Ahoy - November 2022

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"IT'S FREE TO ENJOY AHOY!"

NOVEMBER 2022

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Inside Ahoy

A Warm Welcome To Indonesia Preparing For A Dental Emergency At Sea It All Happened So Quickly The loss of the Felix CruisingQueensland-Cassowary, Cairns& CooktownCoasts Sailmakers Suggestions For Before You Seat Sail 2023 Go East Rally to New Caledonia & Vanuatu

Cruising The Kimberley - Part 5

We hope you enjoy AHOY!"

OCTOBER 2022 AHOY is published by: Down Under Rally Pty Ltd

Contact John Hembrow - Director Website: downunderrally.com Email: admin@downunderrally.com ©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.

SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER | 9 AM – 3 PM Don’t miss out on our popular Open Day on Saturday, 5 November.

Presented by Multihull Solutions & The Yacht Sales Co at our Gold Coast Sales Centre at The Boat Works Marine Precinct, you will be able to check out a range of quality pre-owned sail and power yachts at your leisure. You can chat with our team, who will be on hand all day long to discuss any queries you have about buying, selling or enjoying a multihull.

INFORMATION SESSIONS: We will also have several Information Sessions on the day, including First Aid for Cruisers presented by Marine Medical Solutions, Sailing to Vanuatu and New Caledonia with Down Under Rally, and Maintenance Tips and Tricks seminar from our talented service division.

Click the register now button to attend these free sessions.

YACHTS ON DISPLAY: 2006 Grainger 40 – Angus Boi 2002 Schionning Cosmos 1320 – Hooks 1980 Formosa 41 – Hide Out 2000 Bowman 42 – Macushla Of Shannon 2000 Simpson 46 – Sound Wave 2016 Lagoon 39 – Impulso 2020 Schionning GF 1400c – Flight Mode 2002 Perry 43 – Wee Waa 2015 Wharram 46 – Vasco Pyjama 2004 Leopard 38 – Ayla multihullsolutions.com.au/events/gold-coast-open-day-2022 2018 Leopard 48 – Argo

THIS SATURDAY 5TH NOVEMBER

BOATIES GIVEAWAY | LUCKY DOOR PRIZE Complimentary 5 x days in the NEW Live-aboard Hardstand precinct the ‘CRUISERS HEADQUARTERS’ at The Boat Works, Gold Coast. Valued at $550.00 *Subject to availability, T&C’s apply, Valid through to 1 Oct 2023

Image Credit @Down Under Rally 2017

When the forecast suggests that we may experience a storm at sea or whilst at anchor, we prepare for the worst and then hope for the best but as we learned back in 2017, you also need to be well prepared if your vessel happens to be in a marina at the time...

It was during the Down Under Rally Welcome Week back in 2017 when the participants of the Go West Rally were gathered at the Lighthouse Hotel, Burnett Heads, attending the first of the East Coast Cruising Seminars that are part of the rally Welcome Week Events a warning was issued for a "rapidly developing severe thunderstorm" to effect the Bundaberg & South Burnett Area in the next hour.

After viewing the forecast, it was agreed that we would end the seminar and immediately return to the marina before the storm hit.

Despite the marina being only a five-minute drive from the hotel, it would be about 30 minutes before we were all aboard the courtesy buses supplied by the hotel & marina and on our way back to our boats that were berthed in the Bundaberg Port Marina. It was during the ride to the marina that we were confronted by one of the most ominous cloud formations I have ever seen.

Image Credit @Down Under Rally 2017

Image Credit @Down Under Rally 2017

Within minutes of arriving at the marina, the temperature plummeted, the thunder & lightning began, and the first drops of rain began to fall as the cloud bank continued its rapid approach.

By the time we had made it to our boats, the wind had arrived, and the storm began to unleash its fury. I turned on the VHF radio and set the volume too high and the frequency to VHF 16, just in case someone got in trouble and called for assistance.

Our catamaran Songlines was berthed close to the end of the marina, one berth in from the t-head.

