AHOY! Sailing Australia & The South Pacific - February 2023

MONDAY, MARCH 13TH 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

The webinar will be recorded and available to view for those who cannot join the live event.

TO REGISTER AND JOIN THE LIVE WEBINAR OR TO RECEIVE A LINK TO WATCH THE RECORDING VISIT:

OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, OVER 400 PEOPLE HAVE BECOME DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS.

At only $125.00 for the first year and $99.00 per year to renew, Down Under Rally Membership is extremely good value for money. It is very easy for members to save much more than the membership fee thanks to the various discounts and offer our rally partners provide.

MANY OF OUR MEMBERS HAVE COMMENTED THAT THEIR DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERSHIP REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY THEY HAVE EVER RECEIVED!

In addition, becoming a member will give you access to our Offshore Cruising Preparation Course for as long as you are a member. The information we share in the course will help you gain the confidence to venture further afield when the time is right. As a Down Under Rally Member, you and a partner member of your choice will be able to watch the course content as often as you like for as long as your membership is current.

Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw

CONGRATULATIONS...

ROD S. - MEMBER NUMBER 28.

You are this month's winner of our PredictWind Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw

Each month the Down Under Rally draws the name of one of our members as the winner of the member's prize draw. The winner chooses any item from the woman's or men's range of PredictWind Clothing plus a PredictWind Cap. predictwind.com/clothing-shop BECOME A MEMBER FOR YOUR CHANCE

Tsunami Tsunami survivinga...

An account of our experience in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in SE Asia and what we have learned. Yacht Stolen Kiss Peter and Cheryl Ainsworth.

By Cheryl Ainsworth

PeterandIcamefromindependentsailingbackgroundsandmetwhenwewere involvedinyachtracing

In2003wedepartedFremantleonourfirstStolenKiss(a43-footcentreboard thatwasbelievedtobeanS&Sdesign)andcruisedtoDarwin,spendingtimein theKimberley

InOctober2003,departingDarwin,wesailedupthroughIndonesia,withourdestinationgoalbeing Langkawi,Malaysia,forChristmas.

Inthefollowing6years,wesailedaroundSEAsiaandtheIndianOcean,returningbacktoDarwintosellthe boatandbuyanotheronmoredistantshores

In2010wepurchasedaHylas47(anotherS&Sdesign)inSanCarlos,Mexico,andcruisedBajaCaliforniafor 3yearsbeforesailingdowntoPanama,crossingthePacific,andarrivinginBundaberginDecember2012.

Afteradecadeofamazingjourneysandmeetingwonderfulpeople,wesailedbacktoFremantleandsold StolenKiss WenowpuddlearoundFremantleonadifferentboat Ourblogcanbefoundhere http://yachtstolenkiss.blogspot.com

Like many aspects of cruising, being prepared for events that nature throws at us is important This is no different to being on land, as highlighted by Australia now coming to terms with the need to improve our preparedness for fires and floods

Withcruising,wecanlistpotentialhazardsasbeingmostlikelythroughtopossiblebutunlikely Beingawareandpreparedallowsustomanagesituationssuccessfullyastheyarise.Everyonehastheir ownriskassessmentfordifferenteventsandwillmaketheirowndecisionsaccordingly

Thisarticlewillshareourexperienceinthe2004BoxingDayTsunamiinSEAsiaandwhatwelearnedinthe hopethatreadersofAHOYwhoonedayfindthemselvesinasimilarsituationareabletoavoiddisaster.

Our first Stolen Kiss, anchored in the amazing Maldives on our Indian Ocean Cruise.

Our second Stolen Kiss, a Hylas 47, anchored, waiting out a blow on the way to the Whitsundays, 2013

Tsunami Tsunami

By Cheryl Ainsworth

Not all earthquakes that occur on the ocean floor generate a tsunami. Most recently, the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the Tanimbar Islands of Eastern Indonesia in the early morning of January 10 2023, was reported to have occurred 93km under the ocean floor No tsunami warning was issued Further to this, the earthquake of magnitude 7.0 that occurred north of Vanuatu just off Espiritu Santo on January 8, 2023, with a depth of 27km, initially had a tsunami warning issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre but was later cancelled.

The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami hit SE Asia with no warning. The epicentre of the earthquake, in the ocean floor, was reported to be 30km deep with a magnitude of 9 1-9 3 The waves travelled from the epicentre to the coast of southern Thailand and northern Malaysia very quickly. No countries had tsunami warning systems at that stage. The waves travelled through the Indian Ocean very fast and impacted many countries www.coolgeography.co.uk/GCSE/AQA/Restless%20Earth/Tsunamis/Tsunamis.htm

By Cheryl Ainsworth

In2006,wesailedouttotheSeychellesandbacktoPhuket,listeningtomanyharrowinglocalstoriesof destruction,lossoflifeandkindnessofmanypeoplewiththerebuildingofcommunities.Wewere humbledbytheirstoriesandresilience Therewaslittlehelpinpersonaltraumarecoveryforthesepeople Theyjusthadtomanageandrebuildtheirlives.Sharingtheirstorieswasverymuchapartoftheirgrief process.

December26,2004,0800hrsTsunamihitsPhuket.

Mid-December,2004wewereoneofover100yachtsthat(inhindsight)werefortunatetobeanchoredin thedeeperNaiHarnBayinPhuket,Thailand.ManyofuswerepreparingtosetforthacrosstheIndian Ocean,withsomeheadinguptheRedSeaandontoEurope OnChristmaseve,over80yachtieswere gatheringatasmall‘yachtiebar’atAOSane(‘JungleBeach’)onthenorthernsideofNaiHarnBay.Hadthe tsunamihit12hoursearlier,itwouldbehighlyunlikelythatmanyofuswouldhavesurvived

A more recent photo of ‘Jungle Beach’ Nai Harn Bay, Phuket.

Tsunami Tsunami surviving a...

By Cheryl Ainsworth

Anchoringin12mofwaterwith70mofchainoutwaspartofthecourseforus,‘justtobesure’.

Thissavedourboatinthetsunamiasthefirsttwowaveswere5mhigh,andtheboatrodeoverthewaves. Thethirdwavewas10mhigh Friendsanchoredin12mofwateraroundotherislandswereabletoridethe lastwaveoutaswell.Withthedeepanchorage,thewavesdidnotbreakuntilthey‘felt’thebottomcloseto theshore.

Inotherbaysthatwere4mdeep,theyachtsanchoreddidnotfaresowellasthewaveenteredthebay, alreadybreaking,andmanyyachtswerethrownontheirsides;however,allmanagedtogetoutofthebayin onepiece.Althoughsomedidtakealotofseawaterthroughopenhatches. youtube.com/@zainalh

This video was filmed in Chalong Bay which is on the east coast of Phuket, The impact of the Tsunami was not as severe in this location, but the video serves to show how an anchorage can be affected in a Tsunami

ThewavehitPhuketaround0800.WewereashorewaitingforthelocalbustotakeusintoPhukettownand werewatchingthebeautifulbayNaiHarnwithaThaiman

Allofasudden,thewaterjustdisappearedfromtheshoreastheincomingwavesuckedbackthe water.Wewereatfirstmesmerisedandthenshockedasthewatercamesurgingbackinupto wherewewerestanding,whichwasapproximately5mabovethebeach

Thesecondwavedidthesame.Alongwithsomeotheryachts,wewerequicktorecognisethedanger,and theworstwasyettocome Rightlyorwrongly,wewereveryquicktograbthedinghyandreturntoStolen Kiss(inbetweenthesecondandthirdwaves)andpulltheanchorupandheadouttodeeperwater.Forus,it wasaninstant,instinctivedecision

Onreachingourboat,wecouldhardlyholdontothesideduetothepullofthesecondwaveasitexitedthe bay Thisalarmedusaboutthemagnitudeofwhatwouldbecomingnext Thedinghypainterwasquickly attached,andPeterwaspullingtheanchorupbeforeIhadstartedtheengine.Asweup-anchoredand turnedtodepart(thishappenedinamatterofminutes),thepullofthethirdwavewassostrongthatwe neededfullenginepowertorideoverthewaveasitliftedalittlebehindusandcrashedontothebeach.

