Ahoy - July 2022 by Island Cruising & Down Under Rally

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"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!"

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Inside Ahoy JULY 2022

Back From Beyond - 3 weeks Cruising The Seldom Visited Coral Sea Marine Park. Preventing Corrosion News From Indonesia. Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds Cruising Queensland - The Keppel Coast

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY AHOY!"

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CRUISING BEYOND THE BARRIER

"It is here that adventurous sailors will discover the hidden gems of what I consider to be Australia's and possibly the South Pacific's most rewarding cruising experiences." John Hembrow.

BACK FROM BEYOND

When I wrote this article, we expected to be Beyond The Barrier again with the 2nd Leg of the 2022 Beyond The Barrier Rally. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas. So we are waiting at Magnetic Island for a suitable forecast before we head off for another three weeks visiting some of the more northern Coral Sea Marine park reefs, islets & cays. So, for now, I would like to share our adventures from the May Beyond The Barrier Rally. The rally fleet departed Bundaberg Port Marina on the morning of the 25th of May for our first stop Lady Musgrave Island some 60nm to the north of the mouth of the Burnett River. Lady Musgrave is a highly appealing destination in its own right; however, this was only intended to be an overnight stop to help the fleet get their sea legs before the adventure really began. An easterly swell combined with seas from the south made conditions for the passage to Lady Musgrave messy, but the breeze was consistent. The fleet arrived shaken but not stirred except GOOLARA, who was concerned by a falling fresh water gauge and decided to return to Bundaberg to determine the cause, which turned out to be a poorly fitted circlip at the pump.

5.Flinders Reef

6.Magnetic Island

3.Lihou Reef 4.East Diamond Islet

2.Saumarez Reef

1.Lady Musgrave Island Bundaberg

Unfortunately, the return trip meant GOOLARA would not make it back to Musgrave in daylight hours, so they opted to spend the night in Bundaberg and depart for Saumarez on Thursday morning.

BACK FROM BEYOND

Marine First Aid Training with Heart Training pre departure

The crew from GOOLARA - Meet The Fleet Bon Voyage Party

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Squally conditions persisted throughout Wednesday afternoon & evening at Lady Musgrave with consistent gusts between 25 & 30 knots. Concerned that this would have made for more confused seas on the passage to Saumarez, we decided to remain at Musgrave and wait for the sea state to improve as the squalls move away. The squally conditions persisted for most of the morning but became less frequent during the afternoon with a more consistent breeze of around 15-20 kts which was promising. The plan was to download the latest forecast early the following day and decide if we depart for Saumarez in the morning or wait until another day. The good news was that GOOLARA could rejoin the fleet at Musgrave, so all the ducks were in the pond and ready to depart when the conditions were a little less boisterous. The Historic mv GOOLARA 1956 ex Pilot Cutter 63 feet LOA Converted to a Passagemaker 1996/2004

Rain squalls at sea whilst anchored at Lady Musgrave Island Lagoon

BACK FROM BEYOND

The morning forecast was much more appealing, so the fleet departed Lady Musgrave for the 125nm passage to Saumarez Reef during the afternoon.

The passage was as expected, with a 1.5m Easterly swell and frequent 2.0-2.2m set waves rolling us around. Again as expected, conditions improved during Saturday morning, making the last few hours quite pleasant with a few nice catches of Tuna and Mackerel being reported. Conditions in our anchorage at Saumarez were ideal, thanks to light winds and the protection afforded by the fringing reef. Blue Sky and clear blue water are such a welcome sight after so many months of cloudy skies, rain and murky waters caused by all the rainwater runoff. So inviting that despite having just completed a 24-hour passage, tenders were in the water very soon after arrival. With snorkelling equipment aboard, our rally participants enjoyed a few hours exploring the reefs & bommies around the anchorage. The rusting hulk of the SS Francis Blair in the background, however, provides a constant reminder of just how unforgiving these reefs can be should the weather turn and combine with an error of judgement.

Wreck of the Steam Ship Francis Blair - Grounded on Saumarez Reef 1945

s.v Zero & s.v Pacific Wave - Saumarez Reef May 2022

Great Snorkelling in the lee of the wreck at low lide

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BACK FROM BEYOND

Speaking of which, the forecast suggested that we could expect wind from the NW thru to the west to impact our plans for the coming week, with some models suggesting these winds will increase to 25 -30 kts during Tuesday & Wednesday. This is one of the significant challenges facing those who wish to explore the Coral Sea Marine Park, as there are very few anchorages that are suited to anything other than the direction one can expect from the prevailing winds that vary from moderate to strong southeast (SE) Trades from April to November. The Coral sea is prone to cyclones between November & April, meaning that the area is off-limits for most cruising yachts.

Weather Forecast Analysis using PredictWind Offshore App downloaded with an Iridium GO!

Skippers briefing explaining the revised plan

So we had to revise our plans and head directly to Lihou Reef from Saumarez instead of visiting Marion Reef on the way, as there is no shelter at Suamarez Reef or Marion Reef from the seas these winds would whip up. The forecast also told us that as Lihou Reef is 300nm north and a little further east, Lihou will not experience the stronger NW winds that had been forecast, so after much consideration and careful analysis of the forecast along with consultation with those in the know including the authority on the region, Peter Sayre, author of the Coral Sea Islands & Marine Park Guide we decided our best plan of action would be to head directly to Lihou from Saumarez the next day.

"Access to accurate short & medium-range weather forecasts when cruising in a location such as this is imperative. Had we not been able to download and assess the information available to us via our PredictWind Offshore App, which we download using an Iridium GO! we would likely have found ourselves on a dangerous unprotected lee shore for more than 24 hours."

