Ahoy - May 2022

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"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!" MAY 2022

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

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

Safe Enclosed Harbour Protected from swell & unaffected by flooding.

Clean, Modern & Well Maintained Facilities Modern Cruisers Lounge with TV and free WIFI Electronic gated Access, with 24 Hour CCTV Monitoring 24 Hour Fuel Wharf Full-Service Boatyard with 35 Tonne Travelift On-Site Chandlery DOWN UNDER RALLY PARTNER DISCOUNTS FOR MEMBERS

Tangalooma Anchorage Moreton Island

PH: +61 7 3880 0300

SCARBMARINA.COM.AU info@scarbmarina.com.au

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Inside Ahoy

MAY 2022

SW Pacific & Australia Maritime Borders Update.

April Prize Draw Announcements.

Cruising The Queensland Coast -The Fraser Coast Sailing No Regrets - Cruising The Kimberley.

My Cruising Story - Circumnavigating Tasmania New Caledonia - Wilderness Bounties Paranoid or Prudent - Tips For Going Aloft Watermaker Maintenance Tips & More...

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY AHOY!"

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

Cover Image:

No Regrets Casuarina Creek Waterfall The Kimberly Region Western Australia

©Copyright 2022 Down Under Rally Pty Ltd Ahoy Newsletter is published monthly and distributed electronically via the world wide web. Original editorial content & advertisements in this newsletter are copyright 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.

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DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS PRIZE DRAW

CONGRATULATIONS ALAN & KIMBERLY MEMBER #173

You Have WON A Handmade Cheese/ Chopping Board These cutting boards were created as Christmas gifts for our families & now are available to all at Australian Boating Supplies www.austboating.com.au Available with either sailboat or lighthouse design, well priced at only $49.95.

MAY MEMBERS PRIZE DRAW ONE LUCKY DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBER WILL WIN ONE OF THESE CHOPPING BOARDS THE PRIZE DRAWN WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE 3OTH APRIL 2022.

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THANKS FOR SHARING! Tim & Barb - 'La Boheme'

Tim & Barb shared their cruising story about circumnavigating Tasmania which we have published in the AHOY this month.

To show our appreciation, we are sending Tim & Barb a $100.00 voucher to spend at Southern Seas Marine.

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WE WANT TO HEAR STORIES ABOUT YOUR CRUISING ADVENTURES! They can be long or short, They can be funny or scary, They can be informative, entertaining or a bit of both!

Anything goes as long as it has to do with the cruising life. If you write it - We will read it!

SHARING YOUR STORY IS EASY. Type your story up in a word document and email it to: admin@downunderrally.com along with some photos that help to tell your story. Please use the subject line 'My Cruising Story' in the email.

Maritime Borders

SW Pacific & Australia As at MAY 1st 2022

Australia.

Despite the information on the Let Us Know You Are Coming page of the Australian Border Force website internationally flagged vessels with foreign nationals aboard have been permitted to arrive in Australia over the past few weeks. Information and instructions regarding the process for arriving in Australia by sea can be found HERE New Zealand.

The NZ Maritime Border Order Remains in place meaning restrictions for small craft arrivals remain in place. ICNZ tell us there have been discussions around changes to the Maritime Border but at the time of publishing, no changes have been announced. See the current advice HERE

New Caledonia.

As of the 14th of March 2022, Fishing ships, special ships and pleasure ships are now also welcome in New Caledonia.

For accurate and up to date info about arriving in New Caledonia by sea contact Noumea Yacht Services

Vanuatu.

The Ministry of Health developed a Roadmap to Safe Recovery (version 2) in April 2022, which lays the path for returning to a ‘new normal’. The Roadmap defines a safe approach for reducing health restrictions to mitigate against the prolonged negative impacts of COVID-19 in Vanuatu. More Info: HERE Fiji.

Effective 1 May 2022, fully vaccinated visitors to Fiji will no longer be required to produce a pre-arrival negative COVID-19 test prior to entry. The change applies to all visitors entering Fiji by air or sea.

More Info: HERE

Rally News Some exciting plans for the 2023 Go East Rally to New Caledonia & Vanuatu are being made. To stay informed about the 2023 East Rally submit an expression of interest HERE.

The NC2V Rally is a flow-on from the Go East Rally. As the 2022 Go East Rally rally has been cancelled, The Down Under Rally will not be offering the NC2V Rally in 2022.

More information about the NC2V Rally can be found HERE.

LEG 1 of the 2022 Beyond The Barrier Rally is scheduled to depart Bundaberg Queensland on the 25th of May. The plan is for the fleet to spend almost three weeks exploring the seldom-visited reefs, cays & islets of the Coral Sea Marine Park. A SECOND LEG of the Beyond The Barrier Rally is planned to depart Townsville in late June for a three-week adventure of discovery before returning to the Queensland coast at Port Douglas. More information HERE.

The Down Under Rally is still awaiting information from the Australian Border Force before opening the 2022 Go West Rally for registrations.

Information about visiting Australia by yacht & why it makes sense to Go West with the Down Under Rally can be found HERE.

Priority Rally Registrations & Rally Entry Fee Discounts For Down Under Rally downunderrally.com/preparation-training Members downunderrally.com/membership

Rally News Vessels who join the Mystery Island Rally have the opportunity to obtain full clearance into Vanuatu at the island of Aneityum which is otherwise not an official port of entry. The rally can only proceed when Vanuatu opens their maritime borders and permission is granted for the rally participants to enter Vanuatu at this location. MORE INFORMATION HERE

By joining the Loyalty Islands Rally in Fiji participants are able to experience more of New Caledonia's magnificent cruising grounds, especially those in the east and to the south that are often difficult if not impossible to return to from Noumea in the limited time available. MORE INFORMATION HERE

The Down Under Rally has partnered with Island Cruising NZ to offer cruisers in New Caledonia who are considering or planning on making the voyage to New Zealand the opportunity to do so in company.

MORE INFORMATION HERE

The Down Under Rally in association with Island Cruising New Zealand (ICNZ) intends to offer the OZ to NZ Rally in 2023.

If voyaging to New Zealand with the option of continuing onward to Tahiti, Tonga or Fiji in company is of interest to you MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND HERE

Priority Rally Registrations & Rally Entry Fee Discounts For Down Under Rally Members downunderrally.com/membership

Down Under Rally Members

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theboatworks.com.au

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Coomera, Gold Coast

Circumnavigating Tasmania.

By Tim & Barbara. s.v. La Boheme

"Over the years, the tales we heard of Tasmanian sailing were tinged with more than a pinch of wild weather and stormy seas. La Boheme had been well prepared before joining the Beyond the Barrier Rally in 2021, so we were confident we were in good shape to tackle Tasmania."

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Tim & Barbara

La Boheme. 2003 Amel Super Maramu 2000

t was with a great deal of excitement (and some trepidation) we embarked on the Choices Flooring and Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Van Diemen’s Land Circumnavigation Cruise 2022. COVID put paid to our best-laid plans in 2021 when the event was sadly cancelled, as were many others. Happily, this year, everything was 'full sail' ahead.

Over the years, the tales we heard of Tasmanian sailing were tinged with more than a pinch of wild weather and stormy seas. Hence, with some mixed feelings, we set off from Sydney at the end of January.

