are importing a yacht into Australia, you DO NOT have to pay the $400 application fee for Ozone.<br />
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However, this hurdle has to be dealt with before Customs can release the boat being imported. Customs.....well our experience there is something to behold...we were unlucky is the official statement. Customs made a mistake (a little more than that as there was preferential treatment happening which was so blatant) and we got caught up in it, costing us even more money than what we have to generally pay. However, there is one Customs officer who is working very hard to rectify our situation.<br />
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Its good to know that at least the international visitors have been treated exceptionally well by Customs.<br />
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We met a cruiser here that remembered us from Mazatlan, Mexico in 2010. What a memory he has!! He was worried that Australia was not a nice place to visit as he had heard that Customs give people a hard time and it is difficult to enter the country. No we said....all is well and he would be greeted with open arms and treated very well by our officials. (I bit my tongue when he reminded us of our advice to him as I did not want to shatter his illusion!) He was so happy when he saw us and thanked us for our good advice as he has now sailed in and out of Australia twice and has been treated very well by officials. Its good that it works for international visitors.....Many countries in the world recognise the economic value of cruisers to local communities.<br />
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AQIS/biosecurity has lost the plot. The guys at the coal face were wonderful and do a fantastic job....but once again the department has gone over the top. Sadly it seems that yachties here still have the stigma of being wealthy and of course having a lifestyle that we should not have. Some very embarrassed faces when we asked if this was the point of view that prevailed. So the 'usuer pays' system has a definite sting in its tail.<br />
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Whilst the 'user pays' system is OK in theory, its practice is a different story. In their infinite wisdom, AQIS charge $180/hour for one of their senior employees to supervise a gentleman with a pest control business to do a termite inspection. This business is the only one in Bundaberg that has been accepted by AQIS to undertake this compulsory inspection on Australian yachts, or those being imported, yet they do not trust them!! The business charges $385 for their inspection!! Its good to know that we have paid $600 to know for sure we do not have termites!!!<br />
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In Brisbane, there is a dog that can sniff termites and only costs $139 for this service in total. Peter asked AQIS if the dog needed supervision as well!! He also pointed out to AQIS that they are charging more than what it has cost a GP to undergo surgery on his leg to remove a skin cancer. It was quite an operation! Our government has lost sight of a lot of things, most of all the value of one's labour.<br />
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For any yachts coming into Australia next year, its worth checking AQIS re the requirements of termite inspections as it may be that you can save $400 depending where you clear in. We were advised that it costs around $1200 to get the dogs to come to Bundaberg to do the termite sniff. If that cost is shared between many yachts, its becomes affordable and a better option.<br />
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Enough. Peter keeps telling me to 'suck it up princess move on'!!<br />
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Good news for international passport holders..you can hire a car from Bundaberg to Brisbane Airport for $59. Aussie passport holders have to pay an extra $100 as a drop off fee!!! Queensland is really tuned in to looking after tourists. Good for them!<br />
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On returning to WA, we read in our state newspaper that WA is now the third wealthiest place to live in the world and Australia the 6th wealthiest. With decreasing medical and education services and increasing inefficiencies, complexity and costs of services (you know, getting less for more) it certainly does not feel like it!! What on earth has the government done with all the money it has made from mining royalties???? There is so much cash floating around that Rolls Royce are now opening up a showroom in Perth!<br />
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Our transformer died in Fiji so Peter has been making enquiries..Paul the local electrician came down and took a peek for us and the bottom line was that he is only licensed for 220V and not 110V. Furthermore, he cannot work on American yachts unless he re-wires the whole boat and take out all our superior wire. Why???? Because its the wrong colour Grommet!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So now we have to look at how we are going to get any electrical work done here. There must be a way to do this as I am sure American yachts must have had electrical work done on them here. Why would we want to replace good, superior wire to substandard wire to meet Australian Standards beats us!!<br />
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We need to get a new gas stove, which we want to do and expected to do and we are happy to go to the nth degree to have the best gas sniffer system on board. There is of course National regulations as well as State regulations and we have to comply to both. The WA State regulations are more elaborate that he National regulations. When Peter inquired about the gas laws here being over and above the National laws, the comment he got back from the public servant was that the rest of Australia got it wrong!!! Of course, each State has their own boat registration which is another hurdle to get around as opposed to over! Registering in our home port of Fremantle pops up a few issues when we have our boat interstate!!! Trick is to keep moving!<br />
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Having said all this, Bunderberg would have to be the most friendly town in Australia and we are certainly happy we cleared into there. We have had a few tradesmen come down to the boat saying that they will be there at 0700, and they turn up at the exact time. We have had endless lifts from others and the local IGA owner runs a courtesy bus for the area. Easy to go shopping!! So many locals have helped us out without a second thought. We are so looking forward to going back. (We are home in Perth for the summer.)<br />
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We have had anchors galvanized, paying not much more than we have done in Malaysia.....so now the pointy end looks as flash as a rat with a gold tooth!<br />
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Although not being rally people, the Port2Port Rally was worthwhile as it offered us a lot of assistance to get sorted before our haul out. Judy and Leslie were such troopers in pointing us in the right direction and Judy driving all of us around in the van was appreciated. Fred did a great job doing our radio scheds, which is a bonus if the weather turns nasty. Leslie and her band of helpers had organised enough social event for us to enjoy, but not too many to be OTT. Its a huge commitment by all those involved! We have no idea how they can do all this and manage to give us a refund for our Pratique. One tip for those yachts coming to Australia next year....do not approach the coast (within 300nm) with any strong winds from the south..wind against current stuff kicks up very, very nasty seas!!<br />