BACK FROM BEYOND

The passage from Saumarez to Lihou Reef is just under 300nm. Based on the forecast we expected it would be made in benign conditions with very little wind so the iron sails were to get a workout.

Leanne enjoying the calm conditions as we motored from Saumarez Reef to Lihou Reef It was also important to time our arrival at the Lihou Reef pass, so we had good visibility when navigating both the pass itself and inside the lagoon to our first anchorage. This meant that the fleet would need to depart Saumarez at different times for us all to arrive at Lihou around 10:00 am.

BACK FROM BEYOND

The fleet arrived at Lihou Reef, entered the pass around 10:00 am as planned, and proceeded to our first anchorage off Hermit Crab Islet. We gathered for sundowners on the islet around 4:00 pm, after which, for most, it was an early night and time to enjoy some peace and quite after listening to the drone of the engines for around 50 hours straight over the previous couple of days. Our rally partners, Greenskin Wines, had kindly provided us with a selection of their premium Western Australian wines to share with the fleet, and all enjoyed them.

Some of the May Beyond The Barrier Rally Fleet at anchor off Hermit Crab Islet - Lihou Reef

southernseasmarine.com.au

BACK FROM BEYOND

The following day dawned and revealed clear skies and very little wind, making perfect conditions for a cruise north inside the expansive lagoon to the Lihou Light at the eastern end of the barrier reef. The rally participants were invited to pack a light lunch and some beverages & leave their boats at anchor off Hermit Crab Islet and spend the day aboard the two big motor vessels of the fleet, CAVALLINO III & GOOLARA, for a scenic cruise to the lighthouse some 20nm north of Hermit Crab Islet.

After about 3 hours of champagne cruising (more like beer & wine cruising), we arrived at the light and shuttled all of the participants back and forth in the two tenders so they could climb the light and take in the vista. Peter Sayre and his wife Michelle met us at the anchorage along with Lynn & Andrew of SV Mischief, who participated in the 2021 Beyond The Barrier Rally and subsequently made friends with Peter & Michelle, were also aboard the Phoenix. Peter shared some stories of past visits to the Lihou Light. The Phoenix had, on various occasions, been chartered by The Bureau Of Meteorology (BOM) to bring teams out to service the weather station at the light.

During our visit, I asked Peter Sayre how many times in the past he had experienced conditions such as those we were enjoying and he said: "only once, and that is today”.

BACK FROM BEYOND

The Lihou light is one of the most remote lighthouses to be found anywhere in the world. When you visit this lighthouse, you cannot help but be impressed. The logistics of constructing the structure that the light sits atop, ferrying the components and then assembling them on the edge of a reef located 330 nm offshore are truly incredible.

The Remote Lihou Light On the return trip, we took a detour to check out the remains of the WRECK OF THE 'QUEEN CHRISTINA’, which struck Lihou Reef on the 23rd of December 1899. The story around the grounding and the subsequent rescue is a remarkable tale that Peter shares in the guide "Exploration Beyond The Barrier Reef."

Wreck of the SS QUEEN CHRISTINA - LIHOU REEF The thanks and gratitude of the entire Beyond The Barrier Rally Fleet go out to Alan & Anne of GOOLARA & Les of CAVALLINO III for a memorable day in an extraordinary location.

BACK FROM BEYOND

The following morning many of the fleet went back to the wreck of the QUEEN CHRISTINA to snorkel the remains of the wreck in the calm conditions, something that is seldom possible. As you would expect, after over 100 years of being battered by the ocean, much of the QUEEN CHRISTINA has been destroyed. However, there are still some very recognisable features such as the ship's frame, anchor, windlass, stern post, propeller and the triple expansion steam engine. The QUEEN CHRISTINA is now home to thousands of fish, and snorkelling around her was much like viewing the world's largest saltwater aquarium.

BACK FROM BEYOND

The fleet then gathered at Dianna Cay about 10nm to the SW of Hermit Crab Islet and went ashore to enjoy a sundowner on what would be our last night at Lihou.

What an absolute privilege to have spent a few days at Lihou Reef in what can only be described as idyllic conditions and with such a great group of people, but as the lyrics go in my all-time favourite song 'Freebird' by Lynyrd Skynyrd...

'I must be travelling on now, cause there's too many places I've got to see'

BACK FROM BEYOND

The following morning the fleet was again under full sail and enjoying the conditions with a 12-15kt SE breeze and about 1.5m of following seas as we made our way to our next destination, East Diamond Islet, just 42nm WSW of Lihou Reef.

BACK FROM BEYOND

In his Guide to Australia’s Coral Sea Islands & Marine Park, Peter Sayre has this to say about East Diamond Islet: “East Diamond Islet is the jewel in the crown when it comes to anchorages in the Coral Sea Marine Park. The pincer shape of the reef extends one nautical mile off each end of the well-protected beach”. This is the third time the Beyond The Barrier Rally has visited East Diamond Islet, and it is, without doubt, it is the favourite of the Coral Sea destinations we have visited.

After our morning VHF Radio sked, most participants headed ashore for Island Yoga with Leanne (AKA Namaste Ocean Yoga / Yoga4Yachties). These sessions are always very popular with our rally participants; for many, it is their first yoga experience. As is usually the case, those who attend ask at the end of the class if Leanne will be doing Yoga again each day which is testimony to how much these sessions are enjoyed. In this instance, the location tends to amplify the experience making it all the more special.

