East coast passage

[Bernadette]

I thought I would take the liberty and drop a few lines in here of my endeavour to get DECATUR to Brisbane. I'm no glam, romantic novelist so don't expect too much. At the moment, sitting here in an inet cafe is really doing me no good. I'm tired, totally sunburnt and it's so darn hard to read the letters on the keyboard as they are all but pratically worn off by repeated use. But it's cool. By comparison, the boat is very warm and my one and only 240v fan has been put into storage days ago. Tomorrow I will walk to the marine store and buy a couple of 12v fans.
In any case I left Port Douglas at about 0730 with my fingers crossed as I didn't think I would have enough water to get out past the bar. All went well and I happily motored (no wind at all) on my course at about 5.6kts. I now have a hand held GPS which gives me boat speed...no more running fixes!!! The other day I purchased a wind speed indicator thinghy which makes me feel so advanced with the latest technology! It's great!!! I made quick time and off Double Island I hoisted the spinnaker thinking I would do well in the prevailing wind, but only made about 2.5kts, so pulled it down again and kept on motoring. Spent the morning with one foot on the helm and writing in my journal on my lap. Threw out the lure but only managed to catch some sea scunge. While it's a cinch, my skill at navigating remains intact with spot on course planning!!! I'm very pleased with myself. I took every precaution today save being out on the bowsprit untethered...No other yachts about. It was a lonely and uninteresting day. I am ashamed to say that I have moored alongside in the Marlin Marina. A bit naughty of me given that I have a perfectly good swing mooring about 1 mile upstream here in Trinity Inlet. The lure of a nice warm shower with unlimited water and the convenience of stepping into town quickly got me in!!! Plus it's great to show off the boat!! Ian turns up tomorrow. And my Dad joins on Friday.
Bernadette.

[igatenby]

G'day Boss

What's this, no stamina eh - and what's with the sunburn?

Here it is - 10:45pm and I still haven't packed the bags - the bed is covered with all the boys toys (two cameras, chargers, iPod bits, fishing reel - yes I'm packing a boat rod - throw it over the side if you wish - GPS - I put a plug on and turned on a Raymarine 435i chartplotter that I bought about 4 months ago for the first time today - nicely mounted on a piece of scrap teak so it can sit in the cockpit - swim fins - books - but no clothes yet ...... and my wife has said "go to bed" about five times.

So - tomorrow, I've got a business strategy to write for a client in Spain - then a plane to catch to Cairns.

Would you believe a couple that we have lived next to for 20+ years is flying in to Cairns the day after me? I think they will wander past the Marina too.

Looking forward to getting under sail :D

Ian

[Hwyl]

Sounds great, but Bernadette, I've been foolhardy in my day but I usually wore a lifejacket when i went on the bowsprit, I would wear a harness now. Be careful.

(edited to add,: when I singlehand, if I have crew on board and the weather is light, I wander about the boat with impunity)

[ 12-06-2005, 07:32 AM: Message edited by: Hwyl ]

[Thad]

Have fun navigating and even more fun in the passagemaking. Anchor when you need a rest. Sounds great!

[StevenBauer]

And don't forget your cameras! smile.gif

Steven

[John B]

You guys have a great passage and thanks for the update. Do please keep them coming.

[nedL]

Bernadette: Glad to hear all is well, and Thank you so much for the update! A welcome read esp. considering we had the first real snow of the season yesterday. Keep safe & stay out of the sun. :D - Enjoy having your dad aboard. smile.gif

[JimJ]

Bernadette

Have a great trip south. The last time I went Port Douglas to Cairns was at 31.5 kts into a 25 kts South-easter on one of those big silver cats. So it was 56 kts over the deck, quite breezy.

Jim

[Dave Hadfield]

Have a great sail. Wish I was there.

It's snowing heavily here at the moment. I like snow, but I like schooners more.

When I solo I tend to tow my dinghy on a long line if possible. And I brief myself that if I fall overboard, I'll grab the dinghy as it goes by and loft myself in. And if that doesn't work (and I can't get into it) I'll sink it, thereby turning the thing into a sea-anchor so I can get back to the ship, or if the towline breaks, at least I have a dinghy I can right and bail out and enter at my leisure. (Just a thought.)

Enjoy yourself, Skipper.

[igatenby]

We're ready to go - have only taken two photos so far - both of Bernadette at the top of the masts.

All the jobs are done - bar hauling the dinghy on board.

What a great boat Decatur is - certainly getting more favourable looks from the passers by than the stink boat with the chopper on the back. We have the boat belonging to Australia's richest guy about 50 metres away too.

One of the local Ospreys has landed aboard and given his blessing for fair winds.

We're off south in about 12 hours.