Peterwasstillonthebowstowingtheanchor.Wecouldseethroughthewavethatpeoplewererunningto higherground Thewaterwasthatclear Therewereover100yachtsanchoredinNaiHarnatthattime All survivedunscathedinthebay.Manyyachtsstayedatanchorthroughthewholeordeal.

Verysadly,listeningtoeventsunfoldingonCh16,wewerechilledbywhatwasgoingoninotherbays.The aftermath,deathanddestructioninthearealeftusnumb.Wedecidedtostayfortheyearin Phuket/Langkawiand,alongwithotheryachties,assistedwiththerecoveryeffort

By Cheryl Ainsworth

How can we prepare for such events?

In preparing for the 'unexpected', the choice of strategy to deal with any event depends on so many different factors, e.g. type of yacht/boat and equipment, personal boating experience, and general preparedness.

This is no different to being on land, as Australians are now more aware of the level of preparedness that is needed for such events as fire and floods

There is much written that earthquakes that occur in the ocean floor (and others have reported the same with underwater volcanoes erupting violently) can be ‘heard’ as the pressure wave emitted causes a ‘sonic boom’. Sonic waves occur in the ocean as well as in the atmosphere. We had noted this on several occasions when cruising in Indonesia, north of Darwin (where minor earthquakes are not uncommon) and also in the Sea of Cortez when there was a significant earthquake near where the mouth of the Colorado River used to be Awareness of your local environment is an important factor

You may be in a marina or at anchor when a tsunami warning is issued. Having a pre-plan strategy that can be immediately executed will be important In 2004, there were no provisions for a tsunami warning, but now there are across the Pacific and SE Asia. That is in your favour.

There may be times when you are required to exit a marina on a tsunami warning. This is where having two or three waypoints set up in a route in safe water is important All you need to ensure is that you go to deeper water. You are more than likely to be safe in over 10m of water, where any wave will go underneath you. This is the same if you decide to depart an anchorage under a tsunami warning. Following the 2004 tsunami, there was much nervousness, as you would expect With the aftershocks of the initial earthquake, we had requests to evacuate the marina/anchorage and move to deeper water. Not all boats chose to do this, but those who did all worked together to motor around in a pattern This tended to be during the night

Anchoring safely at all times is also important Give others around you room to move in an emergency Our plan for safe anchoring included the following, even before any tsunami warning:

We anchored with a scope of approximately 7:1 on most occasions (all that chain is of no use to you in the anchor locker). We carried 100m of 10mm chain.

We always had a larger anchor than what was recommended for our yacht

We generally did not anchor in shallow water (under 3m) and always ensured we had room to get out if needed

Every time we anchored, I would draw a sketch of our anchorage with either a waypoint(s) to go to get out safely or the bearing to do the same. If there was a complicated exit, I would set up a route. This ensured peace of mind for us!

Tsunami Tsunami

By Cheryl Ainsworth

How can we prepare for such events? Continued...

Lastly, every item down below was always secured after use, during the day and night If we had to depart urgently, there would be fewer hazards of items becoming potentially harmful projectiles We worked on the premise that if we had to leave quickly, we could. Try to be systematic in all that you do. Peter and I always had specific duties and responsibilities on board The longer you cruise, the more automatic this becomes. This certainly helped us depart the anchorage in Nai Harn Bay in the 2004 tsunami.

We have always found setting sail to distant shores exciting, if not with a little apprehension on the first day. A high level of preparedness helps to increase confidence and decrease the impact of the ‘unexpected’. Both Peter and I have felt so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have sailed to such amazing destinations and learnt so much about life, ourselves and each other during our decade of cruising. Engaging in such grassroots travel promotes a deeper understanding of cultural differences and establishes a different level of interaction with local communities. Being a part of the cruising community, you will find tremendous support, kindness and adventure, which all add to the quality of life

Fair winds and a following sea!

As a follow on to this article, I would like to add that over a period of 4 years cruising the Pacific, Leanne & I have experienced one tsunami and prepared for three others.

Of the three that were non-events, one was in Vanuatu in 2009, one in New Zealand in 2010, and one in Fiji in 2012.

The Tsunami we did experience was in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, on the 11th March 2011. Despite it being a minor Tsunami, it was still an unnerving experience Below is an extract from the blog we kept at the time:

"The Tsunami threat has passed here. We heard about the devastation in Japan at about 08.00 and immediately sought info about the likelihood of a Tsunami in our area. NOAA has issued a Tsunami warning for the entire Pacific Coast of North America and the North of South America, so we aired on the side of caution, headed out to sea for most of the day, and returned when we learned that the threat had passed. We did experience some disturbed currents, and the coast here experienced a surge of about 1m. The locals had prepared well, and from what we can tell, there has been no damage done."

The moral of the story is that it does happen, and as such, you need to be prepared.

WHEN ONBOARD, ALWAYS HAVE THE VHF TURNED ON & MONITOR VHF 16

THE REWARDS OF CRUISING IN FIJI IN CYCLONE SEASON.

You won`t find it hard to find information about the risks of cruising in Fiji during cyclone season, but for those who are willing the rewards are many including having anchorages such as this all to yourself for weeks at a time!

BirgitHacklofs.vPitufasharedthisphotoandcommentedinarecentpost inthe Sailing&CruisingInFijiFacebookGroup, saying:

Bula,wearehereinVanuaBalavuandhaven'tmetanyotherboatsin months!!!

ToreadmoreabouttheadventuresofBirgitandChristiancheckouttheir website Pitufa.at -TowardstheHorizon

Whileyouarethere,besuretocheckoutthehandy WindAtlas theyhave created,showingtheprevailingwindsfortheoceansoftheworldandthe booksBirgithaswritten

THE 'EGGBEATER' EFFECT

On Friday, 27 January 2023, a deluge of rain moved over Auckland delivering downpours of 100-200mm rain, mainly in around 5 hours resulting in significant flood damage across Auckland and the North Island.

In his weekly weather gram, Bob McDavitt said the weather pattern (as shown in the chart below) for this deluge is a typical example of what he calls an 'eggbeater' which has two main ingredients.

A large HIGH over 1030 east of NZ is being held in place by light winds aloft.

Low-pressure areas forming in the Tasman sea that can’t move east because of the blocking high-pressure system.

