Ahoy - February 2023

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A U S T R A L A S I A & T H E S O U T H P A C I F I C

"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!" FEBRUARY 2023 Image Credit: www.pitufa.at See the feature on page 16

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IN THE FEBRUARY AHOY...

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A U S T R A L A S I A & T H E S O U T H P A C I F I C

AHOY is published by: Down Under Rally Pty Ltd Contact John Hembrow - Director Website: downunderrally.com Email: admin@downunderrally.com

PLUS Members Prize Draw & Much More... ©Copyright 2023 Down Under Rally Pty Ltd Ahoy Newsletter is published and distributed electronically via the world wide web. Original editorial content & advertisements in this newsletter are copyrighted and the exclusive property of Down Under Rally Pty Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Down Under Rally Pty Ltd. The comments and views in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Down Under Rally Pty Ltd.

SAILING FROM AUSTRALIA TO INDONESIA

FREE WEBINAR Route Options, Formalities & More MONDAY, MARCH 13TH 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM AEST (GMT +10) 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: downunderrally.com/sailing-to-indonesia

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.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MEMBERSHIP downunderrallymembers.com

Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw CONGRATULATIONS...

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i m a n u s T

. . . a g n i v i v r su

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.

surviving a...

Tsunami

By Cheryl Ainsworth Peter and I came from independent sailing backgrounds and met when we were involved in yacht racing.

In 2003 we departed Fremantle on our first Stolen Kiss (a 43-foot centreboard that was believed to be an S&S design) and cruised to Darwin, spending time in the Kimberley.

In October 2003, departing Darwin, we sailed up through Indonesia, with our destination goal being Langkawi, Malaysia, for Christmas.

In the following 6 years, we sailed around SE Asia and the Indian Ocean, returning back to Darwin to sell the boat and buy another on more distant shores.

In 2010 we purchased a Hylas 47 (another S&S design) in San Carlos, Mexico, and cruised Baja California for 3 years before sailing down to Panama, crossing the Pacific, and arriving in Bundaberg in December 2012.

After a decade of amazing journeys and meeting wonderful people, we sailed back to Fremantle and sold Stolen Kiss. We now puddle around Fremantle on a different boat. Our blog can be found here http://yachtstolenkiss.blogspot.com

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

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

ike 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.

With cruising, we can list potential hazards as being most likely through to possible but unlikely.

Being aware and prepared allows us to manage situations successfully as they arise. Everyone has their own risk assessment for different events and will make their own decisions accordingly.

This article will share our experience in the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in SE Asia and what we learned in the hope that readers of AHOY who one day find themselves in a similar situation are able to avoid disaster.

surviving a...

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

surviving a...

Tsunami

By Cheryl Ainsworth In 2006, we sailed out to the Seychelles and back to Phuket, listening to many harrowing local stories of destruction, loss of life and kindness of many people with the rebuilding of communities. We were humbled by their stories and resilience. There was little help in personal trauma recovery for these people.

They just had to manage and rebuild their lives. Sharing their stories was very much a part of their grief process.

December 26, 2004, 0800hrs Tsunami hits Phuket.

Mid-December, 2004 we were one of over 100 yachts that (in hindsight) were fortunate to be anchored in the deeper Nai Harn Bay in Phuket, Thailand. Many of us were preparing to set forth across the Indian Ocean, with some heading up the Red Sea and on to Europe. On Christmas eve, over 80 yachties were gathering at a small ‘yachtie bar’ at AO Sane (‘Jungle Beach’) on the northern side of Nai Harn Bay. Had the tsunami hit 12 hours earlier, it would be highly unlikely that many of us would have survived.

A more recent photo of ‘Jungle Beach’ Nai Harn Bay, Phuket. https://www.leemarine.com/news/ao-sane-beach-phuket

surviving a...

Tsunami

By Cheryl Ainsworth Anchoring in 12m of water with 70m of chain out was part of the course for us, ‘just to be sure’.