Since then, more than once, the locals have asked us not to tell people what it is really like, they don’t want too many tourists coming down to spoil their peace, but Tasmanian sailing has been a revelation. There is a reason that apparently, one in 5 Tasmanian families own a boat. Tasmania itself has surpassed expectations.

If you enjoy the great outdoors and communing with nature, Tasmania has many beautiful areas to explore, but we digress onto the sailing...

We started on our circumnavigation on the 9th of February from the RYCT marina in Hobart. It is important to note that the preparation of your boat needs to be thorough; much as the sailing can be fabulous, conditions on the Tasmanian coast can change quickly, and you can be in some very remote places, so self-reliance is a requirement. For example, South East Cape is said to be closer to Antarctica than Cairns. It is essential that you have a well maintained, seaworthy vessel and crew that are capable as well as suitable anchors, yes plural, for some very challenging anchoring conditions. La Boheme had been well prepared prior to our Beyond the Barrier Rally in 2021, so we were confident we were in good shape to tackle Tasmania. One additional requirement is a working HF radio. Initially, we thought this an onerous and unnecessary piece of equipment until we were on the west coast of Tasmania, and it was the only way to communicate with the fleet. Henceforth, we are moving to improve the quality of our transmission and receiving on our HF.

Circumnavigating Tasmania.

Port Arthur

After leaving Hobart, the fleet of some 19 boats, led by the commodore and radio relay vessel (RRV), made its way up the East coast via Port Arthur, past the awe-inspiring Dolorite cliffs of Cape Raoul at the entrance to Storm Bay and then onwards up the coast.

You may wonder at the fleet going anticlockwise. Early in the piece, it was explained that most boats develop their failures, be it major or minor, in the first 200 nautical miles.

On the anticlockwise route, there are several places to stop on the east and north coast to fix or deliver any necessary bits and pieces. On the clockwise route, you can rely on fencing wire, gaffa tape, string and the spares you have on the boat because your other options are non-existent once you turn the southeast corner—no roads, no towns and certainly no chandleries.

Our first night at anchor was blissful at Port Arthur – then oily calm seas the next morning for an early start to head for the “Hole in the Wall” between Cape Pillar and Tasman Island. Another spectacular piece of coastline was made more so by the number of birds and the seals basking on the rock platforms as we sailed past.

Our next stop was Shoal Bay, Maria Island, a national park littered with historical ruins and all manner of native birds and mammals. The VDLC cruise allowed a certain amount of latitude with anchorages along the route. Not all the vessels anchored in the same area allowing plenty of room in anchorages.

Anchorage at Passage Beach, Freycinet Peninsula, Schouten Passage

Rugged cliffs of Dolorite make the trip north from Hobart some of the most dramatic

Voyage Route Map RTYC ryct.org.au/vdl-c-cruise-2022

Circumnavigating Tasmania.

'Hells Gate' Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania West Coast

Our journey north from Schouten Island to Beauty Point was made as a single passage. The weather was perfect and made for a leisurely sail as far as the Banks Strait, which can pose challenges with large tides and fast running current. The key is to ensure you do not encounter wind against tide.

We arrived at Banks Strait in the early hours. The water was glassy smooth with 15 knots of breeze behind us with a following current of about 3 knots. We continued to the Tamar River and Beauty Point, where the fleet came together with a great BBQ hosted by the Tamar Yacht Club. We had time to socialise, conduct boat jobs, and even do some sightseeing while waiting for a weather window around the northwest corner.

The next leg was sailing from Beauty Point to Strahan at Macquarie Harbour. Again, we decided to do this as a single passage. Several other fleet members chose to break up this passage into two, stopping at Stanley or one of the islands in the Hunter group. To make the necessary tidal window, we left the River Tamar in the early evening to be greeted by a veritable washing machine – we pressed on into deeper water where much more pleasant conditions prevailed. Our departure was timed so that we passed between Hunter and Bird island at a little before slack water.

During this part of the voyage, boisterous conditions were reencountered, and our deck got a quick rinse before turning south towards Macquarie Harbour for our second night at sea.

We arrived at Hell's Gates in the morning, again at slack tide. Even when the tide is rising at Hell's Gates, the current can be coming out of Macquarie Harbour – weird but true! There was a 2 knot current against us with eddies everywhere as we crossed this challenging piece of water into the harbour. Relieved that we didn’t go aground or into rocks, we continued to Strahan and anchored at Risby Cove.

Cruising up the beautiful Gordon River from Macquarie Harbour.

If you go to Strahan, we recommend seeing the show The Ship That Never Was – absolutely brilliant with excellent audience participation! During the week we stayed in this amazing place, we managed to take our yacht up the Gordon River as far as Sir John Falls. From there, we continued to the Franklin River by dinghy. The area is stunningly beautiful and well worth the effort but be aware, we have a 15hp engine on the back of our dinghy, and it struggled with four people on board against the current in the rapids at Big Eddy.

'The Ship That Never Was' The true story of the Great Escape from Sarah Island

Strahan Harbour Township

Our following passage took us from Macquarie Harbour to Port Davey. Port Davey is not only a national park but is also a UNESCO World Heritage area. Again, we did this as a night passage arriving at Spain Bay in the morning. The water here was as clear as that found at the Great Barrier Reef, just a few degrees cooler. We were so in awe that we decided against a nap, and after getting into the dinghy, we came ashore and walked a well-worn track to Stephen’s Bay to stretch our legs. We had the beach to ourselves, the weather was glorious, and Tim even put his feet into the surf. Needless to say, it wasn’t for very long.

The next day we motored through the Bathurst Channel to Bathurst Harbour, truly a highlight of our trip, and anchored at King’s Point. We took the dinghy to Clayton’s corner and did the more energetic walk to the top of Mt Beatty for some magical views, then up to Melaleuca, where we walked the boardwalk. We were lucky that the weather remained stunning for the days we were there, and we were even able to take our dinghy across Bathurst harbour in glassy conditions to Old River, a 20-minute trip. This was a real treat as it would have been difficult if the weather hadn’t been perfect. Old River was another gem with its tannin-stained water gently flowing towards the harbour.

We were able to go up the river, stop at a riverbank and join a well-trodden path to get to a stand of rare Huon Pines. We certainly did not stay long enough at Port Davey to do it justice, so we plan to return, hopefully later this year.

The view towards Spain Bay during our hike to Stephen’s Bay on arrival to Port Davey. La Boheme is comfortably anchored in 5m of crystal clear water in sand

Having found a suitable weather window to brave the south coast and, after a BBQ with a cricket match with the rest of the fleet at Bramble Cove, we prepared to continue our journey.

Stunning Bathurst Harbour

Our next passage was by day. An early start saw us bidding Port Davey a fond farewell and following the ruggedly beautiful and remote southern coastline back to the east. We made our way to Recherche Bay, where we relaxed for a few days before continuing onto the D’Entrecasteaux Channel and the small port town of Dover. There we managed to do some provisioning and enjoyed a delicious crayfish lunch at the local RSL. The Port Esperance Sailing club also hosted the fleet for another fabulous BBQ. One of the last opportunities to get together before the home stretch.

