AHOY! Sailing Australia & The South Pacific - July 2022

"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!"

Back From Beyond - 3 weeks Cruising The Back From Beyond - 3 weeks Cruising The Back From Beyond - 3 weeks Cruising The Seldom Visited Coral Sea Marine Park. Seldom Visited Coral Sea Marine Park. Seldom Visited Coral Sea Marine Park.

Preventing Corrosion Preventing Corrosion Preventing Corrosion News From Indonesia. News From Indonesia. News From Indonesia.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

Cruising Queensland - The Keppel Coast

Cruising Queensland - The Keppel Coast

Cruising Queensland - The Keppel Coast

News From Indonesia

windsandhappysmilesabound.

MarinaDelRayGiliGedeLombokisopento allforeignyachtsandwehaveanumberof yachtsalreadybookedinfortheupcoming cycloneseason.

Finally,wegotthegovernmenttoallowsixmonthvisaswhichcanbemadeintoayear andretirementvisasarenowalsomade possible.

Youryachts'temporaryimportstillremainsat threeyearssoyouhaveplentyoftimeto explorethe17600-plusislandsyear-round outofcyclonesandcoldwinters.

Indonesiaoffersanaffordablelifestyle,low stressandtheperfectlocationtoleaveyour yachtandbecomeoneofourYachtClub Members

AllenquiriesaboutSailingTo&Cruising InIndonesiashouldbedirectedto operations@marinadelray.co

Power & Sail Power & Sail Power & Sail

SPECIALIST MARINE INSURANCE

SPECIALIST MARINE INSURANCE

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As your Insurance Broker, I work for you, not the Insurers. Utilising my 25 years of Marine Underwriting experience in Boat Insurance, I’ll take the hard work out of getting the right cover for you, arrange the policy and manage the administration of any claims if and when you need to claim

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BUNDABERG AND BUNDABERG PORT

MARINA AS YOUR AUSTRALIAN PORT OF ENTRY

The Port of Bundaberg is the closest Australian Port of Entry from New Caledonia, thus reducing passage time and the risk of encountering adverse weather conditions on route.

The Port of Bundaberg offers all-weather, deep-water access, with much less likelihood of encountering concentrated shipping traffic on approach to the port than many other Queensland & NSW Port of Entry.

Professional and friendly Customs and Quarantine Officers that specialise in small craft arrival. Inward clearance takes place at Bundaberg Port Marina, which is located only one nautical mile from the entrance to the river.

Bundaberg is the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, meaning there is some spectacular cruising on offer right on your doorstep. Largest dry storage facility on the East Coast of Australia with a modern sealed hardstand area, professional staff and competitive rates.

Relaxed marina with quality berths, clean amenities, WIFI and a courtesy bus into the city of Bundaberg.

Walking distance to the township of Burnett Heads shopping village, Hotel/Motel, Sports Club & quiet, uncrowded beaches and parklands

Affordable Direct Access to Brisbane International Airport via public transport or air. Great base for "Land Cruising" to discover the inland beauty that Australia has to offer.

"The most popular port of entry into Australia, Bundaberg Port Marina has been welcoming visitors from across the globe for decades"

If you are planning on voyaging to Australia from the SW Pacific in 2022 please see the Go West Rally Pages of the Down Under Rally Website to find out why it makes sense to join the Go West Rally to Australia and receive the support of the Down Under Rally.

downunderrally.com/go-west-rally

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND CRUISING YACHT HAVEN

Located ON Brisbane's Moreton Bay, Scarborough Marina provides visiting yachts with easy access to the many anchorages and the islands of Moreton Bay, including Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks. The City of Brisbane and the Brisbane international airport are only 40mins away, with Public Transport right at our door. The suburb of Scarborough is home to families and retirees who form part of the safe & friendly community. With the convenience of waterfront Cafes, Clubs & Restaurants plus major shopping centres and medical services nearby and our popular weekend farmers & craft markets, Scarborough really is a home away from home!

Recognised by the international cruising community as the preferred destination when visiting the Brisbane Region.

Safe Enclosed Harbour

Protected from swell & unaffected by flooding.

Clean, Modern & Well Maintained Facilities

Modern Cruisers Lounge with TV and free WIFI

Electronic gated Access, with 24 Hour CCTV Monitoring

24 Hour Fuel Wharf

Full-Service Boatyard with 35 Tonne Travelift

On-Site Chandlery

Tangalooma Anchorage

Moreton Island

If voyaging to New Zealand in 2023 with the view to continuing onward to cruise Tonga, Fiji or even French Polynesia with Island Cruising New Zealand is of interest to you please visit the Down Under Rally website for more information about the 2023 OZ to NZ Yacht Rally.

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The OZ to NZ Rally is a joint venture between Island Cruising New Zealand & The Down Under Rally.

CRUISING BEYOND THE BARRIER CRUISING BEYOND THE BARRIER

BACK FROM BEYOND

When I wrote this article, we expected to be Beyond The Barrier again with the 2nd Leg of the 2022 Beyond The Barrier Rally. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas. So we are waiting at Magnetic Island for a suitable forecast before we head off for another three weeks visiting some of the more northern Coral Sea Marine park reefs, islets & cays. So, for now, I would like to share our adventures from the May Beyond The Barrier Rally.

The rally fleet departed Bundaberg Port Marina on the morning of the 25th of May for our first stop Lady Musgrave Island some 60nm to the north of the mouth of the Burnett River. Lady Musgrave is a highly appealing destination in its own right; however, this was only intended to be an overnight stop to help the fleet get their sea legs before the adventure really began. An easterly swell combined with seas from the south made conditions for the passage to Lady Musgrave messy, but the breeze was consistent. The fleet arrived shaken but not stirred except GOOLARA, who was concerned by a falling fresh water gauge and decided to return to Bundaberg to determine the cause, which turned out to be a poorly fitted circlip at the pump.