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Many of us enjoyed a two hour walk along the beach to Bagara to see the turtle nesting sites and were relieved when the bus came to pick us up for our return.<br />
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The boat is now on the hard. Easy haul out but the lifter bay could be a little troublesome in strong wind with current. It appears that Fraser Island just to the south stops bad weather coming from the south and deflect cyclones that are heading south out to sea. Here's hoping!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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Peter is getting excited about the work on the boat he can now get done in Australia. He is a very happy chappie, already organising bits for the engine and of course the new Max prop!! Whey hey...no more motoring under 5 knots!! It will also give us another 1/2 to 3/4 boat speed when under sail. Peter has been busy sourcing a split coupling to resolve our worn shaft issue. We can get one made in Australia for a little under $400 and one made in the UK for under 100 pounds, including VAT. No guesses where we are buying it from! We worry about Australia's future as the bubble has to burst at some stage, although economists are expecting Australia to ride this wave for another 3 decades. Economically, in the long term we are going to shoot ourselves in the foot.<br />
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Meanwhile next week we are taking 7 grandchildren under 11 down south for the weekend (Peter's sister and husband are taking their 3) to buy xmas trees. Lots of fun but will we survive????<br />
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A long hot summer in Perth.....there is nowhere like it.<br />
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<br />Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-60126736807054959622012-10-30T23:20:00.000-07:002012-11-24T15:24:40.330-08:00Final Approach - Back in Australia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the time of writing we are sill motor sailing, and have been for 36 hours, with the final 22 miles across Hervey Bay and into Burnett Heads River mouth...stunning clear water, big blue skies and light winds. We had two very large dolphins greet us after our entry into Hervey Bay, both taking delight in being watched. Australia is hiding underneath the cumulus cloud bank!!<br />
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Total passage time was 5 days and 12 hours, which is what VPP2 indicated. A little more breeze would have shortened our passage time. We now understand the importance of approaching Bundaberg in lighter winds as the sea state gets dangerous and marginal with any strong winds against current.
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After plodding through a major negative current, we picked up the EAC and had up to 1.5 knots with us for some time, decreasing to 0.5 knots, until we came up to the bank.
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We had a visit from a very tired Blue Footed Booby, who elected to sit on top of the bimini. Peter had gybed the boat then went on deck to transfer the preventer and got rather a surprise seeing the chap sitting up there, looking some what bedraggled. He got very cross with us every time we gybed and at one stage started squawking in protest. We did warn him of our intentions and advised him to keep his head down!<br />
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The Booby slept for 5 hours sitting up there on a gently rolling ship! His mother obviously did not teach him very well with regards to what you don't do in you own nest.....after which he shook his feathers, had a stretch and continued on his merry way!
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During the 40 miles across the bay, we have been enjoying all those wonderful Aussie songs, played at full volume whilst we cleaned the boat. The music also drowned out the sound of the engine!!
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Peter took the opportunity to start packing away the boat. We decided it was safe enough to take the reefing lines out!<br />
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Our last passage saw our clearest skies and a full moon we could actually see! We also had our best sailing and fastest time with a 175 mile day! Most of this was done in 12 hours on an average of 8.5 knots. Woohoo! What a ride!<br />
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We advised Customs of our intended arrival in the required time frame and they are waiting to clear us in tomorrow. We departed Noumea with about 12 other yachts..it was a good weather window!! A Beneteau 47, 44 foot Cat and us have been in close proximity (VHF range, not necessarily in sight of each other) throughout the passage. The cat had downloaded a file for Maxsea (not the crack program!!) showing all the currents and eddies so we had some good information. At the end of the day it did not matter as we had to suck up the negative current and just get on with it!
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We look forward to a good sleep tonight! Here ends our Pacific crossing.
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for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com/">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-82847911499465468962012-10-29T22:13:00.000-07:002012-11-02T13:26:27.904-07:00Bundaberg gettting closer!Day 4 and 5 of passage.
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Generally we have had good sailing, with motor sailing in lighter airs.
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In the early hours of day 4 (0200 of course) we passed through our first front in the Pacific, managing to avoid the others. It is impossible to go from Noumea to Bundy at present without going through a front, so we chose a weak one. The wind stayed in the SE and built to 20 to 25 knots, with peak gust at 31 knots. Of course the sea state rapidly deteriorated and we soon had 3 to 4 m seas crossing us. We fell into a few big holes.
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Once the main front had passed, the seas died down and we had full sails up enjoying a 8-9 knot boat ride for 10 hours! We ended up with a 173 mile 24 hour run, which is a first for us!
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We crossed the EEZ (Econimic Exclusion Zone) last night and are now in Australian Waters.
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However, after being the rooster, we are now the feather duster!! The remaining 140 miles will be slow!
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We now have 100 miles to the bank at the northern end of Fraser IS and 140 miles into Bundaberg. Motor sailing in light winds with current against us! Another 50 miles and it should be with us as we will be in the EAC (remember Nemo....the East Australian Current!). No-one has mentioned the adverse currents we are all dealing with. Closing the coast with strong winds we can see would be problematic with winds against current and the resulting seas. One yacht sunk two weeks ago in a blow off here and another foundered. A timely reminder for us. Fortunately all people were safely taken ashore.
