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Post by Xantia on Jan 30, 2015 20:57:03 GMT
After replacing the anchor windlass last week we went into the Channel for a night. The weather was not summer, with a southerly of 10 to 20 knots and occasional showers. First we headed for Barnes Bay but when we got to Alexanders Point it was obviously not good in Sykes or Alexanders. In such conditions the Duckpond isn't even worth looking at and our old standby of Gentlemans corner cops the odd gust around the corner. So that left only Lodge Bay which looked all right.
But we had another trick left, so we turned and went around to Apollo Bay where we had a comfortable couple of days and even caught a few fish as a bonus. The wind has to be westerly before Apollo Bay becomes nasty; even SW can be OK. However, it doesn't look that way on the chart. If you look at the wind predictions it is usually a bit calmer there than further east, as we have experienced. You get to watch in comfort the boats trundling past up the Channel into Barnes Bay where it's not as good.
The moral of the story is to try anchorages which look like they might be good even though the books discount them.
By the way, there were large elephant fish for the taking if you eat them. We put put half a dozen back although they apparently taste like shark, which surprisingly they are.
Cheers, Ian
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Post by zofiasailing on Jan 31, 2015 13:16:08 GMT
Xantia/Ian Just checked in and found your wonderful and informative updates regarding the Channel. Yes, it was us on collector at Kettering evading the 30-40kn blow. We've been sampling various bays and cottoned on to the idea of whizzing from anchorage to anchorage depending on wind status. Currently hiding at Sandyrock Bay hoping to one day see the sun again! Fabulous cruising grounds. Seems like there are 500,000 Tasmanians and 600,000 yachts! Eva & Brian SV Zofia
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Post by Xantia on Feb 1, 2015 0:05:42 GMT
Hi Zofia,
I did call you on 16 but we are having the usual battery problems so I turn everything off when we aren't using it and our VHF listening is sporadic. If you are in the Huon you wouldn't hear us anyway. The fridge is first priority. It runs 24 hours a day and is usually stuffed with goodies, and as we catch some good fish it often works hard during the day. At anchor we use a Honda to keep the battery up but usually at night when we can watch TV. Solar panels are the next big purchase, the liferaft goes on this month.
We'll be back on the water later in the week but only to put Semco on the teak, probably Thursday to saturday looking at the weather. If you are around Kettering give us a call. I sent details to you in a personal message. After that we can get away for a trip.
Amazing weather we are suffering. We cannot recall having a fire in the house in January before and it's been on for days. It was the wettest january we have measured here and we are already a third of the way up to our annual rainfall. We have some easterly rain events before though. I suppose it's entirely consistent with global warming though. The sea temperatures here are soaring as the east Australia current comes closer, so that creates big slow moving lows and lots of rain. We haven't had snow on the ground for years and years now so we seem to be changing to Sydney weather. But the schools start soon and that's when our summer really begins.
It's good weather for Simpsons and Aitkens Point overnights; nice spots with good fish but they cop the sea breeze normally in summer. See you later
Ian and Wendy
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Post by Xantia on Mar 11, 2015 19:40:33 GMT
We are home again after our first trip after our maintenance time. We went to Great Taylors bay thinking the weather would be kind. No hope of that this year. We shuffled back and forth between Mickeys Bay and Lighthouse Jetty Beach as a cold front passed each day. Winds were over thirty knots at times. Still, we managed a walk and caught a few flathead and one Atlantic Salmon (a fish farm escapee for those of you who don't live here). Eventually we moved back up the Channel to Quarantine Bay and good conditions for some more setting up work and here we added another Atlantic salmon and seven each of flathead and big mullet. Fresh mullet, filleted and skinned, crumbed and shallow fried, is much better eating than tradition has it, although not up to flathead status. We now have enough fish in the freezer for over a month so we'll leave them in the water, except the AS of course; if we don't get them the seals will, as they aren't smart enough to escape the seals.
The liferaft holder on the transom is excellent. However it needs a little tweaking to improve the attachment. When I get a photo I'll post it on another part of this forum. It's pretty well out of the way, takes less than ten seconds to launch, and doesn't involve going on the foredeck in bad conditions. Now we have to sort out two grab bags which will live in the cockpit table hatch, making stepping off a sinking boat a thirty second affair, if that.
Cheers
Ian and Wendy
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Post by zofiasailing on Mar 16, 2015 22:16:11 GMT
It's worth actually checking the tanks. Their capacity is in the top of the moulded plastic. Our documentation indicated 300L. In reality we have one tank of 150L and the other is 200L which was a surprise when we discovered it. On the down side we also discovered our fuel tank was only 129L - about 30L less than we first thought!