Sunrise, Coalbins Bay, Recherche Bay

The D’Entrecasteaux channel is a sailing Mecca, the choice and variety of anchorages is staggering, but one thing that surprised us on the last leg of our journey was the number, and size, of the salmon fish farms. They are a major source of revenue for Tasmania, but not without significant environmental impact.

The Hospitality and friendliness of the people we have met all along this journey have been fabulous .

Our last stop before returning to Hobart was Port Huon. Being of deeper draught, we did not take our yacht up the Huon river, but it is well worth getting into your dinghy to go up to Huonville. On our return journey, we stopped at the Wooden Boat Centre at Franklin – a fascinating place and well worth a visit and took the conducted tour.

Our final cruise get-together with the fleet before Hobart was at The Kermandie pub for an excellent meal and a few beverages. The Hospitality and friendliness of the people we have met all along this journey have been fabulous.

The last stage of the VDLC was from Port Huon to the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, where we returned to the exact same berth from which we left some five weeks earlier. The final dinner was a fabulous evening held at the RYCT, where many tales were told, and details exchanged.

From there, we are all now on further travels, many of us with plans to return.

A trip up the Huon River is a must-do!

One of our last sunrises at the RYCT

The Tasmanian Anchorage Guide was invaluable when making our own decisions, and the Commodore and RRV were encyclopaedic resources regarding advice for anchorages in the prevailing conditions.

As much as the East and North coast had many highlights, including Schouten Passage, Maria island, and Hunter Passage on the North-West corner, these were eclipsed by the wilderness of the Gordon and Franklin rivers from Macquarie Harbour and the sheer unspoiled majesty of Port Davey on the west coast.

There were many places that we put our brown trousers on after reading through the descriptions to exit or enter various straits and harbour entrances. Still, we managed each after judging conditions, sometimes with advice from the fleet chaperones, and are proud of our achievements.

Cruising in company made it much easier to tackle some of the more formidable tasks, including going around the North West corner and entering Hell’s Gates to Macquarie Harbour.

We would recommend the VDLC cruise to anyone planning the trip. It was certainly challenging in many ways, but this was far outweighed by the rewards.

If you see La Boheme in your travels, be sure to drop by and say AHOY! Until then, safe sailing all, Tim & Barbara. s.v. La Boheme

WEBINAR GETS THE THUMBS UP!

"Informative & Interesting" A big thanks to all those who joined us for the

CRUISING THE QUEENSLAND COAST FREE WEBINAR last month and to those who have since contacted us saying they found the presentation helpful, informative & interesting.

Hosted by Multihull Solutions & The Yacht Sales Co. the webinar featured guest presenter Greg Luck, Author of the Cruising The Queensland Coast e Guide and included a presentation by John Hembrow of the Down Under Rally about an alternative route for transiting the Queensland coast via the remote reefs and cays of the Coral Sea Marine Park.

MISSED THE LIVE WEBINAR?

WATCH THE WEBINAR RECORDING

Memories...

Aboard s.v Trillium, one of the four OCC member's yachts that joined the very first Go West Rally from New Caledonia To Australia back in 2015

JOHN HEMBROW APPOINTED REGIONAL REAR COMMODORE AUS NE AREA OCEAN CRUISING CLUB

Earlier this year, I was nominated for the Regional Rear Commodore AUS NE Area role with the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC). Not wanting to overextend myself, I took some time to consider if I should accept the nomination as I wanted to be sure that if I was elected, I could serve the OCC members in the manner that the role required. Ultimately I chose to accept the nomination, and last month at the OCC AGM, I was elected for the position. Why did I choose to accept the nomination & take on the role?

I have been a member of several sailing/yacht clubs over the years and received membership benefits, including those that come with being an OCC Member. However, what I witnessed during 2019 & 2020 in relation to the efforts of the OCC on behalf of not only their members but the entire cruising community truly impressed me.

World cruising has become more accessible over the past decade, with more and more people realising their dream to discover what awaits beyond the ocean horizon. With this increase, I feel the need has never been greater for those who are 'out there' to be part of an organisation that understands the unique challenges global events can have on our community and is prepared to 'step up' when the need arises.

It is, for this reason, that I encourage all those who plan on voyaging the seven seas aboard cruising yachts to become members of the Ocean Cruising Club for not just their benefit but that of the entire cruising community.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF OCEAN CRUISING CLUB MEMBERSHIP AT: WWW.OCEANCRUISINGCLUB.ORG

Ocean Cruising Club

Regional Rear Commodore - AUS NE

"I BET YOU CAN'T..."

How many adventures (and misadventures) have been had as a result of the four words, "I bet you can't".

One such example is that of the Worrell brothers, who made a bet at their bar back in 1974 that you couldn’t sail the East Coast of the USA in a 16ft catamaran. Well, they did just that, and the rest, as they say, is history...

On October 1, 1974, Michael Worrell and his crew Steve McGarrett left the Virginia Beach oceanfront with hopes of reaching Florida in one piece. Although they did not win the bet, they still sailed through two hurricanes and had to make multiple boat repairs. Little did they know that this bet would be the catalyst for the creation of what has over the years become a race that is beyond your imagination in extreme sport. It is radical, at times breathtaking and has moments of heartbreak.

Now known as the “The Worrell 1000 Race” is an offshore long distance beach catamaran sailboat race to be held in May 2022 in the Atlantic waters between Florida and Virginia Beach, VA. The race will cover approximately 1000 miles with overnight stops at multiple locations along the East Coast of the United States.

The Worrell 1000 Race is an offshore long distance beach catamaran sailboat race that runs in the waters between Florida and Virginia Beach, VA. www.worrell1000race.com Each May, for two weeks, world-class sailors set off from Fort Lauderdale in the South to race 1,000 miles of harrowing open ocean to reach Virginia Beach, Virginia. Wild coastline, in any weather conditions, this race will test their skill and courage. There is no race like it in the world where teams of two highly skilled world-class sailors sail through the surf in small, fast boats to tackle the open ocean. They must keep the coastline to their left and go as fast as they possibly can. There can be unimaginable capsizes, and all don’t make it.

Most years, the race has gone on with some years being missed, but it is back this May in all its glory.

The Organizing Authority for the 2022 Worrell 1000 Race will be “Worrell 1000 Race Reunion Race, Inc.”, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, (dba “Worrell 1000 Race”).

Anyone who knows our good mate & DBY Boat Sales Senior International Broker Rod Waterhouse would also know his nickname is 'Rocket Rod'.

Rod loves sailing fast, and he is pretty darn good at it, so it is no surprise that Rod has arrived in the United States to participate in the famous off the beach catamaran race, The Worrell 1000.

This will be race number 14 for 'Rocket Rod', and he has won it four times!

Rod’s most serious contender is 8-time winner Randy Smyth, who is this year’s favourite to win.

"Anything can happen in this race as it has a super high attrition rate, so we have all fingers and toes crossed to wish TEAM AUSTRALIA - Rod and his racing partner, Chris Way, all the very best of luck!"

GO ROD AND CHRIS! GO TEAM AUSTRALIA! FROM DARREN PARKER AND THE DBY TEAM. THE START DATE FOR THE 2022 WORRELL 1000 IS THE 9TH MAY. To follow Rod and track the progress of this incredible race using the live rack tracker and the incredible race, go to: www.worrell1000race.com/race-tracking Or call any of the team at DBY Boat Sales to get an accurate update on Rod’s adventure.