Unfortunately, the return trip meant GOOLARA would not make it back to Musgrave in daylight hours, so they opted to spend the night in Bundaberg and depart for Saumarez on Thursday morning.

"It is here that adventurous sailors will discover the hidden gems of what I consider to be Australia's and possibly the South Pacific's most rewarding cruising experiences." John Hembrow.

Bundaberg

1 Lady Musgrave Island

2 Saumarez Reef

3 Lihou Reef

4 East Diamond Islet

5 Flinders Reef

6 Magnetic Island

BACK FROM BEYOND

Squally conditions persisted throughout Wednesday afternoon & evening at Lady Musgrave with consistent gusts between 25 & 30 knots Concerned that this would have made for more confused seas on the passage to Saumarez, we decided to remain at Musgrave and wait for the sea state to improve as the squalls move away The squally conditions persisted for most of the morning but became less frequent during the afternoon with a more consistent breeze of around 15-20 kts which was promising. The plan was to download the latest forecast early the following day and decide if we depart for Saumarez in the morning or wait until another day. The good news was that GOOLARA could rejoin the fleet at Musgrave, so all the ducks were in the pond and ready to depart when the conditions were a little less boisterous

Marine First Aid Training with Heart Training pre departure The crew from GOOLARA - Meet The Fleet Bon Voyage Party

Down Under Rally PredictWind Passage Planning Tutorials Captains & Crew Voyage Briefing

Rain squalls at sea whilst anchored at Lady Musgrave Island Lagoon

The Historic mv GOOLARA 1956 ex Pilot Cutter 63 feet LOA Converted to a Passagemaker 1996/2004

BACK FROM BEYOND

The morning forecast was much more appealing, so the fleet departed Lady Musgrave for the 125nm passage to Saumarez Reef during the afternoon.

The passage was as expected, with a 1.5m Easterly swell and frequent 2.0-2.2m set waves rolling us around. Again as expected, conditions improved during Saturday morning, making the last few hours quite pleasant with a few nice catches of Tuna and Mackerel being reported

Conditions in our anchorage at Saumarez were ideal, thanks to light winds and the protection afforded by the fringing reef. Blue Sky and clear blue water are such a welcome sight after so many months of cloudy skies, rain and murky waters caused by all the rainwater runoff So inviting that despite having just completed a 24-hour passage, tenders were in the water very soon after arrival. With snorkelling equipment aboard, our rally participants enjoyed a few hours exploring the reefs & bommies around the anchorage

The rusting hulk of the SS Francis Blair in the background, however, provides a constant reminder of just how unforgiving these reefs can be should the weather turn and combine with an error of judgement

Wreck of the Steam Ship Francis Blair - Grounded on Saumarez Reef 1945

Great Snorkelling in the lee of the wreck

Down Under Rally Members Offer $50.00 OFF MAST & RIGGING SURVEY REPORTS

BACK FROM BEYOND

Speaking of which, the forecast suggested that we could expect wind from the NW thru to the west to impact our plans for the coming week, with some models suggesting these winds will increase to 25 -30 kts during Tuesday & Wednesday.

This is one of the significant challenges facing those who wish to explore the Coral Sea Marine Park, as there are very few anchorages that are suited to anything other than the direction one can expect from the prevailing winds that vary from moderate to strong southeast (SE) Trades from April to November. The Coral sea is prone to cyclones between November & April, meaning that the area is off-limits for most cruising yachts.

So we had to revise our plans and head directly to Lihou Reef from Saumarez instead of visiting Marion Reef on the way, as there is no shelter at Suamarez Reef or Marion Reef from the seas these winds would whip up.

The forecast also told us that as Lihou Reef is 300nm north and a little further east, Lihou will not experience the stronger NW winds that had been forecast, so after much consideration and careful analysis of the forecast along with consultation with those in the know including the authority on the region, Peter Sayre, author of the Coral Sea Islands & Marine Park Guide we decided our best plan of action would be to head directly to Lihou from Saumarez the next day.

"Access to accurate short & medium-range weather forecasts when cruising in a location such as this is imperative. Had we not been able to download and assess the information available to us via our PredictWind Offshore App, which we download using an Iridium GO! we would likely have found ourselves on a dangerous unprotected lee shore for more than 24 hours "

Weather Forecast Analysis using PredictWind Offshore App downloaded with an Iridium GO!

Skippers briefing explaining the revised plan

BACK FROM BEYOND

The passage from Saumarez to Lihou Reef is just under 300nm. Based on the forecast we expected it would be made in benign conditions with very little wind so the iron sails were to get a workout

It was also important to time our arrival at the Lihou Reef pass, so we had good visibility when navigating both the pass itself and inside the lagoon to our first anchorage. This meant that the fleet would need to depart Saumarez at different times for us all to arrive at Lihou around 10:00 am

Leanne enjoying the calm conditions as we motored from Saumarez Reef to Lihou Reef

BACK FROM BEYOND

The fleet arrived at Lihou Reef, entered the pass around 10:00 am as planned, and proceeded to our first anchorage off Hermit Crab Islet.

We gathered for sundowners on the islet around 4:00 pm, after which, for most, it was an early night and time to enjoy some peace and quite after listening to the drone of the engines for around 50 hours straight over the previous couple of days Our rally partners, Greenskin Wines, had kindly provided us with a selection of their premium Western Australian wines to share with the fleet, and all enjoyed them

Some of the May Beyond The Barrier Rally Fleet at anchor off Hermit Crab Islet - Lihou Reef

BACK FROM BEYOND

The following day dawned and revealed clear skies and very little wind, making perfect conditions for a cruise north inside the expansive lagoon to the Lihou Light at the eastern end of the barrier reef The rally participants were invited to pack a light lunch and some beverages & leave their boats at anchor off Hermit Crab Islet and spend the day aboard the two big motor vessels of the fleet, CAVALLINO III & GOOLARA, for a scenic cruise to the lighthouse some 20nm north of Hermit Crab Islet

After about 3 hours of champagne cruising (more like beer & wine cruising), we arrived at the light and shuttled all of the participants back and forth in the two tenders so they could climb the light and take in the vista Peter Sayre and his wife Michelle met us at the anchorage along with Lynn & Andrew of SV Mischief, who participated in the 2021 Beyond The Barrier Rally and subsequently made friends with Peter & Michelle, were also aboard the Phoenix. Peter shared some stories of past visits to the Lihou Light The Phoenix had, on various occasions, been chartered by The Bureau Of Meteorology (BOM) to bring teams out to service the weather station at the light.