Ian

[Bernadette]

What a crazy thing this is..there is no respect here..the "crew" posting here before me...aaarrrrggghhh!!!!and Ian is sitting at the next computer in the inet cafe...he has a lot of potential and I will have him walking and talking like a schoonerman in no time!!!! My father joins us tomorrow and we have a 60nm passage south to Mourilyan Harbour. Ian has shown me his electronic chart plotter which is all pretty colour and squiggles but deadly accurate..not at all like my chart plotting with paper charts. Last night I drew up my course and it was only today that I realised I had us heading north instead of south...just habit really!!!Completed a few jobs on the boat today and purchased stores (food). Bernadette.

[Wild Dingo]

:cool:

[ 12-14-2005, 07:39 AM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[JimJ]

North!! what'ya mean North!! That is the long way round and there is a pesky Dingo that way.

South, that is out of Trinity bay and turn left after Cape Grafton. Keep the green stuff on the starboard side (matches the green light on that side) and you will end up somewhere near Brisbane.

Well, that what we used to do when we flew Cairns to Brisbane, keep the green stuff on the F/O side where the green light was.

[Russ Manheimer]

Bernadette,

I've been following your adventure for a few years here on the WBF. Looking forward to seeing some great pics of Decatur under sail.

Fair winds and following seas.

Russ

[uncas]

What no pics...???????

[Thad]

Hard to get pictures of your own boat sailiing.

[ 12-12-2005, 04:37 PM: Message edited by: Thad ]

[Wild Dingo]

Give em time Jamie give em time ol son :cool:

[ 12-14-2005, 07:40 AM: Message edited by: Wild Dingo ]

[uncas]

Shane...they obviously need a professional photographer... :D
Joe where are ya...between Joe and MMike... :rolleyes:

Looks as though everyone is doin' well though....keep up the visual reports...Written that is...
We should get more people who take off sailin' to write accounts like this..
In a couple of years...there could be a book...written by all...and takin' right off the forum
Title to be thought up...democratically of course.. :D

[Jeff Robinson]

We'll we doing our bit soon Jamie - see http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=002384

JR

[uncas]

Jeff...saw that...great pics...Now we have to work on a book...
We can get ten or more people...who are on the water a lot...including all kayaks, canoes etc...and create one hell of a book...
I mean..I have canoed across Quebec...as others have...what we could put together would be a gas...and a lot of fun to put together...
All procedes to go to the wooden boat schools...
We got Ian...Chuck (Paladin) I can't name them all but they are out there...
I'll edit if it helps...

[ 12-13-2005, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: uncas ]

[igatenby]

There are photos. They will be here soon.

Ian

[ 12-14-2005, 03:28 PM: Message edited by: igatenby ]

[uncas]

[ 12-13-2005, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: uncas ]

[igatenby]

A friendly hello from Skipper Bernadette - checking all is in order the day before departure - expressing confidence that she has taught Ian how to use a belaying pin correctly:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p77d41c1f1b614b6de583fd5df23125b2/f10e36a4.jpg

Out of Trinity Inlet (Cairns) with Bernadette's Dad, Keith at the helm. Keith - you've done a brilliant job with raising Bernie and with building Decatur (along with David & Bernadette):

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p10812674a6d0670b7e5530c69abd7c09/f10e369d.jpg

Cruising past Fitzroy Island - the first of many, many such tropical paradises:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/pd90ddb1a0cd5350df35d4f69af73497b/f10e3687.jpg

Dunk Island - with its 271 metre peak, which we climbed. The resort - where we showered, did the laundry and dined - is on the right of the photo.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p42d120529817a56d45ef5a244b36bc43/f10e367d.jpg

The view from the top of Dunk Island. There was a radar station here during WW2 - with airstrip at the bottom. Yes it was a hot climb.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/pa9fc47f576ef2733ce620c20e7127663/f10e3670.jpg

Dunno who the bloke with the cheesy grin is. This was the only time we towed the dinghy.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/pb737fb6ae383cf57fe3caf8d03c24802/f10e365d.jpg

The skipper directing things from the main mast:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/pd0c80d37d29805452dccc0e468b57721/f10e3655.jpg

More later.

Ian

[StevenBauer]

Great pics! Thanks. I've been working outside in -9C temps and it's great to see pics like these.

Steven

[uncas]

Thumbs up...all :D

[ 12-14-2005, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: uncas ]

[Leigh]

Looks like great weather, and the boat looks fine, too.
Here I am cruising around in Botany Bay.....lol, I'm jealous.

[Bernadette]

Unfortunately a problem arose which needed my immediate attention back 'home'. So Ian left the boat in Townsville. In the middle of all this I pushed south through to Airlie Beach, a distance of 136nm with northerlies but with no place to anchor if tired etc. All ports of refuge between Townsville and Airlie Beach are good only if the southerlies are blowing. Again I have called home and left the boat moored in one of the most expensive marinas on the east coast. Ailie Beach is a raggedy, unkempt place despite the massive amounts of tourists. Things can only get better!!!!