Some books I will never part with and this is one of them!

I was left in awe of what Lisa has endured in pursuit of a dream John Hembrow AHOY Sailing April 2022

AHOY SAILING IS PROUD TO BE SUPPORTING LISA AS A 360 DEGREE SPONSOR.

LISA IS ONCE AGAIN SAILING SOLO, NON-STOP AND UNASSISTED AROUND ANTARCTICA TO CLAIM THE OVERALL SPEED RECORD RIGHT NOW! READ HER VOYAGE BLOG HERE lisablairsailstheworld.com/blog

SUPPORT LISA! BUY HER BOOK FACING FEAR lisablairsailstheworld.com/book

Ocean Sailing, Coral Reefs, Sandy Cays, Isolated Islets, Shipwrecks and an Abundance Of Wildlife... Right Here in Queensland, Beyond The Barrier Reef, In The Seldom Visited Coral Sea Marine Park.

© Down Under Rally 2022

Lady Musgrave Island | Saumarez Reef | Marion Reef | Lihou Reef |East Diamond Islet | Flinders Reef |Magnetic Island

Change Tack, Broaden Your Horizons, Cruise In Company & Make Some Memories In 2022 With The Beyond The Barrier Rally © Down Under Rally 2022

Magnetic Island | Flinders Reef |Chilcott Islet | Herald Cays |Holmes Reef | Low Isles

LEARN MORE

downunderrally.com/beyond-the-barrier-rally

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Evolution Sails Gold Coast are fully qualified sailmakers with over 100 combined years of sailing and racing experience making and repairing your high-tech racing or cruising sails, boom bags and covers.

Repairs and re-cuts are done promptly and efficiently with a fast turnaround time.

Complimenting our full range of services are Boombag stack-packs, boom covers, trampolines, rope and chandlery.

ASK US ABOUT DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBER DISCOUNTS

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TWO VESSELS NEED ATTENTION The anticipation of leaving on a voyage is mixed with so many emotions.

There are two vessels that need attention...

The boat is one, but do we prepare ‘ourselves’ before a voyage?

You have a plan, a to-do list and, of course, a timeline. We are checking, changing, maintaining, cleaning, shopping, shopping, shopping; it seems endless and overwhelming.

The tide always seems to be low, when we have to wheel the groceries to the boat like a trapeze artist, balancing the food stacked high as the trolley is often too small, and you don’t want to make endless trips. Your legs are burning, and you’re talking to yourself...“Steady, steady – who the hell made these trolleys?" Why does this bloody ramp have to be so long” “we check the tide most days; why didn’t we check it before shopping.”

Just like in our usually busy lives, we always seem to put ourselves last. The boat is maintained, and no expense is spared to assure our safety. The shopping is endless, and when we finally throw the lines, exhaustion often sets in; you’ve been running on pure adrenaline, talking to yourself to keep pushing past our signs to say “rest” … tempers are tested, the F-bombs are dropped … sometimes tears, if I I kick my toe one more time … the timeline is driving us – we are striving for the end goal – the weather window, blue waters, ideal anchorages chasing the feeling ‘Hows the serenity’ so we keep pushing ourselves.

Now the lines are thrown, the body & mind is exhausted —- it’s time to relax … but no, we decided to leave on a little less favourable weather as a trade-off to enjoy better weather at our destinations! So now you’re feeling a little green – you say rest – but you can’t – chaos onboard – you’ve forgotten to close a hatch, and water is spraying in … your punching into the waves and talking to yourself again – “Am I mad?” Why the hell do I put myself through this? Ow ! bang – that’s going to bruise …Doors are opening and closing in the galley, the catches decide they won’t clip, the latch on the fridge is giving way, the food spills to the floor … “I’m nuts, “ the boat is going too fast, we have a timeline – chaos … breathe! Slow the boat down ….Tools come out – latches are fixed – Life on board calms – but now you feel a little queasy, you forgot to eat before you left – fresh air and horizon, please !!!

Talking to yourself again, “Sit, take in the Serenity, stare at the horizon!” “Wow, we are all alone out here; the sun appears to rise from the ocean depths – salty air – breathe that in” … yes, this is why we do it over and over again …

Peace requires work, and the end goal for both vessels is time, patience and care and the serenity follows.

Meditate on this!

Love and light Leanne 🙏

I am heading to the coral sea again this month and looking forward to our island yoga sessions.

For those who are not joining us, I have over 75 yoga/ meditation videos for you to practice on board or wherever your adventures take you.

www.yoga4yachties.com/yoga-health-and-sail-wellness

Introducing...

The Watermaker Man is a family business run by Yachties Brett and Debbie Swann, who have a passion for all things marine. We love being involved in boating, whether it’s business or pleasure.

For us, it all started in 1997 aboard our 37’ Van De Stadt “Munroe” heading up the coast on an adventure of a lifetime and what a great time it was (most of the time, as patience, is a virtue for the young).

We soon discovered multihulls and decided we would build “Swanning Around”, a beautiful Shawn Arber 12m sailing catamaran.

After ten years of cruising, it was time to stop Swanning Around!

As a result of talking with and being guided by a retired engineer/ watermaker guru Warren from “Emma Jane”, The Watermaker Man was born.

Looking to build and design our own, we couldn’t get past the simplicity, quality and the great team at Rainman Desalination, an Australian designed and manufactured watermaker company based in Sydney.

These days, Brett and Debbie can be seen sailing around on their Bob Oram Cat “Waterworld” pictured below. If you see them on your travels, stop by and say hello.

thewatermakerman.com.au

SIMPLE WATERMAKER TIPS TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF YOUR SYSTEM USE GOOD QUALITY PRE FILTERS Preferably the poly pleated washable type which should last 5-30 hours depending on the water quality.

Saving a couple of dollars on cheap restrictive pre-filters could cost you more in damage to your high-pressure pump.

CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS A simple preventative measure that Could save you money and an unnecessary trip back to the Marina.

90% of Watermaker problems are usually on the suction side, air intake, restrictions, dirty pre-filters or bad feed pump flow. Installing a low-pressure gauge in the discharge side of the pre-filter and maintaining above 2.5psi.

Freshwater flushed with non-chlorinated water, your Watermaker can sit for a week.

MAINTENANCE For a piston style pump unit like a Rainman system very little maintenance is required.

Change pre-filters regularly and keep the sea strainer clean.

Annually change the oil in the crankcase and check the feed pump flow or the impeller (if you have a Rainman unit).

Check TDS. At 500 ppm expect to change membranes within the year. Membranes should last 7-10 years (the enemies of your Membranes are chlorine, petroleum products and air).

thewatermakerman.com.au

hyperlink

Sailing SV No Regrets

By Chris Rose

CRUISING THE KIMBERLY

(PART ONE)

With our trip to Darwin already an unforgettable journey, we had our eyes set on the next leg across the Northern Territory/Western Australian border and into the iconic Kimberley.

We were aware that Darwin was the last location for the next three to four months, we needed to provision accordingly. The local butcher was very helpful by vacuum sealing our meat with easy-to-read labels, and the shopping centre was only a short Uber ride away, where we loaded up with everything we thought we would need.