When we arrived, we had reversed her into the berth, which meant she was positioned with her stern to the direction the storm was now coming from. Subsequently, the wind was blowing into the cockpit from behind, causing our cockpit clears to be blown outwards. I tried in vain to hold onto them, but one by one, the toggle twist clips that were screwed into the fibreglass pulled out, and the clears began violently flapping around. The zippers had also now been damaged, making it impossible to remove them at the time. The rain was being driven by the wind and falling almost horizontally, visibility was next to nothing and the large raindrops stung as they hit my face and other exposed skin areas. I decided to retreat inside the boat, and as I did, I glanced at the anemometer and saw it was recording 58kts (it would peak at just over 70kts). Just then, the VHF came to life...

The two catamarans, Felix & Wind Of Change, who were berthed on the t-head one finger upstream from us, were in trouble. Felix had broken the aft mooring line, and her stern was now being blown away from the dock as the remaining lines struggled to hold. Wind Of Change was downwind of Felix, and the skipper of Wind Of Change was on the VHF to advise of the situation and that he had made the call to leave the berth. To do this, he had to cut the mooring lines before escaping the marina to weather the storm in the river. His actions allowed Felix to now do the same as there was no way she was going to be able to be resecured to the marina in the conditions, and with added strain on the remaining lines they were not expected to hold as the fetch in the river was now significant, and the waves were now tossing her around.

Unfortunately, as Felix was leaving the dock, she heavily impacted the corner of the marina before making her way out into the river where she anchored. I managed to raise the crew of the Felix on the radio, who advised that she was taking on water fast. The impact with the marina had holed her below the waterline. The hole in her hull was difficult to reach, and the amount of water coming in was so great that her bilge pumps could not keep up. She was sinking fast. A PAN PAN was issued, and her tender deployed before the efforts to stem the flow of water continued, but they were in vain. Ben & Helen ultimately had to abandon the ship by boarding their tender.

As the storm raged, staff from Bundaberg Port Marina had gone to the aid of Felix in the marina workboat. The goal was to tow the Felix to the shore before she sank completely, but first, her anchor had to be retrieved, which was no easy task given that the anchor winch was not operational due to the water damage to the electrical systems.

Image Credit @Down Under Rally 2017

The storm had now begun to abate. More tenders were launched by boats in the marina to assist, her anchor was retrieved, and the Felix could now be slowly towed to shore as night fell. The task of retrieving some personal items from her would begin the next day.

It should be said that Felix was home to her owners, who had spent the months prior to the incident sailing from New Zealand to Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu & New Caledonia before coming to Australia, where they had planned to spend time cruising the east coast. In the hours immediately after the incident, they had nothing but the clothes on their backs; everything else was aboard the now waterlogged Felix. Ben and Helen, owners of the Felix, later provided a summary of the events that followed:

"It all happened so quickly. It is hard to believe that a broken mooring line would see us lose our boat after all the ocean miles we had done."

"Thanks to the efforts of Bundaberg Port Marina staff, fellow Go West Rally participants and two men on a tender from Lady Musgrave Experience, Felix was towed to a little beach while 90% submerged. Efforts by countless kind and supportive people over the ensuing 24 hours meant that she was secured on the beach; a temporary repair was made, and much of the water was pumped out. She was later re-floated and towed up the river to Bundaberg Slipway.

At the time of the incident, we were provided dry and warm clothes, cups of tea, places to eat and sleep, and lots of emotional support by fellow cruisers and people from the local community, many of whom did not know us personally. This immediate support meant a great deal to us.

In the aftermath, we continued to receive the most exceptional care, support and help from fellow international cruisers, local boaties, the Bundaberg Port Marina, Burnett Heads communities, and the Down Under Rally organisers. In particular, a number of the Bundaberg-based Down Under Rally partner businesses, including Bundaberg Port Marina, and Baltimore Restaurant, demonstrated the true partnership that exists with the Down Under Rally and the rally participants with the very tangible support they provided. For example, the Lighthouse Hotel/Motel provided a week of free accommodation. We were given pamper vouchers from a local business, and Baltimore's told us to pop in for a coffee or food anytime. We also received support from other Burnett Heads businesses, including Boast Hair and Beauty, Seashore Nails, Deeper Essentials, Hendo's Sand and Gravel,

https://www.aabbo ating.com/podcast s/

VOLUNTEER MARINE RESCUE BUNDABERG TO CELEBRATE 50 YEARS!

