Ahoy Sailing Australia-South Pacific-October 2023

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

AUS A HAS IT ALL!

Tranquil rivers, inland waterways, the iconic Sydney Harbour, the remote and seldom visited pristine atolls and reefs of Queenslands Coral Sea Marine Park, the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef, the 100 magic miles of the Whitsunday Islands, the spectacular wilderness areas of Tasmania, and the Kimberley region of Western Australia exploring Australia’s vast coastline by yachts offers incredible diversity.

Lizard Island, Queensland

Moreton Island, Queensland

Lady Musgrave Island, Queensland

Great Keppel Island, Queensland

Iluka ,New South Wales

Shoal Bay, Port Stephens, New South Wales

Hawkesbury River, New South Wales

Sydney Harbour, New South Wales

A ‘Desirable’ Outcome

AfterawonderfulweekatPortResolution,Tanna,the DownUnderRallyFleetpreparedtoleaveforErromango at5am.(Seepage23,‘TheLandThatTimeForgotPart2’) Whilstcarryingoutourroutineenginecheckaboard Desire,aswealwaysdobeforesettingsail,wemadea distressingdiscovery:twoenginelegshadbrokenand neededwelding.Theheartoftheyacht,itsengine,was compromised,threateningtoshatterthedreamsof continuingwiththerally.

Thenearestmajorport,PortVila,ahundredandfifty nauticalmilesaway,heldthepromiseofskilledwelders whocouldweldthebrokenlegs.Withaplantotowthe yachtoutoftheanchorageandembarkonajourney undersail,thecrewrelayedtheirplightovertheVHF radio.

Thecallforhelpechoedacrossthebay.Inatwistoffate,itwas answerednotbyasingleyachtbutbyafleetoffellowseafarers whosharedintheunspokenbondoftheocean.Threeyachts answeredthecall,eachbringingwiththemauniqueskilland toolsthatwouldproveinvaluable.

Thefirstyacht, Boreal,carriedawelderalongwithitscaptain, Tim,whohappenedtobeamasterofheatandmetal.The secondwas Pneuma,withcaptainRod,aknowledgeable characterwithawealthofwisdomandafasttender,andDave, thecaptainofthethirdvessel, BreezeII,askilledmechanicwho understandstheintricaciesofenginerepair.

Amakeshiftshipyardemergedamidstthetranquillityofthe anchorage.Handsworkedtoremovethebrokenparts,while mindscollaboratedtodeviseaplanofaction.Thewelder's torchdancedwiththeflameofdetermination;themechanic's toolssangasymphonyofrestorationasajack,andvarious toolsweresourcedtolifttheengine. Inamerefourhours,what seemedlikeaninsurmountablechallengehadbeenovercome!

Aswesetsail,werealisedthatthiswasmorethanajourney—it wasareminderthateveninthemostremotecornersofthe world,helpcouldcomeswiftly,and afleetcouldtransforminto afamilyboundbythespiritofseafarers.Thefleet'svoyage becameatestamenttotheresilienceofthehumanspirit,the bondsforgedintimesofchallenge,andtheunwaveringbeauty ofthespiritoftheDownUnderRally.

Desirewhisperedtothewindasshe departedtheanchorage,knowingthatthesewordscarrieda depthofgratitudethatcouldnevertrulybeexpressedor repaid,butonebottleofrum,onebottleofredandtwobagsof flourwereastart!

"ThankYou,Fleet,"

Buddy & Helen s.v Desire

Tim, the ‘master of heat & metal’ with the repaired engine mount bracket

Broken engine mount bracket

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Our two comprehensive guides (11 pages each guide) provide you with everything you need to know about sailing to and arriving in Australia in easy-to-understand plain English

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Whitsunday Island, Queensland, Australia

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!

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Moreton Island

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Time To Up grade Your ground tackle?

Answering The Call of Adventure

friendshipformed,andaplanwashatchedtoventurebackintothePacifictogether,withFijibeing thedestination.

Theborderclosuresduring2020-2022resultedinthatplanbeingputonthebackburner.Keenfor anadventure, Mint&Kalani1 joinedthe BeyondTheBarrierRally in2021,whichsawthemspend almostthreeweeksdiscoveringtheremotereefsandatollsoftheCoralSeathatlaywellbeyondthe protectionoftheGreatBarrierReef. In2022,theyoptedtospendanothercruisingseasoninCentral Queensland,withSwainsReefbeingthehighlight.

InMaythisyear, Mint&Kalani1 departedtheGoldCoastonwhatwasanon-stopvoyagedirectlyto Fiji,coveringapproximately1,500nmin192hours(8days),whichequatestoanimpressive average SOGof7.8knots.Ascanbeexpectedonapassageofthistype,avarietyofconditionswere experienced,fromroughseaswithbreakingwavestoperiodsofmotoringinglass-outcalm conditions.

The Mint Crew at Southport Kalani 1 on passage to Fiji

Kalani 1 on passage to Fiji

Mint on passage to Fiji

Tyson hand steering Mint on passage to Fiji

Glass out conditions aboard Mint on passage to Fiji

By John Hembrow - Down Under Rally

As you can see on Mint’s PredictWind tracking page and the photos below, they have made the most of their time in Fiji, logging almost 2,000nm since arriving and visiting the Yasawa Islands, Savuasavu, The Lau Group, Astrolabe Reef, Kadavu and finally, the Mamanauca Islands, where they participated in the Musket Cove Regatta Week. (Read about Regatta Week on page 75) Well

Enjoying Fiji Time

Is adventure calling you? The Down Under Rally can help you answer the call. Over the past 9 years, The Down Under Rally has assisted hundreds of cruising sailors to achieve their offshore cruising goals. Adventure Begins at www.downunderrally.com

Mint ‘s Fiji Track

Mint & Kalani 1 - Lau Group Fiji

Fuluga, Eastern Lau Group, Fiji

The Mint Crew

ARE YOU ADVENTURE READY?

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The Land That Time Forgot…

PART 2 - ERROMANGO & EFATE

In the September issue of AHOY Sailing, we shared the highlights of our time at Tanna Vanuatu in Part One Of ‘The Land That Time Forgot’. In this article (Part Two), we continue the adventure departing Tanna and head north to Erromango and Efate.

“They say when you leave somewhere, you shouldn`t look back, but I confess to looking back as we departed Port Resolution with a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye The time we spent there was very special indeed...” John Hembrow

ERROMANGO,HEREWECOME.

Asmentionedinpartoneof thisarticle,wechosetodelay ourdeparturefrom NewCaledoniaas theweatherwasnotconsistentwitheitheracomfortablepassageorhaving settledconditionsfor thetimeweplannedtovisittheSouthernVanuatu islands Ourpatiencewasrewardedwitha reasonably comfortablepassageandperfectweatherduring ourtimeinTanna.Theforecastfor thecoming fewdayssuggestedwewouldalsocontinuetoberewardedwithmoreof thesamefor thenextfewdays

Erromango is located to the north of Tanna, and at just over 5O nm away, the passage is easily made in daylight hours.

However, it is still an ocean, so the weather and the sea state dictate both boat speed and the comfort level of the crew

We had perfect downwind conditions with a 1-1.5m following sea and around 15 knots of breeze from the aft quarter.

However, not all had a good start. s.v. Desire discovered they had two broken engine mounts when they went to depart the anchorage at Tanna. See the article on page 9, ‘A Desirable Outcome.’ Incredibly, the engine mount was removed, welded, and refitted, and the engine was realigned in just four hours thanks to the resourcefulness and skills of David from Breeze II, Rod from Pnuema, Tim from Boreal, who had a welder on board. Boreal was not an NC2V Rally participant, but we had befriended them during our time in Tanna and welcomed them to join our events, for which they were grateful and, as such, delayed their departure to assist Desire. We are incredibly grateful to Tim and the crew of Boreal for their help.

Port Resolution, Tanna

Dillon’s Bay, Erromango

s.v Pneuma departing Tanna Mt Yasur Volcano in the background

Dillon’s

By mid-afternoon, the majority of the fleet had arrived at Erromago and were resting comfortably at anchor in Dillon’s Bay

Steve & and Deb hosted sundowners aboard s.v. Bijoux, along with many of the fleet who were joined by David from Dillon’s Bay Yacht Club, who paddled out in his canoe.

