Seaka goes around Australia, 2015

[woodsy]

Phillip.
I heard of someone a while back being stung by a box jellyfish at 1770.

Stingers (box jellyfish) are found as far south as 1770 during the stinger season. Warning signs are in the bay at 1770. Agnes Water is a patrolled beach and usually free of stingers. Seek advice from the lifeguards before entering the water.


http://www.tourismwhitsundays.com.au/vi ... formation/
Marine stingers may be present in the waters of tropical Queensland year round, with the higher risk season during November – May. During this period, jellyfish are prevalent in the waters around the mainland, islands and have occasionally been found out on the reef.
http://www.abc.net.au/local/audio/2012/ ... 475080.htm

Had a diving friend who was stung by an Irukandji Jellyfish once. HE SAID AVOID EM!!
Same goes for the bloody big mongrel centipedes on Lady Musgrave. My wife was in agony for 6 hours.
The Tropics. Wunnerfull!
Cheers.

[SeaLady]

Hi Phillip,
Being a proud pleasure sailor, I have been reading your posts with grateful long distance interest.

Beware ANY jellyfish.
They sneak up on unsuspecting victims.
Watch out for crocs as well. You are entering dangerous territory for swimming.

Stay safe.
I hope your voyage is fulfilling your dreams.
Paradise has it's price.


Cold here. Thank goodness for a warm electric blanket after being curled up in front of an open fire.


Now where did I leave that glass of wine.

[Troppo]

Hi Phillip,
Thank goodness for a warm electric blanket after being curled up in front of an open fire.

Now where did I leave that glass of wine.

How did you install the electric blanket and open fire in your Top Hat?

Oh, . . . maybe you are not on your Top Hat.

troppo

[Phillip]

Got the message guys,

But remember I've been here before, see my posts back in 2011 or look for them on my blog at www.sailblogs.com/member/seaka

Its still cold here at nights getting down to about 15 or lower!

Looks like I will get out of here Tuesday to Cape Capricorn then to Yeppoon on Wednesday or into the Fitzory River up to Rockhampton.

I do need to restock before heading north to the Whitsundays.

Wind is 10-15 knots today with frequent gust to 20+

[Fat Controller]

Hi Phillip
Like others Im enjoying your adventures with more than a tinge of green. Please keep posting. I had a good laugh about your fishing trip.. whats that they say about the worst day fishing and the best day at the office ? Are you calling in at Middle Percy?
rgds Doug

[Phillip]

Doug and All,

Looks like I'm out of Pancake Creek on Tuesday for Cape Capricorn then Yeppoon or Rocky [to be confirmed after speaking to Louis] on Wednesday.

By Friday I have to be secure as there is ANOTHER system coming through.

All will be decided by 1700 tomorrow, Monday.

Will be going to Percy.

But I'm dinning on Mud Crab tonight so its not all bad.

[Shaun]

But I'm dinning on Mud Crab tonight so its not all bad.

That sure beats half a can of beef & mushroom soup, that I thought must of been standard fare onboard Seaka

[Phillip]

For starters that's correct Shaun!

Have spoken to Louis and have decided to leave the river to Rocky until the return trip as the river can get rough in this kind of weather we are having.

Plan is:
Cape Capricorn or even Hummocky Island tomorrow.

Rosslyn Bay Wednesday, then shop shop shop!

Port Clinton on Friday at the latest, the bad weather arrives on Saturday.

All's well.

@ Pancake Creek.

[Phillip]

New blog up at www.sailblogs.com/member/seaka

Up Maria Inlet, Curtis Island.

[Phillip]

New blog up with photos. Just the text here.

June 20

On that Tuesday morning last week I finally retrieved the mooring lines and we departed from the MacKay Marina. I had all sails up as we exited the harbour to be greeted by a very turbulent exit. At this point I should have directed Seaka due north instead of heading east for four cables to clear Slade Island. When we turned north, direct for Brampton Island, we found a 1 meter swell and just enough wind to full the sails so motored on for the whole journey. The wind did finally arrive around 1500 just before we turned east to the anchorage at Brampton Island. We first anchored west of Pelican Island but when low tide arrived I moved closer to the wharf on 3 meters of water. Here I saw a few dolphins just on dusk.

Tuesday night turned out to be very rolly, on par with West Bay on Middle Percy Island I would say and as such I got little sleep. The swell was out of the north east which was supposed to herald the wind for Wednesday. Well the wind on Wednesday was a non-event and we motored the whole way to Roylen Bay on Goldsmith Island. With the continuing light winds I changed the Jib for the Genoa and replaced the foresail sheets as one had worn almost through on one of the forestays. While it was calm I replaced one of the mainsail lugs which had broken. This will be an ongoing problem until I replace all of them or maybe my sailmaker, who is not far now from the Whitsundays, does the job for me. I also took the chance to have the bed sponges out in the sun as I had found them to be damp against the plywood base. That evening we were treated to a magnificent sunset.

On Thursday morning we awoke, but still lacking sleep, to a day that was overcast and a nice SE breeze. I started the motor to raise the anchor but did not have to put her in gear as we sailed off towards Thomas Island. We had a great sail doing around 4 knots the whole way to Thomas Island where we anchored for lunch. I was also waiting for the tide change to make it easier to get around the west side of Shaw Island. At 1300 we up anchor at Thomas Island and headed around to Shaw Island. We were heading for the bay just inside Burning Point and arrived some two hours later. Today has been the best sailing for the trip so far and we arrived in a very relaxed mood.

Now some may have worked out that I’m moving rather fast to get into the Whitsundays and the reason for this is that, yes, we have another wind weather event coming this weekend. So on Friday BOM had changed the weather forecast for Friday from light winds to 15 to 20 knots. I had worked out that we couldn’t leave until 1030 or we would be battling the flood tide, heading against us, around Dent Island. Will BOM was wrong and all we got for the whole day was a soft 3 knots of wind. So we sailed, at first with the Main and Genoa under the influence of the wind off the shore until we lost it and I then took the Main down as it was only flapping around. With 3 knots of off-shore wind with us and 2 knots of the flood tide against us we motored on at around 4 knots towards Dent Island. We arrived at Dent Island just as the tide changed and suddenly the sea flattened right out and we were doing 5 to 6 knots.

After rounding the southern end of Dent Island our speed dropped to 5knots but jumped again to 6 plus knots as we entered the ebb tide from the Fitzalan Passage. By the time we rounded the north end of Cid Island the seas was very flat and we had a 3 nautical mile reach across to May’s Bay on Whitsunday Island. Unfortunately a hire catamaran beat me to the prize spot behind Lion Point and I had to wait until Saturday morning to move there. We are in May’s Bay to shelter from high winds over the next two days. Today already Hamilton Island has recorded wind bursts of up to 30 knots. The plan now is to go over to Airlie Beach on Tuesday around 0900 to get fresh food as we will be completely out by then.

Yachts with which I have enjoyed their company recently include; Outnumbered, Outahia and Wunjo.