On the way back

13/1/13

27^o 30.30 S  153^o 21.70E  Horseshoe bay  Peel  Island  -  Déjà vu

Left Brisbane CBD with the outgoing tide after a night out with one of Scott’s friends. When we finally got to the harbor entrance after refueling the waves were very steep and the nose was being buried when we tried to make headway. Lost a couple of planks off the bow sprit so another job to do.  Decided to give Morton Island a miss and headed behind Mud island and across the bay back to Peel island where we stayed last week and we knew would be protected.  

Much better conditions once that decision had been made.  The boat settled down well with just 50% of the genoa and trimming for the gusts we cruised between 4 to 5 knots all day. Just as we rounded Saint Helens island however the autopilot started to give up the ghost.  Scott helmed while I played electrician.  It looks like a fried controller board at this stage so we will just have to helm ourselves for the rest of the week.  We had got very lazy over the last week and taken it for granted.  So that means two jobs to do in one day.  I hope it’s not exponential….

14/1/13

27^o 34.498 S  153^o 24.567 E  Blaksely  Anchorage  North Stradbroke Island 

The prediction is for 30+kn winds tonight so we went looking for somewhere to hole up.  Went over to One mile yacht club but couldn’t get in as the marked anchorage was less than 2m and that was high tide!

Went a bit further south and anchored outside the local black fella community and walked back to the shops (and Bakery). Headed further south and have anchored in Blacklesy beach on the edge of the national park so that we can still set the nets.  Behind some hills which should protect us from the 30-40kn winds coming tonight.  This is the closest we have been able to park to the beach so far.  Check of the tides says that this is the 2^nd highest tide deviation of the year.  The largest tide was yesterday when we were trying to cross the Brisbane bar to get out of the port-no wonder the waves were sharp.

Took the deflatable ashore this afternoon to glue it some more.  There we were -tropical island, rum, lime, soda, ice “I hope it doesn’t. rain - yep – an hour later…

FOR SALE 

8’ Inflatable tender.  New 3.6hp motor only just run in. Comes with oars, hitch ropes, patches and glue. You too can sit on a tropical island having a beer waiting for the glue to dry.

 Did I mention that Scott likes to fish…

We are going to sit out the winds tonight here. 
The little hole we are in is only just big enough for us and even then we are going to be close to the bottom during the low tide tonight.  As we were counting down the depth metre coming on low tide, we were weighing up the pro's and con's of waking up on the keels….

15/1/2013

27^o 44.329 S  153^o 22.053 E  Tabby Tabby Island

Motored this morning looking for somewhere to top up the crab supply. 

Five in one pot!

 Normally we would have put him on a hook for bait but we ate this whiting for entre…

Going to head back to Southport tomorrow and the $5 brekky...