During our visit, I asked Peter Sayre how many times in the past he had experienced conditions such as those we were enjoying and he said: "only once, and that is today”.

BACK FROM BEYOND

The Lihou light is one of the most remote lighthouses to be found anywhere in the world. When you visit this lighthouse, you cannot help but be impressed The logistics of constructing the structure that the light sits atop, ferrying the components and then assembling them on the edge of a reef located 330 nm offshore are truly incredible

The Remote Lihou Light

On the return trip, we took a detour to check out the remains of the WRECK OF THE 'QUEEN CHRISTINA’, which struck Lihou Reef on the 23rd of December 1899 The story around the grounding and the subsequent rescue is a remarkable tale that Peter shares in the guide "Exploration Beyond The Barrier Reef."

Wreck of the SS QUEEN CHRISTINA - LIHOU REEF

The thanks and gratitude of the entire Beyond The Barrier Rally Fleet go out to Alan & Anne of GOOLARA & Les of CAVALLINO III for a memorable day in an extraordinary location

BACK FROM BEYOND

The following morning many of the fleet went back to the wreck of the QUEEN CHRISTINA to snorkel the remains of the wreck in the calm conditions, something that is seldom possible As you would expect, after over 100 years of being battered by the ocean, much of the QUEEN CHRISTINA has been destroyed However, there are still some very recognisable features such as the ship's frame, anchor, windlass, stern post, propeller and the triple expansion steam engine The QUEEN CHRISTINA is now home to thousands of fish, and snorkelling around her was much like viewing the world's largest saltwater aquarium

BACK FROM BEYOND

The fleet then gathered at Dianna Cay about 10nm to the SW of Hermit Crab Islet and went ashore to enjoy a sundowner on what would be our last night at Lihou.

What an absolute privilege to have spent a few days at Lihou Reef in what can only be described as idyllic conditions and with such a great group of people, but as the lyrics go in my all-time favourite song 'Freebird' by Lynyrd Skynyrd...

'I must be travelling on now, cause there's too many places I've got to see'

BACK FROM BEYOND

The following morning the fleet was again under full sail and enjoying the conditions with a 12-15kt SE breeze and about 1.5m of following seas as we made our way to our next destination, East Diamond Islet, just 42nm WSW of Lihou Reef

BACK FROM BEYOND

In his Guide to Australia’s Coral Sea Islands & Marine Park, Peter Sayre has this to say about East Diamond Islet: “East Diamond Islet is the jewel in the crown when it comes to anchorages in the Coral Sea Marine Park The pincer shape of the reef extends one nautical mile off each end of the well-protected beach”. This is the third time the Beyond The Barrier Rally has visited East Diamond Islet, and it is, without doubt, it is the favourite of the Coral Sea destinations we have visited

After our morning VHF Radio sked, most participants headed ashore for Island Yoga with Leanne (AKA Namaste Ocean Yoga / Yoga4Yachties). These sessions are always very popular with our rally participants; for many, it is their first yoga experience As is usually the case, those who attend ask at the end of the class if Leanne will be doing Yoga again each day which is testimony to how much these sessions are enjoyed. In this instance, the location tends to amplify the experience making it all the more special

BACK FROM BEYOND

After Yoga, some chose to take a relaxing walk around the islet, which measures around one-half a nautical mile in length. Whilst that does not sound too big on average, it takes about two hours to walk around the island thanks to the many interesting inhabitants that call it home, including colourful crabs, sea birds and the seemingly endless varieties of fish that swim in the shallow waters that extend from the outer fringing reef to the shores of the islet itself including snowflake eels who feed on the unsuspecting crabs

Sailing mySerenity YouTube

A snowflake eel returning to the reef edge having ambushed an unsuspecting crab

Image Credit

BACK FROM BEYOND

Thelightwindsandclearskiesmadethisuniquelocationevenmorespecialandmotivatedeveryonetoget outandenjoyallthatisonofferhere.

Thediversofthefleetwereparticularlykeentoseewhatwaswaitingbelowthesurfaceat BarracudaBommie, whichiseasilyaccessiblefromtheanchorageinatenderandafavouritewithboth diversandsnorkelersalike.

Risingfromadepthof45meterstoaround5metersbelowthesurface,thebommieisaspectaculardive withswim-throughs,avarietyofcoral&andanabundanceofpelagicandreeffishspecies.Asthename suggests,itisalsohometowhatseemstobearesidentschoolofBarracudawhichisunperturbedbythe presenceofthediversastheygoabouthuntingtheirprey.

BACK FROM BEYOND

DawnofthemorningofSundaythe5THofJune revealedyetanotherbeautifulsunnydaywithabout 15-20ktsofESEbreeze.

Webeganourmorningat08:00withtheVHFSked,followedbyourCORALSEAQUIZ,whichwassponsored by GreenskinWine.Eachdayafterthesked,weaskthreequestionsovertheradionabouttheCoralSea MarineParkbasedontheinformationinPeterSayresGuide.Thefirstpersontocallouttheirboatname andanswerthequestioncorrectlygetsapoint.Thequizrunsforafewdays,withthewinnerbeingtheboat withthemostpoints.GreenskinWinegenerouslyprovideduswith6oftheirtastiestwinesasaprizefor thewinner,whichwasthecrewfromthevesselZERO.