I caught up with David afterwards aboard Cavillino III. It had been a few years since we had last seen David and after catching up we went over our plans for the next couple of days.

Bay Erromango Image Credit Nautilus II

NC2V Rally Fleet Image Credit Aquacadabra (Pictured Front Centre)

Sundowners aboard s v Bijoux

We awoke to another sunny day and headed ashore, where we were met by many willing helpers who proceeded to carry our tenders over the rocky foreshore before we gathered and were led to the village where we would be officially welcomed by the cheif & the community.

After the welcome ceremony, we took a walk through the village before enjoying an unexpected and very welcome freshwater swim in a crystal clear waterhole that is fed by a very picturesque permanent spring-fed creek.

The next stop, as we made our way back towards the anchorage, was the Dillon’s Bay Yacht Club, which fortunately did not suffer the same fate as the Port Resolution Yacht Club. In part one of this article, we shared the very sad story of how the Port Resolution was totally destroyed by the two cyclones that made landfall on Tanna earlier in the year. To contribute to the fund that has been established to rebuild the Port Resolution Yacht Club, visit www.portresolutionyachtclub.com

During thewelcomeceremony,welearnedthatErromangocontainsnumerouscaves Apparently, humanuseof thesecaveshasbeendatedto2,800-2,400yearsbeforethepresent.Someof the cavescontainrock artandpetroglyphsthathavebeenidentifiedwithclanmotifsandtraditional stories.

Soonday 2,ourlastday atErromango,undertheguidanceof thechief andsomeguidesthathad beenchosenby thechief toescortus,aflotillaof tendersdepartedtheanchorageatclosetohigh tideforanexcursionalong thecoasttoacoral reef-fringedbay wherewewouldnavigateanarrow, windy channel toasandy beachthatcouldonly beaccessedforacoupleof hourseithersideof high tide

On arrival, we learned that this entire area was a sacred site and that behind the beach and well hidden by the dense forest were numerous caves that provided refuge from tribal warfare and cyclones and contained the remains of some of what were believed to be the chief's ancestors.

Learning about the history of the island and its people was a very interesting experience and an adventure, as the trek to the caves and the entry into the caves themselves was a little more challenging than most of us expected. The short video below provides highlights from days one and two, including our visit to the caves.

ONWARD TO EFATE.

The last leg of the NC2V Rally would see us departing Erromango for the 81nm passage to Port Vila, Efate where the team at Yachting World Vanuatu were eagerly awaiting our arrival.

Formostofthefleet,thismeantanearly startinordertoarriveatYachtingWorld before4:00pmandsecuretheirberthon theseawallmarinaoroneofYachting World'smooringballs,whicharelocatedin theshelteredharbourbetweenEfateand IrikkiIsland.

Forthosewhohaddecidedonaberthat theseawallmarina,thiswouldbethefirst timeberthinginthismanner.

Conditions for the short passage from Erromango to Efate were ideal, with a steady 10-15 knots from behind and a slight sea providing the perfect opportunity to break out the downwind sails.

Nautilus II looked a treat and revelled in the conditions flying their Parasail

With the fleet having arrived and secured in their respective berths or moorings and after a visit to the Yachting Worlds Office, the iconic Waterfront Bar & Grill on the edge of the marina was the next stop for a cold brew or two before the final event of the 2023 NC2V Rally, the ‘Over N Out Party’

Port Vila,Efate

Tina, Andrew, Roslyn and the entire team at Yachting World Vanuatu and The Waterfront Bar & Grill went above and beyond to make sure our arrival and our stay at Yachting World was memorable for all the right reasons. Thanks guys, for all your efforts and your support in the lead-up to our arrival.

The short video above provides highlights from the passage from Erromango to Efate, the arrival of the fleet at Yachting World Marina, the Over N Out Party at The Waterfront Bar & Grill, and a poem John Hembrow shared with the NC2V Rally participants about the time they had spent together since departing Australia in May 2023.

For the participants, it was now time to decide what the plan would be for the next 2 months...

Would they make their way slowly north and visit the Malapa, Penama and Sama Islands before departing from Luganville in Santo for the 1100 nm passage to Bundaberg, Australia, with the Go West ‘Bundy’ Rally? Or would they make their way south to New Caledonia and depart Noumea on the 770nm passage to Brisbane or Southport with the Go West ‘Southen Ports Rally?

TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE NOW AND WHICH ROUTE THEY CHOOSE, CHECK OUT THE PREDICTWIND GO EAST RALLY TRACKING PAGE. WWW.DOWNUNDERRALLY.COM/GO-EAST-TRACKING

THE CRUISING SAILOR'S HOME IN PORT VILA, VANUATU.

FUEL DOCK & MOORINGS

SEA WALL MARINA

WATERFRONT BAR & GRILL

DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS RECEIVE *10% OFF MARINA & MOORING FEES AT YACHTING WORLD VANUATU.

Th f i ndly staff at Yachting World Vanuatu provides a complete service for visiting ncludingSea-wallmarina,lotsofswingmoorings,laundry,servicedapartments, ghy wharf, WiFi Internet, and a restaurant They are also happy to assist with cht mail and air freight, trash disposal, and friendly advice on cruising in

nderRallyMembersDiscountOfferConditions:

discountisforallseawallberthsanddeepwatermooringsonly (Thediscount t applicable to fuel purchases or any other services or goods provided by tingWorldVanuatu) availabletocurrentDownUnderRallyMembers bers must show their current membership card when booking a mooring (via theDURMembersPortalapporanimage/screenshotofmembershipcard)

Richard Chesher, author of the Rocket Cruising Guides to New Caledonia & Vanuatu, has been an active and valuable contributor to the 2023 Go East/NC2V WhatsApp participant group and provided our participants with invaluable input and support.

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DaveandHelenbroughtAustralianBoatingSupplies(ABS)about15yearsago whenitwaslocated atthefrontofGoldCoastCityMarina,partofthe GoldCoastMarinePrecinct.Sincethentheyexpandedto shedF31,andagainintoshedC17whichisrightnexttotheboomgatesandhassubstantiallyincreasedthe rangeofboatingandmarineproducts.

HavingraisedtheirfamilyinCanberra,theymovedtoQueensland,purchasedthechandleryandTropical SunsetaSeawind1160andboatingbecamealargepartofthefamily'slives.

FormanyyearsDave,Helen,Danielle,MichaelandEmmaholidayedandsailedbetweentheGoldCoastand farnorthQueenslandonTropicalSunset.Duringthistimetheytriedandtestedmanyoftheproducts currentlystockedintheshopandcanprovideadviceandknowledgebasedontheirownexperience.

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One Step At A Time...

Pazzo’ s Adventures Down Under.

DuringtheCOVIDyears,wereplacedplanswithhopes.Post-COVID,we’verevertedtoplanning,and soitwas,enroutefromNewCaledoniatoBundaberg,thatweforgedroughplanstofindadry storageyardsomewhereontheSunshineorGoldcoaststopark Pazzo whileweexploredAustralia bylandandair.

WhileattendingtheDownUnderRallysuperinformative CruisingAustralia’sEastCoastSeminars duringtheGoWestRallyWelcomeWeekinBundaberg,wedecidedaleisurelysailsouthtoSydney forNewYear’sEvewasappealing.AndthenTasmaniawas“only”500milesaway.Maybewecould makeatriptoTasmaniaor‘Tassie’astheAussiessay,beforeourMarch1(2023)haul-outdateat The BoatWorks ontheGoldCoast? Hmmm,onestepatatime.

Before I continue, I'd like to introduce ourselves. Pazzo is a 1990 Lightwave 48 monohull. Cindy and I (William) left Seattle in 2016, circled South America, spent most of COVID in Hawaii, then a refit in New Zealand, and sailed to Bundaberg from New Caledonia with Go West Rally in early November 2022. You can read our blog here: stiggsafloat.com

Our unofficial welcoming committee in Bundaberg

OurofficialWelcomeToCountry

One Step At A Time...