This saved our boat in the tsunami as the first two waves were 5m high, and the boat rode over the waves.

The third wave was 10m high. Friends anchored in 12m of water around other islands were able to ride the last wave out as well. With the deep anchorage, the waves did not break until they ‘felt’ the bottom close to the shore.

In other bays that were 4m deep, the yachts anchored did not fare so well as the wave entered the bay, already breaking, and many yachts were thrown on their sides; however, all managed to get out of the bay in one piece. Although some did take a lot of seawater through open hatches.

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.

The wave hit Phuket around 0800. We were ashore waiting for the local bus to take us into Phuket town and were watching the beautiful bay Nai Harn with a Thai man.

All of a sudden, the water just disappeared from the shore as the incoming wave sucked back the water. We were at first mesmerised and then shocked as the water came surging back in up to where we were standing, which was approximately 5m above the beach.

The second wave did the same. Along with some other yachts, we were quick to recognise the danger, and the worst was yet to come. Rightly or wrongly, we were very quick to grab the dinghy and return to Stolen Kiss (in between the second and third waves) and pull the anchor up and head out to deeper water. For us, it was an instant, instinctive decision.

On reaching our boat, we could hardly hold on to the side due to the pull of the second wave as it exited the bay. This alarmed us about the magnitude of what would be coming next. The dinghy painter was quickly attached, and Peter was pulling the anchor up before I had started the engine. As we up-anchored and turned to depart (this happened in a matter of minutes), the pull of the third wave was so strong that we needed full engine power to ride over the wave as it lifted a little behind us and crashed onto the beach.

Peter was still on the bow stowing the anchor. We could see through the wave that people were running to higher ground. The water was that clear. There were over 100 yachts anchored in Nai Harn at that time. All survived unscathed in the bay. Many yachts stayed at anchor through the whole ordeal.

Very sadly, listening to events unfolding on Ch 16, we were chilled by what was going on in other bays. The aftermath, death and destruction in the area left us numb. We decided to stay for the year in Phuket/Langkawi and, along with other yachties, assisted with the recovery effort.

surviving a...

Tsunami

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!

surviving a...

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

https://www.downu nderrally.com/prep aration-training https://www.downunderrally.com/preparat ion-training

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!

Birgit Hackl of s.v Pitufa shared this photo and commented in a recent post in the Sailing & Cruising In Fiji Facebook Group, saying: Bula, we are here in Vanua Balavu and haven't met any other boats in months!!!

To read more about the adventures of Birgit and Christian check out their website Pitufa.at - Towards the Horizon While you are there, be sure to check out the handy Wind Atlas they have created, showing the prevailing winds for the oceans of the world and the books Birgit has written

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

As someone who takes an interest in the weather in our region, I (John Hembrow) contacted Bob as I had thought the 'eggbeater' was similar in appearance to a 'squash zone' and asked what the difference was... In his reply, Bob explained: "A 'squash zone' has straight isobars, and there is a zone of straight isobars in the middle of an eggbeater. But an eggbeater ALSO has cyclonic curved isobars on one side and anticyclonic curved isobars on the other side and depends on this interplay as well. So an eggbeater is more complicated and can be more variable."

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 The Island Cruising New Zealand South Island Rally departed from Opua just after Christmas.

There was a short delay of a couple of days to explore the delights of Whangaroa Harbour before the right weather window opened up, and the boats had a wonderful ride around Cape Reinga and then down the west coast to the Abel Tasman.

The first leg is a 500NM passage, and being up to 70NM offshore at times, the rally boats spent lots of time getting prepared for the passage, which is all included in the rally preparations, including ensuring they had a clean hull for the strict biosecurity requirements in Fiordland.

There are 33 boats registered, mostly from New Zealand and with a few international visitors, including a Down Under Rally Member that crossed the Tasman to join the rally. The participants can choose to go all the way around the South Island, or there is an option to just explore the top of the South. Both Marlborough and Abel Tasman have lots of territory to cover, and finally, a group who joined the rally just to head south for the SailGP in Lyttelton, where there are some fun events planned around the Peninsula in the lead-up to the SailGP event.