On the 1st of November 1972, an inaugural meeting was held that led to the formation of the Bundaberg Air Sea Rescue Squad.

Since then, countless boaties & sailors, local & international, have received assistance from the organisation & their volunteers.

JOIN THE CELEBRATIONS!

OPEN DAY - SUNDAY, 6TH NOVEMBER 2022

To celebrate 50 years of a committed group of men and women that put their lives on the line to provide a search and rescue platform to save lives at sea, Marine Rescue Bundaberg invite everyone to come along to their Open Day on Sunday, 6th November 2022, which runs from 10 am to 3 pm at VMR Bundaberg Base: 51 Harbour Esplanade, Burnett Heads.

VMR Bundaberg's main rescue vessel, BUNDY RESCUE 2, will be open for inspection.

Members of the Qld Water Police and LifeFlight will also be in attendance.

A BBQ LUNCH will be available through the Burnett Heads Progress Association.

There will also be MEMORABILIA to view and purchase, along with information about VMR Bundaberg membership, a FLARE DEMONSTRATION and plenty of VMR Volunteers to chat with and learn how you can become involved.

W: VMRBUNDABERG.COM.AU | P: +61 7 4159 4349 | E: BUNDABERG@MARINERESCUEQLD.ORG.AU

Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw CONGRATULATIONS...

DI B - MEMBER NUMBER 341.

You are this month's winner of our PredictWind Down Under Rally Members Prize Draw Each month the Down Under Rally draws the name of one of our members as the winner of the member's prize draw.

The winner gets to choose any item from the woman's or men's range of PredictWind Clothing plus a PredictWind Cap.

predictwind.com/clothing-shop downunderrally.com/membershi

MEMBERS GETTING MORE VALUE THANKS TO MOBILE APP WATCH OUR INTRODUCTION VIDEO BELOW

WHAT YOU CAN VIEW & DO IN THE NEW MEMBERS PORTAL View details of discounts and offers from our network of rally partners.

View our Offshore Cruising Preparation Course Videos.

View the Resources Library containing Technical Tips, Checklists & More View The Yoga Video Library with Classes you can practice to at any time.

Buy or sell items in the member's marketplace.

Add a partner membership at no extra charge

ALL FROM THE PALM OF YOUR HAND VIA OUR MOBILE APP AT ANY TIME, ANYWHERE YOU HAVE INTERNET!

1 YEAR MEMBERSHIP JUST $125.00 BECOME A DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBER downunderrallymembers.com/membership

A very complete and detailed briefing on all things cruising.

Stephen W - May 2022

Online On Demand

1 YEAR FREE ACSESS FOR DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS CLICK THE LINK OR SCAN THE QR CODE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

downunderrally.com/offshore-cruising-prep-courses

PREPARING FOR DENTAL EMERGENCIES AT SEA

By Wendy Sullivan Marine Medical Solutions Dental emergencies can happen at any time—even when hundreds of nautical miles separate you from home and your family dentist. Being more than an inconvenience, they can be painful, stressful, and, at times, a danger to your health.

Did you know that most dental emergencies occurring most frequently on the water range from dental abscesses and tooth decay to dental fractures all of which can be problematic with no special equipment or your own personal dentist on board.

What’s more, recreational scuba divers may experience dental symptoms during a dive due to barodontalgia, also known as tooth squeeze, an acute toothache caused by the increase in pressure underwater. Scuba divers can also experience jaw and dental pain caused by clenching the regulator mouthpiece too tightly, as well as loosening of crowns and gum pain.

So what can you do to prevent and manage dental emergencies at sea?

• Make Prevention a Priority • Pack a Dental First Aid Kit • Practice Good Oral Hygiene While OnBoard • Watch Your Diet • Learn First Aid for Common Dental Emergencies • Create a Plan for Dental Emergency Situations

PREPARING FOR DENTAL EMERGENCIES AT SEA MAKE PREVENTION A PRIORITY A major cause of dental emergencies at sea stems from the fact that most people fail to receive proper dental care before setting off. In fact, most dental problems could be avoided by a pre-trip checkup with your dentist.