Bob goes on to explain that these ingredients combine like an old-fashioned manual eggbeater... One spinning one way and the other spinning the other way to feed tropical air into the hose of northeast winds aimed at Aotearoa NZ. Similar weather patterns in the past have produced similarly wet days however this one was supercharged, and the reason for that may be that the Oceans are now the warmest ever measured …. read this article for more information

Assomeonewhotakesaninterestinthe weatherinourregion,I (JohnHembrow) contactedBobasIhadthoughtthe 'eggbeater'wassimilarinappearancetoa 'squashzone'andaskedwhatthedifference was...Inhisreply,Bobexplained:

"A'squashzone'hasstraightisobars,and thereisazoneofstraightisobarsinthe middleofaneggbeater.Butaneggbeater ALSOhascycloniccurvedisobarsonone sideandanticycloniccurvedisobarsonthe othersideanddependsonthisinterplayas well.Soaneggbeaterismorecomplicated andcanbemorevariable."

For those who are interested you can learn more about squash zones & eggbeaters HERE

Bob McDavitt regularly (usually weekly & on a Sunday sends out his Weathergram (also known as BobGram), which is his evaluation of the weather patterns around the South Pacific, aiming at what weather is worthwhile to AVOID. These are issued free of any charge or commitment

These WEATHERGRAMS are great for helping to pick windows of opportunity for good sailing weather and great for those who would like to get a better understanding of the weather in general.

You can subscribe to receive Bob`s Weathergrams at metbob wordpress com/subscribe

KIA ORA

ICNZ SOUTH ISLAND RALLY PROVES POPULAR

islandcruising.nz/events/south-island-rally-2022-2023

This event is for all women who love boats - you don't have to be a WWSA member to attend Speakers will be announced soon, and information will be available on our website.

2023 GO EAST RALLY 2023 GO EAST RALLY PARTICPANTS PARTICPANTS

In January, John from the Down Under Rally caught up with some of the 2023 GO EAST Yacht Rally to New Caledonia participants who were hard at it preparing their boats at The Boat Works Gold Coast for the adventures ahead.

So far, 20 vessels have registered as participants in the 2023 Go East Rally that departs the Gold Coast for New Caledonia in May

DRESSING YOUR VESSEL

ThefirsttimeIheardthetermdressingavesselwasduringthe2016 GoWestRally whenCamfrom s.v Annecam askedmewhattheprotocolwasfordressingvesselstakingpartintherallywhenthey arrivedinBundaberg. Atthetime,Ihadnocluewhathemeant!

Ilearnedthatthenauticaltermofdressingship,'todressship,'ismostcommonlyappliedto militaryvessels;however,itcanalsoapplytorecreationalvesselssuchasyachts.Evencruiseships oftendressship.

TheprocessinvolvesusingInternationalMaritimeSignalFlagsandstringingthemalongdressing linesfromstemheadtomasthead.Ifthereismorethanonemast,theneachmastshouldbe included.

Apparently, the ship should be dressed in the morning at 0800 hours. Flags should remain up until the evening. This applies for when the ship is at anchor or in port and not whilst underway. This will also change if it is the maiden voyage of the vessel or the final voyage. Different protocols will dictate how those events are to be handled in relation to 'dressing ship.'

HOW TO ENTER HOW TO ENTER

Usethesignal flag legendonthepreviouspagetodecipherthewordsthatarespelled outinthecodeflag string picturedbelow.

Onceyou havedecipheredall theletters,they will spell thenameof oneof ourrally partnerbusinesses.

Sendanemail toadmin@downunderrally.com withthesubjectlineDRESS MY SHIP.

Intheemail body,writethenameof thebusinessthattheflagsspell andprovideus withyournameandphonenumber.

Thenamesofallthosewhoenterwillbeenteredinthedrawonthe28thofFebruary2023andone willbedrawnasthewinner.

BatoFlags willthenbeintouchwiththewinnerandarrangefortheircodeflagstringtobemade andposted.

TheprizeincludespostagewithinAustralia.

Bato Flags has an easy-to-use Code Flag Bunting system to make it easy for you to create your own code flag string for dressing your vessel that can spell anything you like such as your boat name or maybe a fun message!

Power & Sail Power & Sail Power & Sail

SPECIALIST MARINE INSURANCE

SPECIALIST MARINE INSURANCE

SPECIALIST MARINE INSURANCE

BROKERAGE BY BOATIES BROKERAGE BY BOATIES BROKERAGE BY FOR BOATIES FOR BOATIES FOR BOATIES

BOAT INSURANCE CAN BE OVERWHELMING!

Understanding what insurance cover, you need for your Boat can be complex, particularly as boats generally are very diverse assets, largely dependent upon the individual owner. It can be devastating if you get it wrong, so it does pay to have an Insurance Broker on your side who knows Boats and Boat Insurance.

As your Insurance Broker, I work for you, not the Insurers. Utilising my 25 years of Marine Underwriting experience in Boat Insurance, I’ll take the hard work out of getting the right cover for you, arrange the policy and manage the administration of any claims if and when you need to claim

ARRIVING IN AUSTRALIA AND CRUISING SOUTH TO SYDNEY

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

WhenNewZealandopeneditsbordersinMay2022,wereturnedtoprepareourArcona430, Loupan,andresumeourcruisinglife.

Ifallwenttoplan,thiswouldbetheyearwhenwewouldarriveinAustralia,whichwouldmarkthe endofseveralwonderfulyearsofcruisingintheSouthPacific.

AsVanuatuopenedtheirborders,wetooktheopportunitytovisitandhadalovelyone-and-a-half monthscruisingtherebeforeleavingPortVila,sailingtothenorthofNewCaledoniaandarriving inBundaberginlateSeptember.

WehadagreatsailfromVanuatuforalmostalltheway,exceptforafewhourswithrainand strongwindwhenwehitthe“tail”ofatroughthemorningbeforearrival.

Australia has a reputation amongst the international cruising community as being a country where it is hard to clear in, and over the years, we have heard rumours among cruisers about tough and even unfriendly officials, so we were apprehensive.

We had heard many good things about the Down Under Rally & The Go West Yacht Rally To Australia, so we decided to join. This was a good decision. We received very clear and precise advice from the Down Under Rally on what to do before arriving in Australia and what to do on arrival.

WearrivedinBundabergintheevening. Johnfromthe DownUnderRallyhadprovideduswitheasy-to-follow instructionsaboutwhattodoifwearrivedoutofbusiness hourswhichwefollowedbeforetidyingtheboatandhaving aglassofwinetocelebrateoursafepassage&arrival beforefallingasleep.

Thefollowingmorningweberthedat BundabergPort Marina, wheretheofficialsfromAustralianBorderForce werewaitingforus. Theclearanceprocesswasreallyvery smoothandaverypositiveexperience.

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

Most boats don`t arrive in Australia until later in the season, but we had chosen to arrive early to do a little land cruising. So soon after arriving, we left Loupan in the Bundaberg Port Marina and flew to South Australia for some wine tasting in the Barossa Valley and a lovely trip along Great Ocean Road.

It was then time to return to Bundaberg as we wanted to take part in the Down Under Rally Welcome Week. Leanne and John did a terrific job of making us “feel at home”, and meeting the other rally participants was a great pleasure. The information John shared with us during the series of East Coast Cruising Seminars was very well presented and has since proven to be of great value. The ‘Surviving Down Under Seminar’ that included a lesson in Aussie Slang was also fun but, at the same time very informative.

And I must mention the prizes that the Down Under Rally Partners provided. There were so many major & minor prizes that were won. In fact, I think nearly all the Go West Rally participants that attended the Welcome Week had at least one win.

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

We loved the introduction to the Aussie culture that The Down Under Rally shared throughout Welcome Week, which commenced with an authentic Welcome To Country Ceremony and was followed by a great welcome party.

