I got up this morning at 6, intending to sail north at least as far as Narooma, slowly making my way back to Sydney, having given up on the idea of sailing to Hobart. It just seemed like a lot of hard work and then there was still a return passage that would have to follow.

As I left Twofold Bay I listened to the weather forecast on the VHF and asked myself why I was sailing north when I had three days of nor-easters to come that would get me to Tassie so easily… I turned south, felt the sting of the southerly… and turned north. Another ten minutes went by before I turned south again, this time for good! I called up the Marine Rescue at Eden and explained that I had a change of heart and was now heading south!

Bass Strait: Gabo Island to St Helens

As I entered Bass Strait I realised that a long night of motoring into a 3-4m swell and a 10 knot southerly could be avoided by going into the lee of Gabo Island and waiting ’till the next morning.

Anchored in the lee of Gabo Island

What a great move! It’s a bit rolly but, to be fair, I’ve anchored in worse places, and the scenery unbelievable. It is truly a little remote wilderness, complete with penguins on the rocks and not a soul in sight.

I’ve used the time here (I arrived at around 3pm) to check the engine (oil and coolant etc) and top off the diesel from the jerry cans. A lovely dinner and hot shower (with 1.4 litres of water from my fabric softener bottle with holes in the cap) followed and now I’m off to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day…

Sunset over Victoria from the lee of Gabo Island