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With full moon tomorrow on the 31st the nights have been enjoyable with clear skies, even though the moon has washed most of the stars out, they are still there!!
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We are planning to arrive Bundy late afternoon on Wednesday so we can have a sleep before we need to clear in and complete the paper work!! We will do our usual pre-arrival clean and tidy on the way in.
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We have been reflecting on our 11 month passage from El Salvador and across the Pacific. The sailing has not been what we expected, but what a year!
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Australia here we come!
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for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com/">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-67449532607385044252012-10-27T22:19:00.000-07:002012-11-02T13:26:02.720-07:00Noumea to Australia. The final leg of the Pacific.Days 1 to 3
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So far so good!!
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Getting a weather window from Noumea proved to be a little problematic as we wanted to dodge the fronts, however, not as problematic as trying to get to NZ. We were happy heading west. It appears the passage is another feast or famine choice!!
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After picking our weather window, we asked David from Gulf Harbour radio to comment on our timing.....he gave us the thumbs up. Nice to have a professional checking what you think, but at the end of the day, the atmosphere changes quickly and it does become a bit of a dart board!
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We departed Noumea on Thursday the 25th October and anchored for the night in beautiful Baie Ma'aa, just 10 miles to the north. We were waiting for a front to pass Noumea, then we would be off! This meant that we really didn't start our passage on a Friday!
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The seas were a little lumpy going out through the main pass, Dumbea, but once clear we settled into a nice 18 knot SE wind, lasting for 12 hours. The 2.7m swell died down as we progressed and now we are motor sailing on and off as the breeze comes and goes. Today, day 3 an 18 knot SE breeze filled in again as a front (small and weak we believe) passes. SO we are off again making fast time!
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There are over 12 yachts all heading into Bundaberg, and fortunately we will be relatively spread out for clearance purposes. We are in regular contact via VHF with some of the yachts sharing our delights at the sailing conditions and despair of the 1 knot of current that appears against us for some of the time. We are sort of hoping to get in late in the afternoon so we can have a good sleep before we do our clearance. The Port to Port Rally offer a refund on the $330 clearance fees, which is a little saving as we had to pay $220 to join the rally!
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Sky so far has been clear with a wonderful moon and stars. We are now on EST so first light is before 0400!! This makes for short nights and long days, all relatively speaking!
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We have 420 miles to go which should take us another 80 hours or so, depending on our speed. By midnight tonight we should be half way! The last 100 miles will be a little challenging with the currents and seas if the wind picks up.
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for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com/">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-50165199744489819382012-10-23T17:23:00.005-07:002012-10-23T20:07:04.469-07:00Last stop; New Caledonia<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">We have been waiting a week for a weather window to
get to Australia, which as I expected, is not going to be an easy run. The lows/fronts
coming through the Tasman are on a 5 day cycle and our passage is 5-6 days.
Even around 25 south, the latest front was very strong, generating very rough
seas and a 4-5 meter swell between Noumea and Bundaberg. Not nice!! We have
just heard that a mono hull has sunk and a catamaran is drifting, with serious
damage off the Queensland coast as a result of the front. We are relieved that everyone is safe but it is a very chilling reminder that we all live such a fragile </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">existence</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">; both on land and at sea.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">It appears we have a good window with light breezes
for the first 36 hours, then somewhere between 10 and 22 knot SE /E wind which
will be on our port quarter or behind us and coming into Bundaberg with a nor'easter. The swell would have dropped
down and the next front appears not to be very strong, if at all above 25
south, but on Sat the 3rd Nov, there is another we need to be wary of. We are currently around 22 south and Bundaberg 25 south. We plan to be well in by then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Given that we have only had two nice sunny, ‘calmish’