Each day a classic Aussie song was played at the start of the VHF radio sched which always ended with a funny story or an Aussie-themed joke. We have actually since made a Spotify playlist with the songs John played before the VHF sched that we now listen to when we feel like having a bit of an Aussie vibe. The movie night with the iconic Australian movie “The Castle” was so much fun, and Pelle was thrilled to have the opportunity to play the Didgeridoo at the final of the Welcome Week events the 'Done & Dusted' Party.

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

ThedayaftertheWelcomeWeekfarewellpartysawanexodusofyachtsdepartingthemarina,with manyoftheGoWestRallyboatsstartingtheircruisesouth.Wealsoplannedtosailsouthand spendChristmasandNewYear'sEveinSydney.WewereinthegreatcompanyofourAussiefriends ontheyachts GonewiththeWind and EyeCandy.

Weallheadeddowntothe GreatSandyStrait westof K'gari(FraserIsland),andacoupleofdays later,itwastimeforourfirstbarcrossing.Ofcourse,Johnhadtolduseverythingweneededto knowforasuccessfulbarcrossing–acoupleofhoursbeforehidetide,lessthan15knotsofwind, lessthan1,5metersswellandcontacttheVMR(VoluntaryMarineRescue).Itwasanachievement forallwhenwemotoredacrosstheinfamousWideBayBarwithoutanyproblemsandfeltmore confident.

After the Wide Bay Bar, we had a relaxing night sail in light winds down to Moreton Bay, outside Brisbane. We spent several days anchored by Peel Island, which was very protected in the fresh, northerly wind. We also stayed a couple of nights in Manly Harbour and took the train to Brisbane. It was, in fact, the third time we visited Brisbane, and we liked the museums, the lovely Roma Parklands, the Southbank, the restaurants, and the vibe in general.

We spent the last day in Moreton Bay by the beautiful Sandhills. As the wind was expected to shift to the south, we decided to continue to Southport the day after. Southport is a busy place, and much fun was being had whilst we were there. Hundreds of jet skis were in a Santa Parade on the First Advent.

A few 2022 Go West Rally Particpants sharing a Sunset at Gary’s anchorage, Great Sandy Straits before crossing the Wide bay Bar.

Horseshoe Bay, Peel Island, Moreton Bay

'The Sandhills' Moreton Island

Moreton Bay

Santa Parade

Southport Gold Coast

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

InSouthport,mostboatsanchorintheMarine Stadiumarea.

Wefounditabithecticandinsteadanchored oppositetheSouthportYachtClub.There,the speedlimitis6knotsandalotlessswell.Very closetogoashoreandtoshopsandthelovely BroadwaterParklands

Broadwater Parklands youtube.com/@noah.creative

Wewishedourgrandchildrencouldhavebeen withustoenjoyallthefun.Wetookthedinghy uptheNerangRivertothebeautifulartgallery HOTA,whichalsohasacaféwithagreatview overthearea.

The winds were not very cooperative, and the southerly wind continued for an extended period. We then remembered the advice from John: “If you get a weather window with consistent northerly winds, go straight through all the way to Sydney. When you return north from Sydney, you can take your time and visit all the places you sailed past on your way south.” At last, the southerly wind stopped; instead, there were very light winds. It was time to sail (and motor!) south.

We made a few stops on our way to wait for a favourable wind. We crossed the bar at the mouth of the Clarence River and stayed in Yamba after an overnighter from Southport in very light wind.

We departed and made another stop at Coffs Harbour. The wind came up from the southeast again, and it became pretty uncomfortable for the boats at anchor. We were lucky to have a spot in the marina. After a couple of days, the wind and we agreed it was time to move on. Very light wind and motoring/motor sailing at first, but then good sailing, and we arrived in Sydney Harbour on the 12th of December, 36 hours after we left Coffs Harbour.

We dropped anchor in Spring Cove inside North Head, which offers very easy access from the entrance to Sydney Harbour. We arrived early in the evening when it was still daylight, but arrival in Sydney Harbour is also very doable in the dark.

View from HOTA cafe

Marine Stadium

Southport Gold Coast

@Down Under Rally

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

WeLOVESydney!Thereissomuchtoseeandtodo. Thereisalwayssomethinghappening,and eventhoughitisabigandbusycity,ithasquitearelaxedfeel.

Therearesomanyexcellentanchorages, bothwithacityfeelingandwithnatureclose.Thefast accesstothecitycentre,witheitherbusorferryfromallanchorages,reallyimpressedusand madelifeasasailingtouristeasy.Weusedthe app"Sydney" tofindpublictransport,anditwas possibletousearegularcreditcardasaticket.

Ourfavouriteanchorages aretheonesclosetoManly,RoseBayandSugarloafBay.Blackwattle BayisalsogoodandwillmostcertainlybegreatwhenthenewFishMarketisready.Having attendedtheDownUnderRallyWelcomeWeekEastCoastCruisingSeminarsandreceivingthe insiderinformationJohnshared,visitingSydneywasaHUGEadvantage.

Andonceagain,thankstoJohnfromtheDownUnderRally,havingmadepriorarrangementsfor therallyparticipants, wehadafriendlywelcomewhenwearrivedat MiddleHarbourYachtClub, wherewestayedafewnightswhenwetravelleduptothebeautiful BlueMountains forsomehiking. Nottobemissed!

ThehighlightsofourmonthinSydneywere:

TheexperienceofbeinganchoredandaboardourownboatwiththeiconicSydneyOpera HouseandtheHarbourBridgeinthebackground.

TheconcertwithNickCaveandWarrenEllisintheOperaHouse.Besidesthemusic,wealso lovedtheirinteractionwiththeaudience.WealsowentforaguidedtouroftheOperaHouse. Whatanimpressivebuildingandanextraordinarystorybehindit.

ThestartoftheSydneyHobartRaceonBoxingDay.

And,ofcourse...NewYear'sEve!

We were lucky to have our experienced Aussie friend Andrew onboard for the start of the Sydney To Hobart Race. He guided us among all the boats and prepared us for what should happen when the big yachts had passed. What a washing machine, but what a spectacle and a thrill to be here in person aboard our own boat to witness it!

Rolex Sydney Hobart Race Start

Rolex Sydney Hobart Race Spectator Fleet

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

For New Year's Eve, we anchored in Athol Bay, with a good and close enough view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera house, already the day before. We could enjoy watching all the activity as the markers for the exclusion zone were laid out, the fireworks barges being towed to their position and hundreds of big and small boats anchoring to get a good view.

We had expected it should become more of a drama with all the boats, but everyone was in a good mood, the weather was brilliant, and there were no real incidents in the anchorage. So, we could relax and enjoy the light show on the pylons, the 9 pm fireworks, the ship light parade and, at last, the spectacular fireworks at midnight.

New Years Eve Fireworks Sydney Harbour 2022 As seen from our anchorage aboard Loupan at Athol Bay

SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND CRUISING YACHT HAVEN

Located ON Brisbane's Moreton Bay, Scarborough Marina provides visiting yachts with easy access to the many anchorages and the islands of Moreton Bay, including Moreton Island and the Tangalooma Wrecks. The City of Brisbane and the Brisbane international airport are only 40mins away, with Public Transport right at our door. The suburb of Scarborough is home to families and retirees who form part of the safe & friendly community. With the convenience of waterfront Cafes, Clubs & Restaurants plus major shopping centres and medical services nearby and our popular weekend farmers & craft markets, Scarborough really is a home away from home!

