Voyages Towards Tasmania in 2013

[Miker]

Sorry to hear about the scratches Phillip. Surely that small amount of damage can be easily sorted. After all, you've done a lot of the journey, and a lot of work to get you on your way. If it was me, I'd keep going and see you you feel once you get to Sydney and not let the bridge episode bother you too much.....

Let me know if I can be of any help.

[Dolphin]

Phil, here is a picture of the bridge.

After your Top Hat has hit it I'm not going over the bridge until they've checked it. I think there is more damage to the bridge than your boat.

Postcards from Swansea.

P1040078swansea br.jpg (92.73 KiB) Viewed 6130 times

[storm petrel]

Philip,

I am disappointed to hear of your altercation with the Swansea Bridge. I was pleased we went under the bridge against the flow in Storm Petrel when we visited and I remember thinking at the time that the flow near the top or bottom of the tide would be fast and could easily pull you onto the bridge. As you say, there is always next year. In the mean time you could team up with Shaun and come down for the HRYC get together on the 9th or is that too soon?

Mark

[Andy]

Philip

If I was in your shoes I expect I would make the same call. Well done on setting out to Tasmania and postponing for a year. All the best for your return trip and thanks for your contribution to this site, it has been great learning reading your comments, which has been very beneficial to sailing my TopHat.
Andy

[Phillip]

Thanks to all you Top Hatters for your support.


The decision to return home was not made without some regret, but since then we have discovered that the weather has not been real good in Tasmania also with reports of 30 knots plus on the east coast. Even now with cyclones either side of Australia I cannot see any real improvement happening soon.

And that underlies the real problem, I can't just sit here waiting for the weather to be kind to me.

So Shaun will arrive here today [Sunday] and we will have to see how we go getting north. I think we will have a better chance than if we were going south and may even get home this coming week with all these southerlies.

My voyage to the Whitsundays in 2011 did have the right weather the whole way [except when I tried to come south to early] and for that everything went OK. This time a combination of weather and engine troubles has derailed the voyage time wise and that means a rethink on when this voyage should be undertaken from NSW.

Some of you may be right about keeping going but it maybe that an even later or early start to get the right weather patterns is required. This will need looking into.

[Shaun]

For the Camden Haven Yachts, At this stage the conditions look good to depart PS for the overnight sail returning to the Camden Haven

cheers

[Miker]

For the Camden Haven Yachts, At this stage the conditions look good to depart PS for the overnight sail returning to the Camden Haven

cheers

Yep, the Seabreeze charts say southern is coming in around midday and building to +25 knots, so you might be home quicker than you think!

Safe journey boys, glad to have caught up with you both briefly.....

[Shaun]

Cheers Mike,
was good to catch up with you again & chat with you on the phone while I was in Broken Bay & Port Jackson, thanks for the local knowledge advice & suggestions.

cheers
Shaun

[storm petrel]

Hi Shaun,

Did you get back OK? The NE swell has been pretty solid down here over the past week ( I have been surfing instead of sailng for a change). I would have thought the bars would be difficult.

Cheers,
Mark

[Shaun]

Ive just realised in my messege (my second one above) I forgot to say "on Sunday", so not home yet Mark, yes the bars are very messy at the moment

the weather here is a bit crazy, warnings everywhere over the local radio, rain, wind, hail.
Even getting a bit bumpy here at Fame Cove, PS

cheers