With the weather being so wet and windy in the north this summer, the boats down in Fiordland have been having a wonderful settled and sunny period - with the temperature reaching 30 degrees in Doubtful Sound earlier this week!

There is no set timetable or agenda that the boats have to stick to, and so they often come and go catching up with each other along the way. It can be as social or independent as you wish, and you've got all the added benefits and support of being on a rally if anything goes wrong.

If you'd like to sail south sometime, check out the Island Cruising website and webinar, which includes some tips on where to visit and what you might see along the way. You can watch it online here:

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.

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counting down to adventure...

DEPARTS GOLD COAST MAY 2023

JOIN US

downunderrally.com/go-east-rally

BUSY TIMES FOR 2023 GO EAST RALLY 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.

I T WAS GREAT TO SEE THEY HAD MADE AN EARL Y START AND NOT WAI TED UNTI L THE L AST MI NUTE!

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

Departing Australia By Yacht?

When an Australian registered & tax paid small craft departs Australia for an overseas port, it is considered to have been exported, and an export declaration is required. On departure, the Australian Border Force issues a certificate of clearance that includes the port overseas to which the craft is departing.

In order to obtain a certificate of outward clearance, an export declaration number must be provided. A certificate of clearance will not be issued prior to the provision of a confirmed EDN. There is no mandatory requirement for a customs broker to undertake the clearance formalities however it is generally recommended.

Learn More Here

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UPCOMIMG COURSES Saturday 18th February 2023 Saturday 11th March 2023

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DRESSING YOUR VESSEL The first time I heard the term dressing a vessel was during the 2016 Go West Rally when Cam from s.v Annecam asked me what the protocol was for dressing vessels taking part in the rally when they arrived in Bundaberg. At the time, I had no clue what he meant!

I learned that the nautical term of dressing ship, 'to dress ship,' is most commonly applied to military vessels; however, it can also apply to recreational vessels such as yachts. Even cruise ships often dress ship.

The process involves using International Maritime Signal Flags and stringing them along dressing lines from stemhead to masthead. If there is more than one mast, then each mast should be 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.'

WIN A STRING OF CODE FLAGS SPELLING THE NAME OF YOUR VESSEL OUR FRIENDS AT BATO FLAGS ARE GIVING AWAY A CUSTOMISED STRING OF CODE FLAGS TO READERS OF AHOY!

HOW HOW TO TO ENTER ENTER

Use the signal flag legend on the previous page to decipher the words that are spelled out in the code flag string pictured below.

Once you have deciphered all the letters, they will spell the name of one of our rally partner businesses.

Send an email to admin@downunderrally.com with the subject line DRESS MY SHIP. In the email body, write the name of the business that the flags spell and provide us with your name and phone number.

The names of all those who enter will be entered in the draw on the 28th of February 2023 and one will be drawn as the winner.

Bato Flags will then be in touch with the winner and arrange for their code flag string to be made and posted.

The prize includes postage within Australia.

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!

TAKE A LOOK HERE: www.batoflags.com/create-a-flags-bunting

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https://www.dbyboatsales.co m.au/listing/beneteau-sense50-1/ https://www.dbyboatsales.com.au /listing/bavaria-40-vision/

https://www.dbyboatsales.com.au /

Videos about sailing to and cruising in Australia, Indonesia & the SW Pacific islands, including Fiji, New Caledonia & Vanuatu and more...

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ARRIVING IN AUSTRALIA AND CRUISING SOUTH TO SYDNEY

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

When New Zealand opened its borders in May 2022, we returned to prepare our Arcona 430, Loupan, and resume our cruising life.

If all went to plan, this would be the year when we would arrive in Australia, which would mark the end of several wonderful years of cruising in the South Pacific.