Recognised by the international cruising community as the preferred destination when visiting the Brisbane Region.

Safe Enclosed Harbour

Protected from swell & unaffected by flooding.

Clean, Modern & Well Maintained Facilities

Modern Cruisers Lounge with TV and free WIFI

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IN THE TROPICAL PACIFIC ISLANDS

ThisisthefirstinstalmentinanAHOYSailing Newsseriesfor2023writtenbyRichard

Chesheraboutcriticalhealthissuesyoucan easilyavoidwhencruisingthetropics–IFyou learnfromothercruisers'mistakesandget seriousaboutprotectingyourselfandyourcrew.

Everycruiserknowstheywillfacedangersfromthe weather,equipmentfailure,collisionswithothervessels, andaccidents.

Asensiblecaptaintakesprecautionstopreventthese accidentsbygettinggoodweatherforecasts,maintaining thevessel’sequipment,usinglightsandAISandkeeping watchatsea,havingagoodmedicalkitandsafety equipmentaboard,etc.Andmostcruisersknowwhatto doifthesedangerssurprisethematsea.

Butanamazingnumberofcruisershavenoideahowto defendagainstthehealthdangerslyinginwaitforthem whentheyarriveinremotetropicalareasfarfrom medicalcare.

Ifyougetsickfromcontaminatedwater,attackedby malaria,adeadlybloodvirus-likedenguefever,parasites, fishpoisoningoraflesh-eatingmicrobe,itwillbealong andexpensiveordealandmaycausepermanent disabilitiesorevenkillyouoroneofyourcrew.

Healthissuesareseriousdangersformariners butfewcruiserstakeelementaryprecautionsto protectthemselvesandtheircrew.

Diseaseorganismskillmorepeopleeveryyearthanall themaritimeanddivingaccidents,shark,seaserpent, crocodile,seawasp,orevenpirateattackscombined.

Youandyourcrewtrulywanttoavoidgettingsickor injuredanywhere,butespeciallywhencruisingfarfrom medicalsupport.

Thegoodnewsisthatmostcruisersavoidserioushealth issueseitherthroughluckorprudence.

Tobesurethegoodnewsappliestoyouand yourcrew,followthesethreeverysimplerules:

FIND OUT WHAT HEALTH DANGERS ARE LURKING WHERE YOU ARE HEADED BEFORE YOU SET SAIL. DON’T LET THEM GET YOU.

BY RICHARD CHESHER, PH.D.

KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU FAIL #2.

"Smartpeople learnfromtheir mistakes,smarter peoplelearnfrom otherpeoples' mistakes."

#1- DRINKING WATER HEALTH DANGERS

This is an account of a health mistake my wife and I made that nearly killed us.

At the time, we were anchored off a small island in eastern Papua New Guinea, and I was writing in my evening log book after dinner...

“AsIwritethis,Ifeelalittledizzy.Whateverhasbeenwrongwithusthesepastmonthsis stilllurkinginthebackground.We’vebeengoingstrongsinceSunday,divingtwiceaday, andtakingunderwaterphotographsofthereef,butrightnow,I’mweakasakitten...on andoffandonandoff.Idon’tthinkthemedicineDrCookgavemeinPortMoresbygotit. Maybeit’snotparasitesatall.Butwhat???????

Theimageformsinmymindofadieselenginerunningoutoffuel.Justbeforeitdies,the governorfails,andthemotorrevswayupandthenzonk,it’sdead.Maybe,thepastfew days,I’vebeenlikeadieselenginerevvingasitrunsoutoffuel.

Asamatteroffact,Ifeelreallyshaky.Awaveofblacknessrearsup,andthenightsurf falls.Igaspandshakemyhead."Freddy,I...Idon’tfeelsogood."

Shelooksupfromherreading,aworried,withdrawnlookonherface."Nowthatyou mentionit,Idon’tfeelsogoodeither."

Myfaceflushes.Acoldsweatbeadsonmyforehead.Thedizzinessgrows,andthe blacknessroilsuptoengulfme.Iamgoingtopassout.Iputmyheadbetweenmylegs.In afewminutes,Ifeelsteadier,butIknowthisissomethingreallybadandgettingworse minutebyminute.

"Thisisnotgood."Iampanting,myvisionblurs,andmychestachesandfeelslikeit’son fire.Itremble.Foramoment,Iblackoutbutcometoagainimmediately,intimetocatch myselfasIfallforwardontothedinette.Mymouthfeelsnumb,andthereisanawful, metallictasteinmymouth...Icanhardlybreathe.

"OhRick,what’swrong?Mylegsfeelfunny."Shetriestostandtocometomyaid,but she’sunabletostand.

"Comeon,sweetheart,let’sgettobed."

AllIcanthinkisthatsomethingiswrong,reallywrong.Myheadisswimming,confused, can’tthinkstraight.IhelpFreddystand,andsheistremblingandcold.

Westaggeraftandcollapseintobed.

The Moira at anchor in Sidea, a remote island in PNG

Nightmareschasemeallnightlong. Iwakeupfeelingworse,withnoideawhattimeitis, butitisdaylight.

Itrytotype,butmyfingersmissthekeys.Itrytowalk.Istumbleandfall.Ifumblemy words,andtheycomeoutwrong.Iliedownandfocusdeepinside,searching.Somethingis terribly,terriblywrong.Ahard,colddeathreachestowardsmelikearisingblacktide. Frightened,Ipullbackfromtheicyeternityandforcemyselfawake,pantingwithfear. Mymusclesache.Ican’tthink.Walter,ourcat,isdown,too.Hetriestojumpupthe companionwayladderandFALLS!

Freddygoesovertohim.She’scrying.I’mCrying."OhRick,what’sWRONGwithus?" Isitthere,unabletofocus.Shegripsmyarm,"It’sthewater.It’sgottobe.We’vebeen poisoned."

Myheadaches.Water?"Huh?What?"

Freddyisshakingme,peeringcloseintomyface.IthinkIhavebeenunconsciousagainbut Iamnotsure."We’vebeenpoisoned.Itmustbethewater.Itmustbe.Listentome.The wateristheonlyconstantthinginourdiet.Ithastobethewater."

“We’vebeenfeelingrottenforalongtime."

"SincetheendoftheexpeditionsinMarch,"Freddyagrees.

"SinceMarch....."Thisseemsenormouslyimportant.Isitonthedeck,tryingtothinkabout March.WhatissoimportantaboutMarch?"Iknow,wehaven’thadanyrainsinceMarch. MaybethewaterinthecatchmenttankatBelesonaiscontaminated."

"Ithinkitis,"Freddyagrees,"We’vedrunkthewaterfromthattankformonths...Ourrain catcherhasbeenuseless."

"Itwasrightafterwefoundoutaboutallthestreamsandgroundwaterbeing contaminatedwithleptospirosis."Iremembersomethingelse,"Damn!Ilookedinthe catchmenttankandwassurprisedtherewasnothinginthere."Islammyfistontothe dinette."Therewerenomosquitolarvaeinthere!Whydidn’tIknow?"

"Andremembertheyacht-withthelittlebaby?Thebabywassickandcryingallthetime, andnobodycouldfigureoutwhatwaswrongwithit."She’sright...

