BRISBANE TO MOOLOOLABA & RETURN JOURNEY TO TASMANIA

On the 18th October 2010 we motor sailed across Moreton Bay, up the coast past Calloundra and into the river at Mooloolaba. Used an anchorage area in the river for a few days before coming into the Mooloolaba Wharf Marina, where it was easier to get ashore. This also enabled us to enjoy a wonderful dinner for Ron’s birthday at “Fish on Parkin”

This was more or less an exploratory trip for the future slipping of “Finesse”. We returned to Tangalooma. On this return trip we found that our AIS (the device that can spot and track large commercial vessels on our chart plotter) began to malfunction. It showed large vessels to be a mere 5 seconds away from us when in reality they were at least 30 minutes away. We later had this looked at by a “Raymarine” agent but it was not rectified until months later when we left the Brisbane area and sailed south.

A number of other boaties told us of their own similar problem in the Moreton Bay area.

Whilst at Tangalooma we used the sea scooter to explore the submerged wrecks to help us see the beautiful fish life. Unfortunately one of the sea scooter nose cones fell overboard at night whilst the batteries were being recharged. A large ship passing close by caused a huge wash which rocked us quite violently causing the nose cone to fall overboard. A search proved fruitless.

How interesting that on the eve of our departure from Hillarys that one of the sea scooters was damaged when the nose cone exploded due to a build up of hydrogen gas which some how ignited. That unit was replaced and now here at Tangalooma we are back to one functional scooter. Some things are meant to be.

Whilst at Tangalooma this time we had some great weather and welcomed the arrival of Richard and Wendy on Charon (from Port Arthur Tasmania).

The boat numbers increased from 2 to 51 over the weekend then dropped back to a mere handful by Monday, clearly a popular spot for the locals.

Early November 2010 we again motor sailed to an anchorage at Peel Island known as Lazaret Gutter which gave good protection from SE-SW winds. A few days later we sailed into the “Little Ships Club” at Dunwich on North Stradbroke Island, a delightful grassy, tropical setting with very reasonably priced meals.

Dunwich originated as a mineral sand mining town and sand is still mined today although its future is uncertain due to Native Title claims. The area has also been a quarantine station with the local cemetery revealing many deaths at young ages of people arriving by sailing ships.

We cruised south along the Western shore of North Stradbroke to Blaksley anchorage, a very pretty spot. As the waterways are quite shallow, we waited for the high tide before heading further south via Canalpin, Macleay Island, Canaipa Pt, through Canaipa passage between North Stradbroke Island and Russel Island to Jumpinpin then inside South Stradbroke Island to an anchorage near a resort area at Tipplers Passage.

Although these inland waters were discoloured and could be used for swimming, it was great to walk across the island to the clean ocean for a swim. It was here that a large fish startled us by jumping out of the water right in front of us.

A few days later we pulled up anchor and cruised further south past the Aldershots to The Broadwater past the Sovereign Islands down North Channel to the Marine Stadium (known also as Bums Bay) near the Gold Coast Seaway.

Dinghied across to Southport for shopping, took in the latest Harry Potter movie and moved Finesse to Wave Break Island as the Marine Stadium was to be closed off to anchoring vessels for an event.

Wave Break Island was a nightmare as schoolies week had just begun and drunken teenage houseboat operators with running tides and lack of anchoring expertise was a recipe for disaster.

We happily moved next morning back to Tipplers Passage only too pleased to find that Richard & Wendy on Charon arrived the next day. Had fun exploring the Bali Style Resort area and danced along with the day trippers.

Used the high tide to move north past the shoals just before Jacobs Well. Called into Streiglitz then continued to Krummell Passage between Karragarra Island and Russell Island. Anchored opposite the ferry jetty on Russell Island and went ashore for supplies.

It was here we mailed the Navman chart plotter back to Sydney for a replacement as the screen had blacked out.

We carried on to Deanbilla Bay only to again meet up with Charon. We unintentionally “gatecrashed” a wedding at the Little Ships Club along with Richard and Wendy when we decided to have our evening meal there.

As a consequence of the “gatecrash” and making new friends, we were loaned a 4WD Nissan Patrol to explore the towns of Amity and Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island.

Point Lookout was by far the larger town and catered for tourists, had lovely walks, good clean surfing beaches and laid claim to a visit over 200 years ago by Captain Cook.