days since we have been here, most of what we have done is by land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On the way in we stopped in Baie de Prony, with its
rich ochre coloured hills. We certainly did not find sandy bottoms (rock/shale
by the feel of it) and were relieved to find some moorings to ensure a quiet
night at anchor. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUZzlnTXdXFRCbqxtqhZEnavTUYeIphHtPy6_ZCdQO8OmZ2u_BAultgOgilDGRy9jB39Wyyu8_D3_1KTxp6aQ7P2IMNAoOlX1CVQmqK5s8XTL8j1mn4eh16DWVFw0qrZKBluGsI3oJfE/s1600/smallIMG_5113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUZzlnTXdXFRCbqxtqhZEnavTUYeIphHtPy6_ZCdQO8OmZ2u_BAultgOgilDGRy9jB39Wyyu8_D3_1KTxp6aQ7P2IMNAoOlX1CVQmqK5s8XTL8j1mn4eh16DWVFw0qrZKBluGsI3oJfE/s400/smallIMG_5113.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We managed to sail around and come straight into Port Moselle
Marina, Noumea, to clear in. At $30/night all up, it’s very affordable.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We hired a car with Malarkey and did the drive around,
even though we could not enjoy the view! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtkuHSS3EOKF7op4OTA8T3pyk9y6UYvij4rKxbukgD-GUquFZcAWtqMhS8XjaicJ39-Ncpy5GTEZGc-nJ3JRoAJ8NX74ilP9627YcvvE8Ul5b8vXyM9HS3F5KcCddEv4ef1Il2s5UkXc/s1600/smallPA150027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPtkuHSS3EOKF7op4OTA8T3pyk9y6UYvij4rKxbukgD-GUquFZcAWtqMhS8XjaicJ39-Ncpy5GTEZGc-nJ3JRoAJ8NX74ilP9627YcvvE8Ul5b8vXyM9HS3F5KcCddEv4ef1Il2s5UkXc/s400/smallPA150027.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">North of the international airport
(quite a drive) we found a small marina with a house development nearby, but no
restaurant or shops!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoFTHt6buVHHj5eXQi8HfEP01EEJZVTGhj9jMyioqPm550Rnw4rmxwT5BGGba3OqDyF6COD3spUPQs60nzRXiQ0OR4pPn9NkYoEX8D3m4-uvqNRi0Ocn-PVk2GFZCadsB4vxySoWyk8Y/s1600/smallIMG_5116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoFTHt6buVHHj5eXQi8HfEP01EEJZVTGhj9jMyioqPm550Rnw4rmxwT5BGGba3OqDyF6COD3spUPQs60nzRXiQ0OR4pPn9NkYoEX8D3m4-uvqNRi0Ocn-PVk2GFZCadsB4vxySoWyk8Y/s400/smallIMG_5116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Cultural Centre was worth a visit…..with some sculptures leaving us wondering.......</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RNdkOYdwF_JaimXP4Z7ckvFaW7m5lLeNV_12k35lk5otXawZmx9uhr9dPh2lIjKDtKwqWiTuNxr-67GXmhQA0350d-kgjI71Pnt8e4evPs9oFPQ-1lWrXuxUXp-gIy8hcKODQ6QUU_s/s1600/smallPA160028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RNdkOYdwF_JaimXP4Z7ckvFaW7m5lLeNV_12k35lk5otXawZmx9uhr9dPh2lIjKDtKwqWiTuNxr-67GXmhQA0350d-kgjI71Pnt8e4evPs9oFPQ-1lWrXuxUXp-gIy8hcKODQ6QUU_s/s400/smallPA160028.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">with beautiful artwork....</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC1GIi8c1Y-TPotIwycbW4NWnfeXI6hsPKSiJCV1S9g_S64AwllLAzH06jo2m0De5nrfbZtb0mW-rS6o1bssAFRxXisbwWdNUgQjmiQGnT9QF9s6Y119s2TjxgNSkBO0fjnKqyUcmaJE/s1600/smallPA160029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC1GIi8c1Y-TPotIwycbW4NWnfeXI6hsPKSiJCV1S9g_S64AwllLAzH06jo2m0De5nrfbZtb0mW-rS6o1bssAFRxXisbwWdNUgQjmiQGnT9QF9s6Y119s2TjxgNSkBO0fjnKqyUcmaJE/s400/smallPA160029.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">..and some with familiarity..</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmGPM_dQ4lhRtg3JvE-B1P9AS_fVXUdUYNarQBAaX0kU_P-ALONM_Tdv1VGghN4fCLI6N_5wmaJnxPf73-rKzWgP9o2JrItNlZg2XX_3QIEPUKSRhIu7levrGPv693bD7vyMTctfKdOw/s1600/smallPA160030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmGPM_dQ4lhRtg3JvE-B1P9AS_fVXUdUYNarQBAaX0kU_P-ALONM_Tdv1VGghN4fCLI6N_5wmaJnxPf73-rKzWgP9o2JrItNlZg2XX_3QIEPUKSRhIu7levrGPv693bD7vyMTctfKdOw/s400/smallPA160030.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The aquarium, surprisingly, entertained us for hours. We saw our first frog fish…..very
ugly but full of character….when they move!!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmToFEThx0FR6U2ZDQjFlv-DSsqdNA4cuynFLrDy7fcQlsR8qebJt1XtBpUJOqp0am0JSd3PTPtk2JFfM9Hvu4IOCdR2gTZIMorlwiXeEacopK4leKva-jw7fIxzqeJsEICj2VyR8Ya0/s1600/smallPA160035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNmToFEThx0FR6U2ZDQjFlv-DSsqdNA4cuynFLrDy7fcQlsR8qebJt1XtBpUJOqp0am0JSd3PTPtk2JFfM9Hvu4IOCdR2gTZIMorlwiXeEacopK4leKva-jw7fIxzqeJsEICj2VyR8Ya0/s400/smallPA160035.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The pink frog fish is hiding behind the coral. Not as active as its green mates!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeaYDiKUvKzE1u-NAUXc7sZ6LMJC90hNWpZOedH-NwLFCpcLHbmH0MwXeAE6WVSq-oxfDMY7g14KMxRH_RbKX6rzjL3Euwzq_Az4VVXZRWIG6Snc06cmTnUJqEWQd0QEx6p7h8TcKEPA/s1600/smallPA160036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLeaYDiKUvKzE1u-NAUXc7sZ6LMJC90hNWpZOedH-NwLFCpcLHbmH0MwXeAE6WVSq-oxfDMY7g14KMxRH_RbKX6rzjL3Euwzq_Az4VVXZRWIG6Snc06cmTnUJqEWQd0QEx6p7h8TcKEPA/s400/smallPA160036.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This slug was blinding crawling across anything in its way without
any problems!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYu_gMkQKH2xOj80V_pgxwGYVGjfwyQWGCSuGaFgobP0aSpw4XGnz2gdePzM8nYXpOO_SuY0Gs8TW3P65tkMtCJoLUPMZ2CIJlGISIRwx-_BFILDYHn6z7eCHz6R7LPArWx4qKQDaMs1k/s1600/smallPA160033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYu_gMkQKH2xOj80V_pgxwGYVGjfwyQWGCSuGaFgobP0aSpw4XGnz2gdePzM8nYXpOO_SuY0Gs8TW3P65tkMtCJoLUPMZ2CIJlGISIRwx-_BFILDYHn6z7eCHz6R7LPArWx4qKQDaMs1k/s400/smallPA160033.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Lots of food and wine (for some!) to be had. What