Afterthesked,mostoftheparticipantsheadedashoreagainforYogaat8:45,withtherestofthedaywas spentexploringaboveandbelowthesurfacewithacontinuousstreamoftendersheadingashoreor returningtotheirvesselsthroughouttheday.Apartfromtheusualplasticsandthongsthatarealways presentabovethehightidemark,occasionallymoreinterestingpiecesofflotsamarediscovered,suchas theF.A.D—picturedbelow.TolearnmoreabouttheseF.A.D.S, CLICKHERE

Overtheperiodoftherally,theparticipantscollectedquitealotofdebriswhichwasdisposedofina responsiblematterwhenwereturnedtothemainland.

DaveandHelenbroughtAustralianBoatingSupplies(ABS)about15yearsago whenitwaslocated atthefrontofGoldCoastCityMarina,partofthe GoldCoastMarinePrecinct.Sincethentheyexpandedto shedF31,andagainintoshedC17whichisrightnexttotheboomgatesandhassubstantiallyincreasedthe rangeofboatingandmarineproducts.

HavingraisedtheirfamilyinCanberra,theymovedtoQueensland,purchasedthechandleryandTropical SunsetaSeawind1160andboatingbecamealargepartofthefamily'slives.

FormanyyearsDave,Helen,Danielle,MichaelandEmmaholidayedandsailedbetweentheGoldCoastand farnorthQueenslandonTropicalSunset.Duringthistimetheytriedandtestedmanyoftheproducts currentlystockedintheshopandcanprovideadviceandknowledgebasedontheirownexperience.

The Hutcheson family and the staff at ABS have extensive boating experience and really do enjoy helping you with your chandlery needs.

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to Friday 8 AM – 4:30 PM

8:30 AM -12:00 PM, OR by phone or online when it suits you

BACK FROM BEYOND

As they say, "All good things come to an end", and the weather deteriorated as expected, with our last two days at East Diamond bringing constant rain and frequent wind squalls to around 30kts.

Astheswellbuilt,theanchoragebecamelesscomfortable,especiallyaroundthetopofthetide,astheswell wrappedaroundthereefandaffectedtheanchorage,makingitrollyforseveralhourseachday.

Thosewhohadtuckedinclosetotheisletwerelessaffectedandfoundtheconditionstobestill comfortable;however,thosevesselsanchoredfurtherout,includingourselves,experiencedsignificantroll, whichbecametedious,tosaytheleast.

OneoptionwastomakeadirectpassagetoMagneticIslandbypassingFlindersReef,asitwouldhavebeen untenableintheconditions.Wechoseinsteadtowaitouttheweatherforacoupleofdaysaswedidn't wanttomissanotherofourplanneddestinationsifwecouldavoidit.

Thebeachattheisletwasstillanenjoyableplacetobeduringthedaydespitethewettripinthetender fromtheanchorage. TheEastDiamondIsletBookExchange wassetuponthebeach,whichallowedthe readersofthefleettorefreshtheirlibrary.

BACK FROM BEYOND

WedepartedEastDiamondonthe10thonthe154nmpassagetoFlinders.

Thewindwasfavourablewitharound20ktsfrombehind.However,theseaswereconfusedasaresultof thepreviousfewday'swind.Itwasaquickpassage,withthemajorityofthefleetarrivingattheentranceto FlindersReefsoonerthanexpectedand,assuch,havingtoenduretheconditionsalittlelongerinorderto enterthereefandarriveattheanchoragewithsufficientdaylighttonavigatethemanycoralbommies alongtoroutetotheanchorage.

AllwerehappytobeintherelativecalmoftheanchorageoffFlindersMainCay afterwhathad beenanuncomfortablepassagethatwasproceededbyacoupleofuncomfortabledaysatanchor.Aftera bitofrest,weventuredashoreforawalkaroundthecayandtocheckouttheweatherstationbefore gatheringforwhatwouldbeourlastcoralcaysundownersessionandagroupphoto.

BACK FROM BEYOND

ThefleetdepartedFlindersReefthefollowingafternoonforourfinalpassage,whichsawusenterthe GreatBarrierBarrierReefviaMagneticPassandarriveatourfinalanchorage,HorseshoeBayMagnetic Island,onthemorningofthe13thofJune.

Our'BackFromBeyond’DinnerParty washeldontheeveningofthe14thatSandi`sRestauranton MagneticIsland.Withgreatfoodandafewdrinks,well,maybemorethanafewdrinks,andlivemusicto entertainusduringtheevening,itwasagreatwaytocelebratewhatwasaveryenjoyablethreeweeks togetherexploringthetrulyremoteandremarkablesouthernCoralSeaMarineParkwhichforme,isan extraordinarypartoftheworldthathasbecomewhatIthinkmaybemyfavouriteofallthecruising groundswehavevisitedoverthepast15yearsofcruising,includingallofthoseinthepacific.

A

Stephen W - May 2022

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Preventing Corrosion

Prevent galvanic corrosion and electrolysis before they happen.

Most Boat Owners have a reasonable understanding of what anodes do and why they are important. You don’t need to be an expert. There is a whole industry of scientists and engineers dedicated to the science of corrosion.

Over time, it will damage the metal parts of your boat and cause them to break down in particularly bad cases, this could destroy an entire prop and shaft in a matter of a couple of weeks.

Electrolysis happens when an electrical current passes through water. That in turn causes a chemical reaction. In terms of boating, the electrolytic reaction occurs between two metals. The electrical current strips away one metal and deposits it on another. It happens between two dissimilar metals.

Metals work at different voltages. If you have an aluminium boat but your prop is made of zinc, you are setting up a way for electrolysis to occur. Zinc has a higher electrolysis voltage than the aluminium boat hull. When a current flows through the water around your boat, it will strip away some electrons. It takes from the zinc and deposits them on the bare aluminium, which attracts the current.

This also becomes a risk when you are on the dock. An electrolytic reaction can occur between your boat and a neighbouring boat. In order for electrolysis to occur, a current has to be forced into the reaction. That usually means bad wiring.