Atthecloseofthe GoWestRally eventslateinNovember,wegrabbedanidealweatherpatternto ridetheendofasoutherlyfromthe BundabergPortMarina atBurnettHeadsoutandaround SandyCapeatthenorthtipof K-GariIsland (formallyknownasFraserIsland),justintimetohook intoanewfreshnortherlythatwouldcarryussouthandintotheBrisbaneShippingChannelat Caloundra.TheotheroptionwastogoviatheSandyStraitsinsideK'GariIsland,whichentails motoringandsailingthroughsingle-digitdepthsandcrossingtheWideBayBar.Whilstthatroute promisedtobeveryscenic,weprefertobeatseawithafavourablecurrentandplentyofwater belowus.Theoffshoreroute,however,doesinvolveweavingthroughthebrightly-litfishingfleet anddarkhulksofshipsawaitingentryintothe PortofBrisbane,northof MoretonIsland.

Navigatingthemanytorturedchannelsthrough MoretonBay wasstraightforwardbutdemanded carefulattentionastheredandgreennavigationaidsoftheintersectingchannelscanbeconfusing bydayornight.

WeheadedforManlyBoatHarbour, whichisjustsouthofBrisbaneand providesachoiceofmarinas, including EastCoastMarina &RQYS, whichwefoundmostaccommodating. Justashortwalkfromthemarinaisa niceselectionoflocaleateries,an excellentchandlery,andhandytrain accessintoBrisbaneCity,allofwhich contributedtoapleasantstayand madeforagreatplacetocompletea fewmission-criticalsailandrig projects.

AhighlightinBrisbanewasan afternoonatthe SouthbankParklands, completewithsandimportedfrom MoretonIsland.

Southbank Parklands Brisbane City

Manly Boat Harbour

Manly Brisbane

One Step At A Time...

Ratherthanback-tracking30milestoreturntothe openoceannorthofMoretonIsland,wedecidedto bravetheshallowsofTheBroadwaterinside MoretonandStradbrokeIslands.

Onthislegofourjourney,wecametoappreciate our CruisingTheQueenslandCoast CruisingGuide wewonduringtheGoWestRallyWelcomeWeek. WrittenbylocalGregLuck,theguidecomeswith detaileddownloadableroutesthroughsomeofthe trickychannelsandshoalareas.

EscapingtotheseafromSouthportrequires passagethroughthe GoldCoastSeaway,awellmaintainedchannelbetweentwoformidablerock jetties.ConsultationwithVRMattheSeawayTower bolsteredourconfidenceincrossingourfirst Australianbar.

Whileconventionalwisdomsaystocrossthebarduringthelasttwohoursofanincomingtide,the SeawayToweradvisedthatmoderatetolargeyachtswithadraftof2meterscantransittheSeaway undermostconditions.Theyfurtheradvisedstayingontheleadinglineuntilreachingdeepwater. Wefoundthisadvicetobefaultywhen,justshyofdeepwater,ashallowpatchrightontheleading linekicksupasinglesteepandoversizedwave.Itwasn’tbreaking,butitcouldhavebeenavoidedby divertingnorthorsouthjustbeforethisshoalarea.WhiletheSeawayiswidelyregardedasa relativelyforgivingbar,outgoingcurrent,lowtide,andsizeableeasterlyswellcancombinetocreate dangerousconditions...Perhapsconventionalwisdomshouldbefollowedafterall.

Notetoselfregardingbars:Favourdrinkingbarsoverriverbars!

OncefreeoftheBroadwateronDecember5,we pointed Pazzo southfora20-hourruntothe Clarence River andthetwinrivermouthtownsofIlukaand Yamba.

Ifrivercruisingsuitsyou,it'spossibletotravel42miles uptherivertothepicturesquetownofClarence.It doesn'tsuit Pazzo.Motoringagainstthecurrent,gazing atsimilarsceneryforhoursonend,isn'tveryappealing tous,buteachtotheirown.

Pokingaroundtheseasidetowns,swimminginthesurf offlovelybeaches,andfindinglocaleateriesismuch moreappealing.Thequaint YambaMarina isalsoa ThriftyCarRentalagent.WithfriendsTomandSusan ontheyacht Nomad,werentedacarforadayto exploretheClarenceRiverregionbyland.

Pazzo’s Adventures Down Under

Iluka-Yamba View from the South

Willy & Cindy Go West Rally Welcome Week 2022

One Step At A Time...

AfterafewquietdaysexploringYambaandIlukawhilewaitingonthereturnofthenortherlywinds, weresumedoursoutherlytrek–thistimetotheprotectionofCoffsHarbour.

Wehadbeenadvisedthattheholdingintheouterharbourisn’tverygood.Further,ifthere’safair bitofeastintheswelldirection,theharbourcanbequiterolly.Forthesereasons,wesecureda quietberthinthe CoffsHarbourMarina –homeoftheworld’sbesticecream.Wekidyounot!For thepast35years,thesamefamilyhasoperatedtheshop,makingallthedeliciousflavoursonsite. Forthenextseveraldays,brisknorthwindsdeliveredseveralofourrallyfriendsintoCoffs. December12dawnedbrightwithalightbutsuitableNEbreezetopushusonwardtoPortStevens, about160milessouth,whichisoneofthebestbar-freeharboursontheNSWcoast.

PortStephens(alsoknownasNelsonBay) offers severalmarinas alongwithadozenanchorages suitableforvariouswinddirectionsaswellasacoupleofall-weatherhavens.Theharbouris sprinkledliberallywithshoalstobreakuptheincomingswellsatlowtides.Theseshoalscansnare carelessnavigators.FameCove,withseveralpublicmoorings,isonthenorthshore,duenorthof SoldierPointislovely,quietandwell-protectedfromallbutwesterlywinds.Unfortunately,itisalso isolatedfromcellsignals(atleastfromTelstra).TheSoldierPointareaofferspremierkoala spotting.

DuringtheweekwespentinPortStephens,wespottedsixdifferentadorablefur-balls(KoalaBears) snoozinginthegumtreesalongtheroadsbetweenSoldierPointandtheIbisHotelatSalamander Bay.Oddly,wehikedmanykilometresthroughparksandreserves,includingthe TiligerryHabitat (primekoalaneighbourhoods,itseemed)buthaveyettofindanything.Allthegreycutieswere withinsightofthemainroads.Wefoundthebesthikingintheheadseastof ShoalBay andthebest snorkellingfaraway,asbullsharksaresaidtobeplentifulinPortStephens.

Fellow Go West Rally particpants Seattle Based "Julia" Approaching Coffs Harbour

Panoramic of Port Stephens with Shoal Bay in the foreground

One Step At A Time...

WeharnessedalightNEbreezeasChristmasapproached,gybing80mileswithanasymmetrical spinnakersouthtoSydney.PittwaterandBrokenBay(downloadaFREEInsidersGuideToCruising BrokenBayHERE)wouldhavebeenalogicalstop,butwithafairwindandtheprospectofa southerlyshift,weoptedtocontinuetoSydney.ThesouthboundEastAustraliaCurrentoffersa welcomeboostdownthecoast,butit’swellworthvisiting Windy.com or PredictWind’sprofessional service tonotethe“rivers”ofsouth-flowingoceanwater.Regularvisitstothesesitesreveal patternsthatproveveryhelpfulonthereturntripnorthward.

Rounding NorthHead into SydneyHarbour ismuchlikepassingundertheGoldenGateBridgeinto SanFranciscoBay.It’safeelingofarrival.SanFranciscoBayisbusywithmarinetraffic,butit doesn’tcomparewithSydney.Yachtsandskiffsofalltypes,alongwithallmannerofother watercraftrangingfromtinniestosuperyachts,high-speedandlow-speedferries,jetskis,and seaplanes,contributetoorganizedchaosthroughouttheharbour.

Wespentacoupleofdaysanchoredin ManlyCove,whereaccesstogrocerieswaseasy,thenmoved totiny WhitingBeachneartheTarongaZoo.Herewemadeafeebleattemptatcountingboats passingbetweenthezooandClarkeIsland.Ina15-minutemid-dayperiod,ahundredfloatingcraft crossedtheline.Thattranslatesto400anhourorseveralthousandpassers-byaday.Yikes!Most baysarecrammedwithpermanentmoorings,withveryfewofthembeingpinkand,therefore, public.Fortunately,theharbourisrathershallow,sotherearealwaysplentyofoptionsfor anchoringin15–20metersofwater.Well-establishedpublicwalkwaysringmuchoftheharbour,so walkingopportunitiesabound,withwonderfulviewstoenjoyalongtheway.