else is there to do on a Sunday????? Like Peter, Trevor from Malarkey is their premiere </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">chef</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAceAsa8sxcaJrZhmoFImrBf67hp49iQKmGjyMGJp3hb0_RLR-tJGAGHkyAQp3zD2asnA0qruxBfUmUo146rxm2ajKOrIdeSbrJWQPkzh91-xvMCm5VzHvgmidj_GFsRpEko1SQzZFEs/s1600/smallIMG_5121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilAceAsa8sxcaJrZhmoFImrBf67hp49iQKmGjyMGJp3hb0_RLR-tJGAGHkyAQp3zD2asnA0qruxBfUmUo146rxm2ajKOrIdeSbrJWQPkzh91-xvMCm5VzHvgmidj_GFsRpEko1SQzZFEs/s400/smallIMG_5121.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We have also been helping others out with information
about SE Asia. Happy to share what we have collected electronically; which is
quite a bit!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Ilot Maitre was a good hang out for a few days but it
was far too cold to get in the water! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRP5HikKFdYOX6Xi1sUu4bHv6PZcGjQtRXgS9556N68bBxJROOmF7VCQu3hCi3zXovItWEIX5HbQUa3BJnRJsEMae7Lsfin2iyndABMxf2IblNVzGGUGIhP9sMZN03GOtMb9YlFb7hQpI/s1600/smallPA180042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRP5HikKFdYOX6Xi1sUu4bHv6PZcGjQtRXgS9556N68bBxJROOmF7VCQu3hCi3zXovItWEIX5HbQUa3BJnRJsEMae7Lsfin2iyndABMxf2IblNVzGGUGIhP9sMZN03GOtMb9YlFb7hQpI/s400/smallPA180042.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The French have done a great job with
moorings provided, even though it is a good anchorage, and a BBQ area for
cruisers to use. The windward side of the island has a huge reef extending out
and is the place of choice for kite and wind surfers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The down side is that no-one has told the sea snakes
that they have to stay in the water!! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5J6uzURjedcWsEJve59ipIxR3OC6iScziZQyZER1OKEl9gQHMCWoaxgWYjEfEchR4QF4hW-oPDMRAThaYyswO0Vmv7J1Vdc4RJgB255tPjHjilEyPVbYy55vsafp9g5vS3yxLEZd7KU/s1600/smallPA180040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5J6uzURjedcWsEJve59ipIxR3OC6iScziZQyZER1OKEl9gQHMCWoaxgWYjEfEchR4QF4hW-oPDMRAThaYyswO0Vmv7J1Vdc4RJgB255tPjHjilEyPVbYy55vsafp9g5vS3yxLEZd7KU/s400/smallPA180040.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The land was crawling with them,
especially the BBQ area as they came for the warmth. They are the third
deadliest in the world, but fortunately with a small mouth. Needless to say
Peter was not happy and would not stay ashore; especially after dark!!</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;">There are no plastic bags in any of the shops in New Caledonia, which has made a huge difference to the clean water ways. We hope that many other countries in the Pacific will follow.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Being in the land of scrumptious cheese and baguettes,
not to mention the boulangeries, being stuck here is not too difficult. They really are THE best ever!!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We know
we will lose a little weight on our final passage, which gives us a little room
to squeeze in some more yummies!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Arriving in Bundaberg during the week is a must so we
do not have to pay $300 for overtime clearing fees. We have come across the
Pacific, paying very little in the way of fees. We have joined the Port2Port
Rally so we get our normal clearing fees into Australia refunded. Gone are the
days where all is relaxed and we can anchor and wait for a day or so to clear
in. C’est la vie.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We have cleared out of New Caledonia and get 3 days to
leave, which is a little more relaxing than the 1 official hour in Fiji. We are
off to some islands a little north of here to enjoy the last two days, clean
the bottom of the boat, before we depart. We have our fingers and toes crossed
for a good passage! </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">However, throughout the Pacific, we have not had consistent trade winds. The only thing that has been consistent is the cross swell and of course the fun!! It certainly has been an awesome 11 months. Now we have almost done the miles, we look forward to a time of day sailing and coastal passages!!! Allons- y!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-47659076421794475072012-10-12T20:38:00.000-07:002012-10-17T01:05:37.470-07:00New Caledonia..Getting CloserA short comment on Anatom, Vanuatu........ it is the clearest water we have seen so far in the Pacific, and by far the best coral; variety of hard and soft coral and colour. Most notable was the amount of fish life....lots of large fish, turtles and the rest. We saw a huge Pharmacy fish with its big brown eyes, hiding under a ledge. They are so beautiful. Being a marine park has done well to preserve this environment. The island has no vehicles; just small villages.<br />
<br />
The last 70 miles into New Caledonia over night ended up being a stunning night with mostly clear skies and a NE/N wind around 15 knots, allowing us to sail at around 6 to 7 knots and gain some time to enter the pass. The seas remained less than 1 meter, and the wind died, so all was well!
