Gold Coast To Cronulla...

Tuesday 30th October 2018

Back in the Gold Coast, at Paradise Point, it was super to see Derek and Debbie again, they were readying their boat for their annual foray south to spend Christmas with their children.

Amy, very conveniently, had a work conference up here in the beginning of November so she extended her time from work to spend a couple of days with her parents – it was super to see her, we walked, talked and paddle boarded.

In Paradise Point we bumped into Bruce (Shellac) again - he had sailed with us to New Zealand back in November last year - and also Laura and Steve (Eaglehawk) who we had met up in Bundaberg in July, so it was a good few hours spent catching up on each other’s news before we headed up the Coomera River to haul out at the Boatworks (our favourite boatyard).

Boat maintenance never ends.

We had a few things on the “to do” list and the top of these was to raise the waterline when we redid the antifoul – no, you don’t just put paint higher up the hulls, you have to sand off all the old gelcoat because the antifoul will not stick to it properly, you then need to prime, then undercoat and only after all this can the new antifoul be applied. A hell of a job - but boy, did she look good when she was done!!

We had various scratches, scrapes and dings that we wanted filled, including the one where ‘sharky’ had taken a bite out of the steps on the port hull (Jan 2018), and one of our carbon fibre staunchions was broken – not a repair we were prepared to take on ourselves. As well, we had the rigging checked - SOL having done a lot of miles over the time we have had her – and got a positive report back, good news indeed – just a couple of minor adjustments required.

A rather nervous measuring of our old mainsail before ordering the new one

After 4 busy days and a lot of hard work, we were back in the water Friday afternoon and it was off to Paradise Point.  With only 1/3 of a mainsail viable, we needed a new one, but, the expense!! And with not that many weeks before Christmas, timing was an issue. Fortunately, Bruce had given us the name of a sailmaker down in Cronulla way and he could do it within three weeks if we were able to give him measurements – scary stuff, more scary than crossing oceans - having a new mainsail made relying entirely on our measurements of the old, stretched, blown-out one!! We took it ashore, laid it out on the parkland at Paradise Point measured, photographed, measured, and measured again and sent these details to Neil (Barracouta Sails) along with the deposit.

We had now three weeks to get south to Port Hacking, so we could enjoy a leisurely cruise down the coast and at 3pm on Wednesday 14^th November we sailed out through the seaway and pointed SOL south again. First stop after an overnight sail - the beautiful Clarence River again, Iluka, then up to Harwood, under both the old and new (almost completed) bridges to Brushgrove Public wharf for the night. Next afternoon we set off up river to Ulmarra – what started as a leisurely river cruise turned to pandemonium as approaching Ulmarra wharf the sky turned black, lit by streaks of lightening – we motored full tilt at the wharf, threw on the mooring lines, grabbed the electronic gear and ran for the shelter of the pub – reaching there as the heavens opened spitting out rain, golf-ball sized hail and wind – two minutes later and we’d have been caught out in it. In half an hour all was quiet again, the only evidence of its passing was the carpet of jacaranda flowers blown all over the boat!!

Leaving the Clarence, at 0530 on Tuesday 20^th November, after another stop for superb fish and chips at the fisherman’s cooperative at Iluka, we sailed in very confused winds (varying from none to 25knots and back again!!) arriving in Port Stephens in time for lunch on Wednesday. Anchoring the first night in North Arm Cove then moving to the public jetty at Lemontree Passage.

With bushfires, dust, rain and wind we spent just five days here before moving to the Hawkesbury River/Pittwater where we met up with Wal and Anna (Osprey). In this area of the Hawkesbury the bays are full of club and public moorings available on a first come basis and as we arrived in the dark, I sent a text to them “any moorings free?” “haha just one or a hundred!!” was their reply – and when we got to America Bay we were one of only 4 boats – and yes, about 100 empty moorings!! We had a great time over the next week with them, cruising around America Bay, Refuge Cove, Brooklyn, Coasters Retreat and Pittwater before bidding them adieu to go to Sydney.

