Getting out there

OK now for a few photos
First lot are of our cruise around Sydney with John on Flemingo.
You ill see what a nice tidy clean cruiser looks like.
Flemingo is impeccable.

Now this lot are when we are heading south from Green Cape/Gabo
The first few hrs when we caught the tuna were pretty good and then it got crappy for about 36 hrs and no photos were taken.
The last few are from when we went thru Schouten passage into some very nice calm water and then down to our present anchorage at Maria Island.

Great Pics keep them coming on your journeys

Got word from John on Flemingo he has departed Sydney on his way down to Hobart. AIS has not had a position for about 15 hours but think he should be in Eden today.
I suppose he will wait for a weather window before crossing Bass Strait.
Looks like some nice motor boatin weather down that way in a few days time..
Any way hope he has a good safe trip and I will see him in Hobart.
I fly back from work in Port Hedland tonight and then back to Hobart on Sunday.

Time to get back boating and get Tidahapah ready for the Wooden Boat Festival.

Cheers
Benn

G'day Benn et al,

Arrived at Triabunna this morning after a pretty easy passage south.

Sydney-Eden 208nm 27hrs, averaged 7.7.

Eden Triabunna 360nm, averaged 7.5

Good surfing conditions for the first 30 hours, but we got slapped around a bit off Flinders when the wind gods didn't quite agree with our forecast and we could only manage 5kn grunting into a nasty southerly slop.

cheers,

Nice work John.
I saw on vessel tracker you were well off shore going past Wineglass Bay.
Winifred is not far behind you somewhere, looks like they left Sydney the day after you.
Flying down to Hobart tomorrow afternoon.
I see Triabunna are having a little festival 1/2 Feb May attempt to get there on the boat before the Hobart Festival. New marina at Tribunna apparently, is it completed yet?
May see you next week.
Cheers
Benn

The Triabunna 'classic festival' is a good idea but it seems the event hasn't stirred up much interest so far, Benn.

Acording to locals very few enquiries have come in and I guess planning ahead is not in a timber boat owner's nature If it flies it will be a pretty spontanous happening I reckon.

The new marina pontoons have arrived but the construction hasn't started yet. There's always room at the wharf - the fishermen here are very relaxed and friendly about us lying alongside and Stan the dockmaster does a great juggling act.

cheers,

Doing a little clean up work before the Wooden Boat festival and have decided to give the aft cabin top and wheelhouse aft bulkhead a quick 2 pack gloss freshen up.
Have also fitted some pelmets over the blind tops, every little bit helps.
Fills in the days instead of drinking.

How do you like your Garmin radar? What scanner did you go with?

Oliver,
Used the Garmin a lot on the way south from the Gold Coast and love it.
Bring it up either stand alone or as overlay on the plotter.
Definition is fantastic , Radar is Garmin GMR 18xHD 18" 4Kw 36 Nm High Definition radome radar scanner. I like the enclosed scanner as it is mounted on my main mast.
Viewing it via 2 GPSMAP 8012 12" Multi-touch glass multi-function displays.
Cheers
Benn

Well the Wooden Boat Festival is over.
What an incredible 4 days of boat porn /eye candy. All manner of wooden boats, sail, motor sailors, motor boats, and an endless supply of wooden dinghys, rowing boats of all shapes and sizes.
John departed for Sydney this morning and I will hang around for a bout 6 more days as gayle and her girlfriend do a Thelma and Louise trip around a few Tassie spots.

Looks like a great time Benn. Loved this photo.



Someone always parks a bigger boat near me too

Hey Benn, great pics. Lovely venue isn't it. Did you go to the Salamander market - bet the women did. And did you get to visit the Drunken Admiral pub..?