As Vanuatu opened their borders, we took the opportunity to visit and had a lovely one-and-a-half months cruising there before leaving Port Vila, sailing to the north of New Caledonia and arriving in Bundaberg in late September.

We had a great sail from Vanuatu for almost all the way, except for a few hours with rain and strong wind when we hit the “tail” of a trough the morning before arrival.

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.

We arrived in Bundaberg in the evening. John from the Down Under Rally had provided us with easy-to-follow instructions about what to do if we arrived out of business hours which we followed before tidying the boat and having a glass of wine to celebrate our safe passage & arrival before falling asleep.

The following morning we berthed at Bundaberg Port Marina, where the officials from Australian Border Force were waiting for us. The clearance process was really very smooth and a very positive experience.

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.

@ Jay Hoad

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

The day after the Welcome Week farewell party saw an exodus of yachts departing the marina, with many of the Go West Rally boats starting their cruise south. We also planned to sail south and spend Christmas and New Year's Eve in Sydney. We were in the great company of our Aussie friends on the yachts Gone with the Wind and Eye Candy.

We all headed down to the Great Sandy Strait west of K'gari (Fraser Island), and a couple of days later, it was time for our first bar crossing. Of course, John had told us everything we needed to know for a successful bar crossing – a couple of hours before hide tide, less than 15 knots of wind, less than 1,5 meters swell and contact the VMR (Voluntary Marine Rescue). It was an achievement for all when we motored across the infamous Wide Bay Bar without any problems and felt more confident.

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

Horseshoe Bay, Peel Island, Moreton Bay

'The Sandhills' Moreton Island Moreton Bay

Santa Parade Southport Gold Coast

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.

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

In Southport, most boats anchor in the Marine Stadium area.

We found it a bit hectic and instead anchored opposite the Southport Yacht Club. There, the speed limit is 6 knots and a lot less swell. Very close to go ashore and to shops and the lovely Broadwater Parklands.

Marine Stadium Southport Gold Coast

@Down Under Rally

Broadwater Parklands youtube.com/@noah.creative

We wished our grandchildren could have been with us to enjoy all the fun. We took the dinghy up the Nerang River to the beautiful art gallery HOTA, which also has a café with a great view over the area.

View from HOTA cafe

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.

Arriving in Australia and Cruising South to Sydney

By Ulla & Pelle - s.v Loupan of Sweden

We LOVE Sydney! There is so much to see and to do. There is always something happening, and even though it is a big and busy city, it has quite a relaxed feel.

There are so many excellent anchorages, both with a city feeling and with nature close. The fast access to the city centre, with either bus or ferry from all anchorages, really impressed us and made life as a sailing tourist easy. We used the app "Sydney" to find public transport, and it was possible to use a regular credit card as a ticket.

Our favourite anchorages are the ones close to Manly, Rose Bay and Sugarloaf Bay. Blackwattle Bay is also good and will most certainly be great when the new Fish Market is ready. Having attended the Down Under Rally Welcome Week East Coast Cruising Seminars and receiving the insider information John shared, visiting Sydney was a HUGE advantage.

And once again, thanks to John from the Down Under Rally, having made prior arrangements for the rally participants, we had a friendly welcome when we arrived at Middle Harbour Yacht Club, where we stayed a few nights when we travelled up to the beautiful Blue Mountains for some hiking.

Not to be missed!

The highlights of our month in Sydney were: The experience of being anchored and aboard our own boat with the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge in the background.

The concert with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis in the Opera House. Besides the music, we also loved their interaction with the audience. We also went for a guided tour of the Opera House.

What an impressive building and an extraordinary story behind it.

The start of the Sydney Hobart Race on Boxing Day. And, of course... New Year's Eve! 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

We would have loved to continue south to Tasmania, but we want to go home to Sweden and spend some time with our family and friends. We had a fast sail back up north with just one stop in Newcastle. Good marina and a surprisingly lovely city.