Here are a few basic facts to keep in mind when considering your anodes:

The simple solution is to make sure your anodes come from a reputable manufacturer, as these anodes will be cast according to recognised standards and will offer suitable protection against corrosion.

In terms of your vessel, Aluminium and Zinc anodes offer a similar level of protection in sea water. Aluminium anodes are slightly more efficient, so ships and wharves which require very large anodes gain the benefits of aluminium over zinc, but for most pleasure vessels the performance benefits are marginal.

Keep in mind that for some vessels in some conditions, Aluminium anodes are not as effective as zinc. We have seen examples of Aluminium anodes that are less efficient in brackish and freshwater. Also, in some cases where vessels are in and out of the water, a crusty layer forms on the anode and the Aluminium does not have the drive potential to break down the layer, so the anodes become passive and stops providing protection.

We suggest that if you try anodes that you have not used in the past, keep a close eye on them, to ensure that they are adequately protecting your hull and/or metallic fittings.

Magnesium Anodes are for fresh water only, they must not be used in sea water. They will bubble away like a Berocca and can potentially cause damage to coating systems and hulls.

ANODE TYPES - ALUMINIUM, MAGNESIUM OR ZINC

ASELECTIONOFANODES

Information&contentprovideddirectlyinconjunctionwithBusinessDevelopmentManagerfromCAA CathodicAnodesAustralasiaandMarineTradeSupplies&Chandlery. www.cathodicanodes.com.au

Anodeselectionisavailablein-storeandonlineviaouronsiteMarineTradeSupplies&Chandlerystore onsiteatTheBoatWorks: https://marinetradesupplies.com.au/product-category/cdq-anodes/

SAILMAKING EVOLVED

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By Greg Luck

PART 5

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

ThisisPart5oftheAhoymagazineseriesofarticles based on information contained in Cruising the Queensland Coast, the eBook by Greg Luck. In Part 4, we cruised the Discovery Coast. In this part, we cruise the Capricorn Coast, stretching from Cape Capricorn in the south, near to the Tropic of Capricorn, to Cape Townshend at the top of Shoalwater Bay military practice area.

This is the start of the tropics and some great cruising destinations such as Great Keppel Island and Island Head Creek. Keppel Bay Marina, at Rosslyn Bay, a short 8nm passage west from Great Keppel Island is a good resupply stop, with fuel, chandlery and a courtesy car for going into Yeppoon.

For those that missed it, back in April John and I did a talk on the whole coast and the Beyond the Barrier expedition that John has now just completed. It is now up on YouTube.

Butterfish Bay, Great Keppel Island

Photo G. Luck

The Capricorn Coast

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

By Greg Luck

Coming from the south, most cruisers do the 42nm passage from Pancake Creek to Cape Capricorn, or 65nm straight through to Great Keppel Island. An alternate route is via Gladstone. While Gladstone is highly industrial, the Gladstone Marina is and the parklands it sits in, are one of the prettiest in all of Queensland If going that way, you can either backtrack around Facing Island, or take a shortcut through the Narrows or a shortcut via the North Channel. I do not recommend the Narrows for keel boats as you need a high spring tide to get through the channel that at its shallowest is 1.8m to 2.3m above LAT. The shortcut via the North Channel has depths of 0.5m LAT. You still need a high tide, but most high tides will get you across, depending on your draught.

Passage Notes

Gladstone Marina to Cape Capricorn via North Channel

Warning. Difficult, narrow (40m wide at Farmers Reef) and precise route with some depths only .5m LAT. Tidal assistance required.

Arrive at Farmers Reef section just before high tide. High tide occurs 15 minutes before Gladstone. It is a further 24nm to Great Keppel island from Cape Capricorn. The route until Connor Bluff on Curtis Island is within the Gladstone Pilotage Area.

Vessels over 10m are required to follow the Gladstone VTS procedures.

Pancake Creek to Cape Capricorn

Passes east of shoal area to the northwest of Pancake Creek. Passes through the Gladstone Pilotage Area and designated ships’ anchorage.

Vessels over 10m are required to follow the Gladstone VTS procedures.

Passes east of Rundle Island. Passes well clear of Cape Capricorn.

Caution: This route passes across the shipping channel and through the ship anchorage area. Ships will be anchored along the route, and the route will need to be amended while underway to avoid them and ships moving in the anchorage.

Cape Capricorn to Great Keppel Island

Great Keppel Island to Pearl Bay

Starts north to get out of the shoals then passes south of Fairway Rock and Hummocky Island then a straight part to Fishermans Beach.

Passes west of Miall Island then east of North Keppel Island Passes to the east of Haskard Island, east of Quion Island and east of Delcomyn Island Port Clinton and Perforated point lay just a few nautical miles to the south as alternate anchorages

This passage enters the Shoalwater Bay Military Training area

Caution: Check Notices To Mariners for closures

Photo: Down Under Rally

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

Passage Notes

Pearl Bay to Island Head Creek

Short hop to Island Head Creek. Arrive at daytime before high tide to ease traversal of the sand bar at the entrance.

This passage is within the Shoalwater Bay Military Training area.

Caution: Check Notices To Mariners for closures.

Island Head Creek to Middle Percy Island

Suggest leaving Island Head Creek a few hours before high tide to get up to 2 knots tidal assist when going north. Passes Steep Island to the east. If the tide is ebbing it can be 2 knots against you.

This passage is within the Shoalwater Bay Military Training area.

Caution: Check Notices To Mariners for closures.

By Greg Luck

Rte. Dist.

Warning. These are illustrative routes only. Not to be used for navigation. Click ⎈ for a GPX file to import the route as a starting point for your route planning, or ⎈ for a Navionics boating link

GreatKeppelIsland

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

By Greg Luck

Great Keppel Island provides anchorages for most wind directions. In many ways, the Keppel Islands are an idyllic place to spend days or weeks. The island has extensive walking tracks and snorkelling locations See the Visitor Guide for full details

Great Keppel Island is not a national park. All other islands in the Keppel Isles are part of the Keppel Bay Islands National Park. You can take your dog ashore on a leash on Great Keppel Island.