BACK FROM BEYOND

After Yoga, some chose to take a relaxing walk around the islet, which measures around one-half a nautical mile in length. Whilst that does not sound too big on average, it takes about two hours to walk around the island thanks to the many interesting inhabitants that call it home, including colourful crabs, sea birds and the seemingly endless varieties of fish that swim in the shallow waters that extend from the outer fringing reef to the shores of the islet itself including snowflake eels who feed on the unsuspecting crabs.

Image Credit Sailing mySerenity YouTube

A snowflake eel returning to the reef edge having ambushed an unsuspecting crab

BACK FROM BEYOND

The light winds and clear skies made this unique location even more special and motivated everyone to get out and enjoy all that is on offer here. The divers of the fleet were particularly keen to see what was waiting below the surface at Barracuda Bommie, which is easily accessible from the anchorage in a tender and a favourite with both divers and snorkelers alike. Rising from a depth of 45 meters to around 5 meters below the surface, the bommie is a spectacular dive with swim-throughs, a variety of coral & and an abundance of pelagic and reef fish species. As the name suggests, it is also home to what seems to be a resident school of Barracuda which is unperturbed by the presence of the divers as they go about hunting their prey.

BACK FROM BEYOND

Dawn of the morning of Sunday the 5TH of June revealed yet another beautiful sunny day with about 15-20kts of ESE breeze.

We began our morning at 08:00 with the VHF Sked, followed by our CORAL SEA QUIZ, which was sponsored by Greenskin Wine. Each day after the sked, we ask three questions over the radion about the Coral Sea Marine Park based on the information in Peter Sayres Guide. The first person to call out their boat name and answer the question correctly gets a point. The quiz runs for a few days, with the winner being the boat with the most points. Greenskin Wine generously provided us with 6 of their tastiest wines as a prize for the winner, which was the crew from the vessel ZERO. After the sked, most of the participants headed ashore again for Yoga at 8:45, with the rest of the day was spent exploring above and below the surface with a continuous stream of tenders heading ashore or returning to their vessels throughout the day. Apart from the usual plastics and thongs that are always present above the high tide mark, occasionally more interesting pieces of flotsam are discovered, such as the F.A.D—pictured below. To learn more about these F.A.D.S, CLICK HERE. Over the period of the rally, the participants collected quite a lot of debris which was disposed of in a responsible matter when we returned to the mainland.

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BACK FROM BEYOND

As they say, "All good things come to an end", and the weather deteriorated as expected, with our last two days at East Diamond bringing constant rain and frequent wind squalls to around 30kts.

As the swell built, the anchorage became less comfortable, especially around the top of the tide, as the swell wrapped around the reef and affected the anchorage, making it rolly for several hours each day. Those who had tucked in close to the islet were less affected and found the conditions to be still comfortable; however, those vessels anchored further out, including ourselves, experienced significant roll, which became tedious, to say the least. One option was to make a direct passage to Magnetic Island by passing Flinders Reef, as it would have been untenable in the conditions. We chose instead to wait out the weather for a couple of days as we didn't want to miss another of our planned destinations if we could avoid it. The beach at the islet was still an enjoyable place to be during the day despite the wet trip in the tender from the anchorage. The East Diamond Islet Book Exchange was set up on the beach, which allowed the readers of the fleet to refresh their library.

BACK FROM BEYOND We departed East Diamond on the 10th on the 154nm passage to Flinders.

The wind was favourable with around 20 kts from behind. However, the seas were confused as a result of the previous few day's wind. It was a quick passage, with the majority of the fleet arriving at the entrance to Flinders Reef sooner than expected and, as such, having to endure the conditions a little longer in order to enter the reef and arrive at the anchorage with sufficient daylight to navigate the many coral bommies along to route to the anchorage.

All were happy to be in the relative calm of the anchorage off Flinders Main Cay after what had been an uncomfortable passage that was proceeded by a couple of uncomfortable days at anchor. After a bit of rest, we ventured ashore for a walk around the cay and to check out the weather station before gathering for what would be our last coral cay sundowner session and a group photo.

BACK FROM BEYOND

The fleet departed Flinders Reef the following afternoon for our final passage, which saw us enter the Great Barrier Barrier Reef via Magnetic Pass and arrive at our final anchorage, Horseshoe Bay Magnetic Island, on the morning of the 13th of June.

Our 'Back From Beyond’ Dinner Party was held on the evening of the 14th at Sandi`s Restaurant on Magnetic Island. With great food and a few drinks, well, maybe more than a few drinks, and live music to entertain us during the evening, it was a great way to celebrate what was a very enjoyable three weeks together exploring the truly remote and remarkable southern Coral Sea Marine Park which for me, is an extraordinary part of the world that has become what I think maybe my favourite of all the cruising grounds we have visited over the past 15 years of cruising, including all of those in the pacific.

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Adventure awaits 'Beyond The Barrier' in Australia.

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO TO SEE SOME PRETTY SPECIAL FOOTAGE FROM OUR TIME BEYOND THE BARRIER

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A very complete and detailed briefing on all things cruising. Stephen W - May 2022