For now, we will leave Loupan on the hard at The Boat Works, which is the best and most beautiful yard we have seen, where she will await our return to resume our cruising after cyclone season is finished.

s.v Loupan of Sweden & Pelle with the team from...

(07) 55 000 000

theboatworks.com.au

admin@theboatworks.com.au

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SV L'ENVOL, A 25-FOOT TWIN KEELER LEFT FRANCE 9 YEARS AGO FOR A BIT OF A SAIL...

From the Knysna Lagoon in South Africa, L'Envol and crew wish you a Happy New Year 2023!

As a follow-up to our previous article in the September AHOY and since our departure from Tasmania one year ago, the game of hide and seek with the elements has been full-on.

In just ten months, we sailed more than 10,600 nautical miles - a new record for our 25-footer!

Left in that longest wake of 2022 was the east coast of Australia, Indonesia and the Indian Ocean.

Our special program for this New Year's Day was to sail around the Cape of Good Hope and switch oceans, however, when we were going through the narrow pass off the Knysna Heads, the propeller of our outboard started slipping under load, and so, instead of a poetic start of the year, we had to sail back for repairs.

2023 has taken off with a different kind of marathon - the one of blogging. With the boat transformed into an office and editorial, the last four weeks have given light to a dozen new articles on our website www.intothewind.fr.

If you can, we would be very grateful of any contributions to our fundraising project called...

"Atlantic Crossing: Cheese and Potatoes", which will help us provision for a month-long trip from South Africa to Brazil. Every little bit helps.

All those who contribute will receive a selection of our favourite passage recipes for tropical waters (PDF), including: Gale Pasta, Becalmed Tabbouleh, Red Lentils After the Rain, and Last Resort Bean Salad.

To contribute, please visit: intothewind.fr/crowdfunding With our best wishes for 2023! Christophe and Carina, SY L'Envol

https://www.everythingmarine australia.com.au/ DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS OFFER: $50.00 OFF MAST & RIGGING SURVEY REPORTS

This is the first instalment in an AHOY Sailing News series for 2023 written by Richard Chesher about critical health issues you can easily avoid when cruising the tropics – IF you learn from other cruisers' mistakes and get serious about protecting yourself and your crew.

H E A L T H Y

Every cruiser knows they will face dangers from the weather, equipment failure, collisions with other vessels, and accidents.

A sensible captain takes precautions to prevent these accidents by getting good weather forecasts, maintaining the vessel’s equipment, using lights and AIS and keeping watch at sea, having a good medical kit and safety equipment aboard, etc. And most cruisers know what to do if these dangers surprise them at sea.

C IN THE PACIFIC R TROPICAL ISLANDS U "Smart people I learn from their S mistakes, smarter people learn from other peoples' I mistakes."

N G

BY RICHARD CHESHER, PH.D.

But an amazing number of cruisers have no idea how to defend against the health dangers lying in wait for them when they arrive in remote tropical areas far from medical care.

If you get sick from contaminated water, attacked by malaria, a deadly blood virus-like dengue fever, parasites, fish poisoning or a flesh-eating microbe, it will be a long and expensive ordeal and may cause permanent disabilities or even kill you or one of your crew.

Health issues are serious dangers for mariners but few cruisers take elementary precautions to protect themselves and their crew.

Disease organisms kill more people every year than all the maritime and diving accidents, shark, sea serpent, crocodile, sea wasp, or even pirate attacks combined.

You and your crew truly want to avoid getting sick or injured anywhere, but especially when cruising far from medical support.

The good news is that most cruisers avoid serious health issues either through luck or prudence.

To be sure the good news applies to you and your crew, follow these three very simple rules:

1. FIND OUT WHAT HEALTH DANGERS ARE LURKING WHERE YOU ARE HEADED BEFORE YOU SET SAIL. 2. DON’T LET THEM GET YOU. 3. KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU FAIL #2.