We sailed past Sydney Heads then Bondi Beach and as winds increased to 35+knots it was quickly sails down and motor into the shelter of Port Hacking where we again picked up a public mooring. These public moorings are super, you can only stay 24 hours on them but there are so many you can just move around to the next available one next day.

Some of Jamie's family have a day out on SOL

 Uncle David, Stuart, Jamie, Melissa, Aunt Pam, cousin Philip, me and Jamie's mum

We managed to rent a mooring in Gunnamatta Bay, not far from Cronulla station and it was here we spent Christmas and New Year. Back on 11th December 2005, this beachside suburb was the scene of horrendous race riots and violence. Over the next few days the unrest spread to nearby suburbs and resulted in wide news coverage of the racially motivated stabbings, attacks against police and ambulance officers, assaults and property damage which resulted in countries like Canada and Britain issuing travel warnings about Australia. Jamie’s family are all in the Sydney area and one day we had a family day trip out to Jibbon Beach (Jamie’s mum, Uncle and Aunt, a cousin, his sister and her partner), walking around the headland to the aboriginal rock carvings, swimming, snorkelling and paddle boarding and a BBQ lunch.

Managing to get a ‘relocation campervan’ for just $1/day plus petrol (the hire company needing to have it moved from Sydney to Melbourne), we left SOL safely on the mooring and with three of the four children having birthdays this week it was off to to Melbourne for Amy’s, to Shepparton for Grace’s then to Adelaide for Phil’s – a fairly whirlwind trip but as we wouldn’t be seeing them for Christmas it was lovely to spend a couple of days there. We flew back to Sydney to pick up our new mainsail just before Christmas.

Our (almost) free ride to Melbourne - way to go!!

Yes – our mainsail is great – thank you Neil at Barracouta Sails.

Christmas Day was celebrated with the usual BLT’s, pressies and too much lunch – this year, Grace and Cal, Amy and Wal (and Jackson the dog) came up to SOL. On Boxing Day, we went to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart race, the big maxis streaking ahead of the rest of the fleet as the very favourable winds took them south. We returned to Gunnamatta Bay with Grace at the wheel deftly dodging the many other craft crowding the waterway. We had yet another terrific time with kids aboard but as always time is too short and by New Year’s eve Jamie and I were on our own again.

Afternoon  on Jibbon Beach, collecting garbage! Cal, me and Grace
(wearing our SOL merchandise)

Amy takes Jackson paddle boarding

It had been a bittersweet few weeks, Jamie's dad had been unwell for quite a long while and although it was lovely to see him, sadly his funeral was held at the beginning of January, at Lowther, in the Blue Mountains - Edward George Wybergh Docker (9 June 1928 - 5 January 2019)

After nearly 6 weeks in Port Hacking - Christmas, New Year and a lot of time up in the Blue Mountains with Jamie's mum and dad, we slipped the mooring and turned right - Southward bound.

Edward George Wybergh Docker 
9 June 1928 - 5 January 2019

Paradise Point…

Apartments, Ephraim Is, with their own marina

Thursday 5th October

Back to our nice Paradise Point anchorage where everything is indeed a little paradise – we have an amazing anchorage just metres from the public jetty (almost too close sometimes – once when the wind was blowing I needlessly worried that we would hit it!!) Ashore are numerous restaurants – including two fish & chipperies almost next to each other – we tried both and both passed the Jamie Docker Fish Test for taste!!

A perfect anchorage in Paradise!!

There is a fenced swimming pool area, yes, we did have a swim, with shower and toilets, BBQ and playground – all of which are extremely well used. And, it seems almost everyone on the Gold Coast has a dog and a penchant for exercise whether running, walking or Tai Chi - even as early as 5.30am!!

Derek and Debbie took us on a “tiki tour” one day and very kindly loaned us their car another which made the shopping trip a breeze (well, physically – Jamie never thinks of shopping as a “breeze” unless it is a marine/hardware shop!!).