Peter all of the above.
Have been to 2 previous Boat Festivals but this first with own boat.
Drunken Admiral for a meal or 2 plus the Ball and Chain (excellent) Shipwrights Arms for copious amounts of Amber fluid and rum. The place was full of all the Qld boat builders and owners etc, sawdust and bullshit.
Now down North Bruny island
Cheers
benn

Well it looks like the Tassie cruise is coming to an end.
We are presently anchored in Cygnet Harbour, been visiting friends and going ashore in between strong Easterly winds and cold rain.
Tomorrow it is off to Kettering , fuel up for the return trip home and visit a mate with a 60 ft steel motor yacht that he is presently adding a new aft cabin to. A big project for a bloke my age and doing it all himself. Hope to have some pics after tomorrow.
After that it is into Hobart , clean up buy some stores, the Boss will fly home and my mate will fly in for the trip north.
Good guy to have o board , was the Master on the Aureoa Australis until he went piloting in Gladstone.
Was going to go as far as Pittwater and stay a while but may go all the way home about 1000 odd miles.
The Boss and I have decided that we will come back down for the next Wooden Boat Festival and also cruise some more..
Lookin good so far so hope the weather has a nice turn for our Bass Strait crossing, looks like a nice high coming across about next weekend.
Cheers
Benn

Sounds like all is going well for you in Tassie, Benn. - (other than the usual cool weather)
We went to the SA wooden boat festival at Goolwa on the weekend. It was the opposite. Stinking hot @ 41 degrees, but some cool boats, and lots of beverages enjoyed.

Best of luck for the journey home.

Slowly heading home. Presently holed up in Wine Glass Bay, very strong westerlies.
Hangin of the Excel with about 70 mts of chain out.
Not to bad , chilled Chard and Pinot Gries with some fresh crays. May be the wind will blow for a few more days.

Looks like there is no hardship in waiting for better weather.......

Brian,
A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
This westerly is pretty consistent ,has hit a 37 knot max so far so see what tomorrow brings.
Would like to get to the Gold Coast by the 10 th all going well.

Sorry to hear you are going to miss Pittwater Ben, still there's always next year, safe journey.

Andy,
The way the weather is going Pittwater looks like it may be our stop.
So see what next week brings.
This wind is not abating at present just getting a consistent 30 knots as we speak.
Cheers
Benn

Saturday/Sunday looks very possible for the strait Benn, with Babel a reasonable staging point.

Great pics Benn. Wooden boat festival looks like a lot of fun .

John,
Wind peaked at 50 knots today.
Predict wind is giving a good plan for Sunday.
We hope to head further north tomorrow and see how it all goes.
Hope to get up to Eddystone and hop from there but further up would be good.
Cheers
Benn

Can you still catch crays in 50kn Benn?

Tidahapah said:

Wind peaked at 50 knots today.

Click to expand...

Sounds a wee bit nautical Benn, hang tight cowboy and be safe out there.

John,
The day before the pot was still doable from the tinny, a bit wet but worth it.
Last night and today she was howling, wind has now eased we actually saw single figures a minute or so ago.
Get away in the morning and head for Eddystone , ready to cross.
Cheers
Benn

Marine Rescue Logon/Off App

Slight hijack, which may be useful.
Marine Rescue (NSW state) is today launching a mobile/cell phone app to enable easy logon/logoff. MR provides radio cover and assistance on the NSW coast, typically when venturing offshore you log on at departure and log off when back in enclosed waters (if you don`t logoff they look for you), plus they may request or make contact while you are offshore to check progress. Once you logon, they keep your boat details on file. A useful and comforting service, MR is a Govt. assisted volunteer organization. Transiting up the coast, they can pass you from one localised service to the next as you progress.
Not sure how the App will work, being new, but it is recognition of mobile phone coverage. MR has long taken a mobile number when you VHF logon. I don`t think it will do away with the obligation to carry a VHF offshore, nor should it.

Anchored up under the south side of Eddystone Point.Top North east corner of tassie.
Not the greatest anchorage, 3 mtr swell running into the beach and we are anchored off in 10 mts of water with a nice westerly wind.
Not the greatest anchorage but there are 2 cray boats anchored so we are in good company.
Get away at 0400 dark o'clock to cross the strait.
Weather looks like it could be reasonable for the crossing and really good going up the NSW coast.
Just gotta see how it goes.

Hope you have a safe crossing Benn. Are you aiming for Eden?