Thewaterinthecatchmenttankmustbepoisoned."I’llbetit’slead.Leadhitsinfantsand youngchildrenreallyhardandfast.Theyachthadbeenusingthewaterfromthesame tankforoveramonth.AndPeter,too.PetertoldusthewaterwasOK.Hesaidhealways madehiscoffeewithit.AndPeterhasbeenactingreallystrangelately,paranoid,erratic, angryoneminuteandlaughingthenext.Madasahatter."

"What?"

"Hatter.Peopleusedtomaketophatsusingamercurycompound,andhatterswentcrazy becauseofmercurypoisoning.Leadpoisoninghasneurologicaleffectslikethat,too."Iget upandpacethedeck."Itcouldbemercury.IntheVirginIslands,theyfoundmercuryin watercatchmenttanksfromroofspaintedwithanantifungalcompound.Buttheroofat Belesonaisnotpainted,it’sgalvanizediron."

"It doesn’t matter, we can’t trust our tank water or the water from the catchment tank. We’ll have to get to Samarai and buy milk." Freddy gets practical.

"Milk would be excellent. We need calcium - as much as we can get. I’ll call Dr Cook and see if we can get some Penicillamine to chelate whatever is in our system so we can get rid of it." I think to myself if we are strong enough to get to Samarai tomorrow.

Most people die when heavy metal poisoning goes from the chronic to the acute phase. Right at the moment, I could not get the anchor aboard or keep it together long enough to sail through the reefs and islands back to Samarai.

Continued on: www.log-of-the-moira.com/31DYING.HTM

PROTECT YOUR DRINKING WATER AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT

Obviously,thefirstandforemostdrinkingwaterdangerisnothavingany.Thisisn’tabig problemifyouareweekendcruisingfromamarinabutbelieveme,freshwaterisaserious worryonlongseapassagesorcruisingwheretherearenomarinasorsafepublicwater sources.

Youmightimagineagoodrainwatercollectionsystemwillgetyoubetweenwatersources, butwhatifitdoesn’train?Oritrainslikeawaterfall,butyouareatseagettingsaltwater sprayblastedalloveryouryacht?Whatdoyoudoiftheonlywatersourcesashoreare contaminatedwithanalphabetsoupoftropicaldiseaseorganisms,apesticidegumboor anarrayofheavymetals?Contaminatedwatersourcesarenotonlygummycreeks, stagnantpondsormuddyriversbutalsopoorlymaintainedorcompromisedmunicipal watersupplies.AsaconsultanttotheSouthPacificRegionalEnvironmentProgramme,I didpollutionsourcessurveysinseveralislandcountries,andIcanassureyouit’sabad ideatodrinktheshorewaterinmanyofthem.

Ifyouwanttobeawareofhowcommonanddangerousmunicipalwatersuppliescanbe–evenintheUSA-checkout www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_diseases.

Watercanbecontaminatedbynaturallyoccurringchemicalsandminerals(forexample, lead,tin,cobalt,arsenic,radon,uranium),locallandusepractices(fertilizersand pesticides),wastesfrommanufacturingprocesses,seweroverflowsorwastewater releases.

Someofthemostcommondangerouscontaminantsinwatersuppliesinclude: Cholera,Amoebiasis(Traveller’sDiarrhea),Dysentery,Infectiousdiarrhea(avirus), HepatitisA,LeadPoisoning,Polyomavirustumours,Polio(InfantileParalysis),Fluorosis bonedisease,Dracunculiasis(GuineaWormDisease),IntestinalWorms,Trachoma(Eye Infection),TyphoidFever,Schistosomiasis(Bilharzia),Legionella,Giardia,Norovirus, Shigella,Campylobacter,Salmonella,Cryptosporidium,Leptospirosis…..andlotsmore.

IT TOOK US 3 MONTHS TO GET HEALTHY ENOUGH TO SAIL FROM PNG TO AUSTRALIA, AND IT TAUGHT US AN OBVIOUS LESSON YOU CAN LEARN FROM...

W A T

When you tie up to a marina wharf in a strange city - anywhere – you have no idea if the water is contaminated or not. A local person might tell you it’s fine to drink, and – for locals who have been drinking it for years – maybe since childhood – it is fine because they’ve built up an immunity to the contaminants. But the water could make you miserable. And sometimes, a “good” local water source can become contaminated without the local people knowing about it. They might just think there is a new flu in town.

R

V E R Y W H E R E

We stopped in Cairns, northern Queensland, many years ago (before watermakers for yachts) and just happened to see a notice in the local newspaper saying the water supply system had a major problem and the city was currently using a temporary alternative water source. The paper recommended boiling the water before drinking it. Many stores in town had only a skeleton staff because we were told there was a mysterious flu and lots of people were sick.

The locals had not read the newspaper warning that their water was contaminated. There were no notices posted on the public wharf where we might have filled up our water tanks. If we had not happened to read the notice in the local paper, we would also have gotten sick, and if we had filled up our water tanks with the contaminated water, our water tanks would have been contaminated and stayed that way until we realized the problem and sanitized them.

Even if the municipal water is safe, if there is no marina or wharf where you can fill up, you have to lug containers of water from your yacht to shore, fill them from a public water supply faucet (if you can find one), lug them back and load them aboard. Not fun if you need 300 liters of water.

E R W A T E R E V E R Y W H E R E

GETAWATERMAKER.

Ifyouarereallygoingcruising(notjustdayorweekendsailingfromamarina),installa good,reliabledesalinator,learnhowtouseitcorrectly,andfreshwaterdangerswillnever beaproblemnomatterwhereyoucruise.

Youcanenjoyshowers,washthedishes,anddrinkasmuchasyoulikewithouteverhaving toworryaboutwhat’sinthewater,searchforsomeplacetogetwater,lugaroundheavy containersortrytodecontaminateit.

DRINKSAFEWATER.

Watertanksonyachtscangetcontaminatedovertime.TobeSUREthewateryoudrinkis alwayssafe,installyourwatermakerwithavalvetoswitchbetweenputtingwaterinyour tanksorintothesink.

Afterfillingthetanksfortheday,switchtothesinkoutletandfillglass1-litrebottles–onlydrinkwaterfromtheglasswaterbottles,notfromthetanks.Wehave8one-litre bottles.MywifeandInormallydrinkatotalof4litresperday.Twooftheglassbottlesare keptcoldintherefrigerator,6areinacanvasholder,andonelitreisreadilyavailableina glassthermosonthedinetteor,atsea,inthegalleysink.

Also, install a carbon filter after the freshwater pump, so any tank water is filtered before being used.

Our engine-driven watermaker cost us less than US$5,000, complete with a cruising kit and extra pre-filters. It puts out 85 litres of fresh water an hour when the sea water is cold and 120 litres when the sea water is warm. We top up the tanks every morning in about 45 minutes, giving us enough water for hot showers, a little laundry, washing the dishes, washing hands etc. We are never in a marina, so our watermaker has produced every drop of water we have used aboard for over 15 years.

We run it everywhere unless there is oil or diesel on the water surface or the water is so dirty I can’t see halfway down the rudder when I look over the stern. We exchange and wash the 20-micron and 5-micron pre-filters every week and flush the whole system with fresh water after every run. The membrane lasts at least 5 years, and the last replacement cost US$168. That’s more than 540,000 litres of reliable water for an investment of $5,500 or about 1 cent a litre. The cost of the diesel to run the desalinator is less than the cost of paying a marina to come alongside and fill up, the fuel to do that or the fuel and time needed to get water in drums.