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We could not have had a better entry into Havannah Pass if we planned it with the right information!!! It was a little hit and miss with the conflicting information we had. 20 miles out, having current with us for the first time in a while, we knew it had to be the flood into the pass. First light was just after 0415 as we came in. Only one of the lead lights was working, but our charts were spot on and with a little bit of light, we could spot the Japanese fishing trawler on the southern reef and the Phare light gave us the boundary of the starboard reef. We had 4 knots with us as we entered the pass between the reef with no over falls. Otherwise we had around 2 knots of current with us.
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<br />
We first thought that coming into the pass at slack water at the end of the ebb was the optimal time, however this would give you negative current from 20 miles or so out. So coming in with the flood just happened to be lucky!! Better to be born more lucky than rich????????????
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It appeared that HW at the pass was in fact 1 hour after HW Noumea. It is VERY important to get through the pass with little wind otherwise you are in for a wild time. Two other yachts who were behind us had a terrible time with 20 to 25 knot head wind and over falls with strong currents. One yacht hove to outside the passage for the night and had a very rough night. We spoke to a kiwi who came in with a 4m sea and 30 knots of wind behind him......he was broaching several times and found it difficult to get out of the large standing waves. Sounded positively dangerous with the reefs either side.<br />
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We came into anchor in Baie De Prony..beautiful and quiet. Noumea tomorrow before the front hits. Timing is everything.<br />
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Since January this year we have sailed a little over 9,000 nm. Almost the same as our tour of the Indian Ocean, however, the Pacific has been a lot more challenging. We have managed to come thus far without running into a front, active convergence zone, an active trough or the SPCZ! (South Pacific Convergence Zone). Of the two lightening storms we have seen, we have been tucked away and out of sight!!! No easy feat!
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<br />
We are somewhat hoping (but doubtful) we will get to Bundaberg without crossing a front or convergence zone as the weather pattern is now changing. Maybe a front will be less likely as the lows should start dropping further south now summer is approaching. We have David and Patricia who operate Gulf Harbour Radio (NZ) with excellent weather forecasting and offer a good back up to choosing our weather window. Bundy is some 770 miles from Noumea.
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for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com/">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-39222969591877845072012-10-11T22:31:00.000-07:002012-10-13T22:40:33.054-07:00Anatom, Vanuatu to New CaledoniaOn Passage
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We have had clear skies for 3 days now, or mostly, which is a treat. With very little moon, we had stars to give us some light last night.
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With regards to the wind, we are in famine!! Had a bit of a SE wind yesterday and last night, but have been motoring since 0400 this morning. Slow!!! The swell is down to under a meter which is good, although it will bounce back up to 3-4 m by Monday as a big low goes through NZ. We expect a little or a lot of rain on our approach to New Cal with troughs and the like. The trough that was between Vanuatu and the Loyalties (60nm east of New Cal) dissipated as we approached it! You have ot be happy with that!
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I have been busy baking to use up the supplies and Peter is going to make some pasta sauce to use up the onions. Good practice for Aus!!
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We anticipate our arrival at Havannah Pass, on the east side of New Caledonia sometime around 0600 tomorrow morning, Saturday. We are hoping for slack water, but have conflicting info on when this might be. However, with calm conditions the pass should not be too boisterous. It is a 2 mile wide passage but with lots of currents. The plan is to go about 6 miles after the pass and anchor in Baie de Prony until Monday when we can then make our way the remaining 30 miles to clear into Noumea.
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We would have had a rest by then from our 36 hour passage (!!) and get the flood through to Noumea. Its very tiring going so slow! Today we have decided on a Max Prop!!!
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for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com/">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-37476035309613252332012-10-07T21:44:00.000-07:002012-10-15T13:18:19.623-07:00Fiji to VanuatuFiji to Vanuatu.
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Feast or Famine..we chose feast! Troughs and lows aplenty that run from the SPCZ near the Solomons down to the intense lows charging through NZ.
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We departed Fiji with a forecast of 15-20 knot SE winds knowing that they would be around 25 knots at times and a 3-4m swell kicking in from the south for at least a day. Just what we want..a cross swell!!
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<br />
Fiji was wall to wall grey which is what we had the whole way..seeing stars and the sun only briefly. However, in our different shades of grey (!!) we had only a few showers and maximum squall (wind only) to 35 knots, only briefly. A bit of green water across the deck and unfortunately two bits of a wave down below!! We did not eat much for two days, but now are eating constantly!
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All in all a fast run which was not uncomfortable as the apparent wind was between 90 and 120 off the bow. 467 miles in 72 hours and that included slowing down for the last 60 miles so we did not arrive in the dark. Had we kept our speed, it would have taken us only 64 hours to do the run. Not bad! The boat handled the seas remarkably well, which is why we bought a Hylas and it being an S&S design.
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Our final departure from Fiji was a relief as we had been waiting to miss fronts coming across..which we did! The boat that left a day behind us got caught in one. Beware of NE winds shifting to the SE as they only go one way and its not through the east!!!!
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Waiting in Suva was a treat as was staying a the Novatel in Lami Bay, just around the corner. A protected anchorage so we had yachts to gaze at in case we were homesick!!!