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

#1- DRINKING WATER HEALTH DANGERS This is an account of a health mistake my wife and I made that nearly killed us.

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

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...

“As I write this, I feel a little dizzy. Whatever has been wrong with us these past months is still lurking in the background. We’ve been going strong since Sunday, diving twice a day, and taking underwater photographs of the reef, but right now, I’m weak as a kitten...on and off and on and off. I don’t think the medicine Dr Cook gave me in Port Moresby got it.

Maybe it’s not parasites at all. But what???????

The image forms in my mind of a diesel engine running out of fuel. Just before it dies, the governor fails, and the motor revs way up and then zonk, it’s dead. Maybe, the past few days, I’ve been like a diesel engine revving as it runs out of fuel.

As a matter of fact, I feel really shaky. A wave of blackness rears up, and the night surf falls. I gasp and shake my head. "Freddy, I...I don’t feel so good."

She looks up from her reading, a worried, withdrawn look on her face. "Now that you mention it, I don’t feel so good either."

My face flushes. A cold sweat beads on my forehead. The dizziness grows, and the blackness roils up to engulf me. I am going to pass out. I put my head between my legs. In a few minutes, I feel steadier, but I know this is something really bad and getting worse minute by minute.

"This is not good." I am panting, my vision blurs, and my chest aches and feels like it’s on fire. I tremble. For a moment, I black out but come to again immediately, in time to catch myself as I fall forward onto the dinette. My mouth feels numb, and there is an awful, metallic taste in my mouth...I can hardly breathe.

"Oh Rick, what’s wrong? My legs feel funny." She tries to stand to come to my aid, but she’s unable to stand.

"Come on, sweetheart, let’s get to bed."

All I can think is that something is wrong, really wrong. My head is swimming, confused, can’t think straight. I help Freddy stand, and she is trembling and cold.

We stagger aft and collapse into bed.

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

Nightmares chase me all night long. I wake up feeling worse, with no idea what time it is, but it is daylight.

I try to type, but my fingers miss the keys. I try to walk. I stumble and fall. I fumble my words, and they come out wrong. I lie down and focus deep inside, searching. Something is terribly, terribly wrong. A hard, cold death reaches towards me like a rising black tide.

Frightened, I pull back from the icy eternity and force myself awake, panting with fear.

My muscles ache. I can’t think. Walter, our cat, is down, too. He tries to jump up the companionway ladder and FALLS! Freddy goes over to him. She’s crying. I’m Crying. "Oh Rick, what’s WRONG with us?"

I sit there, unable to focus. She grips my arm, "It’s the water. It’s got to be. We’ve been poisoned."

My head aches. Water? "Huh? What?"

Freddy is shaking me, peering close into my face. I think I have been unconscious again but I am not sure. "We’ve been poisoned. It must be the water. It must be. Listen to me. The water is the only constant thing in our diet. It has to be the water."

“We’ve been feeling rotten for a long time."

"Since the end of the expeditions in March," Freddy agrees.

"Since March....." This seems enormously important. I sit on the deck, trying to think about March. What is so important about March? "I know, we haven’t had any rain since March.

Maybe the water in the catchment tank at Belesona is contaminated."

"I think it is," Freddy agrees, "We’ve drunk the water from that tank for months... Our rain catcher has been useless."

"It was right after we found out about all the streams and groundwater being contaminated with leptospirosis." I remember something else, "Damn! I looked in the catchment tank and was surprised there was nothing in there." I slam my fist onto the dinette. "There were no mosquito larvae in there! Why didn’t I know?"

"And remember the yacht - with the little baby? The baby was sick and crying all the time, and nobody could figure out what was wrong with it." She’s right...

The water in the catchment tank must be poisoned. "I’ll bet it’s lead. Lead hits infants and young children really hard and fast. The yacht had been using the water from the same tank for over a month. And Peter, too. Peter told us the water was OK. He said he always made his coffee with it. And Peter has been acting really strange lately, paranoid, erratic, angry one minute and laughing the next. Mad as a hatter."