AvisittoFarmCovewiththerequisitephotooftheSydneyOperaHousecamenext,thenatrip throughtheopening SpitBridgeintoMiddleHarbour foraspateofinclementweather.Visitsto CircularQuayandthecitycentreviainexpensive,fastferryarereadilyaccessiblefrommanyports intheharbour.FromCircularQuay,busescarryvisitorsalloverSydney.Paymentiseasywitha

One Step At A Time...

So,whataboutNewYear’sEveonSydneyHarbour?

OK,here’sthestraightscoop.ViewedfromthefrontrowofAtholBay,it’saspectacularshowwith fireworkslaunchedfromseveralplatformsaroundtheinnerharbour.

Thepercussiveforceissomethingyoucan’tgetonYouTubeorevenfromamoredistantvenue.It’s a(reportedly)A$20millionextravaganza…thatlasts12minutes.Forthis,youpayastressful afternoon,evening,andnightanchoredinathrongofboatsrangingfromrunaboutstosuperyachts whileothersmillaboutunderpower.You’llstandreadywithfendersandavoidalcoholtomaintain yourvigil.Whentheshowisover,you’llcontinuedefendingyourboatasthefleetdispersesinall directions,someunderinebriatedcommand.Youmayhittherackby0130.

Thebottomline...AsTheDownUnderRallysuggestedduringtheWelcomeWeekseminars,choosea moretameviewpointlikeRoseBayorSharkIslandunlessyouhaveabumperboatorcrave thumpingboomsofbombsburstingintheair.

ForTeamPazzo,2023started(ignoringtheNYEmess)withanchorupat0600,withourdestination beingEden. Weconsultseveralweathermodelsinourtravels,butwefavourtheEuropean (ECWMF)andBOM(AustralianBureauofMetrology)modelsforAustralia. Bothshowedasuitable windowforthe200-miletripto Two-FoldBayandthetownofEden

Pazzo’s Adventures Down Under

New Years Eve - Sydney Harbour

Eden New South Wales

Two-FoldBayisnamedforitstwolobes,oneofferinggood protectionfromsouth-vectorwindsandtheotherfromnorthslantingwinds.

TheportofEden,inthenorthernfold,isaquaintandfriendly townsportingaterrific KillerWhaleMuseum.InthePacific NorthwestofNorthAmerica, Pazzo’s homewaters,we’ve abandonedthelabel‘Killer’forthesemagnificentdolphins, callingthembytheirindigenousname,Orca.

Wevisitedafewhistoricalwhalingsitesfromthesouthfoldof thebay,including

Boyd’sTower

BenBoydcommissionedthetowerin1847asalighthousebut re-purposeditasawhalespottingtoweraftertheAustralian Governmentrejectedtheideaofaprivatelighthouse.

One Step At A Time...

TheweatheronAustralia’seasternseaboardisgenerallyrelativelyfast-moving.

Translation:Fairandfoulweatherperiodstendtobeontheshortside–afewdays.So,afewdays ofwaitingisusuallyrewardedbyafewdaysofprogress.

Pazzo’s Adventures Down Under

Cindy found several new birds to photograph while waiting for a good window to continue south to explore

the historic Van Diemen’s Land

Eden Killer Whale Museum

AswesetoutfromEdenonJanuary6tocrosstheinfamousBassStrait,theforecastwascallingfor northeasterlywindsshiftingeasterlyandthensoutheasterlybythetimewereachedWineglassBay, about½waydownTasmania’seastcoast.

Despite a history of abysmal results, we usually tow a couple of rubber squids behind Pazzo hoping to catch dinner. About halfway across Bass Strait, A 6-7 foot (2m) Mako Shark was (apparently) also chasing dinner.

Neither of us (Shark or Pazzo) were the least bit happy with the situation. First of all, we were streaking along under an asymmetrical spinnaker which needed furling before we could slow the boat to haul in the catch. Second, the fish had our favourite lure well set in his/her jaw. Third, that jaw had 2 or 3 rows of teeth. What to do? I didn’t want to lose my lure, but I also didn’t want to kill such a magnificent beast. While contemplating our options, we short-roped our very angry problem alongside. The very short scope solved our problem. With mighty thrashing fury, the fish broke the leader and quickly retreated to the deep with our lure and a shore jaw. With some luck, the hook will rust away, and the fish will live happily ever after.

Wineglass Bay Tasmania Out intended destination

Unhappy Mako in Bass Strait

One Step At A Time...

Withfairwinds,faircurrent,andgoodfortune,wepassedWineglassBayafewhoursaheadof scheduleandreached FortesqueBay,nearTasmanIsland,withonlyafewhoursworkingto windward.We’retoldthattheFlindersgroupofislandsisabeautifulandwildpartofthecountry whosenavigationalhazardsandcurrentsdeserverespect.We’dhavelovedtostopifourschedule allowed,butJohnHembrow’swordsofadviceduringtheseminarsechoedinourears:“Ifyouhave fairweather,keepgoing.”

Holdingandprotectionfromsouth-vectorwindsareexcellentinthesoutherncrescentof FortesqueBay.Fromthisanchorage,apubliclaunchrampandpontoonareavailabletoleavethe tenderwhenenjoyinga fantastichiketoCapeHauyandTheLanterns.Warning:Avoidthiswellguard-railedhikeifyou’reafraidofheights!It’sextraordinary.

AfterasecondnightinFortesque,we firedupourtrustyPerkinsforacalm morningmotorboatridepastCathedral Rock,CapePillar,andthruthenarrow passbetweenTasmanIslandandthe TasmanPeninsula.

TasmanianfriendMichaelVaughncalled thiscornerofTasmania“Absolutely Speccy.” (Speccy=Spectacular...the Aussiesloveshorteningwords)

Cindycapturedthisincrediblegeography ondigitalfilmwiththeeasternsun illuminatingtheorganpipes.

WhenthetownofHobartis2degreescoolerthanthecentreoftheisland,aseabreezedevelops aboutmiddayanddeliversfinesoutherliesentirelyacrossStormBay.Theday’sfineweathersoon deliveredonthepromiseasPazzoranwing-on-wingacrosstheBayandintotheDerwentRiver.

Wefoundthe RoyalYachtClubofTasmania mostaccommodatingastheSydneyToHobartracing yachtshadrecentlyvacatedfortheirreturntothemainland.TheClubprovedadelightfulhome baseforourTasmanianurbanadventures.It’saneasywalktolocaleateries,themarinechandlery, autoparts,groceries,andConstitutionWharf,wherethere’sanextensivecraftsmarketonceaweek.

Wetookabustothevulgarbutinteresting MONA(MuseumofOldandNewArt) museum.There’sno waytodescribecollectorDavidWalsh’stasteinart,buteveryoneagreesthatthearchitectureand settingofthemuseumontheDerwentRiverareincredible.

Pazzo’s Adventures Down Under

Absolutley 'Speccy'

View from Cape Hauy

Heading for The Cut North of Tasman Island

One Step At A Time...

Pazzo’s Adventures Down Under

Oncewe’dlookedafterafewimportantboatprojects,wemadeourwaysouththroughthe D’EntrecasteauxChannel,stoppingatafewofthemanyanchoragesfoundintheguidebooks.Cindy wasthrilledtofindmorenewbirdsintinyBarnesBay,includingacoupleofScarlettRobins.We wereliningupforarunaroundSoutheastCapetoPortDavey.SoutheastCapeisoneofthe5(or arguably6)greatsoutherncapesboundingtheSouthernOcean.Pazzohasnowdoubledthreeof thesegreatcapes:CapeHorn(SouthAmerica),SouthwestCape(NewZealand),andnowSoutheast Cape.We’llskipCapeLeeuwin(WesternAustralia)butexpecttopasstheCapeofGoodHopeina coupleofyears.

RechercheBay,atthesouthendoftheD’EntrecasteauxChannel,isafavouritewaitingspotforthe runaroundthesouthcornerofTasmania.Recherchehasseveralpocketssuitableforhidingfrom variouswinds,andseveralnicehikescanbefoundinRockyBay,thesouthernbight.Theweather godssmiledonus,bringinglightthenmoderateeasterliesonJanuary17forthe60-miletriptothe BreakseaIslandsandPortDavey.Whilethelabel“Port”conjuresupimagesofmarinecommerce, PortDaveyisanexceptiontotheimage.

