SUNDOWNER Y86 west coast

[rob.lovelace]

about 17nm out from Mauds point it looked good, I was close hauled but not pinched up tight and very close to the rumb line to the entrance to Bateman bay. It was about 2300hrs and crescent moon but the break in the reef was about a mile wide so I was pretty comfortable. Very wet on deck so I'm in the cabin watching the plotter when I start to smell the reef so I go up to have a look and see if I can see anything, no, there are no lights to lead me in and after a call to Cynecia I find the only guide in is Luke's anchor light, which is not visible from outside the reef. I'm about 3nm off the entrance now and go back below and find I've knocked the switch to the plotter off, so I turn it back on and it can't get a fix.... sht sht sht. it's showing my vector as heading east into the reef. I quickly check the heading on the chart a find my compas bearing is pretty good . I plot my current position on the chart and enter a waypoint into the gps unit I have as back up. It doesn't look right though and I'm thinking I might have to tack out to sea for the night. Not to mention the conditions are pretty ordinary for getting any rest. I find I've put an incorrect digit in the lat. my eyes are t the best after two days with no sleep so I correct it and am still not happy. I Plot my position on the chart again and am still on line for the entrance. Then the plotter comes good and a small adjustment closer to the wind puts me on line. I keep plotting my position on the chart every 15 mins or so and as I am in the entrance I can see white water very close to the boat even though my position puts me well away from harm. Once I'm inside Luke's light comes into view and I drop the rags and motor towards it. 2am anchors down and I'm pretty wide awake. Although it was a very wide break in the reef and I had plenty of back up navigation available I was pretty anxious when the plotter went out so close to the critical moment. Oh well
it keeps me on my toes I suppose and another lesson.
cheers
Rob

[Phillip]

More heart in throat moments Rob!

Bet you are feeling better now

[Phillip]

Rob said a couple of hours ago.....

Just spoke to a couple of rangers on the beach, they were watching a big tiger shark swimming over by those two little yachts.
A bit of a nervous ride back out to the boat in the teething ring.

[Troppo]

More of those "heart in throat" moments. Rob seems to love 'em. If he don't love 'em, then they love him 'cause they is following him all the time.

troppo

[Phillip]

Rob posted this an hour ago on facebook.....

"Waited at Exmouth for a week for some wind below 25kts and didn't get it.
Been waiting here for a week with constant 25-30kt blowing and hopefully tomorrow we get to move on.
This west coast is proving to be hard work.
May have to wait at Canarvan for a while."

[Phillip]

Rob was here about 2100 hours on Wednesday.

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[Ianb]

What is the significance of the different track colours?

[rob.lovelace]

From Exmouth we went out of the bay and around to Tantabiddi which is inside the reef, waited there for three days then made a push for Point Maude, wIted there for a week and then down to Canarvan. Most of the tacks are a out 20nm and we'd go out 20 back 20 and gain about 15 There's a few big tacks that are about 50nm. As the morning wind is southerly a tack out is made then it changes to sou'west in the arvo so tack back in then only trouble with that one is you have to go through the shipping lanes and at times it feels like playing frogger. I have lots of water coming on board and my bed keeps getting wet, I'll try and find the leak here. All the others are coming from the life line staunchings etc

[Phillip]

Robs here!

Red line is sailed [my guess] yellow is yet to be sailed.

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[Troppo]

That's some impressive travelling.

Interesting how Rob mentioned about tacking with planning on using the daily regular windshifts. I guess every bit helps and especially when ya get a fair change of angle of wind it can mean gaining a few nautical miles and that is nothing to sneeze at when clawing into the wind day in day out.

troppo