#2- HOW TO PREVENT DRINKING WATER DANGERS W

A

E R W A T E R E V E R Y W H E R E

THECOSTISNOTTHEPRIMARYCONCERN-YOURHEALTHIS.

If yougetsickfromshorewater,it’snotonlygoingtoruinyourcruise,itcouldverywell costyouafortuneinmedicalcareplusalotofpainandsuffering.Evenifjustoneperson getssick,everyoneelseaboardisgoingtohaveamiserabletime.

NEVERDRINKSHOREWATER,DRINKSWITHICEORFRESHFRUITSMOOTHIESASHORE. Havingawatermakerwon’tpreventyoufromgettingsickfromcontaminatedwater ashore. Anentirefamily,kidsincluded,onacruisingyachtwithaperfectlygood watermakeraboardgotcholeraaftereatinginrestaurantsashorewhencruisinginSouth America.Themostcommonwaycruisersgetsickfromcontaminatedwateriswhenthey drinkwaterorabeveragewithiceinitwhenashore.Alwayslearnthelocallanguagefor “NoIce”. Ifarestaurantprovidesaglasswithicealongwithajugofwater,donotdrinkthe waterorusetheglasswithice;askforbottledwater.Wedo,eveninNoumea.

Orderinganiceice-coldfruitsmoothieashore,temptingasitis,couldbesomethingyou regretthenextdayandpossiblyforthenextfewweeks.Youmightthinkit’sworththerisk butifyouluckoutevenonceyou’llnevermakethemistakeagain.

#2- WHAT TO DO WHEN THE WATERMAKER FAILS?

Ifyourwatermakerfails–anditwill,eventually–youbetterhavesparepartsaboardand knowhowtofixit.Thatis,bytheway,agoodreasontobuytheleast“automatic” watermakeryoucanfind.Watermakerswithautomaticsensorsandelectronicsorcomplex “energyrecovery”systemsaremuchmorelikelytofailthansimplersystemsandare difficulttorepairbyyourself.Ourdesalinatorisinexpensiveandsimple,withzero electronics,easy-to-findparts,andeasytorepair.

Mostdesalinatorcompaniessella“cruisingkit”withessentialpartsformaintenanceduring yourcruiseandadetailedoperationalandrepairmanual.Ifyourwatermakerfails,andyou don’thavethepartstofixit,you’llneedtogosomewhereyoucangetthepartsshippedin andfillupwithmunicipalwater.

Ifyouhavetofillthetankswithshorewater,youneedtoattachthefillinghosetoagood charcoalhigh-pressurefiltertoremoveanybacteriaandchlorinebeforethewatergoesinto yourtanks.Alwaysusethepre-filterbeforeanymunicipalwatergoesintoyourtanks.

Ifyoueverabsolutelyneedtotakeonriverorcreekwater,filterthewatertoremoveany sediment,thensanitizeitfordrinkingwith2drops/litre(1ml/20litres)offresh(lessthan6 monthsold)unscentedhouseholdbleach–5.8%sodiumhypochlorite.Allowthetreated watertostandforatleast30minutesbeforedrinking.Or,betteryet,boilthewaterforat least1minute,andafteritcoolsoff,pouritintoglassbottlestodrinklater.

Ifyoudon’thavethefueltoboilallyourdrinkingwater,andyouputbleachintoyourtanks, doNOTusetankwaterwithchlorineinittoflushyourdesalinator;itwilldestroythe membrane.Whenyoureacha(hopefully)cleanmunicipalwatersupplyagain,completely emptyyourwatertanks,sanitizethemwith1cup(300ml)fresh(notstored)non-scented householdbleachforevery50gallons(190litres)ofwater,removeanyinteriorwaterfilters, openthewatervalves,andrunthefreshwaterpumptoallowthesterilizedsolutiontotreat theentiresystem,thenwait8to12hours, drainallthewateroutofyourtanks,andrefill withgood,pre-filteredwater–orrefillwithwaterfromyourrepairedwatermaker.

Boilingorsanitizingthewaterisuselessifitiscontaminatedwithheavymetalsorpesticides.

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R

Richard and Frederique Chesher began cruising the Pacific aboard their Peterson 44 cutter in 1976. Richard is a PhD marine scientist, and Frederique is an artist and professional photographer. Together they created and publish the Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia and the Rocket Cruising Guide to Vanuatu, widely praised as the best cruising guides in the world.

You’ll find critical information on staying healthy while cruising (including avoiding injuries from dangerous marine creatures – like sharks). Important conservation regulations, local custom requirements, repair services and supplies, accessing the Internet, weather, navigation aids and much more. With just two clicks, you can do a virtual visit to 220 anchorages in New Caledonia and 170 anchorages in Vanuatu, with 240 verified GPS routes in New Caledonia and 160 GPS routes in Vanuatu. The guides cover all of New Caledonia and Vanuatu and are updated at least 4 times a year.

Every anchorage has a high definition, colour aerial image showing the anchorage area, surface or drone shots showing what it looks like on approach, what it looks like after you get there, plus above and below water (sometimes even spherical 360-degree images) of beaches, coral reefs, forests, waterfalls, and trails. You'll have everything you need to choose the places you and your crew will enjoy most, along with reliable sailing directions, exact GPS coordinates of the safest place to anchor, depths, bottom type, protection from wind and waves, hazards, VHF reception and times of the weather reports, mobile phone, Internet, Wi-Fi and TV reception, points of interest, treks and trails. Plus, important information on health hazards, social issues, where to get fuel, supplies or repairs, government and local restrictions, conservation laws, and more. You’ll also get the Rocket Travel Guides prepared for the tourism departments of New Caledonia and Vanuatu to train travel agents about the enormous range of tourism facilities and activities in both counties; accommodation, car rentals, shopping, tours, sights, beaches, all the things tourists need to know about visiting these holiday destinations. Rocket Guides have it all

Under Rally Members

PHONE:

The Hutcheson family and the staff at ABS have extensive boating experience and really do enjoy helping you with your chandlery needs.

WelookforwardtowelcomingyouIN-STORE Monday to Friday 8 AM – 4:30 PM Saturday 8:30 AM -12:00 PM, ORbyphoneoronlinewhenitsuitsyou

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The Coral Sea Foundation was formed in 2018 by marine scientist and expedition guide Dr Andy Lewis, as a platform for raising awareness of the value of the coral reef ecosystems around our region (the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, and the areas of the eastern Coral Triangle in PNG and Solomon Islands), and for taking pragmatic marine conservation action to help coastal communities support sustainable fisheries and safeguard the incredible biodiversity of this area.

Dr Andy has a 30 year career working throughout this region, including 11 years as the marine scientist onboard the Australian expedition vessel True North. Over this time, Andy spent thousands of hours underwater and collected reef monitoring imagery at over 165 locations through the eastern Coral Triangle, giving him a unique insight into the ecology of this globally significant biodiversity hotspot, and important connections with the traditional owners of the coral reefs.

However, Andy also realised that rising human populations in Melanesia were placing increasing pressure on marine resources, and in most places, local people were reporting declining fish catches and were keen for any information on ways they could sustainably manage their reefs.

In 2019, after numerous requests from village women to get involved with marine conservation work, Andy initiated the Sea Women of Melanesia (SWoM) training program to empower these women with the resources and marine science skills they needed to take a lead role in supporting coastal communities to create and look after Locally Managed Marine Protected Areas.