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COURSE CONTENT

PREPARING THE VESSEL Ship Registration: Guide to ships registry Safety Gear: Vessel specific – EPIRBS, MOB devices Rigging: Tips for extended cruising & safety including deck layout, preventers and more. Sails: Selection, balance, tuning, maintenance, furling systems. Anchors & Anchoring: How many, types, warps, windlass Water treatment: Filtration, purification, disinfectant, watermakers. Vessel Systems: Plumbing, gas, fuel Battery Systems: Capacity, power consumption, troubleshooting, preventative maintenance and charging systems Power generation: How much do you need to generate and the pros and cons of various options including wind, solar and mechanical Electronics: Radios, charting, GPS, Radar, autopilot, AIS, etc. Steering: Tiller, wheel, wind vanes, autopilots & emergency systems Diesel Engines: Troubleshooting, spares Fuel systems: Filters, injectors, avoiding ‘bugs & bad fuel’ Navigation: Basic equipment requirements Charts: Tables, filing, requirements PREPARING THE PEOPLE Sea Survival: Coastal and Offshore Watchkeeping & safety protocols Safety Gear: Personal EPIRBS and MOB devices, personal AIS Seasickness: Remedies, management & avoidance Log Keeping: How to keep a ship log and why plus basic record keeping Pros and cons of having crew aboard, where to find crew and your responsibilities. Sailing to a schedule: A recipe for disaster Medical Kits and medicines Insurance: Vessel & Travel Staying Sane: Identifying roles, communicating aboard & sharing small spaces AT SEA & OFFSHORE COMMUNICATIONS METHODS Voice Communication options including Satellite, Radios – VHF/ SSB/ HAM & Radio Schedules Electronic communications including email at sea: why is it important. Vessel tracking and position reporting Computers, Tablets, Phones and apps Weather Forecasting: Coastal & Offshore Weather information: Sources of weather info, how to interpret and use weather info. Weather routing for Passage Planning & Passage Management Cruising Guides & Reference Books: Recommended, pilots, reference manuals, cruising guides & MORE

THE ADVANTAGES OF ONLINE & ON-DEMAND The course content is broken down into easy to digest 1 hr sessions View the course content as often as you wish. View when it suits you. Learn at your own pace. Pause / Rewind at any time. Contact the course presenters via email or telephone at any time with questions.

Preventing Corrosion Prevent galvanic corrosion and electrolysis before they happen. Most Boat Owners have a reasonable understanding of what anodes do and why they are important. You don’t need to be an expert. There is a whole industry of scientists and engineers dedicated to the science of corrosion. Over time, it will damage the metal parts of your boat and cause them to break down in particularly bad cases, this could destroy an entire prop and shaft in a matter of a couple of weeks. Electrolysis happens when an electrical current passes through water. That in turn causes a chemical reaction. In terms of boating, the electrolytic reaction occurs between two metals. The electrical current strips away one metal and deposits it on another. It happens between two dissimilar metals. Metals work at different voltages. If you have an aluminium boat but your prop is made of zinc, you are setting up a way for electrolysis to occur. Zinc has a higher electrolysis voltage than the aluminium boat hull. When a current flows through the water around your boat, it will strip away some electrons. It takes from the zinc and deposits them on the bare aluminium, which attracts the current. This also becomes a risk when you are on the dock. An electrolytic reaction can occur between your boat and a neighbouring boat. In order for electrolysis to occur, a current has to be forced into the reaction. That usually means bad wiring. Here are a few basic facts to keep in mind when considering your anodes: The simple solution is to make sure your anodes come from a reputable manufacturer, as these anodes will be cast according to recognised standards and will offer suitable protection against corrosion. ANODE TYPES - ALUMINIUM, MAGNESIUM OR ZINC In terms of your vessel, Aluminium and Zinc anodes offer a similar level of protection in sea water. Aluminium anodes are slightly more efficient, so ships and wharves which require very large anodes gain the benefits of aluminium over zinc, but for most pleasure vessels the performance benefits are marginal. Keep in mind that for some vessels in some conditions, Aluminium anodes are not as effective as zinc. We have seen examples of Aluminium anodes that are less efficient in brackish and freshwater. Also, in some cases where vessels are in and out of the water, a crusty layer forms on the anode and the Aluminium does not have the drive potential to break down the layer, so the anodes become passive and stops providing protection. We suggest that if you try anodes that you have not used in the past, keep a close eye on them, to ensure that they are adequately protecting your hull and/or metallic fittings. Magnesium Anodes are for fresh water only, they must not be used in sea water. They will bubble away like a Berocca and can potentially cause damage to coating systems and hulls.

A SELECTION OF ANODES Information & content provided directly in conjunction with Business Development Manager from CAA Cathodic Anodes Australasia and Marine Trade Supplies & Chandlery. www.cathodicanodes.com.au Anode selection is available in-store and online via our onsite Marine Trade Supplies & Chandlery store onsite at The Boat Works: https://marinetradesupplies.com.au/product-category/cdq-anodes/

SAILMAKING EVOLVED Evolution Sails Australia has been the local sail loft of choice supporting local sailors and cruisers visiting the Gold Coast for more than 30 years. Located centrally on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Evolution Sails provide a full design, manufacture and service loft for the East Coast of Queensland. Our experienced sailmakers specialise in cruising and racing sails for yachts, catamarans, sports boats and dinghies. Evolution Sails Gold Coast are fully qualified sailmakers with over 100 combined years of sailing and racing experience making and repairing your high-tech racing or cruising sails, boom bags and covers. Repairs and re-cuts are done promptly and efficiently with a fast turnaround time. Complimenting our full range of services are Boombag stack-packs, boom covers, trampolines, rope and chandlery.

