If you have to sail from Southport to Sydney, and you’re in a hurry, what would you wish for: 25 knot northerlies and a 3 knot current behind you? That’s exactly what we’ve got! In just over 10 hours since leaving the Gold Coast Seaway we’ve done 90 miles directly towards our target: Broken Bay, Sydney. At this rate we’ll do the 400 mile trip in less than 48 hours, even allowing for loss of the current around Port Macquarie!
Nearly ran into a whale…
We were still motoring off Surfers Paradise, at the start of our passage to Sydney, with the Autohelm steering. I was down below navi-guessing when I heard excited shouts on deck. I poked my head out and nearly crapped in my pants! There was a tail out the water, wide as Sunny Spells is long, probably 30 metres dead ahead!
Two leaps to the helm, Authelm off, 90 degrees to port. Hey dudes, are you nuts!!!?
A big day… Solo round from Mooloolaba to Southport, going outside Moreton Island.
Got up early and left Mooloolaba around 5AM. I motor-sailed into the easterly until I got to Cape Moreton. Once I turned the corner, I could close-reach down the outside direct to Southport, making 7 to 8 knots.
Motored into the Gold Coast Seaway around 7PM. Ninety miles, thirteen hours: not bad for an old single-hander…
Found the Hogs Breath Cafe open and stuffed my face with a rack of ribs, washed down by a cold Corona!
I crossed the Wide Bay Bar this morning on a rising tide – it was painful. It took two hours against the current that was running up to 3 knots at times.
It was worth the early start though. I soon had the asymetric kite up and I was flying down the coast to Mooloolaba, racing all comers! Three sail changes later (ASO, poled out genoa, ASO, poled out genoa) I motored into Mooloolaba. Not a moment too early either. A low was moving up the coast and rain and south-easterlies up to 30 knots are forecast for tonight.