There are three main anchorages on Great Keppel Island: Fishermans Beach, Long Beach and Svendsen's/ Leeks Beach. The Hideaway Bar and Restaurant lies at the northern end of Fishermans Beach. This is a great place to kick back and enjoy the sunset.

Be mindful that the Capricorn coast, though in the tropics, is still affected by cold fronts, which can bring vigorous and sudden backing of winds to the SW, sometimes with a thunderstorm thrown in. We've had a couple of those and seen boats dragged onto the beach. Long Beach and Fishermans Beach face to the West or South.

Leekes/Second/SvendsensBeaches

These three beaches offer good protection from southerlies. The water is shallow, so you may have to anchor quite a way out, as shown.

On approach watch out for the reef 1nm north of Leekes Beach. It is marked with an isolated danger beacon on its northern side. Note that it extends for .2nm south of the beacon with isolated rocks beyond that. Give it a wide berth.

Sunset from Hideaway Bar, Great Keppel Island

Photo G. Luck

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

SundownersandhospitalityatSvendsen’sBeach

By Greg Luck

Svendsen’s Beach is west facing and a natural choice for sundowners. There is an Eco-accommodation business at the Northern end of the beach, Svendsen's Beach Retreat, run by Carl Svendsen and his wife Lyndie.

Svendsen's Beach Hut is located at the southern end of Svendsen's Beach. It is a great place to come ashore, have sundowners and meet other cruisers. Everyone is welcome. Feel free to bring musical instruments and have a sing-a-long! There have been some wonderful seashanty nights there with everyone joining in heartily! It has a tarp, a few chairs, benches and table, and a fireplace where cruisers can make fires provided no Fire Ban is in place.

The Svendsens ask that any fires are fully extinguished afterwards. Fires are not permitted anywhere else on Great Keppel Island, (or on beaches within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park) as they pose a serious bushfire risk.

Aerial of the Northern Beaches

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

Sailing past Port Clinton

ShoalwaterBayMilitaryTrainingArea

By Greg Luck

Almost the whole of the peninsula known by its bay, Shoalwater Bay, is a military training area. In the map of the Capricorn Coast at the start of this article, it is the faint lilac overlay that starts just north of Stockyard and continues to Macdonald Point on the Torilla Peninsula. It extends seaward to the east between 3 - 8nm from just north of Stockyard to Cape Townshend

Suffice to say all of the anchorages in this region are inside the training area.

From time to time, either the whole or parts of the training area are closed to non-military vessels and people. These closures are notified in the Capricorn Coast outside pilotage areas: Notices to Mariners. Training can include the firing of live ammunition and interaction with foreign militaries. All of the inside moorings and most of the common anchorages are along the middle of the lagoon running down towards the island. Aways maintain a radio watch on VHF16 in this area.

Anchorages along this coast are Port Clinton (all wind directions except north), Perforation Point (northeast to west winds), Pearl Bay (good protection from southeast to west), Island Head Creek (a mix of anchorages that cover all wind directions), and Cape Townshend (southeast winds). The area has high mountains with steep sides going into the ocean, with impressive rocky, steep islands.

Photo: G Luck

Image credit: Trevor Gill

By Greg Luck

PearlBay

Pearl Bay is our favourite stop along the Shoalhaven coast. It is easy and quick to get in and out of, it is pretty and it offers a surprising amount of protection. The point, plus the three close-in islands and then Split Island 1nm northeast of those, and Delcomyn Island combine to provide this protection. There are three entrances When coming from the north we often come in the northern entrance, depending on the tide. When staying at the first anchorage, we usually depart via the middle entrance. The southern entrance is the main entrance used by cruisers.

Note the rocks marked on the chart and in addition, the two community-reported rocks, extending out from the western ends of the two islands Most yachts anchor in the shallow water southeast of anchorage 2 However, we don’t have the shallow draught to get in there and it is a busy mess of yachts and the isolated rocks shown.

Lady Elliott Island from Mooring 2

For this reason, our preferred anchorage is 1. We usually have it to ourselves and it is well protected, particularly at low tide to mid-tide.

Photo: G. Luck

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

By Greg Luck

IslandHeadCreek

Island Head Creek is a large natural harbour surrounded by mountains with channels running off to the side. It a loved and highly visited anchorage.

Entrance

A sandbank lies across the entrance on a diagonal This leaves two choices: go to its south or go to its north.

The southern channel has sand on both sides, and is deeper but narrow; only 50m wide at its entrance. The northern channel is wider with a shallower shoal section. Most cruisers take the north entrance.

As with all bars, it is preferable to cross the bar close to high tide and not on an outrunning tide.

Photo: G. Luck

Photo courtesy Tourism Queensland

Calm Waters in Anchorage 1, Pearl Bay

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST

Anchorage

By Greg Luck

This is a secure anchorage from most wind directions. If the wind is northeast it will run down the creek and the outer anchorages will be exposed to some northeast

There are some deep areas > 10m and shallower areas. Anchor in one of these. You may also be able to get up a side channel if you are shallow draught. Sandflies are prevalent.

Aerial, Island Head Creek

© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4

SUCKERS and PUFFERS

Can you tell the difference between a sucker cloud and a puffer cloud and why would you want to? Clouds that grow upwards into the sky are called cumulus clouds. They start off as fluffy white ones like those in the photo to the left.

Once they get sufficiently tall, they produce a shower of rain. Again for the purpose of this article, let's call them Type B clouds.

If conditions are strongly unstable, this shower may become heavy, perhaps with hail, thunder or squally winds.

by Bob McDavitt

For the purpose of this article, let's call them TYPE A clouds

Type A clouds can be called suckers. They have a zone of calm on their leading edge. As a sucker approaches, the wind speed gradually drops away. When you see these clouds, try to sail around and between them rather than under them.