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The food was to die for............<br />
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and we just enjoyed the ambiance of the old port town.....<br />
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On our return from Suva we did have a very embarrassing moment aka night on the putty coming back into Port Denarau (from Lautoka) ... at night....following our track, we relaxed once inside the marina...a little too early it seems with one of the green markers missing its light (this was replaced the next morning) and us missing the marker!!! A comedy of errors on both sides. We did not quite make it to the mooring. John from Red Sky called us in the morning and said 'Hello Eileen'...and yes, we did lean........(we enjoy their humour). Other cruisers commented that we all do silly things from time to time. Shite happens! The only thing wounded was our egos!! Does not do well having the 'naviguesser' going aground!! First time in over 40,000 miles!!!!
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We arrived in Anatom Is Vanuatu in the early morning, coming through the pass around 0800. Our electronic charts were accurate and the pass is wide and deep. The wonderful policeman on the island came out about an hour after putting the hook down and cleared us in and out! How easy was that!<br />
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Anatom is a beautiful island; stunning lagoon, white sandy beaches, and crystal clear water to boot. It has wet our appetite for cruising Vanuatu in the future.<br />
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Many ruins around the villages..<br />
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No vehicles; lots of sandy tracks to exlore<br />
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We did the usual and took lots of school supplies....new books for their library, exercise books, pencils, paints...<br />
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This boat sails really well in the lagoon....<br />
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Mystery Island nearby is where the cruise ship punters go. It is well set up by the locals and a wonderful deserted place to hang out when the cruise ship is not in ..........<br />
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<br />
Peter is in a little hot water!!!!!!<br />
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<br />
A two day passage will see us through Havannah Pass, New Caledonia, and into Noumea. Not thinking about that today but it will have to be soon.
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for information see: <a href="http://www.sailmail.com/">http://www.sailmail.com</a>Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-87822915028519697712012-09-28T15:41:00.000-07:002012-09-28T16:12:26.960-07:00Rain Stops PlayWet, wet, wet!!! We were all set to check out and then, after a discussion of the weather with Gulf Harbour Radio on their HF Sched, we took their advice and decided to wait another 5 days!<br />
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<br />
Fiji is hiding behind the green and blue spots on the LHS between 0 and 30S..the above is today (the Pacific chart looks like a pair of eyes looking at you with a frown!! At least the squash zones are to the south!<br />
<br />
....... and below is for Thursday...Fiji now under the blue and the red spots on the left! Courtesy of NZ met office. If the low does develop, they are talking cyclonic winds, albeit not very strong but packed with thunderstorms. YUK!<br />
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<br />
We have a stationary front that has been sitting over Fiji (caused by the jet stream) for a few days now, bringing rain and localised strong winds and a massive electrical storm with others threatening. The weather pattern has changed!! We can see how nice and clear it is in southern Vanuatu and New Cal.....we just have to get there.<br />
<br />
With a kink in the isobars to the west of Fiji, there is a possibility of a tropical low developing, or not! Also possible is that it could develop early and head south over our track ESE towards the Neeshams. Needless to say we do not want to be out there in a tropical low if it does develop!<br />
<br />
Having a dry Pacific crossing so far, the rain has finally caught up with us!!<br />
<br />
So plan B is to leave the boat in Denarau Marina and go to Suva for a few days...$20 Fiji on the bus!<br />
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Meanwhile we have watched the whole BBC series of Gavin and Stacey! Thoroughly enjoyable!Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8664337991243262112.post-23491741418104493692012-09-28T15:30:00.004-07:002012-09-30T22:28:35.680-07:00Our Cruising Facts on Fiji<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For the cruisers……………………….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Due to our limited time here, we will unfortunately
miss many great anchorages. Too much to
see with such little time. Be sure to keep an eye on the weather and travel in
good visibility to eyeball the reefs and plan your travel!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From Tonga we decided to take the
more northerly route in Savu Savu. Reasons being to miss the stronger,
reinforced wind and bad weather that seems to hang around the southern Lau
group, Suva and the bottom of Viti Levu.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Koro Sea has mostly re-inforced winds
as well due to the funneling effect between the islands. Same for Bligh Water
and between the two major island s of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. This often
extends out to the Yasawas. Be aware of this in the forecasts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Koro Sea kicks up steep sharp waves
when wind picks up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We entered into the Koro Sea via
Lembaka Passage; wide and open at night. From there you can clear the islands,
turning north around 17 56 S 178 40 E and aim to keep Vatuvara Island to Stb
and then towards Savu Savu. Look for Maafa Rock on your chart as it is not on
some, although it is not on the track towards Vatuvara, but off to the WSW. We did find information on an uncharted reef
around 18 40S 174W but we were not near there either. Savu Savu Light is not on
the end of Point Reef so be aware of this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Coming into Savu Savu, we called <b>Copra Shed Marina</b> who came out to meet
us and took us to a mooring. Cost was $10 Fiji/night and have cyclone moorings.