Sunset from Wombat Cove, Port Davey

Pazzo roped into Casilda Cove & ready to weather a big blow

TheextensiveSouthwestNationalParkengulfsallof PortDavey.Thereisasmalllandingstripto servethebackpackercommunityandaparkmaintenanceteam,buttherearenoroads.Untilthe 1970s,DenyKingandafewrelatedminersworkedthelandfortin.Whalersfoundrefugefrom stormyweatherandtookonwoodandwaterintheport.

Weencounteredahalfdozenothercruisingyachtsduringthe4or5dayswespentinPortDavey.A smallcruiseshipspentanightinBrambleCove,butforthemostpart,wefeltquiteisolated.The port,includingBathurstChannelleadingtoshallow BathurstHarbour,hasseveralsuitable anchoragesforeitherNorthorSouthwinds.IanJohnston’s‘TheShank’isanexcellentpicture book/cruisingguidewithdetailedphotographicdescriptionsofvariousanchorages.Weenjoyeda dinghyrideupMelaleucaInlettoMelaleucaLagoon,wherewefoundtheairstrip,orange-bellied parrots,andalessoninthehistoryofBathurstHarbour.Themostrecentminingoperationsarestill intactandpreserved(somewhat)bytheparkservice.It’sagenuinethrowbackintime.Butnothing canbeatthe‘speccy’viewsfrompeaksstuddingPortDavey.360-degreepanoramascanbefound bothatopmodesthillsandwhich,forthemostpart,arechallengingclimbs.

PORTDAVEYISAMUST-SEEWHENVISITINGTASMANIA!

View from Mt Beattie, Port Davey

Curious Pademelon in Tasmania

One Step At A Time...

RETURNINGNORTH

TheweatheraroundTasmaniainJanuaryandFebruaryisoftenunsettledandrapidlychanging. Weatherwindowstendtobeshort,andtheforecastmodelsfrequentlydisagree.Forthisreason, cruisersneedtobewell-preparedforheavyweatherintheeventthatfoulconditionsarrivebefore theforecasttime.Theoppositeisalsotrue.Favourableweatherwindowsmayelongate,allowing moreprogressthanexpected.Suchwasourexperience.

WedepartedBrambleCovewitha12-hourwindowthatpromisedcalmconditionsforourreturnto theprotectionofRechercheBay.But,bylateafternoon,weweremotoringpastRechercheand continuedupD’entrecasteauxChanneltoPortEsperance.Unfortunately,forthelastcoupleof hours,weencounteredtheheadwindsthathadbeenpredictedforafewhoursearlier.

Thefollowingmorning,wemadeourwaytothefueldockatKettering.Welovethe24/7fueljetties whereaVISAcardwillfillafueltankanytime,dayornight.Ketteringboastsalovelymarinawitha nearbybarandbottleshoptotopupthelibationsupply.Thenearestgroceries,however,areafew kilometresdistant.Ourstockoffreshieswasthinningquickly,andaswewereconsideringour optionsforagroceryrun,anearbyfishermanandayachtownerbothdroppedbytowelcomeusto Kettering.Theyachtieofferedushiscarwhilethefishermanofferedachauffeuredridetothe nearestshop.The“AlohaSpirit”isaliveandwellinTasmania!

OnJanuary28,aftertoppingofffuelandfreshies,wesetoutacrossStormBaytowardTasman IslandandtheeastcoastofTasmania.TheforecastshowedadepressioneastofSydneyand movingSEthatshouldgiveusacoupleofdaysofgoodSEwindtocarryustoEdenbeforethe southerliesfromahighnearUluru(AyresRock)wouldmovein.WealsoexpectedfreshSEpressure tocarryusacrossStormBay.Alas,theStormBaywindnevermaterialized,sowemotoredacross theBayandaroundTasmanIslandinleftoverslopbeforetheSEbreezefilled, pushingPazzonorth underafinemoon.

TheSEwindheldupwell,andonJanuary30,eastofEden(JohnSteinbeckwasnowheretobe found),ourfavouritemodels(ECMWFandBOM)allshowedthelowoffSydneystalledandblocking theoncominghigh.So,underthekiteandfullmain,wedecidedtocontinueontotheprotectionof JervisBay,about80milessouthofSydney.Cindyisn’tafanofthenightshifts-especiallythevery darkones.WhileImeasurepassagesindaysandbrokenboatbits,Cindycountsnightsremainingat sea.Shewasn’tthrilledaboutextendingthispassage,buttheseidealnorthingconditionsseemrare

One Step At A Time...

ThepassagetoSydneywentverywell,withabout12hoursofmotoringandtherestreachingand running-exceptforonemajorerror.WithafavourablecurrentoffEden,wecontinuedouttosea untilwefoundourselvesabout13milesoffJervisBayandbucking2-2.5knotsoffoulcurrent.

Theseastatewassomewhatuncomfortablewithasqualltooureastpushingthewindupto30 knotsandthenastyopposingcurrent.Usually,we'dbeexcitedtobeflyingdownwind,wing-on-wing, butpeeling2.5knotsofprogressoffour10knotsofspeedthruwaterwasfrustrating. Ittooka midnightgybeandseveralhourstocrabourwaywestward,intoshallowerwaterandoutofthe current.

Manlybroughtawonderfulandunexpectedsurprise.JohnandKatsie,acoupleofourfavourite skiingbuddiesfromSeattle,wereholidayinginManly.TheyfollowPazzoonMarineTrafficand, castingeyesacrossthecove,spiedtheboatlayingtothegentlenorthwind.

The following day, John & Katsie joined us aboard Pazzo, and we departed Sydney on a lovely easterly breeze which to carried the new, expanded Team Pazzo about 15 miles north to Broken Bay where for a week, we enjoyed hiking, fine (box) wine, swimming, and tales from home.

Pittwater vista from Barrenjoey Headland

The charts of Broken Bay show many excellent anchorages, but we quickly discovered that, like Sydney, the best spots are packed with private, club, and few public moorings. It took a couple of days to learn the rules:

Faded red (club) moorings are the same colour as pink (public) ones. Yellow moorings might be private or public, depending on the shape. Moorings exposed to the afternoon thermal breeze are always vacant and available. The 24-hour limit on public moorings can be ignored. And finally... Just grab and enjoy any mooring where your boat will fit, and be prepared to move if someone asks you to.

Note that these are our rules of engagement. Feel free to make up your own!

The western arm of Broken Bay is loaded with beautiful but crowded anchorages, while Pittwater is a hub of yachting activity. Sailboat racing seems to commence every afternoon with the retired or unemployed sect, sans flying sails. Round and round, the buoys go all manner of sail-powered watercraft. At 18:00, more serious racing gets underway with flying sails and the requisite yelling and screaming. Treharne Cove, near Longnose Point, is a fine place to watch the mayhem while enjoying a cold one. Further south is a maze of mooring fields, private docks and expansive marinas. We enjoyed a lovely evening with Michael (Zappa) and Marie Bell, swinging on their mooring off Scotland Island.

Pittwater from Bernie Lookout

One Step At A Time...

We started early on February 12 for the 65-mile NE trip to Port Stevens. The forecast called for SSE winds in the 20s. Sporting conditions for about 9 hours against a 1-knot southbound current saw us through to Shoal Bay inside Port Stevens. Pazzo enjoyed frolicking along with a reefed main and the staysail on the pole, but Cindy and I were glad to take cover and rest before continuing northward. We spent an extra day anchored with good friends and fellow Go West Rally participants Fred and Chris on the Catamaran Sea Jay off the Nelson Marina, where we found an excellent Thai restaurant.

On Valentine’s Day, we motored out the narrow entrance to Port Stephens against a backdrop of dark and squally clouds. The forecast for this 150-mile leg to Coffs Harbour called for continued SW wind, but the squall-gods had something else in mind :( At about 0900, a loud bang announced the arrival of a nasty squall, seemingly from nowhere. The spectra lashing at the clew of our first reef had chafed through, setting the main a-luffing. Cindy immediately set to tucking the 2nd reef as I assisted in the blinding, driving rain. The squalls continued with wind from all points of the compass as we bounced our way north with staysail, 1 or 2 reefs, and the motor from time to time. By nightfall, we’d reached Crowdy Head - the start of 100 miles of the most intense south-flowing current. Sailing through the night on a broad reach, we hugged the beach, standing out about a mile or so and trimming this to 1/2 mile at times. We saw adverse flow between 2 and 3 knots much of the time but were able to find welcome-back eddies behind prominent points and shallow patches. My experience on many-a-Swiftsure race proved handy. By early morning, we’d rounded Smokey Cape and tucked in by Trial Bay to escape the raging current to our east. At 0900, we called Ol Perky into serviceforthelastfewhoursintotheprotectionofCoffsHarbourandyetanothericecream!