Divers can avoid jaw pain by not biting down on the mouth piece with force during the dive.

Putting excessive force on your teeth and jaw for an extended period will cause pain, and the only way to prevent it is to loosen up.

PACK AN EMERGENCY DENTAL FIRST AID KIT Even after taking the proper precautions by visiting your dentist pre-departure, you may still experience a dental emergency on board.

All yachties should have an easily-accessible first aid kit but should also include a dental emergency kit.

Remember to carry your dentist’s contact information in case you need advice or a referral.

PRACTICE GOOD ORAL HYGIENE WHILE ON BOARD Just because you’re sailing or cruising doesn’t mean you get a break from your oral hygiene routine.

To avoid potential problems, be sure to: Brush and floss regularly to reduce your risk for gum disease and decay while at sea.

WATCH YOUR DIET Cavities don’t form from bacteria eating your teeth; they form from bacteria eating the food you eat and producing lactic acid as a byproduct of their metabolism.

Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Limiting sugar in your diet. Staying away from excessively hard and crunchy foods—like popcorn, nuts, ice, and hard candy.

DON’T USE YOUR TEETH AS TOOLS!

PREPARING FOR DENTAL EMERGENCIES AT SEA LEARN BASIC FIRST AID FOR COMMON DENTAL EMERGENCIES From a throbbing toothache or lost filling or crown to a chipped tooth or an accident that knocks your tooth out, learn how to handle the most common dental dilemmas you may encounter at sea: Toothache, broken or cracked tooth, knocked out tooth, tooth abscess, lost crown, bit tongue or lip.

Learn the basics and know when to seek prompt and professional dental care by taking a marine first aid course with Heart Training.

CREATE A PLAN FOR DENTAL EMERGENCY SITUATIONS When do-it-yourself measures aren’t working, or you don’t feel comfortable or confident in managing a dental problem on your own, you need to take action.

If you’re close to land, go ashore and find the closest medical or dental facility.

If landfall is not possible, try calling your dentist. They may be able to help guide you to a temporary fix by phone or until you can get further treatment.

If you need immediate attention, know how to access telehealth support while offshore.

A proudly Australian owned and operated business founded by Wendy Sullivan, who along with holding her Master Class V Ship’s Captain qualifications and working as a commercial yacht skipper, works in the field as a medic with a background in Marine Rescue.

At Marine Medical Solutions, we are passionate about delivering world-class quality solutions for those who work and play in the marine environment. We are marine professionals who understand the needs and requirements specific to the marine industry.

WWW.MARINEMEDICALSOLUTIONS.COM PH: 0424 628 456

BOOK YOUR COURSE NOW hearttraining.com.au/marine-first-aid

THE 'SNACKLEBOX'

WHAT A GREAT IDEA FOR SUNDOWNERS!

Hardly The Hard Life!

As someone who has called a boat home for many years, the prospect of the annual haulout and living aboard during the process was never something that I looked forward to.

The team at The Boat Works understood the challenges of living in what can often feel like a workshop rather than a home and decided to do something about making the experience a little less uncomfortable and, dare I say, even enjoyable by adding a dedicated 5,000-squaremetres of additional hardstand, especially for the liveaboard cruising community .

Welcome to 'Cruisers HQ! ' “It’s the ideal ‘Cruising HQ’ for cruising customers who can meet others from around the region and the world, take advantage of the fresh produce growing on-site, bathrooms, laundry, recycled water plus access to the Super Chandlery and access to all the trades and resources in the Marine Precinct,” Shane Subichin GM

Hardly The Hard Life!

Cruisers HQ accommodates up to 16 cruising catamarans and monohulls.

This workspace is ideal for cruising yacht & catamaran owners to undertake their own antifoul and maintenance works, gathering with like-minded sailors.

