29th December: Swamped in the surf

 0800hrs: Yesterday Suzy band I drove the tender to our usual beach, but is was a bit rougher than usual.  We had had a northerly blowing all night and we had waves where previously we had had few.  I dropped the anchor to keep the tender off the beach while we went for a walk, but as we payed out the anchor rope and were right at the beach a freak wave crashed over the dinghy nearly capsizing her.  Suzy had just alighted and I was still aboard. 50% of the tender was full of water and the corn flakes daughter Ruth had spilled in the boat a few days before were floating everywhere.

I left Suzy to walk the beach, pulled the bung out and attempted to drain the 100s of litres of water under power.  Our newly constructed baler (made from a milk bottle) helped a great deal.

1400hrs: A little disappointed by the Amity anchorage we start the engines to move to Morton, however, we experience an alarm on the port engine.  It is the oil pressure and we only use a single engine and jib to make our way to the Morton Island anchorage.

1830hrs:  Arrived in our Morton Island anchorage.  It was slow going, but the place is magnificent.
I’ll see if I have a sensor problem or major engine issues tomorrow.

 

30th December: Engine Service and Morton Island Dunes

 0900hrs:  Went for a walk along the Morton Island dunes at our anchorage.  Awesome walk and very picturesque despite the overcast weather.  Went for a walk along the Morton Island dunes at our anchorage.  Awesome walk and very picturesque despite the overcast weather.

 1400 hrs:  Undertook an oil and filter change as it was due.  I hoped that it may fix our oil pressure/ temp warning sensor unit.

Pulled the sensor of the engine and cleaned it.  Fitted again and the sensor disappeared.  Fixed?

254th December 2020: Dunwich to Amity Point

 Christmas Day 2020

0800hrs: Departed Dunwich

We motored and carried the tide down to Amity point.

920hrs: Arrived at Amity point

 

A short walk around Amity point and a swim inside the shark net in the cool waters--very refreshing.

22 December 2020: Mooloolaba to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island)

 0650hrs: departed Mooloolaba marina.

Made it across the bar at low tide and started to hoist the mainsail.  Couldn't get it all the way up as the halyard had wrapped around the hounds.  Dropped the main and kept some tension on the halyard this time and it went up fine. 

We bore away south and approached the shipping lane.

0730hrs: As we approached the northern end of the shipping lane looked back to see a large ship bearing down on us.  We took evasive action and let it pass.

0740hrs: Wind is from the north and around 10 knots. We passed Caloundra traveling on the outside edge of the shipping channel.

Caloundra

The wind slowly increased and by the time we made it to Morton Island it was 25kts so we dropped the mainsail and sailed on the jib. Still averaging over 6kts.

The shipping traffic here is "mad". Very difficult to anticipate just where they are going and to stal out of their way.

1430hrs: After a short delay waiting for a ship we made a dash across the shipping channel and began the last leg to Stradbroke Island.

Carried the breeze almost all the way to "Straddy".

Dunwich

Dunwich

 

1700hrs:  Pretty "stuffed" after a big day.  Looking forward to spending Christmas here.

20th December 2020: Double Island Point to Mooloolaba

 0500hrs: Departed Double Island Point headed for Mooloolaba.  Confused seas of the headland and no wind.

 1100hrs:  We now have 5-10kts of wind from the east, but still motor sailing

1200hrs: The northerly has now kicked in at 10-15 kts and we are making good way; 6 to 7kts without our motors.  Beautiful sailing rolling across the quartering seas.

1300hrs: We gybe across onto starboard and run in towards Mooloolaba. 

1400hrs:  Coastguard have given us coordinates for waypoints across the sand bar and we program these in.  

1415hrs: The Bar crossed without incident.

1430hrs:  Arrived at Mooloolaba marina.

Lots of expensive boats and houses here and a very busy waterway with many tourist boats taking visitors.

 

19th December 20102: Inskip Point Sight seeing and the Widebay Bar to Double Island Point

 High tide today is around 1200hrs so this morning we took the dinghy ashore and walked across Inskip Point to the ocean beach.

1000hrs: Departed Pelican Bay to cross the Wide Bay Bar.

Pretty uneventful with some confused water at the beginning.

1200hrs: Cleared the bar and headed for Double Island Point.

1400hrs: Arrived at Double Island Point

Double Island Point

Problems aloft on arrival at Double Island Point. Main halyard twisted up and jammed it up.  A helpful boatie winched me up the mast off the anchor capstan to fix the issue.  An important lesson learned.