While setting out for a late afternoon hike to the top of nearby Mutton Bird Island, we stopped to tease a friendly-looking couple on the large power yacht, Andiamo II. After a bit of good-humoured banter, it became clear that our neighbours were none other than Legendary NZ Sailor Murray Ross and his lovely bride Sharon. Sharon is a delightful bundle of energy, and Murray represented New Zealand in the Flying Dutchman Class in three Olympic Games, Sailed around the world in 4 Whitbred (predecessor to the Volvo Ocean Race) races, and designed a number of successful racing yachts, cruising yachts and launches, and a few of New Zealand’s most popular one-design keelers. Theyarelovelyfolkswithgreatstories!

Under sunny skies, calm seas, and a light off-shore breeze, we set out to revisit the dual towns of Iluka-Yamba. We motored about 1/3 of the way and enjoyed delightful sailing right up to the river mouth of the Clarence River. The current gods smiled on us with a gentle south-flowing stream largelyundera1/2knot.By17:30,wetuckedintotheYambaMarina,cheatingdeathagain.

One Step At A Time...

Pazzo’s Adventures Down Under

Unfortunately,gettinginandoutoftheClarenceRiver,indeedmostrivers,entailscrossingashoal knownasariverbarwhichIpreviouslymentioned.Forthoseinourwakeorthosewhoarenot familiarwithriverbars,Ifeelitisworthprovidingsomemoreinformation.Riverbarsarean accumulationofsandandsiltdepositedwheretheriveremptiesintothesea,creatingashoal. Whenonshoreswellsand/orwind-drivenwavesencounterthisshoalwater,thebottomofthewave dragsontheshoal,moundingupand,intherightconditions,tipsover.Thisisthesameeffectthat putssmilesonasurfer'sface.Whena2-meteroceanswellmeetstheshallowsoftheshore,the wavebuildsto3meters,dragsonthebottomandbreaks.Someriverbarsmaintainthemselvesata depththatallowssafetransitundermanyconditions.Othersneedperiodicdredging.Whenthetide iscomingin,theincomingtidalcurrentoffsetsorovercomestheoutgoingriverflow.Atthese times,flowoverthebarisinthesamedirectionastheincomingwaves,andthemoundingand breakingofwavessubside.Withanebbingtide,theoutgoingwaterisaddedtothenormalriver dischargeandopposestheincomingwavescreatingstandingwavesthatcontinuallybreakoverthe bars.Thebarcondition,ofcourse,ishighlydependentontheheightoftheincomingwaves.The generalrulewefollowistotransitbars(bothdirections)inthelasttwohoursofafloodingcurrent withincomingswellsunder2meters.Thismaximizesthedepthandlinesuptheflowwiththe incomingwaves.Theseguidelines,however,createchallenges.First,it'snotuncommontobe trappedinsideariver,unabletoleavebecausetheconditionsaredangerous.Second,when travellingfromonerivertoanother,timingdepartureandarrivalforthetailendofincomingtides canbedifficult.

Wefacedthissecondchallengeonthelast100-milelegofournorthboundtripupAustralia'sEast Coast.The100-miledistancewastoolongtomakethetripin12hours(timebetweensuccessive hightides)againstthecurrentandtooshortfora25-hourrun(timebetweentwohightides).So,we crossedtheIluka/Yambabarat0900onFeb21andlolly-gaggedourwaynorthtoarriveattheGold CoastSeaway(Southport)24hourslater.Forthefirsttime,weappreciatedthe3/4knotadverse

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REGISTRATION UPDATE

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WELCOME WEEK DOWN UNDER

The Down Under Rally & Bundaberg Port Marina are looking forward to hosting the 2023 Go West Rally Welcome Week!

As the name suggests, Welcome Week is all about welcoming the owners and crew of visiting international yachts to our Land Down Under. All Welcome Week events, including our informative Cruising The East Coast of Australia seminars, are FREE to attend for Go West Rally participants.

2022

Go West Rally Participants

2023 WELCOME WEEK EVENT CALENDAR

RSVP is required for all events. Events are subject to change at the discretion of the Down Under Rally organisers.

MONDAY, 30TH OCTOBER

8.00 AM - 9.00 AM - YOGA4YACHTIES:

WHERE:BundabergPortMarina-CruisersCove

AllWelcome-BeginnersthroughtoExperiencedYogi’s-FREEtoattendforthecaptainandfirstmateofeach vesselthatisaregisteredrallyparticipant.$10.00ppforeveryoneelse.

11.00 AM - 1.00 PM - EVENT REGISTRATION:

WHERE: Bundaberg Port Marina Cruisers Cove

Confirm your registration to attend Welcome Week Events & Collect your Welcome Packs.

6.00 PM - 10.00 PM - WELCOME COCKTAIL PARTY *MAJOR PRIZE GIVEAWAY EVENT

WHERE: Baltimore Restaurant Bundaberg Port Marina

6:00pm:WelcometoCountryCeremony

6:30pm-10:00pm:LiveMusic ComplimentaryCanapesareservedthroughouttheevening

*The Welcome Down Under Cocktail Party is FREE to attend for the Captain & First Mate of each vessel that is a registered rally participant *Crew members & all others are welcome to attend however The ticket price is $40 00 pp

TUESDAY, 31ST OCTOBER

12.30 PM - 2.30 PM - SURVIVING DOWN UNDER/VHF & WEATHER *MAJOR PRIZE GIVEAWAY EVENT

WHERE: Lighthouse Hotel

Surviving Down Under. A light-hearted presentation about the Aussie culture & way of life to help you understand us Aussies & make your time Down Under more enjoyable.

VHF Channels & Weather Down Under. What VHF Channel to monitor and use. Understanding the forecast areas, how, where and when to get forecasts. East Coast weather - what to watch out for!

East Coast Cruising Intro A brief introduction to cruising the East Coast of Australia

3.00 PM - 5.00 PM - EAST COAST CRUISING - BUNDABERG TO SOUTHPORT

A detailed presentation on sailing route options and stopovers for the passage from Bundaberg to Southport.

5.00 PM - 8.00 PM - SUNDOWNERS & PUB GRUB!

WHERE: Lighthouse Hotel

5.00 pm - 6.00 pm: Sundowners at the Lighthouse Bar.

6 00 pm - 8 00 pm: Take your pick from the menu at the pub

*Drinks & ,meals are at your own expense.

*MAJOR PRIZE GIVEAWAY EVENTS: Rally Participants who attend any nominated major prize giveaway event will go into the draw to win a major prize. Limit of one major prize per registration Participants must be present at the event to claim the prize

2023 WELCOME WEEK EVENT CALENDAR

WEDNESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER

8.00 AM - 9.00 AM -YOGA4YACHTIES

WHERE:BundabergPortMarina-CruisersCove

AllWelcome-BeginnersthroughtoExperiencedYogi’s-FREEtoattendforthecaptainandfirstmateofeach vesselthatisaregisteredrallyparticipant.$10.00ppforeveryoneelse.

10.30 AM - 12.30 PM - EAST COAST CRUISING: TWEED HEADS TO SYDNEY *MAJOR PRIZE GIVEAWAY EVENT

WHERE: Lighthouse Hotel

Join us for an informative and detailed presentation on sailing route options and stopovers for the passage from Tweed Heads to Sydney.

1:30 PM -3:30 PM - EAST COAST CRUISING - BUNDABERG TO CAIRNS & BEYOND

WHERE:Lighthouse Hotel

Join us for an informative and detailed presentation on the sailing route options and stopovers for the passage from Bundaberg to far north Queensland

6:30 PM - 9:30 PM - OUTDOOR MOVIE & PIZZA NIGHT (Weather Permitting)

WHERE: Bundaberg Port Marina - Cruisers Cove

6.30 pm - 7:00 pm - Pizza Party

Place your Pizza Order at Baltimore Restaurant before 10:00 am Wednesday, 1st November. Pick up your Pizza between 6:00 & 6:30 pm and head over to cruisers cove. Bring a salad or dessert to share. BYO plates/cutlery etc. *Pizzas are at your own expense.

