Flat Water

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="1ccd05a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>DRUMBEAT</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DRUMBEAT"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> back to  <A HREF="id94.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Voyages"><B>Voyages</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="1cdd2123.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id373.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Airlie Beach to Hervey Bay">Airlie Beach to Hervey Bay</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id375.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hervey Bay to Southport">Hervey Bay to Southport</A></div> <div> <B>Flat Water</B></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#000000" FACE="HELTERSKELTER" ><B>River Rats </B></FONT><B>(by Brian)</B></div> <bR> <div> Tuesday, 19th December saw us leave Southport, headed for Coffs Harbour, 140 miles to the South.  We left at 11:45am on a variable 7-10 knot NE sea breeze which gave us a slow but comfortable ride along the South Queensland Coast.  The sun set as we past Cape Byron with the spinnaker up.  Around 2000hrs the breeze filled in to a steady 13-15 knots, which dropped back to less than 10 knots by 0200hrs on Wednesday.  Our speed dropped, until at 0400 the stbd engine was fired up to supplement the 6knot tail wind.  Around dawn the breeze picked back up to 10 knots and we were able to douse the iron spinnaker and slowly limp toward Coffs Harbour, arriving at 1100hrs.  We anchored in the harbour, north of the jetty.  My brother Darren, his wife Leanne and 2 year old daugter Ashley came for dinner, but left early to put Ashley to bed.  </div> <bR> <div> We stayed overnight, and left at 0615hrs with Darren on board for the short run to the Macleay river.  We had to average 10 knots to cross the bar at high tide, which required that the engines be run in the steady but tail winds. Off Scotts head the lateral pin which allows the boom to swing up came out, and the boom fell out, held up by the mainsail halyard. A small locking pin had bent and worked its way out.  We were thankful for Darren's assistance as we lifted the boom back in, and inserted a large screw driver to hold in place temprarily.  I later installed a heavier pin to prevent it happening again.  We will keep an eye on this area in the future as it could be rather catastrophic.  The boom and fittings are made by Selden of Sweden and are the industry standard, so I was surprised to have such a problem so soon.</div> <bR> <div> We crossed the bar with no problems and made our way up the Macleay River where we anchored.  Linda & I sailed out of here in August 1988 on Reepicheep, so it was somewhat of a homecoming for us.  We have many friends and relatives in the area, so spent a pleasant if not hectic Christmas here.  During January we helped out with Summer Camps at Yarrahappinni & Stuart's Point.  We looked after the sailing dinghies along with my nephew Mitchell.  Young people aged from 13-15 years come and stay, enjoying a variety of activities.  There were around 100 each week.  We had 8 dinghies and ran 3 sessions each day.  We also attended the Pathfinder Camporee at Stuarts Point, which had 10-15 y.o. kids from all over Australia & New Zealand and as far as the Cook Islands.  We met many Islanders who we hope to catch up with in their own back yards.</div> <bR> <div> We enjoyed out 5 week stay in the Macleay River.  The highlight was the dolphins which came by regularly.  On the day we left, Trevor & I were scrubbing the hulls when a couple came to visit.  We swam with them for a few minutes, which was an amazing experience.  They came close enough to almost touch, and were playing with bits of seaweed, much to our amusement.</div> <bR> <div> After much deliberation, we decided it was time for me to go back to work for a few months to supplement our regular investment income as we had some high expense items to buy before going overseas.  As i am Licensed in Queensland, we decided to head back north.  I amde one phone call which landed me work in Pam Beach on the Gold Coast.  We decided to head for the Tweed River in north NSW as it was the closest anchorage to work.  A southerly change was expected on Saturday evening 27th january 2007, and it came through at about 1800 hrs blowing 40 - 45 knots.  Linda and the kids stayed at Annettes, planning to drive up to the Tweed when we got there.  As crew, Trevor and his son Mitchell joined me, together with Trevor's work partner Phil Saul.  We crossed the bar with flat seas at 1700hrs, and headed north with only half the headsail out, and doing around 6-7 knots.  We sailed conservatively, as the wind was pretty strong, and I didn't want anything to break.  The wind gradually abated and we let more sail up through the night.  At dawn we put up the main, as the wind died, leaving us wallowing.  Off Evans Head we statrted the engines, and motor sailed until we were off Byron Bay, where the NE sea breeze came up, giving us a pleasant ride through to the Tweed River entrance which we crossed at about 1730hrs, a run of about 185 miles.  Phil was seasick all the way, dissapearing below when we crossed the Macleay River bar, and re-appearing as perky as ever when we crossed the Tweed River bar....</div> <bR> <div> We stayed at the Tweed for about 5 weeks, until we were harrassed by MSB, and asked to move on.  We then went up to the Broadwater and picked up a Mooring at Southport where we stayed while I was at work.  Our stay on the Broadwater was nice, living close to the city with all its amenities, and enjoying the lights of a night. We spent a lot of time with Rob & Barb Nilon whilst in Southport, they brought their jet skis down each weekend.  Cameron and Haley have developed a relationship.......  It was different to be back into the work rut, but the money was good, and as usual dissapeared as quickly as it came in....</div> <bR> <div> Meanwhile preparations were made for the first overseas trip, with a new drifter of 96m2 which we hardly had time to test before leaving for Vanuatu....</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>