Liveaboards now have the opportunity to work and live on their boats in their very own “exclusive” Hardstand area alongside similar boats with access to amenities including: Ensuites & laundries Fully air-conditioned lounge BBQ & Kitchen facilities Veggie garden Indoor-outdoor recreational areas Pet friendly

“All of these brand-new facilities are absolutely five star. We really appreciate the effort to make us feel welcome and at home,” Comments from cruising couple from the UK, Jan & Richard, SV ‘Morpheus of London’

A MESSAGE FROM THE BOAT WORKS We want your stay at The Boat Works to be as convenient and enjoyable as possible. We also understand that you ultimately want to be 'out there' not 'in here' so we encourage our customers to: Plan & Book your marine trades at least 4 weeks prior to your Haul out.

THE BOAT WORKS – BOATYARD | SUPERYACHT YARD | MARINA 1 Boatworks Drive, Coomera QLD 4209 Gold Coast Marine Precinct P: (07) 55 000 000 E: admin@theboatworks.com.au

www.theboatworks.com.au

https://www.downunderrally. com/anchors-chain-winches

SAILING TO AUSTRALIA INFO SESSION WELL ATTENDED In October, the owners of 28 vessels from 14 different countries joined The Down Under Rally for our Sailing To Australia Information Session in Noumea, New Caledonia.

During the 2 hour session, we shared a ton of information about Sailing To & Cruising the East Coast of Australia & Tasmania.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a few drinks together thanks to the event sponsor Scarborough Marina Queensland Australia and received plenty of positive feedback from those who attended, saying how much they enjoyed the presentation and appreciated the opportunity to learn about Australia as a sailing destination.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone when they arrive at Bundaberg Port Marina and join the other Go West Rally Particpants for our Welcome Week from the 9th - 15th of November

35 YACHTS FROM 11 COUNTRIES JOIN THE 2023 GO WEST RALLY VESSEL NAMES 1. Anima 2. Blue Keeler 3. Dazzler 4. Desiderata 5. Domini 6. Eye Candy 7. Gone with the wind 8. Hemma 9. Honeycomb 10. Indian Summer 1 11. Isis 12. Kama 13. Katatonic 14. Kini 15. Kismet 16. Liberate 17. Loupan 18. Masquenada 19. Meerbaer 20. Moondance 21. Nomad 22. Ora2 23. Pagan 24. Pazzo 25. Rapture 26. Rosie Skye 27. Saphir 28. Sea Jay 29. Serenity of Swanwick 30. Sleipnir III 31. Somerset 32. Spray 33. Tintamarre 34. Tribasa Cross 35. Wild Orchid

COUNTDOWN TO WELCOME WEEK 2022 A FUN & INFORMATIVE INTRODUCTION TO SAIING AUSTRALIA! Go West Rally participants & Down Under Rally Members are invited to attend the Down Under Rally Welcome Week in Bundaberg from the 9th - the 16th of November 2022 The Welcome Week activities below are a mix of informative presentations, fun social events and relaxed gettogethers and are included in the Go West Rally Entry Fee. Down Under Rally Members who are not Go West Rally Participants can also register to attend Cost for Members who are not Go West Rally Participants is $225.00 for 2 people.

More information at: downunderrallymembers.com/events

FREE SERVICES & SOCIAL EVENTS Free daily shuttle bus to local shops & the city Welcome to Country Cocktail Party.

Fun Social Events Beer & Prawn Party (free beer & prawns for all) Cruisers Cove Hootenanny /Jam sessions Pot Luck Dinners & BBQs Free Yoga Classes by Yoga4Yachties Done & Dusted Party

FREE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SEMINARS Surviving Down Under VHF Channels & Weather Land Cruising Down Under Presentation East Coast Cruising Presentations x 4 1. Bundaberg to Gold Coast 2. Gold Coast to Sydney 3. Bundaberg to Cairns and Beyond 4. Sydney to Tasmania

downunderrally.com/welcome-week ©Down Under Rally 2022

"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

GO WEST WITH THE DOWN UNDER RALLY TO WIN TOTAL PRIZE POOL VALUED AT OVER $5000.00 Here a just a few of the prizes that you could win if you join the Down Under ‘Go West’ Rally!*

2 x VOUCHERS FREE LIFT + FREE WATERBLAST

valued at $700 EACH • Conditions Apply • Subject to Availability • Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer