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By Greg Luck

PART 5 RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST This is Part 5 of the Ahoy magazine series of articles based on information contained in Cruising the Queensland Coast, the eBook by Greg Luck. In Part 4, we cruised the Discovery Coast. In this part, we cruise the Capricorn Coast, stretching from Cape Capricorn in the south, near to the Tropic of Capricorn, to Cape Townshend at the top of Shoalwater Bay military practice area. This is the start of the tropics and some great cruising destinations such as Great Keppel Island and Island Head Creek. Keppel Bay Marina, at Rosslyn Bay, a short 8nm passage west from Great Keppel Island is a good resupply stop, with fuel, chandlery and a courtesy car for going into Yeppoon. For those that missed it, back in April John and I did a talk on the whole coast and the Beyond the Barrier expedition that John has now just completed. It is now up on YouTube. The Capricorn Coast

Butterfish Bay, Great Keppel Island

Photo G. Luck

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Coming from the south, most cruisers do the 42nm passage from Pancake Creek to Cape Capricorn, or 65nm straight through to Great Keppel Island. An alternate route is via Gladstone. While Gladstone is highly industrial, the Gladstone Marina is and the parklands it sits in, are one of the prettiest in all of Queensland. If going that way, you can either backtrack around Facing Island, or take a shortcut through the Narrows or a shortcut via the North Channel. I do not recommend the Narrows for keel boats as you need a high spring tide to get through the channel that at its shallowest is 1.8m to 2.3m above LAT. The shortcut via the North Channel has depths of 0.5m LAT. You still need a high tide, but most high tides will get you across, depending on your draught.

Passage

Notes

Rte. Dist.

Gladstone Marina to Cape Capricorn via North Channel

Warning. Difficult, narrow (40m wide at Farmers Reef) and precise route with some depths only .5m LAT. Tidal assistance required. Arrive at Farmers Reef section just before high tide. High tide occurs 15 minutes before Gladstone. It is a further 24nm to Great Keppel island from Cape Capricorn. The route until Connor Bluff on Curtis Island is within the Gladstone Pilotage Area.

⎈ ⎈

41nm

⎈ ⎈

42nm

Cape Capricorn Starts north to get out of the shoals then passes south of Fairway Rock to Great Keppel and Hummocky Island then a straight part to Fishermans Beach. Island

⎈ ⎈

23nm

Great Keppel Island to Pearl Bay

⎈ ⎈

48nm

Vessels over 10m are required to follow the Gladstone VTS procedures. Pancake Creek to Cape Capricorn

Passes east of shoal area to the northwest of Pancake Creek. Passes through the Gladstone Pilotage Area and designated ships’ anchorage. Vessels over 10m are required to follow the Gladstone VTS procedures. Passes east of Rundle Island. Passes well clear of Cape Capricorn. Caution: This route passes across the shipping channel and through the ship anchorage area. Ships will be anchored along the route, and the route will need to be amended while underway to avoid them and ships moving in the anchorage.

Passes west of Miall Island then east of North Keppel Island. Passes to the east of Haskard Island, east of Quion Island and east of Delcomyn Island. Port Clinton and Perforated point lay just a few nautical miles to the south as alternate anchorages. This passage enters the Shoalwater Bay Military Training area. Caution: Check Notices To Mariners for closures.

Photo: Down Under Rally

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Passage Pearl Bay to Island Head Creek

Notes Short hop to Island Head Creek. Arrive at daytime before high tide to ease traversal of the sand bar at the entrance. This passage is within the Shoalwater Bay Military Training area. Caution: Check Notices To Mariners for closures.

Island Head Suggest leaving Island Head Creek a few hours before high tide to get Creek to Middle up to 2 knots tidal assist when going north. Passes Steep Island to the Percy Island east. If the tide is ebbing it can be 2 knots against you.

Rte. Dist.

⎈ ⎈

7nm

⎈ ⎈

48nm

This passage is within the Shoalwater Bay Military Training area. Caution: Check Notices To Mariners for closures.

Warning. These are illustrative routes only. Not to be used for navigation. Click ⎈ for a GPX file to import the route as a starting point for your route planning, or ⎈ for a Navionics boating link.

Great Keppel Island

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Great Keppel Island provides anchorages for most wind directions. In many ways, the Keppel Islands are an idyllic place to spend days or weeks. The island has extensive walking tracks and snorkelling locations. See the Visitor Guide for full details. Great Keppel Island is not a national park. All other islands in the Keppel Isles are part of the Keppel Bay Islands National Park. You can take your dog ashore on a leash on Great Keppel Island. There are three main anchorages on Great Keppel Island: Fishermans Beach, Long Beach and Svendsen's/ Leeks Beach. The Hideaway Bar and Restaurant lies at the northern end of Fishermans Beach. This is a great place to kick back and enjoy the sunset. Be mindful that the Capricorn coast, though in the tropics, is still affected by cold fronts, which can bring vigorous and sudden backing of winds to the SW, sometimes with a thunderstorm thrown in. We've had a couple of those and seen boats dragged onto the beach. Long Beach and Fishermans Beach face to the West or South. Sunset from Hideaway Bar, Great Keppel Island

Photo G. Luck

Leekes/Second/Svendsens Beaches These three beaches offer good protection from southerlies. The water is shallow, so you may have to anchor quite a way out, as shown. On approach watch out for the reef 1nm north of Leekes Beach. It is marked with an isolated danger beacon on its northern side. Note that it extends for .2nm south of the beacon with isolated rocks beyond that. Give it a wide berth.

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Sundowners and hospitality at Svendsen’s Beach Svendsen’s Beach is west facing and a natural choice for sundowners. There is an Eco-accommodation business at the Northern end of the beach, Svendsen's Beach Retreat, run by Carl Svendsen and his wife Lyndie.

Svendsen's Beach Hut is located at the southern end of Svendsen's Beach. It is a great place to come ashore, have sundowners and meet other cruisers. Everyone is welcome. Feel free to bring musical instruments and have a sing-a-long! There have been some wonderful seashanty nights there with everyone joining in heartily! It has a tarp, a few chairs, benches and table, and a fireplace where cruisers can make fires provided no Fire Ban is in place. The Svendsens ask that any fires are fully extinguished afterwards. Fires are not permitted anywhere else on Great Keppel Island, (or on beaches within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park) as they pose a serious bushfire risk.