7:30pm - 9:30pm 'The Castle’

The Castle is one of the all-time favourite classic Aussie movies. During your time in Australia, sooner or later, someone will ask, "Have you seen The Castle " BYO, comfy chair, popcorn and beverages!

THURSDAY 2ND NOVEMBER

11:00 AM - 12.30 PM EAST COAST CRUISING: SYDNEY TO TASMANIA

WHERE:LighthouseHotel

Join us for an informative presentation on route options and stopovers for the passage from Sydney to Tasmania

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM - LAND CRUISING DOWN UNDER *MAJOR PRIZE GIVEAWAY EVENT

If you plan to do some ‘Land Cruising’ during your time in Australia, you will find this presentation interesting. We look at each of the states & territories, the different attractions they offer and what time of the year is best to travel

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM BEERS, BUBBLES 'N' PRAWNS

WHERE? Bundaberg Port Marina - Cruisers Cove

A tub of freshly cooked prawns, a couple of beers or a glass of wine will be waiting for the Captain and First Mate from each boat registered for the rally. (Compliments of the Down Under Rally and Bundaberg Port Marina). Make a meal of it and bring along a salad, side dish or dessert!

*Crew members & are welcome to attend - Ticket price is $40.00 pp

6:30 PM - 9:30 PM - "JAMMIN"

Bring your instruments and vocal cords to join in for a jam session with your fellow cruisers and maybe a few locals.

RSVP is required for all events. Events are subject to change at the discretion of the Down Under Rally organisers.

EAST COAST CRUISING SEMINARS

"full of necessary and otherwise hard-to-find information" s v Moondance 2022Go West Rally Participant

Free to attend for 2023 Go West Rally Participants

The information & local knowledge we share during these welcome week seminars makes sure that your time cruising in Australia will be memorable for all the right reasons.

TENDER MOMENTS

by Rib Force Inflatables.

ASAGENERALRULE-THEBESTMETHODISTOINFLATETHETUBESAT THEHOTTESTTIMEOFTHEDAY.THETUBESHOULDBEHARD,ANDYOU SHOULDNOTBEABLETOPUSHYOURTHUMBINTOTHETUBE.WITHTHE COOLINGOFTEMPERATURE,THETUBEWILLLOSEPRESSURE,BUTTHE PRESSURESHOULDRETURNWITHTHETEMPERATURERISE.

Forsafetyreasons,thetubesshouldberegularlycheckedatleastonce every6months.Ifthetubeslosemorethan5%pressureina24-hour period,thatisconsideredunsafeandnotserviceableintermsof regulations.Thecheckshouldincludeanover-pressuretestonthe individualchamberstoensurethebafflesareserviceable.Forathree-air chamberboat,thiswouldmeanlettingdownthebowchambers,inflating thetworearchambers,checkingtheairpressure24hourslater,andthen repeatingthistestwiththebowchamber.

AUSTRALIAN MARINE LIABILITY INSURANCE

ManyownersofyachtsvisitingAustraliaaresurprisedtolearntheymayberefusedentryto Australianmarinasandorboatyardsiftheyhaveinsufficientliabilityinsurance.Theminimum amountofpublicliabilitycovermostAustralianmarinasrequireisAUD$10million,withsome requiringAUD$20million.Itis,therefore,importanttocheckwiththemarina/boatyardpriorto arrival.

Inaddition,recreationalshipsvisitingQueenslandcoastalwatersarerequiredtocomplywiththe legislationthatrequiresallshipsover15metersinlengthtohaveinsurancesufficienttopayfor potentialpollutioncleanup,salvage,andwreckremoval.Theinsurancepolicymustmeetthe followingrequirementsforthetypeofship:

“Arecreationalshipmorethan15mbutlessthan35minlengthoverallmusthaveaninsurance policythatprovidesAUD$250,000forpollutionclean-upandAUD$10millionforsalvageand wreckremoval”.SOURCE: www.msq.qld.gov.au/Marine-pollution/Ship-insurance

Whilethereisnorequirementforownersofregisteredvesselstohavecompulsorythird-party insuranceinNewSouthWales,NSWRoadsandMaritimerecommendsthatyoutakeoutthird-party insuranceaspartofyourcomprehensivevesselinsurance.SOURCE: www.nsw.gov.au/drivingboating-and-transport/boat-and-vessel-registration

WHY THE NEED FOR THIS LEVAL OF COVER?

To help understand the need for this amount of cover, Down Under Rally director John Hembrow spoke with Brett Hensler of Bundaberg Port Marina, who provided the following insight.

“TheneedforaAUD$10,000,000third-partyliabilityinsurancepolicyonboatsisdrivenbythe increasingvalueofvesselsandthepotentialforaccidentsthatcanleadtosignificantfinancial liabilities.Overtheyears,thevalueofboatsandmarinainfrastructurehasbeensteadily increasing.Today,boatscomeinvarioussizesandtypes,frompersonalwatercrafttoluxury yachts,andtheycanbeworthmillionsofdollars.Withsuchhigh-valueassetsonthewater,it's essentialtohaveadequateliabilitycoveragetoprotectagainstpotentialaccidents.Adequate third-partyliabilityinsuranceprovidesprotectionnotonlyforyourpersonalassetsthatcouldbe riskedinanyliabilityclaimbutalsoforthewell-beingofotherswhomaybeaffectedbyaccidents onthewater.Manymarinasandwaterwaysrequireboatownerstohaveaminimumlevelof liabilityinsurance.HavingaminimumofAUD$10,000,000policyensuresyoumeetthese requirements,allowingyoutoenjoyyourboatingactivitieswithoutworryingaboutlegal compliance.Ultimately,itofferspeaceofmind,allowingboatownerstoenjoytheirtimeonthe waterwithconfidence.”

Scarborough Marina - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

In recent times, the owners of visiting yachts have reported it to be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain this level of cover, with many reporting their current insurer was unwilling to increase the amount of liability cover included in their existing policy and the majority of Australia based have been unwilling to provide liability only cover. The Down Under Rally also confirmed that they have previously approached insurers on behalf of the owners of visiting yachts to see what could be done to accommodate this need without success.

THE BREAKTHROUGH

In August of this year, there was a breakthrough with Scarborough Marina introducing the Down Under Rally to Coverforce Insurance Brokers, who indicated they had found a provider that was able to offer the cover required. As a result of that introduction and the subsequent discussions, The Down Under Rally has since informed those who had been in touch with them regarding the matter with details of how to apply for cover via Coverforce Insurance Brokers.

The Down Under rally has since confirmed that several applications have since been made. One of those applicants who had no existing insurance coverage (largely due to being a single-hander) successfully applied for the required coverage and has already reported back to The Down Under Rally, saying he was grateful to us for our efforts to find a solution and very happy with the outcome, commenting that he found the premium and the policy terms provided by Coverforce to be acceptable and in his opinion quite reasonable.

THE OUTCOME

The Down Under rally has since confirmed that several applications have since been made. One of those applicants who had no existing insurance coverage (largely due to being a single-hander) successfully applied for the required coverage and has already reported back to The Down Under Rally, saying he was grateful to us for our efforts to find a solution and very happy with the outcome, commenting that he found the premium and the policy terms provided by Coverforce to be acceptable and in his opinion quite reasonable.

HOW TO APPLY FOR COVER

To make an application for the required public liability cover and salvage/wreck removal cover visit the following page of the Down Under Rally website: www.downunderrally.com/australian-marineliability-insurance

The Down f Scarborough M in relation to cruising comm

EastCoastMarina,ManlyBoatHarbour,Brisbane, Australiaoffer330securewaterberths, cateringforboatsupto18m.

AvarietyofpublictransportoptionsthatwilltakeyoudirectlytoBrisbaneCityandtheBrisbane InternationalAirportarewithinwalkingdistanceofthemarina

TheManlyVillageisonlyashortwalkaway,offeringagrocerystore,postoffice,newsagency, chemist,coffeeshops,restaurantsandmore. MarketsareonsomeSaturdaysandeverySunday.