FREE LIFT + WATERBLAST + 5 DAYS FREE HARDSTAND valued at $1100 • Conditions Apply • Subject to Availability • Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer

2 x VOUCHERS

PREDICTWIND

HARDSTAND CREDIT

12 MONTHS PRO SUBSCRIPTION

valued at $500 EACH

valued at $499

• Conditions Apply • Subject to Availability • Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer

• Conditions Apply • Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer

WIN ONE OF 5 CRUISING QUEENSLAND GUIDES

TOTAL VALUE $450 • Conditions Apply • Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer

CHANDLERY VOUCHER VALUED AT $250 • Conditions Apply • Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer

PLUS MANY MORE MINOR PRIZES *2002 Go West Rally Participant Only *Participants must be present during the 2022 Down Under Rally Welcome Week Cruising The East Coat of Australia Seminars in to be included in the prize draws. *Maximum of One Major Prize per vessel

DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS

LOCATED AT BUNDABERG PORT MARINA.

Our well-stocked family-owned, and operated ships chandlery has been helping cruising yachties for almost 20 years!

WE CAN DELIVER YOUR CHAIN/ANCHOR TO KENCO GALVANISING PH: (07) 4159 4399 E: info@captainschandlery.com W: captainschandlery.com

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

CUSTOMS INFORMATION FOR AUSTRALIAN & VISITING INTERNATIONAL YACHTS When you arrive in Australia, there are a number of clearance options depending on when you intend to leave.

If you intend to leave within twelve months, you may be granted a Control Permit, asked to provide a security for temporary importation or to formally import the craft.

A Control Permit will be issued to the Master of the craft if the ABF are satisfied the craft is transiting Australia for noncommercial purposes. Control Permits may be issued for a period of 12 months or the length of the Master's visa, whichever is less. Extension of the initial control permit may be granted on application for up to two years, provided that you meet eligibility requirements and have an appropriate visa. The maximum period of time the vessel will be permitted to remain in Australia before it will be required to be imported is three years.

A person eligible to apply for a Control Permit must be a tourist or a temporary resident of Australia. Australian citizens are not eligible for a Control Permit unless they have overseas residency. Satisfactory evidence of overseas residency is required.

If you are an Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia or migrating to Australia on a craft purchased outside Australia, importation of the craft is required. Customs duty and tax are payable on any craft imported into Australia upon its arrival.

See the following page of the Australian Border Force Website for more information: www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/entering-and-leaving-by-sea/yachts-and-pleasure-craft

AUSTRALIAN VESSELS RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA. If your vessel has departed from Australia, it is likely that you will be required to re-import your vessel when you return to Australia despite having not exported the vessel when you departed.

You can clarify this yourself with the Australian Border Force by emailing the Bundaberg Office of the ABF using the following email address. bundaberg@abf.gov.au.

If the vessel was tax paid when it left Australia, you should not have to pay import duty or GST again; however, only the ABF can confirm this.

If the ABF confirms this is the case, they will likely inform you that you will need to complete some paperwork on arrival to re-import the vessel and that they strongly recommend you employ a customs agent to assist with the completion and lodgement of the associated paperwork.

The Down Under Rally has a long-standing relationship with DAZMAC, who are customs brokers. The Down Under Rally recommends contacting DAZMAC to get a quote from them to act as your agent should you be required to import or re-import a vessel.

You can make an obligation-free enquiry with Dazmac via the following page of the Down Under Rally website: www.downunderrally.com/agents.

Discounts for Down Under Rally Members.

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

DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS OFFER. *15% off casual marina berth rates *subject to availability at time of booking and confirmation of current DUR membership.

https://hydrovane.com/true-stories/

https://hydr ovane.com/ SPECIAL OFFERS ON NEW HYDROVANE ORDERS FOR DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS

By Greg Luck

PART 9 RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS This is Part 9 of the Ahoy magazine series of articles based on information contained in Cruising the Queensland Coast, the eBook by Greg Luck. In Part 8, we cruised the Bowen and Townsville coasts. In this part, we cruise the Cairns and Cooktown Coasts.

In this part, we finish our journey to Lizard Island, passing through the Cassowary, Cairns and Cooktown coasts.

