The Captain's Log.

After much cajoling (is that what you call it?) I have managed to convince Xavier to write about the sail up...


Captain's Log (written by Xavier)

We finally left Queenscliff at 3.30pm. We headed out through the rip to be faced with a moderate sea and a short, choppy wave as well. We buried Awaitea's nose half a dozen times and got a fair bit of water over the deck. Most of us felt well however, if not just a little queazy. One crew member however was a bit green and promptly departed the cockpit for the easier movement of his bunk. We were underway.

As evening approached, we popped up the headsail and the main, and with the engine turning over at 1400 rpm, we managed a respectable 7 knots. We sailed throughout the night and arrived 15 hours later at Wilson's Prom at dawn and were rewarded with a beautiful morning.

Our next objective was to get around Gabo Island while we had a good weather window. The wind dropped out and if there was a puff, it was right on our nose, so we stowed the sails and were content to motor. We motored at 7.5 knots, 1750 rpm through the oil rigs and across 'the paddock'. The oil rigs were lit up like Christmas trees, and with fine weather, navigation was easy, as was the company.

Meals were attended to and we kept watch on a rotating 3 hour roster. We rounded Gabo Island some 40 hours after departure without incident, and made it into Eden 5 hours later. In Eden, we took on 400 ltrs of fuel which gave us a fuel consumption of just over 8 lts an hour. We also took the opportunity to stretch our legs. The consensus was to push on though and make it to Ulladulla before we would have a well earned day in port. Again, light breezes on the nose the whole way, no sailing, just motoring, but plenty of whales and dolphins kept us company along the way.

Ulladulla was an easy, safe, snug little harbour. Even though we had 30 knot northerlies forecast, nothing eventuated, and after retiring early, I decided at 12.30am that we had a good chance to get to Sydney by the next evening. We motored again with the forecast of gale force winds from the north. As we neared Port Hacking, the skies were starting to look a bit ominous, and the decision was made to pull in to Port Hacking rather than push on to Pittwater. As we were about to tie up at the RMYC dock, we got hit with those forecast winds and it made out docking a little bit more difficult. Once Awaitea was safely tied, we all hopped off and enjoyed a well earned beer in the club, then back to the boat for a feast of freshly caught stripy tuna.

Early the next morning, it was a short 40 mile trip up to Pittwater. Initially with a choppy sea and following wind, it took a while for the boat to find some rhythm and balance on the helm. By the time we passed Sydney Heads, both the sea and the breeze were very pleasant and we had a following sea and swell all the way into Pittwater. We finally tied up, on the inside of Palm Beach, in an idyllic spot and perfect day.

A great thanks to Alan, Steve, Adam & Damian, without whom the journey would not have been possible. Xavier

The practicalities of life afloat.

So far, we've had 5 days with just the 4 of us. 5 days bobbing up and down on a mooring - no escape other than donning spray jackets and canoeing to shore, or wrangling with the dinghy.

It's weird.

Weird not to be able to step off the boat and sneak off for a latte. Instead, if I want to have a [coffee], I either have to turn on the generator to boil the kettle, or wait 35 mins for the 12 volt kettle to boil. Perhaps an even better option is to break out the portable gas stove and heat the water in a saucepan - far quicker.... (Be sure to think about this when you next flick the switch on your spunky stainless kettle).

Washing is another issue - as we never quite decided about how to wash our clothes, we handwash our 'smalls' - takes me back to my backpacking days - or go to the laundromat. Having not used a laundromat since the um, 80's, I nearly FELL OVER with shock at the price (could have been the drunken sailor legs again tho'). That said, there are apparently more laundries per square metre in Syd's northern beaches than everywhere else in the world put together. It seems the locals don't like to do their own washing. How lovely for them.... We are lucky to have the car parked nearby on land (at least we think it's still there) for said laundry excursions...

Cooking is great - mostly use the microwave, portable gas stove, and BBQ on deck. We DO have to have the generator on to use the microwave however, so it does get a bit noisy inside.