"What?"

"Hatter. People used to make top hats using a mercury compound, and hatters went crazy because of mercury poisoning. Lead poisoning has neurological effects like that, too." I get up and pace the deck. "It could be mercury. In the Virgin Islands, they found mercury in water catchment tanks from roofs painted with an antifungal compound. But the roof at Belesona is not painted, it’s galvanized iron."

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

"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

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...

PROTECT YOUR DRINKING WATER AS IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT Obviously, the first and foremost drinking water danger is not having any. This isn’t a big problem if you are weekend cruising from a marina but believe me, fresh water is a serious worry on long sea passages or cruising where there are no marinas or safe public water sources.

You might imagine a good rainwater collection system will get you between water sources, but what if it doesn’t rain? Or it rains like a waterfall, but you are at sea getting saltwater spray blasted all over your yacht? What do you do if the only water sources ashore are contaminated with an alphabet soup of tropical disease organisms, a pesticide gumbo or an array of heavy metals? Contaminated water sources are not only gummy creeks, stagnant ponds or muddy rivers but also poorly maintained or compromised municipal water supplies. As a consultant to the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, I did pollution sources surveys in several island countries, and I can assure you it’s a bad idea to drink the shore water in many of them.

If you want to be aware of how common and dangerous municipal water supplies can be – even in the USA - check out www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_diseases.

Water can be contaminated by naturally occurring chemicals and minerals (for example, lead, tin, cobalt, arsenic, radon, uranium), local land use practices (fertilizers and pesticides), wastes from manufacturing processes, sewer overflows or wastewater releases.

Some of the most common dangerous contaminants in water supplies include: Cholera, Amoebiasis (Traveller’s Diarrhea), Dysentery, Infectious diarrhea (a virus), Hepatitis A, Lead Poisoning, Polyomavirus tumours, Polio (Infantile Paralysis), Fluorosis bone disease, Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease), Intestinal Worms, Trachoma (Eye Infection), Typhoid Fever, Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia), Legionella, Giardia, Norovirus, Shigella, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Leptospirosis….. and lots more.

W A T E R

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.

W A T E R E 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.

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

#2- HOW TO PREVENT DRINKING WATER DANGERS GET A WATER MAKER. If you are really going cruising (not just day or weekend sailing from a marina), install a good, reliable desalinator, learn how to use it correctly, and freshwater dangers will never be a problem no matter where you cruise.

You can enjoy showers, wash the dishes, and drink as much as you like without ever having to worry about what’s in the water, search for someplace to get water, lug around heavy containers or try to decontaminate it.

DRINK SAFE WATER. Water tanks on yachts can get contaminated over time. To be SURE the water you drink is always safe, install your water maker with a valve to switch between putting water in your tanks or into the sink.

After filling the tanks for the day, switch to the sink outlet and fill glass 1-litre bottles – only drink water from the glass water bottles, not from the tanks. We have 8 one-litre bottles. My wife and I normally drink a total of 4 litres per day. Two of the glass bottles are kept cold in the refrigerator, 6 are in a canvas holder, and one litre is readily available in a glass thermos on the dinette or, at sea, in the galley sink.

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.

W A T E R

#2- HOW TO PREVENT DRINKING WATER DANGERS THE COST IS NOT THE PRIMARY CONCERN - YOUR HEALTH IS. If you get sick from shore water, it’s not only going to ruin your cruise, it could very well cost you a fortune in medical care plus a lot of pain and suffering. Even if just one person gets sick, everyone else aboard is going to have a miserable time.

NEVER DRINK SHORE WATER, DRINKS WITH ICE OR FRESH FRUIT SMOOTHIES ASHORE. Having a water maker won’t prevent you from getting sick from contaminated water ashore. An entire family, kids included, on a cruising yacht with a perfectly good watermaker aboard got cholera after eating in restaurants ashore when cruising in South America. The most common way cruisers get sick from contaminated water is when they drink water or a beverage with ice in it when ashore. Always learn the local language for “No Ice”. If a restaurant provides a glass with ice along with a jug of water, do not drink the water or use the glass with ice; ask for bottled water. We do, even in Noumea.