This is an absolute haven for jetskis and fast motorboats - some of which have kept us well entertained with their antics.

Whilst here we have found crew for the Tasman crossing, although we did not end up with a couple, which was our first intention, we are pleased to have joining us on board, two singles – Philip and Lynette. Phil, from Adelaide, South Australia, has a lovely looking 43ft wooden Gaff rigged cutter which he sails around the gulf area there. Lyn is part-owner of a Lightwave 38ft catamaran which is currently in Malaysia. Both came to SOL one Tuesday evening and we enjoyed a “getting to know you” meal together. They will meet us down in Coffs Harbour a few days before we leave.

As part of our preparation for the Tasman we have purchased a life raft – which we hope never to have to use. Murphy’s Law would say that if we didn’t have one……. So… I hope we have appeased Murphy!! We also got these natty little MOB watches – the crew on watch – two at each time, will wear these which are set up to an alarm on the boat (app on phones and ipad) that if the wearer gets out of a certain range for 8 seconds the alarm sounds like a fire siren, the best vessel to save you in a man overboard situation is the one closest to you – the mothership.

I also made us a Q Flag - this is a flag which you are required to fly upon entering a foreign port to alert Customs and Immigration of your arrival and must be flown until they have cleared you and your boat. The "Q" stands for Quarantine, of course!!

Q Flag to be flown on entry to foreign ports

We took a few days break from Tasman Prep with a visit from Grace and Cal who drove up from Victoria for an extended weekend. They left home about 4am Friday morning and after a mere 19hrs drive we dinghied them to SOL.

South Stradbroke Island, seaward side

Saturday dawned yet another perfect Queensland day and we had been invited to join Ian Cooper and friends at Dux Anchorage on South Stradbroke Island for a pot-luck curry evening hosted by the Southport Yacht Club. Delicious food and lovely people, a great night was had by all. We walked over the island to the seaward side and spotted some whales in the distance putting on their usual show for our benefit.

We have been incredibly persistent with our fishing endeavours, and, incredibly unlucky. Grace managed to hook a catfish and then Cal and I hooked what we described as eels - we have later discovered that these very sharp toothed, long shiny creatures are what is known as Hairtail, and the ones we caught were between 1 and 2 metres long, with the most horrendous teeth. We were very happy to return all to the sea.

Sunday – what has happened to the perfect Queensland weather – it was grey, overcast and moody looking. We decided to take a trip out the Gold Coast Seaway and give Grace and Cal a real taste of this sailing life. It is not always flat calm as they soon discovered!!

Yes, I had to include the "skipper picture"

Cal and Jamie hoisted the reefed mainsail and with just half the jib out we were soon flying along in 20knots. We saw some dolphins and more whales then, luckily, they had put in the third reef by mistake, not the second, as within a very short time we had 30-35knots and turning back to shore we flew through the seaway entrance under sail. Exhilarating!!

By this stage the rain was coming down in bucketloads, nice to wash the salt from the boat but not so pleasant for visitors, but we had a great time indoors playing boardgames before going to a nice restaurant for dinner (thanks children). Monday was still wet, but who cares really, Cal’s mum came down from Brisbane for a quick visit which was great – we hadn’t seen her since Grace and Cal’s wedding two years ago. Then Grace and Cal threw out the fishing lines again - Grace managed to catch a nice crab on her line which we later enjoyed as a snack. And the day ended with MacKenzie, a mate of Cal’s also coming aboard. They left around 5pm to make the journey back to Victoria – a long drive again but with plans to stop en route for the night should be fine – sadly they collided with a kangaroo on the way and although they damaged their car it was still driveable. As always, it is so nice to have the children visit with us and sad they must leave.

We also are leaving this Paradise Point, after a farewell breakfast with Derek and Debbie we will leave tomorrow for Yamba/Iluka, sailing overnight on the next leg of our way south.