Fresh fruit would run out in a week or two, and there are only so many frozen goods you can fit in your freezer. We had to supplement with tinned fruit and veggies.

No Regrets can sail in light winds, so we planned on sailing as much as possible and filled our 2 x 240-litre fuel tanks with an additional three emergency jerry cans of diesel. We filled our dinghy with petrol and the two spare petrol jerry cans, so we carried 65 litres. As we were travelling with other boats, we were planning to take advantage of sharing rides to reduce fuel consumption. If planning to make this trip again on our own, I would certainly double the dinghy fuel as you will be using your tender for some reasonable distances, far further than I had anticipated. With the boat fully provisioned and all fuel tanks filled, we left the Cullen Bay Marina and began our trip west.

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Sailing SV No Regrets CRUISING E ON THE PART

KIMBERLY

By Chris Rose

Our first destination planned was the Berkley River. Heading directly from Darwin across the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf is a 215 nautical mile journey, but most importantly, on this trip, you need to time your arrival on a high tide as the river entrance is blocked by shallow sand bars that are fully exposed at low tide.

As we prefer day sailing when possible and we had predominantly easterly winds, we had numerous protected anchorages along most of the coast. Instead of leaving Darwin directly for the Berkley, we opted for a three day hop along the coast to Jones Point before stopping at Turtle Bay, Lacrosse Island. This enabled us to plan our arrival with only a short 36 nautical mile trip, ensuring we would cross the shallow sand bars at high tide and in good light. The day-tripping enabled us to explore some of the coast and find a lovely natural rock lagoon that was exposed at low tide with a small saltwater waterfall and rock pools for a refreshing dip to cool off from the tropical heat.

Leaving mid-morning, we made our way towards the Berkley from Lacrosse Island with light winds until they became too light, requiring us to motor some of the way. We decided to enter the Berkley from the south of Reveley Island as it is more protected from the easterly winds, which can crash onto the shallower sand bars at the northern entrance. Transferring the GPS marks we had sourced and confirmed with our satellite maps, we followed the deeper channel behind Reveley Island and across the very shallow sand bars before officially entering the Berkeley River, where the depths increased.

Sailing SV No Regrets CRUISING E ON THE PART

KIMBERLY

By Chris Rose

Anchoring just inside the river mouth alongside what is known as First Creek, we dropped the tender and ventured up to the First Creek rock bar. Climbing up the low rock wall, we walked a short distance to the freshwater pools for our first lovely freshwater swim. Moving just a couple of miles further upriver is Paul’s Creek. With a very short tender trip up the creek, we had to find a mini bus-sized rock as a marker for the start of the climb up the 20-metre escarpment where we left our tender.

After the steep climb was completed, it was a much easier hike along the top, following the rock cairns left by previous visitors towards the falls and rock pools for a swim.

Sailing SV No Regrets CRUISING E ON THE PART

KIMBERLY

By Chris Rose

Our next stop was to the iconic Casuarina Creek waterfall, just a short trip one nautical mile off of the main river. This is a shallow creek that can only be tackled at high tide. Waiting until the following morning, we left early on a near high tide to give us sufficient water under our keels but still allow some increase in tide just in case we got stuck on a shallow area and we would use the remaining incoming tide to get ourselves off. Turing into Casuarina Creek off from the main river, the depth immediately reduced, and we had a minimal amount of water under our keels. After a short meandering trip, we rounded the small island in the middle of the river created by the overflow of the waterfall and around the hidden submerged rocks.

Dropping our anchor nearer the island, we backed ourselves towards the waterfall, letting out chain before dropping our tender to run lines back to the rock wall, securing us from drifting too far.

Sailing SV No Regrets CRUISING E ON THE PART

KIMBERLY

By Chris Rose

After lunch at the most spectacular anchorage we have ever visited on No Regrets, it was time to climb up the cliffs and see the wonderful swimming pools above the pools.

Even though we were above the saltwater and up above 20-metre cliffs, you should not just jump in as saltwater crocodiles can still manage to get to these locations either through climbing up, taking advantage of higher water levels during the wet season, or even walking significant distances overland from lower-lying areas. Making sure we could see the entire bottom of the pool before we jumped in, we swam in several of the most picturesque pools, complete with water lilies.

Sailing SV No Regrets CRUISING E ON THE PART

KIMBERLY

By Chris Rose

Heading further upriver, we passed through the spectacular narrowing cliffs, towering high above our mast and up to the top of the navigable river where it widens and the incredibly huge Amphitheatre Creek enters.

The Amphitheatre is a massive eroded area approximately 150 metres across with high falls creating a deep pool at the bottom. Climbing up the cliffs, we again enjoyed a cool swim, avoiding the larger pools where we could not see the bottom from either depths or thick overhanging vegetation.

Sailing SV No Regrets CRUISING E ON THE PART

KIMBERLY

By Chris Rose

Taking our tender, we explored the upper river above the rock bar. Carefully anchoring our groups two tenders, we walked up the rocky river bed, finding interesting rock formations and several swimming holes. We also saw a couple of crocodiles lurking in the deeper pools reinforcing why we only swim in shallow pools where we can see the bottom.

Returning from our short walk, the tide had receded a little, and one tender was found hanging precariously on a rocky ledge. Even though we had been careful with our anchoring and timing of our walk, the increasing tidal changes were beginning to make shore trips difficult.

Our first taste of the Kimberly did not disappoint!

In the June AHOY, we will share some highlights from our next adventure in The Kimberleys when we take No Regrets to the base of Western Australia's highest waterfall in the King George River.

https://www.aabboating.com/podcasts/

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By Greg Luck

PART 3 RUISING THE WESTERN K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) OAST This is Part 3 of the Ahoy magazine series of articles based on information contained in Cruising the Queensland Coast, the eBook by Greg Luck. In the March edition, we passaged from the Gold Coast to Manly Boat Harbour following the Inside Passage, and in the April edition, we passaged from Manly Boat Harbour to North White Cliffs, in the Sandy Straits.

Kingfisher Bay Resort Jetty

K'gari Dingo

Kingfisher Bay Anchorage

© The State of Queensland (Globe Queensland) Creative Commons 4

East Coast Marina, Manly Boat Harbour, Brisbane, Australia offer 330 secure water berths, catering for boats up to 18m.

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.

A variety of public transport options that will take you directly to Brisbane City and the Brisbane International Airport are within walking distance of the marina The Manly Village is only a short walk away, offering a grocery store, post office, news agency, chemist, coffee shops, restaurants and more. Markets are on some Saturdays and every Sunday.

EAST COAST MARINA Phone: +61 7 3393 3811 Email: info@eastcoastmarina.com.au Location: Latitude…27º27.6′ S Longitude…153º11.2′E VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.eastcoastmarina.com.au

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RUISING THE WESTERN K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) OAST

By Greg Luck

With the challenges of the Mooloolah River Bar, the Wide Bay Bar and the shoal of Sheridan Flats behind us, we now enter the start of the cruising grounds. Cruisers stop at a multitude of anchorages as they cruise up the coast. In Part 3, we will feature some highlights of the western K’Gari (Fraser Island) coast.