Aerial of the Northern Beaches

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RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Sailing past Port Clinton

Photo: G. Luck

Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area Almost the whole of the peninsula known by its bay, Shoalwater Bay, is a military training area. In the map of the Capricorn Coast at the start of this article, it is the faint lilac overlay that starts just north of Stockyard and continues to Macdonald Point on the Torilla Peninsula. It extends seaward to the east between 3 - 8nm from just north of Stockyard to Cape Townshend. Suffice to say all of the anchorages in this region are inside the training area. From time to time, either the whole or parts of the training area are closed to non-military vessels and people. These closures are notified in the Capricorn Coast outside pilotage areas: Notices to Mariners. Training can include the firing of live ammunition and interaction with foreign militaries. All of the inside moorings and most of the common anchorages are along the middle of the lagoon running down towards the island. Aways maintain a radio watch on VHF16 in this area. Anchorages along this coast are Port Clinton (all wind directions except north), Perforation Point (northeast to west winds), Pearl Bay (good protection from southeast to west), Island Head Creek (a mix of anchorages that cover all wind directions), and Cape Townshend (southeast winds). The area has high mountains with steep sides going into the ocean, with impressive rocky, steep islands.

Image credit: Trevor Gill

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Pearl Bay Pearl Bay is our favourite stop along the Shoalhaven coast. It is easy and quick to get in and out of, it is pretty and it offers a surprising amount of protection. The point, plus the three close-in islands and then Split Island 1nm northeast of those, and Delcomyn Island combine to provide this protection. There are three entrances. When coming from the north we often come in the northern entrance, depending on the tide. When staying at the first anchorage, we usually depart via the middle entrance. The southern entrance is the main entrance used by cruisers. Note the rocks marked on the chart and in addition, the two community-reported rocks, extending out from the western ends of the two islands. Most yachts anchor in the shallow water southeast of anchorage 2. However, we don’t have the shallow draught to get in there and it is a busy mess of yachts and the isolated rocksElliott shown.Island from Mooring 2 Lady Photo: G. Luck For this reason, our preferred anchorage is 1. We usually have it to ourselves and it is well protected, particularly at low tide to mid-tide.

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Calm Waters in Anchorage 1, Pearl Bay

Photo: G. Luck

Island Head Creek Island Head Creek is a large natural harbour surrounded by mountains with channels running off to the side. It a loved and highly visited anchorage. Entrance A sandbank lies across the entrance on a diagonal. This leaves two choices: go to its south or go to its north. The southern channel has sand on both sides, and is deeper but narrow; only 50m wide at its entrance. The northern channel is wider with a shallower shoal section. Most cruisers take the north entrance. As with all bars, it is preferable to cross the bar close to high tide and not on an outrunning tide. Photo courtesy Tourism Queensland

RUISING THE CAPRICORN COAST By Greg Luck

Anchorage This is a secure anchorage from most wind directions. If the wind is northeast it will run down the creek and the outer anchorages will be exposed to some northeast. There are some deep areas > 10m and shallower areas. Anchor in one of these. You may also be able to get up a side channel if you are shallow draught. Sandflies are prevalent.

Aerial, Island Head Creek

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SUCKERS and PUFFERS Can you tell the difference between a sucker cloud and a puffer cloud and why would by Bob McDavitt you want to?

Clouds that grow upwards into the sky are called cumulus clouds. They start off as fluffy white ones like those in the photo to the left. For the purpose of this article, let's call them TYPE A clouds

Once they get sufficiently tall, they produce a shower of rain. Again for the purpose of this article, let's call them Type B clouds. If conditions are strongly unstable, this shower may become heavy, perhaps with hail, thunder or squally winds.

Type A clouds can be called suckers. They have a zone of calm on their leading edge. As a sucker approaches, the wind speed gradually drops away. When you see these clouds, try to sail around and between them rather than under them. Type B clouds can be called puffers. Once the turrets grow taller than their base, they can start producing rain in the colder upper region; this rain falls and drags with it a downdraft that fans out from the back end of the cloud-like a waterfall. Photos from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/cumulus-clouds

SUCKERS and PUFFERS Can you tell the difference between a sucker cloud and a puffer cloud and why would by Bob McDavitt you want to?

Here is a bird’s eye view of the cloud with its surface wind flow. The red arrow is the direction of cloud movement

Note that as you look into the surface wind, the cloud will creep to your right (in the southern hemisphere). This is because it is propelled by the stronger upper winds. Friction causes the surface wind to “leak to low pressure” and take a direction 15 to 30 degrees clockwise from the cloud wind. When sailing upwind, put the wind to starboard (go left) to avoid the approaching calm, and aim for the LEFT edge of the cloud to catch the extra winds on its rear. Wind speed in knots around a puffer.

As the downdraft ahead of a puffer reaches you, surface winds suddenly increase. There is a direction shift around the shoulders of the cloud, and a huge calm zone that trails behind it. When sailing upwind into an approaching puffer, remember to do the “squall checklist” Secure loose items above & below deck. Reef the rig Check the compass—and watch the wind on the water ahead. When the first puff of the downdraft appears, put the wind on the starboard (go left) so that we are sailing away from the puffer. We may get lifted for a few minutes as we go around the shoulder of the cloud but keep aiming to the left so we avoid being caught in the trailing calm zone. Bob McDavitt is the weather guru that uses /\/\etBoB to provide weather information for cruising sailors, primarily for those in the South Pacific. Learn more about Bob HERE

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From The

Galley

By Leanne

The Galley

"Preparing meals for passages has been a normal part of life over the past 30 years for our adventures on a number of different vessels including motor cruisers, sailing monohulls and a sailing catamaran as well as provisioning for extended periods of offshore cruising" Pre-planning meals to accommodate the galley facilities have ranged from a propane 1 pot burner to a full 4 burner/oven. The longest passage meal planning was 21 days from Galapagos to Marquesas Islands.