On the Cassowary and Cooktown coasts, fuel and facilities are harder to come by. Fuel can be supplied by truck at the new Clump Point public pontoon and in Cooktown, the Cooks Landing Kiosk and Marina, a 70m long pontoon on the Endeavour River.

Cairns and Port Douglas have three full marinas with fuel: the Cairns Marlin Marina, the Half Moon Bay Marina at Yorkey's Knob and the Crystalbrook Super Yacht Marina at Port Douglas.

In the last several years, many public moorings have been installed at reefs along these coasts, which are detailed in the book, and more are planned. There are well-placed coastal anchorages providing protection from the trade winds. See the maps below for the ones in the book.

The reef gets closer to shore as you go north, so these coasts are about the rainforest meeting the reef.

The Cassowary Coast

The Cairns Coast

The Cooktown Coast

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

Climate and Weather Like much of north Queensland, these coasts have hot, humid and wet summers, while avoiding the extreme heat of the inland and warm, dry winters - a wet season and a dry season.

November to May is cyclone season.

The dry season from May to October is the best time of the year to cruise.

The charts for Cairns are shown to the right.

Climate charts reproduced by permission of Bureau of Meteorology, © 2021 Commonwealth of Australia.

The key wind issue along this coast is the extremely consistent trade wind.

In the dry season, there is only south to southeast. The wind roses for Cairns are shown to the left. The Cooktown coast is even more so with almost 100% southeast winds.

So if you venture up north of Cairns plan to wait for the November northerlies, or pound your way back, ensuring you are carrying enough fuel to do so, and refuelling in Cooktown.

The other thing is that the trade winds are strong, averaging around 20 knots.

Many cruisers wait these out at Lizard Island for extended periods of weeks to months.

Photo: Down Under Rally

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

Passages Cruising the Queensland Coast includes passage plans for each coast.

The key decision for the Cassowary Coast is whether to go around Hinchinbrook Island or cruise up the Hinchinbrook Channel. There are good trade wind anchorages in the channel and at Cape Richard if going around the outside. From there it is island hopping with comfortable day passages all the way to Cairns.

From Cairns, there are many close-in reefs and cays, and the iconic Low Islets, a bucket list destination.

The passages for the Cooktown Coast. Here you can expect strong trade winds.

The usual route is to hop from one protected anchorage to the next along the coast.

These are all short hops, with the longest being Low Islets to Hope Island at 43nm.

Photo: Down Under Rally

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

#

Passage

Notes

By Greg Luck

Rte. Dist.

1 Low Islets to Hope Islands

Runs parallel, to the west of the shipping channel and crosses it west of Hope Islands, then runs up the channel between East and West Hope Island. Keep a watch on shipping. Watch out for rocks and bommies near to the island.

⎈ ⎈

43nm

2 Hope Islands to Cooktown

Leaving East Hope Island to the north, passes between Ottaway Patch and Stonor Patch. Crosses the shipping channel west of Bee Reef then runs up the coast passing to the east of Rocky Island, Draper Patch and Blackbird Patches.

⎈ ⎈

21nm

3 Cooktown to Cape Bedford

Straight shot to Cape Bedford staying outside the shipping channel. Passes around the headland just to the east of Petty Patch.

⎈ ⎈

19nm

⎈ ⎈

23nm

⎈ ⎈

20nm

⎈ ⎈

14nm

Caution: See the Cape Bedford anchorage for details on two wrecks close to the anchorage.

4 Cape Bedford to Cape Flattery

Passes to the east of Conical Rock and west of Low Wooded Island then around Cape Flattery keeping east and north of the shoals that extend from the cape.

Caution: See the Cape Bedford anchorage for details on two wrecks close to the anchorage.

Caution: See the Cape Flattery anchorage for details on a dangerous wreck close to and on approach to the anchorage.

5 Cape Flattery to Lizard Island

Passes west of the shoal extending out from the cape then passes across a shipping channel. Passes to the east of Linnet and Martin reefs, then crosses another shipping channel before running to the east of the channel and approaching Lizard island on its western shore. Passes west of Palfrey Island and Prince Charles(Osprey) Island.