Encountered more genset problems. The engine kept cutting out and with Richard’s help we found that the coolant reservoir on the motor was dry (causing the heat cut out switch to cut the motor) yet the overflow coolant expansion tank was full. A blocked elbow and a very slow leak from one of the hoses was found to be the fault.

We visited Peel Island (Horseshoe Bay) and then sailed north to Kounungai a 10-12 metre deep anchorage adjacent to large white sand hills at the southern end of Moreton Island. A walk ashore and up these gigantic sand hills revealed a fantastic view across the Pacific Ocean. Once again the sandflies attacked Peta quite viciously; even her prolonged use of Vitamin B1 seemed to have little to no effect.

We motored back across Moreton Bay to Newport Marina on 8th December, 2010 and readied the boat over the next few days for the impending tropical cyclone season whilst we returned to Perth.

Beres and Marg Coley picked us up at Perth Airport and we enjoyed their hospitality for a couple of days before moving to Colin Sharps house at Yokine (close to our factory unit) for a couple of weeks until Christmas was over).

Beres along with Peta’s brother Bob has been one of our EPIRB emergency contact people.

We spent a lovely Christmas with most of our immediate family at a picnic at Heathcote. (Shelley was in Darwin)

After Christmas we moved into the factory unit so that we could destroy most of Ron’s old practice archive records and prepare for shipment of our household gear for storage until freighting to Tasmania.

The weeks in the factory were hot and the days were long but finally the day came when our 20 feet long sea container arrived. It took us both 3 days to load using Ron’s’ daughter Keryn’s wise advice on “how to load a truck”. Her advice was invaluable. Ron’s son Blair took away trailer loads of plumbing, electrical, hardware and timber which Ron had taken many years to accumulate. Yes it was hard for Ron to give away his many years of collectables but the reality was that it could not all fit into the container.

With the container finally removed for storage we took a well deserved break and stayed a few days with Peta’s brother Bob and his wife Gerry at Binningup Beach before farewelling Charlie and Robin at Wandering. (Charlie left Hillarys with us and sailed our first legs to Esperance).

We put the JBA sports car on the train bound for Adelaide and stayed overnight with Norma Penning a long time friend. After a tearful farewell we drove the Jeep and off-road camper away from Perth on 1st February, 2011.

We visited Wave Rock at Hyden (Peta had never been there), then went to Lake Ballard (out the back of Menzies) to see sculptures set out on the lake. It was very slippery and muddy and we managed in knee deep mud to see only 3 out of some 50 odd statues.

Our trip across the Nullarbor was eventful with a seized wheel bearing some 50 kms east of the Nullarbor Roadhouse (who were particularly unhelpful) and 100 kms west from the nearest mechanic at Nandoo (who thankfully had a tilt-tray truck) as the trailer had to be piggy-backed there for repairs.

The JBA was retrieved from the depot in Adelaide and after a complimentary night at John Culshaw’s Majestic Hotel in the city we drove separate vehicles back to Port Vincent.

Here Cab and Jenny Butler put us up whilst their Alan Pape design 40 feet yacht “Hakuna Matata” was readied for our voyage with them to Kangaroo Island. We spent 5 days on KI, attending the yearly race meeting, caught up with Cab and Jenny’s son John and his partner Tara before sailing back via Adelaide and then to Port Vincent leaving our vehicles in storage at their farm. Cab and Jenny also joined us for a few days last June in Sydney whilst on their way up to Queensland. So another sail under the Sydney Harbour Bridge was arranged, one of many whilst we were in Sydney. Whilst in Port Vincent we caught up again with Ted and Ela who sailed previously with us to Kangaroo Island.

We flew back to Perth for John and Cath’s wedding (Peta’s nephew). More farewells to children, family members and close friends then returned to Finesse on 6th March in Newport Qld.

Days later Finesse was back in Mooloolaba for her annual antifoul (now 2 years) and inspection. After the usual drama and stress of seeing your own vessel lifted out (hanging in slings for it’s transit to chocking and cradle) we found that the yard operators were excellent. We had to replace a cutlass bearing and we replaced the genset hoses (getting old and spongy). We did sanding and polishing whilst waiting for good weather (winds) to head north to the Whitsundays and up the Coral Coast.

On the afternoon of 1st April the very day before we were to head north, we received an e-mail from the lady renting our house in Tasmania advising us she was moving out 6 months earlier than planned. After nearly 2 years of cruising this was a dramatic turnabout realising that this particular voyage had almost reached its “use by” date.

So instead of heading north we headed south using the inland waterways we had become familiar with, to get to the Gold Coast Seaway.