For comprehensive coverage, see the K’Gari(Fraser Island Coast) chapter of my eBook Cruising the Queensland Coast. The map on page 1 of this article shows popular anchorages on the coast. These are all detailed in the book.

HEADING NORTH OUT OF THE SANDY STRAITS There are two northern exits from the Sandy Straits: the shipping channel and Coongul Point. Take the shipping channel if you are heading to Bundaberg (Burnett Heads). If you are heading to the islands follow Moon Point, Coongul Point, and then across Platypus Bay to Rooney Point. In the usual trade winds, this route gives you protection the whole way.

Big Woody Island is perfectly situated at the north of the Sandy Straits as a jumping-off point to either destination.

BIG WOODY ISLAND The north shore of this island provides good protection from westerlies and the south-western shore from easterlies. If you have southeasterlies, head to Coongul Point.

Avoid anchoring in the area shown on the charts as a “Fish Haven". This is the Roy Rufus artificial reef. It is made up of car bodies, tyres, ships, barges and concrete pipes - just the thing to snag your anchor on. Don’t be confused by the two sets of leads on the eastern side. They mark out 1nm, not the position of the artificial reef.

Eastern Anchorage at Big Woody Island

Photo G. Luck

RUISING THE WESTERN K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) OAST BIG WOODY ISLAND EAST

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Approach by passing inside the reef to the east, either at the north or the south.

BIG WOODY ISLAND WEST

By Greg Luck

RUISING THE WESTERN K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) OAST

By Greg Luck

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Low Tide at Tyroom Roads Anchorage Just south of Kingfisher Bay Resort

Photo: Down Under Rally

RUISING THE WESTERN K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) OAST

By Greg Luck

BURNETT RIVER ANCHORAGES The Burnett River offers a very protected anchorage, the only one on this section of coast accessible to deep draught vessels.

Access is via a marked shipping channel which is dredged to a depth of 8m. When coming from the north, enter the channel from east of Number 7 beacon. When coming from the south enter the channel from east of Number 8 beacon.

The anchorage is at Chalmer Point, 4nm upstream from No 7 beacon.

Port Bundaberg Control

Vessels are not to move within the Bundaberg pilotage area without maintaining two-way communicaEons with Gladstone VTS..

VHF Channels: 16 IniEal Calling 13 Port working channel 82 Small cra` repeater channel Before moving, check with Gladstone VTS for the movement of large ships to avoid being in the channel while they are operaEng.

This is a commercial port so beware of ships entering and leaving. Make contact before entering the pilotage area and when moving.

See sidebar.

Anchor outside the channel south of the permanent moorings.

We tend to anchor here as an alternative to the Bundaberg Port Marina, which is too shallow for us, other than two or three berths. The marina is 1.6nm downstream from Chalmer Point. We time either our arrival or departure to get into the fuel wharf (1m LAT) there to refuel and re-water.

Room for 5-6 yachts. Watch the shoal area to the south. Very secure and dead flat anchorage with no swell.

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RUISING THE WESTERN K’GARI (FRASER ISLAND) OAST

Chalmer Point Anchorage, Burnett River

By Greg Luck

Photo G. Luck

ROONEY POINT Rooney Point is used as a stepping stone for Lady Elliott and Lady Musgrave Islands when using the inside passage around K’Gari (Fraser Island). It is not used when using the outside passage as you have to go all the way around Breaksea Spit, a distance of 56nm.

On approaching from the north, mind the Fish Attracting Device (“FAD”) west of the point, and the 2m LAT shoal to the northwest of the point.

K’Gari (Fraser Island) is part of the Great Sandy National Park. This is an anchorage for easterlies to northerlies. Move down to Platypus Bay for southerlies, using the protection of the island to reduce fetch.

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by John Hembrow

he prospect of ascending the mast is not something that I look forward to.

IT'S NOT THAT I HAVE A FEAR OF HEIGHTS I like being up there and taking in the view. It’s the going up and coming down part I don`t like.

I think my dislike of the ascent and descent part of the exercise results from my tendency to overthink things, resulting in my becoming concerned about what can go wrong. Paranoid or Prudent? Regardless of the verdict, going up the mast is a task that most of us will have to undertake at one time or another, so how do we minimise the risks?

PROACTIVE VS. REACTIVE. It is no secret that I am a BIG FAN of preventative maintenance. In the case of all the stuff attached to or associated with the mast, halyards, pulleys etc., regular inspection and servicing of these items is essential and will likely save you from making an unplanned ascent of the mast. HOW REGULAR? I guess that depends on how much use they get.

When we are doing lots of ocean miles each and frequently raising, lowering and reefing sails, all the items that move in the process need a more frequent inspection for signs of wear or damage. The same goes with the standing rigging. So that means that we need to ascend and descend the mast more often to carry out more frequent inspections.

COMPLACENCY THROUGH FAMILIARITY. The more often we do something, the more often we are exposed to the risks associated with doing it.

However, doing something often leads to becoming more confident about it, but it can also lead to complacency. Complacency is what will likely lead to injury or worse!

by John Hembrow

INJURIES AND FATALITIES ARE MORE COMMON THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. Just google ‘sailor falls from mast’...If you do, you will find an article on the Sail-World website, “Another mast-climbing death - Nine Rules so you are not next...”. Despite having been written several years, this article is still relevant, and the suggestions made in the article are valid to this day.

In summary, the suggestions from the article are: 1. Always use a bosun's chair.

2. Always use a safety line.

3. Wear shoes.

4. Have a separate tool bag.

5. Take up a third light line to hoist and lower tools.

6. Hoist and lower the person ascending/descending the mast slowly & at a consistent speed.

7. Stay clear below. To avoid injury from any dropped tools or items.

8. Wear a harness.

9. Go up the mast and check the gear in the marina before an ocean voyage.

I also suggest adding the following to the above: Attach the safety line (2nd halyard) to the harness and not the bosun’s chair. If the chair or the chair attachments point fail, the person aloft is still attached to the safety line via the harness.

Avoid jerky stop-start winching of the halyard attached to the bosun's chair.

Thoroughly inspect the bosun's chair, particularly the attachment point and the stitching, before going aloft.

The person going up the mast & the person below them should wear a suitably rated safety helmet.

The person going up the mast & the person doing the hoisting should wear gloves.

If ascending the mast at sea or even in an anchorage subject to swell or other vessel wakes, attach yourself to the mast to avoid being swung around when the vessel moves.

Headsets, a.k.a; marriage savers, are a great help when communicating between the person going aloft and the person on deck, especially if it is windy.

When carrying out your inspection, take a camera. When you do your initial inspection, take lots of photos of everything and save them so that the next time you do an inspection and see something that doesn`t look right, you can photograph it and then compare what you are seeing now to what it looked like before. This also can help to identify replacement parts. It also makes it easy to send the photo to a professional and show them what you are concerned about. There is also the opportunity to get some cool pictures of the boat and your surroundings while you are up there!

Purchase a QUALITY Bosuns Chair.

Purchase a QUALITY Safety Harness.

by John Hembrow

BOSUNS CHAIR DELUXE The deluxe bosun's chair has been designed for working up the mast while underway. The simple and effective sit-in design offers great support and maximum comfort and is tested to withhold over 500kgs.