Due primarily to the bravery and amazing work ethic of the women involved, the program has gone from strength to strength over the last 4 years, and the Sea Women of Melanesia is now incorporated as an independent not-for-profit organisation in PNG, with offices in Port Moresby, Alotau and Kimbe.

Over 30 women have taken part in the training program, and they have assisted local communities map and register more than 20 new marine reserve areas, delivered thousands of dollars’ worth of humanitarian and medical aid into remote villages, and helped raise the profile

Dr Andy and his team run the Coral Sea Foundation from their home office on the Great Barrier Reef at Yunbenun (Magnetic Island), and they have active operations underway at several locations on the GBR and at multiple locations in PNG via the Sea Women teams. The Foundation prides itself on being professional, science-based, and independent, and it receives no government funding and has no institutional affiliations. Instead, it leverages support from a fantastic network of ecoconscious corporate partners and philanthropic donors, many from within the yachting and maritime industry.

The Foundation currently has an active fundraising drive to deliver their first expedition multihull catamaran later this year, and Dr Andy and his team welcome any and all contributions of funds or expertise to get that vessel on the water, as it would deliver a massive boost to the operational capability of the organisation and the geographic scope of their marine conservation activities throughout the region.

Therearealsoopportunitiesforyachtiestocontributetothemarineconservationand humanitarianaidworkbothhereontheGBRandinMelanesia,andDrandwouldbehappyto discussoptionsinmoredetailviaemailatandy@coralseafoundation.net.

Moreinformationcanbefoundontheorganisationalwebsites: www.coralseafoundation.net www.seawomen.net

Andontheirsocialmediachannels:

Youtube: CSF- www.youtube.com/@coralseafoundation841 SWoM- www.youtube.com/@seawomenofmelanesia2803

Facebook: www.facebook.com/coralseafoundation www.facebook.com/Sea-Women-of-Melanesia-PNG

Instagram:

@coralseafoundation @seawomenofmelanesia

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WHEN OTTO GOES AWOL

BY MARTIN CHAMBERS

We are sailing off the Southwest corner of Tasmania with no particular thing to worry about. The day is ending, and we will make Port Davey before nightfall A meal, a sleep, a glorious sunrise cradled in the wilderness. We have had a day of wonder, of dolphins, of massive flocks of shearwaters, of southern ocean swell smashing whitewater against rock and headland, of the lonely white lighthouse that is Maatsuyker and the only thing for all around. A day of our own human insignificance

It is often that at such arrival after a voyage, the talk becomes philosophical. Ah! The simple life, the wind and water and a star to steer by The tiredness that refreshes Being ‘off-grid’, sailing the wide ocean being one of the few places where true escape is still a possibility.

But we kid ourselves to think we can live independently of the modern world even if we can go ‘off-grid’ for a few days, as even a recreation as outdated as wind in the sails relies on machines and technology unheard of even in the time of my youth

So the philosophical talk turns to what we can and cannot do without, and soon we have a list. And agreement

Those that we cannot live without must have a name!

Bathurst Harbour from atop Mt Rugby Looking west Breaksea Island is just left of middle horizon and beyond that, the Southern Ocean

Take the autopilot.

This hidden and yet most useful crew member requires no sleep and no food other than a few electrons we gather from the sun

And so Otto is born, and as if to highlight his creation, the very next day, he began to complain.

Perhaps he didn’t like that name. We came up with others, none of them suitable for print in a magazine such as this!

We made sweet talk, made adjustments, but the grumbling continued.

We spend a lot of time planning for steering or rudder failure We have stainless tiller arms should the cables break or should the rudder fall off. We have drogues or an emergency rudder cobbled from floorboards and a spinnaker pole that we know full well would never work anywhere other than the calm sea demonstration of it.

I have read of yachties that carry a spare tiller pilot, but we, because Otto was so reliable and perhaps more likely because Otto is a small grey box hidden in the crawl space behind the motor and hence easily forgot, we didn’t

And so Otto goes AWOL. Remember hand steering? You get used to it.

Pilot Bay is a delightful anchorage at the entry to Macquarie Harbour. Most might only pause here while waiting tide or wind to enter through Hells Gates, but it is worth spending some time here if the weather is good. There is a walk up to Cape Sorrel and the lighthouse, there is a great beach, and it is a good place for hanging upside down in the crawl space behind the engine and it is a great place for making satellite phone calls to autopilot part suppliers. Pilot Bay is a day sail from Strahan, but Strahan is three weeks away from any parts supply, and in any case, without pulling Otto apart, I did not know what parts to order Pulling Otto apart requires advice from Mr Google (and special tools), and Mr Google does not visit Pilot Bay.

Three of us onboard, hand steer to Adelaide? Our destination was Fremantle, so Adelaide was kind of on the way, and the chandlery in North Haven could have a whole new Otto for us by the time we got there. But hand steering. At least six days. I guess old salts will tell that was how it used to be. We discussed. The weather looked good.

The failed internals. The four planary gears are mashed and the ring gear has fractured. What failed first? My best guess is that one of the screws holding a planary gear in place has worked loose, impinged on to rotation of the ring drive. Use locktite!

Six days later, the long cold nights are forgotten, and a new Otto is installed, costing $2600 I have old Otto dismantled on the chart table.

Otto is a grey box. There is an electric motor, a clutch, a drive belt and some small plastic plenary gears. Plastic?

These gears have sheered and split, and what genius decided something that works so hard would be OK made of plastic? Oh, Father of Otto!

Anyway, after much searching, I sourced spare parts that could well be the most expensive bit of plastic ever. I reassembled it, and now we have the luxury of Ottospare!

Installing an autopilot is a relatively simple task, but carrying a spare is a costly thing The alternative is to pull yours apart in the comfort of the harbour while talking with Mr Google, source the likely spares and tools you need and carry these Our old Otto was reincarnated with about $100 of parts and $45 worth of tools. LongliveOtto!!!

Replacement parts arrived from England. Motor drives for autopilots are linear, as in tiller drive, or non linear, as in rotary like our one. I imagine other brands have similar but highly specific parts. A google search should find yours.

About the Author - Martin Chambers

I have been messing about in boats from an early age. Small dinghies as a six-year-old, competitive rowing at school, kayaking expeditions to remote places and, of course, sailing. Kerryn and I now own a Bavaria 47 and plan to be in the Kimberley this year, but before that, we will be rowing a small skiff from Recherche Bay to Hobart for the wooden boat festival When not sailing, I write I have several novels in print and as audiobooks.

'Sailing the Seven Sustainable Seas' In print, eBook, and now as an Audiobook (available on Spotify)

author-martin medium com

smashwords.com/profile/view/martinchambers

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NORTHERN LIGHTS GENERATOR

9kva @ 110v| 7kva @ 240v.

Complete wiring loom, gauges & sound-proof box.

4500hrs recently serviced and in good working order when removed.

$2000.00 ONO Ph Glen Thomson

0406 512 916.

Simrad 4G Broadband Radar

We have upgraded our Radar. The Simrad unit was functional with a B&G MFD until its removal in late November 2022.

Included are Broadband 4G Radar, Broadband 4G Radar mount (will require cleaning and repainting), 10m x 4G Broadband connection cable, Broadband Radar RL10 Interface Box, 6’ Ethernet cable and some paperwork. Available Brisbane northside in early-mid December

$550.00 or near offer.

Call James 0422 148 970.

All six of the items on this page have been carried as spares. They have never been used and, as such, are in an as new condition. Located Brisbane Area for pickup or postage can be arranged.

do not include the cost of postage.

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