Type B clouds can be called puffers. Once the turrets grow taller than their base, they can start producing rain in the colder upper region; this rain falls and drags with it a downdraft that fans out from the back end of the cloud-like a waterfall.

Photos from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/cumulus-clouds

SUCKERS and PUFFERS

Can you tell the difference between a sucker cloud and a puffer cloud and why would you want to?

by Bob McDavitt

Note that as you look into the surface wind, the cloud will creep to your right (in the southern hemisphere).

This is because it is propelled by the stronger upper winds. Friction causes the surface wind to “leak to low pressure” and take a direction 15 to 30 degrees clockwise from the cloud wind.

When sailing upwind, put the wind to starboard (go left) to avoid the approaching calm, and aim for the LEFT edge of the cloud to catch the extra winds on its rear

As the downdraft ahead of a puffer reaches you, surface winds suddenly increase There is a direction shift around the shoulders of the cloud, and a huge calm zone that trails behind it When sailing upwind into an approaching puffer, remember to do the “squall checklist”

Secure loose items above & below deck Reef the rig

Check the compass and watch the wind on the water ahead

When the first puff of the downdraft appears, put the wind on the starboard (go left) so that we are sailing away from the puffer We may get lifted for a few minutes as we go around the shoulder of the cloud but keep aiming to the left so we avoid being caught in the trailing calm zone

Bob McDavitt is the weather guru that uses /\/\etBoB to provide weather information for cruising sailors, primarily for those in the South Pacific Learn more about Bob HERE

Wind speed in knots around a puffer

From The Galley

ByLeanne

Pre-planning meals to accommodate the galley facilities have ranged from a propane 1 pot burner to a full 4 burner/oven.

The longest passage meal planning was 21 days from Galapagos to Marquesas Islands.

Managing shopping for four people and their various tastes can be challenging. If you are familiar with the cruising lifestyle, we know taste buds change at sea. What you eat at home maybe not be what you end up craving on passages and at anchor, especially with the constant movement of the vessel.

From my experience, plan to eat more food, and when it comes to passage meals, rich flavours and heavy foods may also not be the best for your gut. Wholesome food with flavour and the potential to give you energy is the best.

Gut health has been a part of my cooking regime for the past few years. I enjoy pasta dishes but prefer GF or optional ideas to exclude it altogether. One of my favourite recipes is Eggplant Lasagne which I have adapted to suit our taste buds; it has all the flavour without the pasta, making it a little lighter than the traditional. See the recipe on the next page!

LEANNE'SSHOPPINGTIPFOREXTENDEDCRUISING:

"It’sassimpleasyourweeklyshoppinglistandmultipleitbythenumberofweeksyouwillbeawayfroma placetoreprovisionandremembertoaddsnacks!"

Whysnacksareessential!

Eveniftheyarenotinyourregulardiet,frommyexperience,planforthem…youcouldmakesomany healthyoptions,butyourtimeandabilitytopreparebeforeleavingandcapabilitiesatseatocook underwayhasalsotobefactoredin.

Happymealplanningandshopping!

Ilookforwardtosharingmorerecipeideas&tipsintheAugustAHOY.

Untilthen,wishingyoufairwinds&followingseas, Leanne

"Preparingmealsforpassageshasbeenanormalpartoflifeoverthe past30yearsforouradventuresonanumberofdifferentvessels includingmotorcruisers,sailingmonohullsandasailingcatamaranas wellasprovisioningforextendedperiodsofoffshorecruising"

Eggplant Lasagne

INGREDIENTS

500gmincedmeat

2xtinstomatoeswithbasil&herbs

1xcupofredwine

2xtbsptomatopaste

1xonionfinelychopped

2xgarlicclovesor1tspbottle(totaste)

1xtbsSalt&Crackedpeppertotaste

2xtspsItalianherbsorFreshbasil,oregano

1xtspChilliflakesor

Double vegetable recipe for large baking dish

Make the sauce a day ahead to infuse flavour

Check lasagne after 20 min, boat ovens can be a lot hotter or difficult to regulate at times

Taste a small portion of lasagne after cooking time making sure eggplant is soft and cooked through, depending on the thickness of slices and oven temperature may need a little more

FewdropsofsirachaorTabascosauce(optional)Oliveoil(infusedwithgarlicandonion)

VEGETABLELAYERS-THICKLYSLICE

1xlargeeggplant

1xlargezucchini(optional)

5xlargeMushrooms

1xRedCapsicum

Cutthickslicesofeggplantandsprinklewithsalttosweat-placeonpapertowelandlayeruntilall completed-setaside

Drizzleoliveoilindeeppan/pottoheat

Fryoffonionandgarlicuntiltranslucent

Addmincemeatfoldandbrown

Addremainingsauceingredients

Turntolowheat,placelidandsimmerfor1hour.

Placeasmallamountofwatertocoverthebottomofthebakingdish,wipethesaltcondensationoff eggplantwithapapertowelandbeginthefirstlayertocoverthebottomofthedish,nowlayerzucchini, mushrooms&capsicum,spoonoversaucetocover,repeatuntilyoufillthedish,finishwithalayerof sauceandcoverwithGratedcheese,Parmesancheesewithasprinkleofgarlicandherbsalt.

Bake160degreesfan-forcedor180Celsiusfor40minutes

RECIPE TIPS

CRUISING NEW CALEDONIA

Noumea & Surrounds

By Richard Chesher, Rocket Cruising Guides

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

By Richard Chesher, Rocket Cruising Guides

In the June AHOY, we cruised the SW coast of Grande Terre from Noumea northwest to where the lagoon meets the shore at Ouemo. This month we'll look at Noumea and the very popular close-by weekend cruising grounds.

Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, features a multicultural society with access to supplies and services, inward & outward clearance & offers something for everyone with sports enthusiasts well catered for, all kinds of social activities, entertainment, beaches, walks, museums and sights.