They also have a small dock<b>. Waitui</b> <b>Marina</b> has moorings also and they will
do the same. They are a little more down market than Copra Shed but very nice. Their
moorings are helix moorings which are booked out for the cyclone season. Savu
Savu is a hurricane hole and there are many others around Fiji. Both marinas
are right in town, which is fantastic and a great place to hang out. Amazing
food for such little money! Washing at the Copra Shed was only $10 Fiji per
large bag, compared to $80 USD they wanted in Bora Bora!!!!! We got our
alternators fixed in town. They did a brilliant job!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Best cruising seems to be around to
the NE of Vanua Levu towards Viani Bay and Taveuni. We were very sad to have
missed this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In Savu Savu, there is a guy called
Curly who provides a lecture on suggested anchorages around Fiji. He also gives
the low down on how to do the SevuSevu or Kava ceremonies. Curly and others
also smooth the troubled waters where other cruisers have done wrong in the
villages. This year a German Yacht was caught catching Iguanas on one of the islands
with intent to them smuggle out of the country!!!!!!!!!!!! Hence yachts are now
banned from the island. For the Yasawas, download the <b>Moorings Cruising Guide</b> from the internet. (Although reports from
other cruisers….it’s inaccurate!) We picked up a current Fiji Marine Guide in
Tonga which gave excellent contact numbers of services, marinas etc. A yacht
called Soggy Paws has spent some time here and elsewhere and has an excellent
website with lots of info on specific areas. Look for their <b>Fiji Compendium. </b>The most comprehensive guide to Fiji is <b>A Yachtsmans’s Guide To Fiji</b> by Michael
Calder, which is a little outdated but still used.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Anchorages we
used. </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">(Waypoints are where we were sitting, not where we
dropped anchor!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Just south of Savu Savu is Cousteau
Resort. We came in at right angles to the beach just north of the jetty,
keeping the jetty clear. Nice flat sandy bottom, 14.4m <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">16 48.612 S 179 17.264 E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From there we did the bash south to
Makongai Island. A stunning island where we did our first Sevu Sevu, which was
very relaxed. Good protected anchorage. We anchored in sand around 17 26.472 S
178 57.171 E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From there we could have stopped at Naigani
Is but due to good winds and excellent visibility, we decided to go on to Toba
Basaga Bay. Nice village. Anchor in mud 15.2m 17 32.496 S 178 22.831 E. Maybe not so flash in strong easterly winds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From there it was a short hop to Viti
Levu Bay. We could have anchored another 300m or so closer to the village and
tucked up in the corner, but we lost visibility as we went to find an anchoring
spot. Nice sticky mud…anchored 10m <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">17 27.079 S 178 15.432 E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Many anchorages to choose from when
around Nanana Island. We chose to anchor near Voli Voli resort due to the weather. Most yachts anchor
off the resort but it was a little windy when we got there. We anchored a
little south of there. Calm but a little gusty to keep us cool. Watch out for
the rocky reef coming off the shore. Nice
sticky mud, 10m 17 19.435 S 178 10.530 E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In order to break the trip, we
anchored in a no-name bay. Wind comes off the shore every night so nice and
calm! Easy to get into. Anchored in 4m mud <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">17 25.717 S 177 44.966 E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Another hop around to Seweni Bay in
the Loutoka area. NW breeze in afternoon but swings onshore at sunset! 7m mud
17 38.596 S 177 23.589 E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">From Seweni Bay, it’s a short 6 miles
around the point to the south to Vuda Point Marina, (Ch16) 17 40.87S 177 23.2E.
There is a yellow buoy that marks the entrance to the channel, which can be
difficult to see as yachts sometimes tie up on this buoy. The gap through the
reef is an all tide gap if you draw under 6’6 and is marked by sticks. Like
everywhere else, Vuda staff are very helpful and welcoming. They have outdoor
movie nights 3 nights/week and live music on Sundays. Bit of a challenge getting off and on the boat in springs!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Musket Cove also has a marina and
moorings. Call on Ch 68. On your approach at approximately 17 47 659 S 177
12.813E look for a red marker on your port side in the binoculars and Black
Rock (reef) on your stb side. Both are a little tricky as there is a reef which
extends to the WSW behind the red buoy and the reef continues to run past the
rocks you can see to stb. There is a very small stick (NOT the one on top of
Black Rocks) in the water marking the end of the reef that is VERY difficult to
see. A Kiwi who frequents Fiji has marked some such reefs as many yachts have
hit them. Always….eyes out the boat!! You can see the reef coming into Musket
Cove off the point of Malolo Is, which is marked by two green markers, and the
rest of the reef between the point and the anchorage, moorings is marked by
sticks. Go in there for the first time with good visibility. Lots of anchorage
space but we hear from NZ yachts that frequent here that anchoring over to the
west by the mangroves gives better holding in bad weather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="file:///C:/DOCUME~1/User/LOCALS~1/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif" width="13" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Port Denarau Marina has moorings and
berths and can be contacted on Ch14. Very westernised but handy for bits and pieces and getting into Nadi and Lautoka. Lots of restaurants that are more expensive than the towns but still a good price, and cheaper than the east Pacific. At the time we were there, September 2012,
they had introduced a booking system, which works fine until the problem of you
wanting to stay longer and someone else has booked your mooring. When the
weather changes for the worst…….people really don’t want to go!!!!!!!!!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> Clearing out is relatively easy. However, you are required to anchor off the wharf in Lautoka to do this. A bit bumpy in NW winds but relatively good holding in mud. Leave the dinghy in the corner of the wharf by the slippery steps. Customs and immigration located there....a little tricky to find as once in the corridor, customs is the door marked 'keep closed'!! You have to leave Fiji within 1 hour of clearing immigration. Reality is left to your imagination!!</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">All is all, paradise has its cost! Look out for the
reef and the weather and all should be fine!! Not the most relaxing place to
cruise for your first time there. Wonderful places to explore ashore and
awesome places to eat!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Enjoy!!!!!!!!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Peter and Cherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06193865359217784702noreply@blogger.com0