Using a high-strength, double layer 48mm lift strap with reinforced loops to attach the halyard, you can rest assured of your safety.

Reinforced lifting straps Crutch strap Padded timber seat 2 x tool holders with lanyard rings Back support with waistband Downhaul/lazy guy attachment point Tested to stand over 500kgs austboating.com.au/products/safety/general-safety/bosuns-chair-deluxe

SAFETY HARNESS - ADULT Suits 50kg + weight, Adjustable to suit 70cm to 150cm waist Lalizas Life-Link safety harnesses are fully approved to ISO 12401 standard as required in Australia.

They are designed to be robust and durable yet comfortable to wear. These harnesses feature a heavy-duty stainless steel interlocking buckle for waist adjustment and S/S dee ring to connect the safety tether line. They have 50mm diameter polyester webbing with double stitching. austboating.com.au/products/safety/misc-safety-items/safety-harness-adult

ULTRALITE SINGLE Self-contained, full-duplex wireless headsets with one speaker.

They include a flexible gooseneck microphone boom assembly that swivels 270 degrees to be worn on either left or right. Single muff headsets are preferred by users that need to keep one ear free/open to monitor their ambient environment while communicating. eartec.com/ultralite-single-wireless-headsets

HELMET SAFETY – DESIGN MATTERS Helmet safety starts with using the right helmet. But not every helmet is suitable for height. Why? Because the moment your feet leave the ground, the risks change. And they vary – depending on what you’re doing. www.heightdynamics.com.au/helmet-safety-at-height

Down Under Rally Members Offer $50.00 OFF MAST & RIGGING SURVEY REPORTS

everythingmarineaustralia.com.au

10 REASONS TO CHOOSE BUNDABERG AND BUNDABERG PORT MARINA AS YOUR AUSTRALIAN PORT OF ENTRY 1. The Port of Bundaberg is the closest Australian Port of Entry from New Caledonia, thus reducing passage time and the risk of encountering adverse weather conditions on route.

2. The Port of Bundaberg offers all-weather, deep-water access, with much less likelihood of encountering concentrated shipping traffic on approach to the port than many other Queensland & NSW Port of Entry.

3. Professional and friendly Customs and Quarantine Officers that specialise in small craft arrival.

4. Inward clearance takes place at Bundaberg Port Marina, which is located only one nautical mile from the entrance to the river.

5. Bundaberg is the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, meaning there is some spectacular cruising on offer right on your doorstep.

6. Largest dry storage facility on the East Coast of Australia with a modern sealed hardstand area, professional staff and competitive rates.

7. Relaxed marina with quality berths, clean amenities, WIFI and a courtesy bus into the city of Bundaberg.

8. Walking distance to the township of Burnett Heads shopping village, Hotel/Motel, Sports Club & quiet, uncrowded beaches and parklands 9. Affordable Direct Access to Brisbane International Airport via public transport or air.

10. Great base for "Land Cruising" to discover the inland beauty that Australia has to offer.

"The most popular port of entry into Australia, Bundaberg Port Marina has been welcoming visitors from across the globe for decades"

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR

Bundaberg Port Marina 15-17 Marina Drive Port Bundaberg QLD 4670 AUSTRALIA P: (+61) 7 4159 5066 E: info@bundabergportmarina.com.au W: bundabergportmarina.com.au

TAKE A HIKE!

Did you know when cruising in New Caledonia you have access to dozens of interesting and rewarding walking tracks just a short tender ride from your anchorage where you will discover...

Water Falls Rock Pools Rain Forrest Endless Horizons Ruins & more On the following pages of AHOY Richard Chesher shares invaluable local knowledge for those who enjoy...

Leanne taking a hike at Yate on the SE side of Grande Terre, New Caledonia 2018

Wandering the Wilderness

Overlooking Lake Yate in New Caledonia’s Park de la Riviere Bleue

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher, producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

When you cruise to New Caledonia, you are, of course, looking forward to sailing around the magnificent lagoon, tucking into choice anchorages, going for a snorkel or dive and maybe shopping and sampling restaurants in Noumea. But there is another super special bonus of cruising in New Caledonia you will absolutely adore; wilderness walks.

The main island of Grande Terre is, except for Noumea and the coastal villages, an uninhabited mountainous wilderness. Fortunately, the French love sports, including marathons, mountain biking, and treks. This means the government and local clubs created and maintain very lovely trails through the most scenic parts of the country. The trails are well marked, easy to follow and even have campsites and places to stay on the longer walks. Many of them also have helicopter landing sites for emergency rescues should someone goof on the hoof. And, get this, there are no snakes, ticks, crocodiles, wolves, cougars, tigers or other dangers lurking in the forests. Your only risk is slipping or tripping over something. You’d even have a tough time getting lost. And this means you can Zen out with Mother Nature, smell the wildflowers, photograph gorgeous orchids, fill your lungs with clean, fresh air, swim in crystal clear streams under lovely waterfalls with absolutely nobody around except whoever you are natureing with.

"There is another super special bonus of Cruising in New Caledonia you will absolutely adore; Wilderness Walks."

Richard Chesher

There are walks suitable for everyone, from gung-ho supercharged cross country marathon runners to elderly strollers. We’ve made the various trails even more accessible by including the treks you can access from the various anchorages on the Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia. And if you want to enjoy even more treks, you’ll find how to rent a car and where the trails are on the Rocket Travel Guide to New Caledonia.

Our trek maps show you the route to follow with a complete description of the trek, images of the major features, difficulties and dangers, estimated time to complete the walk, cell phone coverage, water holes, distances and elevations, and even, for some treks, links to the routes on Google Maps so you can see your position on the satellite image on your smartphone as you follow the marked trail to the best features.

Let me tell you about some of my favourite treks, so you get an idea of why you’re going to love these adventures...

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

The New Caledonia Grande Randonnee 1 (NC-GR1) is New Caledonia’s most famous trail, but it really isn’t one the crew of a cruising yacht is likely to do because it starts from the Baie de la Somme on the SE tip of Grande Terre and winds through the mountains and forests 109km to Noumea.

New Caledonia residents generally do it in 4 legs, one leg at a time. They often drive down with friends in two cars, with one car at the start and the other car at the end of the leg. Sometimes one group starts at each end, and they swap car keys when they meet on the trail. Or, drop off one car at one end and drive to the other end to start the leg, so they have a car available when they finish the trek.

The first leg of the GR1 goes from Baie de la Somme (SE Grande Terre) 14km north to a camping cabin called the Refuge de Neocalitropsis. It takes most people about 6.5 hours. The second leg is a 5hr, 11km segment from Neocalitropsis to Netcha Camping, the third leg is an 8hr (really tiring) 20km trek to the Bois de Sud, and finally, there is a 3-day trek of 64km to Dumbea, just NE of Noumea.

Only the most avid trekker on a visiting yacht would try to do the whole GR1. But I actually did see one guy, who appeared to be well past 70 years old and all by himself, load up a big backpack, start from the Baie de Carenage, walk all the way to Dumbea and hitchhike all the way back.

Click the play button on the images in this article to see them as virtual reality sphere images

When the image opens be sure to click the fullscreen icon to really dive into the scenes.