After waiting a week for good weather we headed out at 2300 hours into a wet and bumpy sea until south of Point Danger near the NSW/QLD border after which the seas became smoother.

We reached Iluka at 1400 hrs (a 15hr/105 NM trip) averaging 7 knots.

Departed Iluka for Coffs Harbour to pick up Peta’s brother Bob who joined us for the sail back to Tasmania.

The journey down the coast was fast averaging 6-7 knots most of the way.

There were a number of overnighters and we rostered ourselves to a 2 hour watch with 4 hours off right through day and night. This worked well as you could take a decent break and rest or sleep.

Our trip saw us visit Camden Haven (Laurieton) (17 hrs), Port Stephens (12.5hrs), Broken Bay (13.5 hrs) then to Sydney to dodge “coming” weather and catch up with Ron’s sister Helen.

Stayed one night at the Royal Motor Yacht Club and saw John Culshaw’s new 55ft Beneteau, (we first met John in Port Lincoln and have crossed paths along the way many times), we spent the second night at anchor at Black Wattle Bay next to the Sydney Fish Markets, which we enjoyed.

We left Sydney mid afternoon and reached Botany Bay for an overnight anchorage and then on through to Ulladulla (15 hrs) then Bermagui (10.25 hrs at 8 knots). We then sailed for 2 nights to Lady Baron at Flinders Island (39.5 hours) reaching there just on dawn, another Bass Strait crossing behind us. Found the electronic chart lead line into Lady Barron did not agree with the visual lead lights and we bottomed 3 or 4 times – thankfully a flood tide pushed us over the sand bank and into deeper water. One of those cases where reality must take preference over “myth”, i.e. believe the lights.

We experienced the Three Peaks Yacht Race at Lady Barron, over the Easter weekend, staying on the local jetty for 3 days sitting out 40 knot winds and waiting for the seas to calm down. Departed Lady Baron past the “Pot Boil” at high tide via the Vansittart Shoals down the East Coast of Tasmania to Fortesque Bay (just north of Tasman Island). (29.5 hrs at 6 knots), this was our last overnight anchorage.

Departed Fortesque Bay for a fabulous run on a beautiful sunny day for the final run to Kettering in the D’Entrecasteau Channel, Finesse’s new home port and our last day of voyaging for the past 2 years.

STARTED 4TH APRIL 2009 – ENDED 27TH APRIL 2011


We take this opportunity to give a big thankyou to brother Bob for his assistance on the journey back to our new home and for his ongoing support and advice. Bob managed to sail with us on 3 separate occasions, Bunbury to Mandurah, Robe SA to Devonport TAS, and the final journey Coffs Harbour NSW to Kettering TAS. We had a wonderful journey together.

A special thanks also to Beres and Marg for their many phone calls during our trip, keeping us in their radar and following our journey from their coffee table map. Thanks for your help and advice over the past 2 years. Beres and Marg were able also to join us in Brisbane, Tangalooma on Morton Island & Newport Marina.

Many thanks to Ron’s sister Helen and Frances and Colin who were our mail collectors, which made living aboard much easier, as we had no fixed address, where do you redirect your mail? Thank goodness for computers.

Also to Charlie Strickland who began our journey with us from Hillary’s to Esperance, getting Peta through her first ever night sail, Busselton to Albany, 55 hours with his humour and encouragement.

A special thanks to Alan Paul who joined us in Esperance to Streaky Bay, that horrific Bight Crossing 4 days of a living nightmare. Thank you.

We also wish to thank all the new friends we have made during this time, in the many different places we have visited who have made us so welcome. We know we will see you again.

To our close cruising in company friends, Rob & Lorraine (Songlines) from Geraldton, now relocated to Strahan Tasmania, first met in Streaky Bay then areas of SA. Anne and Cran (Letting go) from Newport Qld, first met in Adelaide, then in Tasmania & Queensland and finally Richard and Wendy (Charon), from Tasmania, first met in Bantry Bay Sydney, then Iluka, and various areas between Gold Coast Seaway and Morton Bay and finally Newport Marina Queensland. We had some great times and I know we will cruise together again someday.

To our family members Ben, Tarryn & Jordan, who visited in Melbourne, Shelley, Lillian and Keryn, Brad who visited in Sydney. To Jason who was our first visitor in Tassie since we moved in to our new home. Thank you.

Finally to all our family and friends who have supported our journey over the past 2 years.

A BIG THANK YOU.