1770

5^th and 6^th April 2013

Stuck here with in Bundaberg  wind warning current. Even if the weather improves it looks like Lady Musgrove will be out as the winds will pick up the wave heights. Finally cleaned out the long range diesel tank, fitted some fuel filters and other boring stuff.

Fuel filters..talk about exciting!

Merv got lucky and picked up a couple of birds here in the marina.

It’s his super cool moustache.  It drives the chicks crazy. These two started to make a nest under it on the bow.  It’s time to get moving.

7^th April 2013

Bustard Bay  24^o 8.175S 151^o 41.135E

I had a late start as I had to get fuel.  My first solo docking at the fuel dock.

No one died…

I filled the big tank with 698 Litres. It will take another 200L but I wasn’t sure whether the inspection cover would seal correctly.  I thought I would give it some shaking around at sea first to see if it was going to leak….Be careful for what you wish for.

There aren’t any more photos from today. By about lunchtime I was cruising up the coast messaging pictures of my feet up on the deck to all the poor people back home at work.   Little did I know that I was just about to get my smug, big, hairy arse kicked…

About 2 in the afternoon I realized I wasn’t going to get to 1770 in daylight. Apparently the entrance is tricky.  Well, I thought I’d sneak in north of it into Bustard Bay and anchor up before heading in on the high tide the next morning.

There was a front working its way up behind me and looked like it could be trouble so I reeled in some sail.  By 3:00 the wind was picking up a bit too much and I rounded up into the wind to get the sail down.  I must have spilt diesel under the mat and it slipped out from under my feet sending me across the cockpit and the boat into irons. Water over the back, ropes and crap sloshing around in the cockpit. What a bloody mess.  I struggled up a little battered and got the boat the boat back under control and heading into the wind.  It took a little while to get the flogging sails back in and the boat was hobby horsing all over the place.  The seas weren’t big. Just washing machine messy.

When I finally got the boat motoring back on course and checked out the wind gauge – 30+ knots Something not right here.  As I went down below the 4:15 weather report came over the VHF.  “Securitay. Securitay.  A strong wind warning has been issued…”   Yeah? No kidding?  Merv and I had a bit of a chuckle.  Is talking to inanimate objects a sign of madness?

Anyway, I ploughed on with no other option but to make Bustard Bay.  The boat was getting tossed around in the slop but grinding along.  It could be worse.  Then it started to rain buckets. After sunset visibility was bugger all and I finally got into Bustard Bay just after 8:00pm.  I had to trust the chart plotter that I was on the right course.  At least when I got there I was protected from the wind.  Came into the shore to about 6 meters of depth.  A little closer and I could hear the breakers on the beach.  Had a little recon around with the depth sounder and dropped the anchor and had a rum while making sure it had set.  Really crappy night checking the anchor regularly and the boat was still in wave and swell.

Well that was my first solo sail on Charisma.  Not uneventful but the boat will handle a lot more if needed.  I just need to be careful and keep everything ship shape.  The only casualties were some bruises, a little skin off my butt(no photo – can’t reach)and  Merv has lost a bit of his moustache chaffing on the rear step.  I’ve got a nice new fender for him that I’ll fit in 1770 tomorrow.

Oh by the way,  the inspection cover on the diesel tank does leak.  It just needed to be shaken up a bit to see where.  And….  The Yanmah hour meter is working again????

9^th April 2013 

1770 24^o 9.719S 152^o 52.947E

I’ve read everything before starting this trip. Don’t believe Alan Lucas’s book.  It’s so out of date that there is hardly anywhere left to anchor a yacht without being on the bottom.  The locals seemed to have put any coloured marker anywhere THEY know where it is shallow.  Had a chat with a guy on a cat who was parked up on a sand bank and decided I would try and find a flat bit with a couple of meters of water on it and use the keels.

High and Dry ...I can walk to the boat.

1770 is a real place.  It was named by lieutenant  Cook in – yes – wait for it - 1770.  It has come a long way since then.  They have sealed the road into it and it is a real little thriving community.  It has a camping ground and about 50 ostentatious  holiday homes that are either for sale or rent.  It has a manned real estate office, and the usual fishing holiday businesses just like anywhere else.

It does however have history.  To demonstrate -  I had a latte at the beachside café and walked through town.  Along Captain Cook Drive(He wasn’t yet a captain) up Endeavour Drive,  across Joseph Banks Street (you getting the idea) and took the money shot…

Did you know that Cook was here too?

By the way, I’ve figured out how to set a 10 second delay on the camera to take a photo so you can expect lots of thumbs up from now on. Walked back along the beach and this is the entrance.

I’m glad I didn’t try to get through here last night.

On the way back from my walk I found a couple of surfboards that Cook left behind tucked away in some trees..

Didn't you know that Cook was an explorer and a stand up paddler?

The tide has turned and I’m off the bottom now so it safe to leave and go to the pub. Of course, there is a beach side pub.  Going to buy a bloke who gave us a hand with the inspection cover a beer.  I caught a  couple of live mullet for bait so the fishing is on tonight…