Clicking the arrow opens the images in a new window.

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

Many visiting yachts do the three parts of the GR1 trail we recommend on the Rocket Cruising Guide.

The first leg is a short 2.2km walk from the Baie de la Somme wharf to the historic Prony Village and back.

Prony Village was a French prison colony camp established in 1867, and the trail we recommend goes past the guard’s and the convict’s cemeteries to the ruins of the old colony and back. It takes about an hour to do the circuit, depending on how long you dillydally taking photos and maybe having a picnic.

We also recommend a 12.6km round-trip walk along the GR1 from the Carenage Anchorage to Prony Village, with lots of interesting ruins, rivers and forests along the way. You’ll cross the Blue River of Prony on the way and, if you like, you can swim in what we call the “Olympic Pool” where the route crosses the river.

To see what the "Olympic Pool" looks like in Virtual Reality, simply Ctrl+click OR Command+click for Mac users on the play button and when you get to the new tab on your browser, click on the cross-arrow icon to see the sphere image full screen. Then click and drag to look around.

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

The most popular anchorage trek on the GR1 goes 4.5km from the dinghy landing in the Baie de Carenage to the beautiful twin waterfalls on the Carenage River. It’s an easy walk on reasonably flat trails, and if you hurry, you can do it in less than two hours. But nobody hurries. Once you reach Twin Falls, there is no way you can resist getting into the crystal clear pool at the bottom of the waterfall, splashing around, sliding under the waterfall to get a tumble-water-massage, sitting on the rock cliff munching on snacks, watching the birds, photographing everything and laughing at anything. It’s like that.

Want to see what the experience is like? You can do a virtual tour on the Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia where we describe every feature of the trail and include lots of images of the highlights including a sphere image of the waterfall (use ctrl+click on the play button). Yeah, it’s that awesome.

We include a link to the route we set up for you on Google Maps on all the treks.

Simply type the link address into your smartphone browser, and you’ll be looking at the whole route with images. You can see your position on the route as you follow the path to the waterfall and back.

You have two route options, direct to the waterfall and back in less than 2 hours or make a loop along a mountain bike trail high up onto the ridge overlooking the river valley, down through a forest to the waterfall and back. That’s an extra hour and lots more calories, so you really should bring a picnic lunch.

Want to see the route?

Type this into your smartphone browser or, if you like, control-click on https://ncvan.us/tf now. Of course, the only way you’re going to see yourself walking on the trail display is when you come and start walking. There are nine other trails you can go on from Baie du Prony anchorages, all of them are fun, and all of them are waiting for you on the Rocket Cruising Guide.

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

The multitude of islands in the New Caledonia lagoon are choice beach-walks. Meaning you can walk all the way around the island on soft white sand beaches, stopping whenever you like to meditate, do yoga, take photos, lie down and make sand-angel patterns or sandcastles, or soak in the shallow water. I mean, just have a look at the sphere image of the beach on Ilot Ua, click on the cross-arrow to get right onto the beach and look all around in every direction, including up and down. Now imagine walking completely around the island on that white sand beach, about one kilometre, with all that beauty to wash the worries of the world out of your heart. You don’t need a trail map for circumnavigating the lagoon island beaches.

The one exception is Ilot Mato, the only “high” island in the lagoon; well, it’s only 73 meters high.

There is a 0.8km trail to the top of Mato, but it’s kind of hard to find – unless you have our guide to show you exactly where it starts and what cautions you need to take to avoid damaging your epidermis. It’s worth the 30-minute climb to photograph your yacht safely anchored down in Ilot Mato’s inner lagoon.

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

The islands of Ouvea, Lifou and Mare offer some magnificent treks, some are easily accessible from anchorages, but others require you to hire a car – and in some cases, a guide – to visit them.

The most accessible and enjoyable trek in the Loyalties is the fabulous Mouli Beach in Ouvea, 12km from one end of the beach to the other and back. I’ve done it with my wife Freddy and not seen another person out on the beach the whole way down and back.

Just have a look at the Mouli Beach in virtual reality, check out the footprints in the sand, follow them coming towards you, then down and around. Then close your eyes and imagine those are your footprints, and that’s your yacht anchored just off the beach. Wow. Then come do it for real.

Lifou also has excellent beaches that go on for kilometre after kilometre, but there are also some spectacular treks to caves, vanilla farms and a mixed cultural/scenic/historic 2-day trek. You’ll see all of them on the Rocket Travel Guide to New Caledonia, complete with the track route, contact details for the guides leading the treks, and photos of the highlights of the trails. For all the Rocket Guide Treks, click on the trek's name, and you’ll see a page showing you the route. Point to the description for important details about the trek, then point to the photo icons to see images of the major features on the trek.

Mare, the southernmost of the Loyalty Islands, has many great treks, but only two are accessible from an anchorage. The best trek from an anchorage is the Tour of the Beaches. It’s an easy 7km walk from Pede Beach to Nengone Hotel and back.

The ends of the trail are marked, but you need to follow the trail carefully through the forest, looking for the occasional paint mark on the trees. For the many other walks on Mare, you really need to hire a car or a minibus with a guide.

The Rocket Travel Guide to New Caledonia has all the necessary details on car hires and tours.

Just click on Mare, then “what to do” on the menu bar, then on either beaches, tours or trekking. There are some really spectacular sites, and we show you exactly where they are on the Rocket Travel Guide so you can go to them yourself with a rent-a-car or use your mountain bikes if you have them or, so you can tell the guide which sites you want to visit.

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

Mt. Nga is an excellent trek from Kuto Anchorage on the Isle of Pines. It is 3.5km from Kuto beach to the peak and takes about one and a half hours. You’ll enjoy several panoramic overlooks along the trail and can cool off with a dip in Kuto Bay on your return.

There are several other treks in the Isle of Pines, but you’ll need to either rent a car or take a very delightful cruise on one of the native sailing canoes to enjoy them. On the Rocket Travel Guide, click on the Isle of Pines, what to do and tours for details on how to arrange an all-day tour on a traditional sailing canoe through the Baie d’Upi, then a walk along a forest trail to the natural swimming pool, lunch of traditional earth baked bougna and then return to Kuto by minibus.

New Caledonia Wilderness Bounties

By Richard and Frederique Chesher producers of the Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia.

The Rocket Travel and Cruising Guides to New Caledonia showcase 78 walking trails plus hundreds of images of the best sites, beaches, and places to see ashore. But in reality, you can only hope to visit a very limited number of trails, beaches and interesting places ashore during your cruise in New Caledonia. So check out the images and trails in the Rocket Guides and decide on the ones that look like the most fun for you and your crew. Then build them into your cruising itinerary and live the dream.

Richard and Freddy Chesher first sailed into the New Caledonia lagoon in 1980. Over the years, they have visited all of the anchorages, trails, beaches, and scenic areas and taken all the tours shown in their Rocket Cruising and Travel Guides to New Caledonia. They are professional photographers, and Richard is a Ph.D. marine scientist. They’ve cruised the South Pacific Islands since 1976 on their Peterson 44 Cutter Moira and became permanent residents in New Caledonia in 2005. They created and continually update the Rocket Cruising Guide to New Caledonia and the Rocket Travel Guide to New Caledonia.

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