Phone: +61 7 3393 3811

Located less than 10nm to the south of the Brisbane river mouth Manly Boat Harbour is the perfect base for visiting yachts and East Coast Marina has long been a favourite of the international yachting community. DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS OFFER. *15% off casual marina berth rates

AUSTRALIAN YACHTS RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA

YACHTS VISITING AUSTRALIA

AControlPermitwillbeissuedtotheMasterofthecraftiftheAustralianBorderForceissatisfiedthecraftistransiting Australiafornon-commercialpurposes.ControlPermitsmaybeissuedforaperiodof12monthsorthelengthofthe Master'svisa,whicheverisless Anextensionofthepermitmaybegrantedonapplication,providedthatyoumeet eligibilityrequirementsandhaveanappropriatevisa.ApersoneligibletoapplyforaControlPermitmustbeatourist oratemporaryresidentofAustralia.AustraliancitizensarenoteligibleforaControlPermitunlesstheyhaveoverseas residency.

ForaControlPermittobeissued,thecraftmustmeetthefollowingcriteria:

craftmusthavearrivedfromoverseasandwillbescheduledtodepartforoverseas

craftmusthavearrivedunderitsownpowerandnotascargo

craftmustbetransitingAustraliafornon-commercialpurposesi e isnotengagedinthecommercialcarriageof cargoorpassengers

craftmaybeprivatelyorcorporatelyowned(however,aControlPermitisnotgrantedwhereacraftisownedbya corporationandmorethan50%oftheownersofthecorporationareAustralianresidents)

craftmustnotbeemployedforanyactivitiesofacommercialnature(e.g.charter,hireorlease)

craft,orpartsofthecraft,arenottobeofferedforsale,soldorotherwisedisposedof

TheDownUnderRallyhasalong-standing relationshipwithDAZMAC,whichisalicenced customsbroker.TheDownUnderRally recommendscontactingDAZMACtogetaquote fromthemtoactasyouragentshouldyoube requiredtoexportorimportavessel

Youcanmakeanobligation-freeenquirywith DazmacviathefollowingpageoftheDownUnder Rallywebsite:www.downunderrally.com/agents.

DAZMACOFFERSDOWNUNDERRALLY MEMBERSSIGNIFICANTDISCOUNTS.

Musket Cove Fiji Regatta 2023

by Birgit and Christian- SY Pitufa

EachyearinSeptember,yachtiesfromallovertheworldflocktotheturquoiselagoonofpretty MaloloLaiLaiIslandonthewesternsideofVitiLevu,themainislandofFiji,totakepartinthe annualMusketCoveRegattaWeek.OrganisedbytheMusketCoveMarinaandYachtClubteam theRegattaWeektakesplaceinSeptemberThisyear,theeventstookplacebetweenSeptember 6thand10th.

95boatsandover300peopleattended3action-packedregattaswith64teams racingintheHobiecatevent,dozensofsailorscompetingintheFunRun,and40 pluseco-awarecruisershelpingwithabeachclean-up.Thisalltookplaceduring5 eventfuldaysofsailingandfivenightsfullofentertainmentinaregattaevent thathasbeengoingonfor39yearsImpressivenumbers,buttheMusketCove RegattaonbeautifulMaloloLaiLaiIslandinFijiismorethanjustthesumofthese numbers it’sthebiggestpartyintheSouthPacific!

Whatstartedoutasawarm-upfortheFiji-Vanuatueventbackin1984,theMusketCoveRegatta WeekhasgrowneveryyearandisnowthemostpopularregattaintheSouthPacific”WillMoffat, theownerofMusketCoveIslandResortandMarina,sayswithawidegrin.“It’sallaboutthefun really,andeverybody’swelcome!”

Andit’strue:bigmodernyachtswithexpensiveracingsails competewithtinyracingmachinesthatrelyontheirnext-to-nothingweightalongsideclassic yachtsandmodestfloatingcruiser’shomescompletewithjerrycansandkayakstiedtotherails

ManyKiwiandafewAussieyachtiesreturnmosteveryyearandjointhefleetofwestbound internationalyachtsthattimetheirvoyagetoallowthemtoparticipateinthisfabulousevent

Thefirsteventofthe2023ReggataWeekwastheBeachComberPirate’sdayandtherulesfor thisregattasimplysaythat“therearenorulesforpirates”,somostboatsrantheirengines,and somedidn’tevenbothertohoisttheirsails.It’sallaboutgoingharr-harr-harr,dressingupand spendingthedayoutonBeachComberIslandhavingfun

ThemaineventiscertainlytheRoundMaloloClassiconthethirddayFullsailsup,the participatingboatswereliningupbehindthestartmarkersjustoutsidethebigmooringfieldand anchorageofMusketCove.Astheywouldhavetostartrightintoasteadybreezefromthe Northwest,tacticsdiffered,andsoonaftertheracestarted,thefirstboatshadtotackintothe fleet,leadingtocloseencountersandprecariousmanoeuvres.Watchingthemtackinginthe narrowchannel,wecouldadmiretheactionup-closefromthemotorboatWillMoffathad assignedforus:Will’s33ftReynoldscatBurtsoonwasaheadwithacrewofonly3handlingthe manoeuvreseffortlessly

BigmonohullslikeRelapseandtheDehler46Wingshadmuchmoreactiongoingon,withlarge crewsfightingthesails.ThebigcatamaranslikeMarcato,MintandBinxwereimpressivetowatch insuchtightquarters.

Mint had decided to race with a CodeZero, which meant that everybody had to rush on the foredeck for each tack to roll up the light wind sail and let it out on the other side certainly the hardestworking crew on this day!

ThecontrastwiththecrewofBinxcouldn’thavebeenmoreextreme:therewereactuallypeople lounginginbeanbagsontheforedecksippingbubbly Oncetheboatshadmadeitaroundthe northernpointofMaloloIsland,theycouldgetuptheirspinnakersandrushdownwind.

The Mint crew in action

Burtwonthe15nmraceinthemultihullcategory,followedbyMissMinnieandMintRelapsewas thefirstmonohulloverthefinishingline,withWingsinsecondplaceandKailuacomingthird.

Burt Winner Round Malolo Race (Multihull Category)

All Shapes & Sizes (Mint & Kaia)

Relapse Winer Monohull Category

Wings 2nd place Monohull category

The Mint Crew from Australia

The Burt Crew celebrating their win!

Throughout the week, Hobie cat races are run on a knockout-type format, with two boats and two per boat on the course for each round. Musket Cove Resort provides the Hobie cats, and each vessel that registers as a regatta week particpant is welcome to join in the fun

In the evenings, The Island Bar is the place to be with live entertainment meals. A beverage or two is also known to be enjoyed by the thirsty sailors.

So,ifyou’reheadingtowardstheSouthPacificin2024,makesuretoaddtheMusketCoveRegatta Weektoyourcalendar.Apartfrombeingatonoffun,itisalsogreatvalue.Thisyear,110FJDp.p. coverednotonlytheentryfeefortheregattasbutalsoanopeningandclosingdinnerandsomefree drinks!Prizesrangefromfreehaul-outsatsponsoringmarinastofoodbasketsandarewellworth theeffortofgettingtheboatintoracingmode.

AboutTheAuthors:BirgitandChristianhavebeencruisingontheirSYPitufafor12years. CheckouttheirblogwwwpitufaatformorepicsandinfoorfollowSYPitufaonFacebook!

A fantastic week wrapped up with a fully catered closing ceremony and prize giving at the resort.

First aid training can help overcome the anxiety that comes with dealing with problems without immediate expert help on hand. Completing a first aid training course tailored specifically for the marine environment is a great way to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to manage illness and injuries on board. It’s also a valuable skill to carry through life.

11th November 2023, 8:30 am – 5 pm at The Boatworks Gold Coast To book, click here

9th December 2023, 8:30 am – 5 pm at The Boatworks Gold Coast. To book, click here.

20th January 2024, 8:30 am – 5 pm at The Boatworks Gold Coast. To book, click here.

17th February 2024, 8:30 am – 5 pm at The Boatworks Gold Coast. To book, click here.

Course fee: $350.00 per participant.

Down Under Rally Members receive a course fee discount. For further course information, please click here www.hearttraining.com.au/marine-first-aid.

We are also taking private bookings for Marine First Aid training for groups of 6 or more.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MANY OTHER BENEFITS OF DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERSHIP HERE

20%Rebatefor DownUnderRallyMembers

Sail the New Caledonia Lagoon with complete confidence & safety. 220 personally surveyed anchorages, 240 confirmed GPS routes covering all islands plus 1000 high-resolution colour images GET READY TO GO!