Our shower is fab! Great pressure, and very hot. That said, as we have limited water,

we get wet.
turn off water.
lather up.
turn on water.
rinse off.
turn off water.

I spose it's the equivalent of stage... 10?

I'm slowly getting 'boaty'. I actually tied a 'thimble' onto a rope using a 'scaffold' knot! How clever does that sound? We also ventured out on the yacht, just the 4 of us, today for the first time.

We are moored tonight in The Basin, on the edge of Ku-ring-gai Chase NP, There are wallabies grazing in the grassy area, and a huge lagoon which is cut off by a sandbar during low tide. We are on a mooring which apparently you can just 'pick up', but as they belong to other people, if they happen to come by and need it, then you move. Pretty relaxed arrangement. These ones are free. We plan to stay here for a few days (or until our water runs out), and will make the most of the bushwalks - or at least as much as Roo & Cooks allow us to...

following are a couple of happy snaps. x





Making superhero capes out of left over shower curtains.

Roo's pearls.

Roo's pearls of wisdom:

Me: what's that in the water?
Roo: it's a bob.
Me: a what?
Roo: it's just a bob mum.

It was a buoy.
(Roo knows perhaps a little too well the joke about what you call a man with no arms and no legs in the ocean).

Palm Beach shopping list:

1. white shorts
2. polo top
3. docksiders
4. cap.

As you can imagine, we're fitting right in. (!)

5 days & a thousand kilometres.

Off the prom.


Dolphins riding the bow wave.


Gabo Island.


See that black dot?.... it's a whale.

I told Xave that he needs to write a post about the sail up.
He said no. Man of many words, my husband....

My Aunt Monica (who thankfully joined me on the drive up), the kids & I arrived in Pittwater after leaving Port Hacking early this morning. The day was SUBLIME. We found a brilliant park in Mona Vale which had been recommended to us by a kinder mum, Jeanette - THANKS - and spent a lazy couple of hours soaking up the sunshine.

We had 3 crew flying back to Avalon this evening, so a shuttle bus was ordered for 3.15 in order to make the flight. Only problem was, we weren't quite sure where or when Xave etc were going to pull up. The sail into PIttwater was taking a bit longer than anticipated. Eventually they tied up to the most perfect anchorage in Palm Beach at about 2.45. Was a bit touch and go, but all worked out in the end.

Palm Beach anchorage is beautiful. Within 2 minutes of arriving, Roo was already kicking around with another boy on the beach whom he'd confidently started up a conversation with. Cooks preferring the company of all her 'babies' and 'Stevelee' aboard Awaitea. After our final farewells to our last remaining crew member Steve, we started up the engine - oh wait, no we didn't - we'd blown a fuse and of course didn't have a spare, so were towed to a mooring where we plan to stay for a few days.

The adventure has well and truly begun.


Palm Beach Anchorage


Palm Beach


Kids mesmerised watching some locals gutting their haul.








Xave & 'Stevelee'

Our sincerest thanks to our 5 crew members and friends, who safely got us to Sydney - Alan, Steve, Damian, Adam & Mon - without your generosity of time & skill, who know's where we'd be.

Sydney.

It's not cold anymore.

The plants have big green leaves on them, & there are little green and yellow ferries chugging by...

This afternoon we were reunited with Awaitea and the boys at the RMYC in Cronulla. Climbing aboard, I was pleasantly surprised... I half expected to find a tangle of bags and man farts, but the yacht was as clean as a whistle.
Cleaner than I keep it. not that that's saying much.

The sailors encountered whales, seals, dolphins, & mermaids.

The drivers encountered road rage.

Tonight was all about beers in the bar and sashimi made from freshly caught tuna. Tomorrow will be the final leg of the delivery. It is too, too exciting....

Change.

Change affects us all in different ways:

I crave it, then struggle with it.
Roo gets his undies off and struts.
and Cooks does lovely artwork.
In dark blue marker.
All over Granny's. White. Mercedes.