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Post by zofiasailing on Mar 16, 2015 22:38:00 GMT
Xantia Sorry we missed you in the Channel. Our 6months in Tassie is on the curtain call. Transited Dennison Canal and Marion Narrows on Friday 13th without incident and found it trickier than the trip into Coffin Bay, SA which we'd done exactly 12 months ago. Sitting in Prosser Bay waiting to sneak the next base and sample Wineglass Bay again. Maybe 2nd time lucky. Last October it poured. Shame that summer forgot to visit Tassie this year! Notwithstanding, it's delivered more than we could ever have expected including the 2 months lolling about in the fabulous D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Need to 'man up' now for passage back to the 'North Island'. Thanks for all your advice. Have left lots of boat dollars in Tassie. Zofia leaves here with a TV and a BBQ, optimistic purchase of a fan, plus raised waterline. Zofia is now also registered in Tas (300% saving on WA fee). We also bought 'Stormy' in-jacket PFD's - fabulous for our dinghy rides. Great Tassie invention. Very nearly took a house-sit so we could extend our time here but we'd never leave if we did! On a mission to go right round Australia (but not right round Tassie). Noticed that you Semco your teak. A lot of work. Ours is natural, gets lots of salt water washes which it loves plus the 2 part teak cleaner treatment a couple of times a year. Ciao Eva and Brian
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Post by Xantia on Mar 22, 2015 21:40:40 GMT
The Swift Parrots and the Orange Bellied Parrots are heading north for the winter. The sunlovers have also found gaps in the weather to get sailing north. Now we can have our waters to ourselves again, although the hustle and bustle was pretty good too. We've been out twice lately although one was only a day trip on Helena K, a Jeanneau SO50DS in in perfect condition. Patrick, the owner, doesn't have time to do much more than polish it. A lovely boat which sails well and a dream to work.
We had only two nights over the weekend on Xantia. I discovered that I am almost up to date with the maintenance, then I remembered the winches and the furlers, so there is always something. Wendy caught six or so flathead of good size just using a line over the side of the boat at anchor. She uses a plastic paternoster and adds bait to the hooks. Last time she once had good flathead on the top and bottom hooks and a shark in the middle. The shark is protected so it went back but the others didn't. At long last we had a calm anchorage.
Zofia, transitting Denison Canal is easier the second time. Going north, we enter the canal near Hobart high tide. There's enough water for a 2.1 m draught and not too much current behind you. That gets you to Marion Narrows almost on slack water. Coming south is more difficult. If there's a northeaster blowing consider going around Tasman Island, but otherwise aim to enter on slack water high tide to minimise the waves over the entrance. You may then not have enough water to transit the canal without waiting at Dunalley for the next tide. Anyway, you're an expert too now.
It was the worst summer for decades. Our bees produced less than a quarter of their usual honey, so income is down. We just hope to get some sort of a good autumn. You missed the jewel in Tassie's crown if you didn't get to Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour too. Unfortunately they are on the windy side of Tasmania but there was a fair amount of easterly weather this year so it may have been good. All the locals are just going to Port Davey now, having waited for the usually calmer autumn weather. Not us, we are going up the east coast of Tasmania this year instead. Not as far as Australia though, there are dragons up there.
Good luck Brian and Eva, see you somewhere.
Ian and Wendy
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Post by zofiasailing on Apr 4, 2015 20:42:44 GMT
Hi Ian and Wendy North Island now. Loved, loved, loved Tassie and left the 'Jewels' for those more gutsy types. Great Australian Bight and Bass Strait quite enough excitement for us. Used some of the so called 'settled weather' to blast our way north. Currently in another neglected cruising ground -Gippsland Lakes. Very gentle here and less fickle winds and another water wonderland. We know at least 5 boats being left for winter in Tas. Crews felt the poor summer left insufficient time to give Tas a good thorough visit. We very nearly took a house sit to achieve the same but felt we'd never leave. Very seductive place, Tassie! Denison harbourmaster asked us to wait 1 1/2 hours in Lime Bay even though we arrived the recommended (by the cruising guide) time after Hobart high tide. We have a shoal keel (1.6m) which makes sneaky channels like Denison Canal and up the Huon R. to Franklin achievable. No hassles going through but found it more challenging zig zagging through Blackmans Bay than getting into Coffin Bay, SA! We visited a few different anchorages on our way up the East Coast to the ones we used coming down it - Shoal Bay, Prosser Bay, Bryan's Corner and N Eddystone Point. The wonderful landscapes are matched by the wonderful people. Tasmania will be forever in our hearts! Your arrangement of keeping Xantia at Kettering with the extensive joys of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel there for the taking, is a stellar decision. Enjoy! Eva and Brian SV Zofia
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Post by rene460 on Apr 6, 2015 12:08:19 GMT
Hi zofia,
Gippsland lakes are our home waters. Currently in Paynesville with grandchildren on board, so not moving Tuesday due to wind forecast, but here until Thursday if you have any time to catch up. I will attempt to send you a PM with a phone number.