Ordering a nice ice-cold fruit smoothie ashore, tempting as it is, could be something you regret the next day and possibly for the next few weeks. You might think it’s worth the risk but if you luck out even once you’ll never make the mistake again.

W A #2- WHAT TO DO WHEN THE WATERMAKER FAILS? T If your watermaker fails – and it will, eventually – you better have spare parts aboard and E know how to fix it. That is, by the way, a good reason to buy the least “automatic” watermaker you can find. Watermakers with automatic sensors and electronics or complex R “energy recovery” systems are much more likely to fail than simpler systems and are difficult to repair by yourself. Our desalinator is inexpensive and simple, with zero electronics, easy-to-find parts, and easy to repair.

Most desalinator companies sell a “cruising kit” with essential parts for maintenance during your cruise and a detailed operational and repair manual. If your watermaker fails, and you don’t have the parts to fix it, you’ll need to go somewhere you can get the parts shipped in and fill up with municipal water.

E V If you have to fill the tanks with shore water, you need to attach the filling hose to a good high-pressure filter to remove any bacteria and chlorine before the water goes into E charcoal your tanks. Always use the pre-filter before any municipal water goes into your tanks.

R If you ever absolutely need to take on river or creek water, filter the water to remove any sediment, then sanitize it for drinking with 2 drops/litre (1ml/20 litres) of fresh (less than 6 old) unscented household bleach – 5.8% sodium hypochlorite. Allow the treated Y months water to stand for at least 30 minutes before drinking. Or, better yet, boil the water for at W least 1 minute, and after it cools off, pour it into glass bottles to drink later.

If you don’t have the fuel to boil all your drinking water, and you put bleach into your tanks, NOT use tank water with chlorine in it to flush your desalinator; it will destroy the H do membrane. When you reach a (hopefully) clean municipal water supply again, completely your water tanks, sanitize them with 1 cup (300ml) fresh (not stored) non-scented E empty household bleach for every 50 gallons (190litres) of water, remove any interior water filters, open the water valves, and run the freshwater pump to allow the sterilized solution to treat R the entire system, then wait 8 to 12 hours, drain all the water out of your tanks, and refill with good, pre-filtered water – or refill with water from your repaired watermaker.

E Boiling or sanitizing the water is useless if it is contaminated with heavy metals or pesticides.

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.

Rocket Guides are programs for Windows and Mac computers (not Ipads or Android tablets). They are unlike any other kind of cruising guide you’ve ever used; extremely intuitive, fast and comprehensive.

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 available in a couple of clicks– and you don’t need to be online.

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Introducing the ...

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 of Melanesian women right across the nation.

This hard work has been recognised with several international awards, including the prestigious United Nations “Champions of the Earth” award for Inspiration and Action in 2021.

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.

There are also opportunities for yachties to contribute to the marine conservation and humanitarian aid work both here on the GBR and in Melanesia, and Dr and would be happy to discuss options in more detail via email at andy@coralseafoundation.net.

More information can be found on the organisational websites: www.coralseafoundation.net www.seawomen.net And on their social media channels: 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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POWER

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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...

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

Those that we cannot live without must have a name!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

Long live Otto!!!

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.

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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.

Members Marketplace All six of the items on this page have been carried as spares.

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Located Brisbane Area for pickup or postage can be arranged.

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Contact Andrew: E: andrewglasspool@hotmail.com | P: 0491 949 848 | Whatsapp: +44 79 6763 9197

WINDEX WIND DIRECTION INDICATOR New Boxed & Unused $50.00 AUD.

SPINLOCK Triple Clutch XTS 8 114 mm Purchased new in 2022 Unused Part# XTS0814/3 $300.00 AUD

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