Then there is "The Weekend Fleet Zone" A couple of hours of lagoon cruising from Noumea attracting a flotilla of local yachts on weekends and holidays; Marine Parks with moorings, camping, a photographers paradise on healthy coral reefs, lovely beaches, windsurfing, surfing, diving, snorkelling, historical sights.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

You have to clear into Noumea, which is the only place in New Caledonia where you can easily get fuel, shore water, and anything you might need in the way of food, parts, and repairs. Many yachts wind up spending a lot of time in and around Noumea for one reason or another, and indeed, there is plenty to keep you busy and entertained in the commercial, cultural and tourism centre of New Caledonia.

Duringtheheightofthecruisingseason,you'llonlybeableto stayatthevisitor'swharfinPortMoselleMarinaforthree days.

ThePortdeSudMarinahasveryfewberthsforvisitors.This meansyou'llbeanchoredoutintheharbourformostofthe timeyou'reinNoumea.Youcangetavisitor'spermittotie yourdinghyupatthedinghywharfinPortMoselleMarina (theyjustinstalledabunchofnewdinghywharfs).

Thepermitalsogivesyouaccesstothetoilets,showersand freshshorewater.ThefuelstationattheMarinahas-in additiontodiesel,gasolineandLPGasbottles-alaundry service.

Plus, the Port Moselle Marina is right next door to the municipal market with fresh veggies. It’s a short walk into downtown Noumea with plenty of stores, museums, rental car agencies, free WiFi for Internet access, and on and on.

One thing you'll want to do in Noumea is get set up to access 4G Internet so you can stay in touch almost anywhere in New Caledonia. It's as easy as buying a visitor's SIM card packageproviding you have an unlocked 4G WiFi modem, 4G tablet or phone. If you don't, you can rent a 4G WiFi modem with an included SIM. ncpocketwifi.com

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

1.Theydriveontherightsideofthe road in New Caledonia, and some drive fast and furious. So use the striped pedestrian cross-walks, look both ways before you cross, and pay attention to the little green or red pedestrian lights at intersections.

2.Checktheweatherforecastevery morning. If a westerly wind is coming and you are anchored out in the harbour, plan on moving to the westerly anchorage early; some of the fronts kick off with a solid westerly punch that makes most of the harbour shockingly rolly polly.

3.Usecautionwhengoingashoreat night. This is important in any metropolitan area of the world, and Noumea is no different. It isn't wise to get boozed up and come staggering back to the marina on foot at midnight, use an ATM on a deserted street at night, or drive a rental car with your purse sitting on the passenger seat and the windows open common sense.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

The South Province Government has made these islands and the waters around them, into nature reserves and installed moorings so the yachts would not destroy the coral reefs or seagrass beds. There are strict - and enforced - regulations which say don't harm or even disturb the natural beauty of these islands. The Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia includes all the parks, regulations, details on protected species and fishing limits. If someone decides to spear a couple of fish in one of the parks, they'd be risking a significant fine, loss of their boat, and possibly jail time; as I said, strict. So be nice – take only pictures, leave only a ripple.

That's great for visiting yachts because, within minutes or a couple of hours sailing time from Noumea, you can tie up to a nice, well-maintained mooring, enjoy swimming over and photographing the best coral reefs in the Pacific Islands, oogle rare and endangered sea creatures, and stroll around clean, soft white sand beaches watching a variety of sea birds watching you.

The secret to maximum enjoyment in the Weekend Flotilla Zone is to either cruise to these islands on a weekdaywhen there are plenty of moorings and empty beaches around - or if you also like people watching - sail on Thursday or early Friday morning so you'll pick up a mooring before the weekend fleet arrives.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

Ilots Laregniere and Signal have moorings and park facilities for camping and picnics, while Goeland is a kite surfer's focal point, and Dumbea Pass is a surfer's destination. You’ll find a full itinerary for the Weekend Zone on the Rocket Cruising Guide, complete with routes, the best dive spots, and plenty of images.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE AREA AS A VIDEO, CLICK HERE.

AVAST THERE MATE!

Weather & Mooring Tips

Watch the weather forecast every day and forget about the lagoon islands if a westerly is coming. Some westerly protected anchorages are available, but you need to get to them before the westerly arrives.

The park moorings are well maintained, but it always pays to snorkel down and check the mooring. They are not rated for yachts over 10 meters if the wind gets up past 20 knots or during westerlies when a significant chop can build up in minutes.

If the moorings are all taken, and you decide to anchor, stay well away from the moored yachts (they have a smaller swinging radius compared to an anchored yacht) and anchor ONLY in the sand, not in the seagrass and for damn sure not on a coral patch.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Frederique and Richard Chesher have cruised New Caledonia and Vanuatu since 1980 aboard their Kelly Peterson 44 cutter, the Moira

Richard is a PhD. Marine Scientist specialising in coral reef ecology and sustainable development. Part of his research work included a workshop at the University of the South Pacific teaching lands and survey personnel of the Pacific Islands how to do resource mapping using aerial and space photography

Frederique is a professional photographer and artist.

The 2022 Rocket Nautical and Travel Guides are the result of 22 years of continuous development. Except for the NASA space images and the high-resolution aerial survey images, Richard and Frederique took almost every photograph in the Cruising and Travel Guides. They carefully did complete hydrographic surveys of all the anchorages, and the GPS routes on the guides were created from their own tracks The Moira is never in a marina Richard and Frederique update the guide with new images and information at least three times a year to ensure you have the latest, most accurate information for your adventures in New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

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These entertaining stories about sailing life began when Down Under Rally Members Martin and his wife Kerryn departed from Adelaide on their run-down yacht.

They were heading for Fremantle but forgot to turn right at Kangaroo Island and arrived in Hobart. "It was an easy navigational error to make", says Martin, who goes on to say that "the seven stories in the book were inspired by true events and have the same navigational accuracy." Available

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"To desire nothing beyond what you have is surely happiness. Aboard a boat, it is frequently possible to achieve just that. That is why sailing is a way of life, one of the finest of lives."

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