rene460
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Post by Xantia on Apr 9, 2015 21:47:39 GMT
Hi all,
Well, the Orange Bellied Parrots have flown north for the winter and we have at last been out on the water a couple of times. Spent easter in Great Taylors bay and had some good weather but it is starting to look like autumn is going to be as poor as the summer was. The parrots may be right. We moved to Tinpot Bay one day, surprised to find it empty, but that didn't last. The CYCT arrived in force so by evening there were over 20 boats in the little bay. It was intimidating for us even though we knew many of them, especially with the VC's little ship sitting over our anchor. We've since bought a laser rangefinder to measure distances between boats accurately, so we can know whether to relax or move. Then I was setting up my HF amateur antenna when the snap shackle on the spinnaker halyard tapped against the lower spreader opened, dropped the antenna and zoomed into the mast. Fortunately the knot stopped it going through but I now have to go up the mast to retrieve it. Not too bad really because I should lubricate the top swivel on the in-mast furling. I just want a calm day.
Good to hear you got away safely Brian and Eva. We are going up the east coast (Tas not Oz) in a couple of weeks for a few weeks R&R. We still have to get past the annual Jeanneau Tassie Get Together on Saturday 18 April. We are organisers because we didn't duck fast enough last year. Still, it should be fun if the weather obliges. The dinner will be at the Cornelian Bay Boathouse, paid for by the Jeanneau dealers, so it will be good to catch up with the others. Visiting Jeanneaus are invited.
Happy Cruising
Ian
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Post by zofiasailing on Apr 11, 2015 23:17:31 GMT
Xantia Wishing you well for Jeanneau owners dinner. It must be the most active dealership in Australia and we did enjoy seeing our 'cousins' on the water. We did feel like runts though while at the RYCT, there are some very large models there! The laser range finder is a cracking idea. Did you get one from a golf shop? We are hopeless at judging distances and have often spoken about buying one. Our anchor watch program is helpful ("Anchor" -see App Store) as it has a google map overlay if in range of internet and using the zone of confidence you can tell how far off the shore you are. Not helpful with other boats though. Since leaving our home port we have used an anchor buoy. We've found it very reassuring and does give others a 'hint' about the possibility of snaring an anchor. Just as often, people are curious about the possibility of checking on a pot of goodies... Crabs, crays etc. East coast cruise sounds lovely although not restful, we found it very strenuous! Your parrots are the heralds of the change of season. 14c in Hobart, 23c in Eden - amazing what 4degrees of latitude can deliver. I think I saw your parrots in Paynesville, Gippsland Lakes. Missing Tassie and glad to see it's cleaned up in the tourism awards - a worthy winner!
svZofia
ps just serviced the windlass so that the manual override operational again after having become jammed up.
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Post by Xantia on Apr 16, 2015 22:39:53 GMT
Hi Zofia,
It's not that simple is it. As soon as you write about how much better Eden is than Hobart, Eden gets a crappy week while Hobart has perfect autumn weather. C'est la vie. A weather person told me once to allow one degree of temperature for every degree of latitude, in mid latitudes, and for every 100 metres of height. Just blame the difference you saw on on global warming; we blamed our poor summer on that until some old timers told us it happens every couple of decades. Anyway, we might go to Australia next winter for a bit of warmth. We'll only go north until it starts to get to about 20 degrees, maybe mid NSW. After over a decade in the tropics we don't like being hot any more and Xantia has a good heater if it cools at night.
The Jeanneau get together is tomorrow and all is in readiness, except for the weather which is promising a cold front to enliven the fun race. But, being Hobart, it should be gone in time for the dinner tomorrow night.
We found a Nikon laser rangefinder on-line for $300 delivered, accurate to 0.1m ( for other uses ) and good out to 550 m. The golf ones specialise in finding fluttering flags which may be useful. They all seem similar in price. Some have a range of 1 km, but that's too far for me to worry about.
Our boating has been curtailed again. We have to go to Western Australia for family, so we'll miss some more good autumn weather. Happy sailing.
Ian
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Post by zofiasailing on Apr 19, 2015 9:56:05 GMT
Xantia just when we thought we had escaped difficult weather .... we sat through 3 significant blows in 2 weeks in the Gippsland Lakes. Now we are hiding in Bermagui together with their entire fishing fleet for a week! An East Coast Low which will be backed up by the front that slapped Cape DeCeoudic at Kangaroo Island with 12m waves today and Robe with 6-7m swells. .... Elsewhere, it's fine apparently! We are rafted up with a catamaran from Ulverstone with 4 Tassies on board.... They can't believe their bad luck with the weather either. Thanks for heads up on the range finder. Very keen for one of those. hope the Jeaunneau muster and dinner is sensational. SV Zofia
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Post by Xantia on Oct 21, 2015 21:40:30 GMT
Just a note to say I checked this thread and will do so every now and again through the summer.
Happy sailing in Tassie.
Ian
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