Managing shopping for four people and their various tastes can be challenging. If you are familiar with the cruising lifestyle, we know taste buds change at sea. What you eat at home maybe not be what you end up craving on passages and at anchor, especially with the constant movement of the vessel. From my experience, plan to eat more food, and when it comes to passage meals, rich flavours and heavy foods may also not be the best for your gut. Wholesome food with flavour and the potential to give you energy is the best. Gut health has been a part of my cooking regime for the past few years. I enjoy pasta dishes but prefer GF or optional ideas to exclude it altogether. One of my favourite recipes is Eggplant Lasagne which I have adapted to suit our taste buds; it has all the flavour without the pasta, making it a little lighter than the traditional. See the recipe on the next page!

LEANNE'S SHOPPING TIP FOR EXTENDED CRUISING:

"It’s as simple as your weekly shopping list and multiple it by the number of weeks you will be away from a place to reprovision and remember to add snacks!" Why snacks are essential!

Even if they are not in your regular diet, from my experience, plan for them … you could make so many healthy options, but your time and ability to prepare before leaving and capabilities at sea to cook underway has also to be factored in. Happy meal planning and shopping! I look forward to sharing more recipe ideas & tips in the August AHOY. Until then, wishing you fair winds & following seas, Leanne Yoga, Health & Sail Wellness

Eggplant Lasagne

RECIPE TIPS INGREDIENTS 1. Double vegetable recipe for large baking dish 500g minced meat 2. Make the sauce a day ahead to infuse flavour 2 x tins tomatoes with basil & herbs 3. Check lasagne after 20 min, boat ovens can be a lot hotter or difficult to 1 x cup of red wine regulate at times. 2 x tbsp tomato paste 4. Taste a small portion of lasagne after cooking time making sure eggplant is soft 1 x onion finely chopped and cooked through, depending on the thickness of slices and oven temperature 2 x garlic cloves or 1 tsp bottle (to taste) may need a little more. 1 x tbs Salt & Cracked pepper to taste 2 x tsps Italian herbs or Fresh basil, oregano 1 x tsp Chilli flakes or Few drops of siracha or Tabasco sauce (optional) Olive oil (infused with garlic and onion) VEGETABLE LAYERS - THICKLY SLICE 1 x large eggplant 1 x large zucchini (optional) 5 x large Mushrooms 1 x Red Capsicum TOPPING Grated cheese & Parmesan cheese Garlic & Herb salt METHOD 1. Cut thick slices of eggplant and sprinkle with salt to sweat - place on paper towel and layer until all completed - set aside 2. Drizzle olive oil in deep pan/pot to heat 3. Fry off onion and garlic until translucent 4. Add mince meat fold and brown 5. Add remaining sauce ingredients 6. Turn to low heat, place lid and simmer for 1 hour. 7. Place a small amount of water to cover the bottom of the baking dish, wipe the salt condensation off eggplant with a paper towel and begin the first layer to cover the bottom of the dish, now layer zucchini, mushrooms & capsicum, spoon over sauce to cover, repeat until you fill the dish, finish with a layer of sauce and cover with Grated cheese, Parmesan cheese with a sprinkle of garlic and herb salt. 8. Bake 160 degrees fan-forced or 180 Celsius for 40 minutes

CRUISING NEW CALEDONIA

Noumea & Surrounds By Richard Chesher, Rocket Cruising Guides

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

By Richard Chesher, Rocket Cruising Guides In the June AHOY, we cruised the SW coast of Grande Terre from Noumea northwest to where the lagoon meets the shore at Ouemo. This month we'll look at Noumea and the very popular close-by weekend cruising grounds. Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, features a multicultural society with access to supplies and services, inward & outward clearance & offers something for everyone with sports enthusiasts well catered for, all kinds of social activities, entertainment, beaches, walks, museums and sights.

Then there is "The Weekend Fleet Zone" A couple of hours of lagoon cruising from Noumea attracting a flotilla of local yachts on weekends and holidays; Marine Parks with moorings, camping, a photographers paradise on healthy coral reefs, lovely beaches, windsurfing, surfing, diving, snorkelling, historical sights.

A few of the local ' Weekend Fleet'

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds You have to clear into Noumea, which is the only place in New Caledonia where you can easily get fuel, shore water, and anything you might need in the way of food, parts, and repairs. Many yachts wind up spending a lot of time in and around Noumea for one reason or another, and indeed, there is plenty to keep you busy and entertained in the commercial, cultural and tourism centre of New Caledonia.

During the height of the cruising season, you'll only be able to stay at the visitor's wharf in Port Moselle Marina for three days. The Port de Sud Marina has very few berths for visitors. This means you'll be anchored out in the harbour for most of the time you're in Noumea. You can get a visitor's permit to tie your dinghy up at the dinghy wharf in Port Moselle Marina (they just installed a bunch of new dinghy wharfs). The permit also gives you access to the toilets, showers and fresh shore water. The fuel station at the Marina has - in addition to diesel, gasoline and LP Gas bottles - a laundry service.

Plus, the Port Moselle Marina is right next door to the municipal market with fresh veggies. It’s a short walk into downtown Noumea with plenty of stores, museums, rental car agencies, free WiFi for Internet access, and on and on.

One thing you'll want to do in Noumea is get set up to access 4G Internet so you can stay in touch almost anywhere in New Caledonia. It's as easy as buying a visitor's SIM card package providing you have an unlocked 4G WiFi modem, 4G tablet or phone. If you don't, you can rent a 4G WiFi modem with an included SIM. ncpocketwifi.com

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

AVAST THERE MATE! Three things you should be aware of in Noumea! 1. They drive on the right side of the road in New Caledonia, and some drive fast and furious. So use the striped pedestrian cross-walks, look both ways before you cross, and pay attention to the little green or red pedestrian lights at intersections. 2. Check the weather forecast every morning. If a westerly wind is coming and you are anchored out in the harbour, plan on moving to the westerly anchorage early; some of the fronts kick off with a solid westerly punch that makes most of the harbour shockingly rolly polly. 3. Use caution when going ashore at night. This is important in any metropolitan area of the world, and Noumea is no different. It isn't wise to get boozed up and come staggering back to the marina on foot at midnight, use an ATM on a deserted street at night, or drive a rental car with your purse sitting on the passenger seat and the windows open—common sense.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds On weekends and holidays, you'll see a fleet of pleasure yachts sailing out into the lagoon; hundreds of them, everything from jet skis and high-speed RIBs to big superyachts and sailboats of every size. The people of Noumea love water sports, but they must be back at work early Monday morning. So the fleet tends to congregate around the lagoon islands closest to Noumea - primarily Maitre, Amedee, Goeland, Laregniere, and Signal.

The South Province Government has made these islands and the waters around them, into nature reserves and installed moorings so the yachts would not destroy the coral reefs or seagrass beds. There are strict - and enforced - regulations which say don't harm or even disturb the natural beauty of these islands. The Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia includes all the parks, regulations, details on protected species and fishing limits. If someone decides to spear a couple of fish in one of the parks, they'd be risking a significant fine, loss of their boat, and possibly jail time; as I said, strict. So be nice – take only pictures, leave only a ripple.

That's great for visiting yachts because, within minutes or a couple of hours sailing time from Noumea, you can tie up to a nice, well-maintained mooring, enjoy swimming over and photographing the best coral reefs in the Pacific Islands, oogle rare and endangered sea creatures, and stroll around clean, soft white sand beaches watching a variety of sea birds watching you. The secret to maximum enjoyment in the Weekend Flotilla Zone is to either cruise to these islands on a weekday when there are plenty of moorings and empty beaches around - or if you also like people watching - sail on Thursday or early Friday morning so you'll pick up a mooring before the weekend fleet arrives.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds The two islands you really truly need to visit are Ilot Maitre, just three nautical miles from the entrance to Noumea Harbor, and Ilot Amedee, 12 nautical miles south of Noumea. Both are "Sustainable Development Management Areas" - marine and land nature reserves but with some tourism-oriented development; a resort on Ilot Maitre and a lighthouse, gift shop and restaurant on Amedee. So you can indulge your love of French and Island cuisine, watch even join - Polynesian dancing, and spend the rest of the day beaching, kite surfing, snorkelling, photographing, and visiting your friends on other yachts.

Ilots Laregniere and Signal have moorings and park facilities for camping and picnics, while Goeland is a kite surfer's focal point, and Dumbea Pass is a surfer's destination. You’ll find a full itinerary for the Weekend Zone on the Rocket Cruising Guide, complete with routes, the best dive spots, and plenty of images. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE AREA AS A VIDEO, CLICK HERE.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

AVAST THERE MATE! Weather & Mooring Tips Watch the weather forecast every day and forget about the lagoon islands if a westerly is coming. Some westerly protected anchorages are available, but you need to get to them before the westerly arrives. The park moorings are well maintained, but it always pays to snorkel down and check the mooring. They are not rated for yachts over 10 meters if the wind gets up past 20 knots or during westerlies when a significant chop can build up in minutes. If the moorings are all taken, and you decide to anchor, stay well away from the moored yachts (they have a smaller swinging radius compared to an anchored yacht) and anchor ONLY in the sand, not in the seagrass and for damn sure not on a coral patch.

Cruising New Caledonia - Noumea & Surrounds

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Frederique and Richard Chesher have cruised New Caledonia and Vanuatu since 1980 aboard their Kelly Peterson 44 cutter, the Moira. Richard is a PhD. Marine Scientist specialising in coral reef ecology and sustainable development. Part of his research work included a workshop at the University of the South Pacific teaching lands and survey personnel of the Pacific Islands how to do resource mapping using aerial and space photography. Frederique is a professional photographer and artist. The 2022 Rocket Nautical and Travel Guides are the result of 22 years of continuous development. Except for the NASA space images and the high-resolution aerial survey images, Richard and Frederique took almost every photograph in the Cruising and Travel Guides. They carefully did complete hydrographic surveys of all the anchorages, and the GPS routes on the guides were created from their own tracks. The Moira is never in a marina. Richard and Frederique update the guide with new images and information at least three times a year to ensure you have the latest, most accurate information for your adventures in New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

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These entertaining stories about sailing life began when Down Under Rally Members Martin and his wife Kerryn departed from Adelaide on their run-down yacht. They were heading for Fremantle but forgot to turn right at Kangaroo Island and arrived in Hobart. "It was an easy navigational error to make", says Martin, who goes on to say that "the seven stories in the book were inspired by true events and have the same navigational accuracy." Available as an ebook or audiobook at:

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2022

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