Caution: Bommies extend out to the northeast of Palfrey Island northeast and south of Prince Charles Island.

6 Lizard Island to Cod Passes north of the fringing reef extending from North Point on Hole Lizard Island, then between Petricola Shoal and MacGillivray Reef, then south around Unnamed Reef into Cormorant Pass, north of Ribbon No 10 Reef.

Warning. These are illustrative routes only. Not to be used for navigation. Click ⎈ for a GPX file to import the route as a starting point for your route planning, or ⎈ for a Navionics boating link.

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

Highlights I was fortunate enough to work for Australian Resorts, a Qantas subsidiary that ran Queensland resort islands back in the 1980s. I visited Lizard and Dunk and Bedarra Islands many times. On Dunk, the husband of our front office manager ran a sailing charter yacht there, which must have planted a seed in my mind to act on decades later.

Here are some highlights from these coasts.

Zoe Bay, Hinchinbrook Island Zoe Bay provides access to Zoe Falls, considered by many, myself included, as a highlight on the east coast of Australia. The walk follows the creek 900m up to the lower swimming pool. There are more pools and a great view from the top of the falls.

Hinchinbrook Island is a stunning mountainous island coming out of the sea. It reminds me of the island in the King King movies. You can also do a five-day walk from north to south across the island taking in Zoe Falls. I have done that. Sailing into Zoe Bay is a lot easier!

This anchorage is fully exposed to easterly winds which are common, so you might need to wait for the opportunity from nearby Orpheus Island. Waves and swell are also easterly. So this is a rolly anchorage and frequently very exposed. This should be considered a day anchorage or a fine-weather anchorage, but that should give you time to go up to Zoe Falls.

The pool at the top of Zoe Falls, with Zoe Bay in the background

Photo: P. Grogan

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

Vlassoff Cay Vlassoff Cay is a small Cay 17nm northeast of Cairns. It is part of the Michaelmas and Upolu Cays National Park. This is a great snorkelling location, with lots of bommies. You should approach in daylight in good conditions.

There are three mooring buoys for yachts over 10m plus one with a 10m limit, not shown.

This is a popular day trip for tourists out of Cairns, and a popular first stop for cruisers heading north out of Cairns in good weather and is usually very busy.

Vlassoff Cay, with moorings shown

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

Port CalmDouglas Waters in Anchorage 1, Pearl Bay Port Douglas is a compact, resort town with many restaurants, bars, groceries and car hire all within 500m walking distance of the Crystalbrook Super Yacht Marina. After some serious reef exploring, it is nice to come in for a few days and get pampered.

The marina is host to yachts competing in the annual Port Douglas Race Week, held in May each year, and run by the Port Douglas Yacht Club. The club, located on the south side of the harbour, operates the Yachty, a restaurant and bar, 650m walk around the harbour.

While you are there, it is a good idea to refuel. Diesel is available at the marina and unleaded fuel from Maranos Fuel Dock, 500m further up the inlet.

Port Douglas, Queensland

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

Courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland. Photo D. Jew

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

Lizard Island Calm Waters in Anchorage 1, Pearl Bay Lizard Island is the ultimate, iconic destination on the North Queensland coast. It is as far north as most cruisers go.

The island has a luxury resort in the western part of Watsons Bay and a Lizard Island Research Station(LIRS) run by the Australian Museum at Research Point, on the west side of the island. If you would like to use the resort arriving by yacht, you are welcome, but you must be an in-house guest during your stay. LIRS occasionally gives tours. Contact them on VHF16 to find out when the next tour is scheduled.

Watsons Bay provides good protection from the prevailing southeasterlies. The two public moorings are Class A, limited to 10m Port Douglas, Queensland vessels.

The 50m anchoring restriction around public moorings in the Cairns Planning Area does not apply in this location.

Anchorage is restricted in the areas designated by the reef protection markers but also within Lizard Island Locality 1, the area encompassed by the dashed blue line in the chartlet.

You can anchor between these two areas, taking care to avoid damaging the reef by anchoring on patches of sand.

While visiting Lizard Island, head out for a day trip to the famous Cod Hole, climb Cooks Look, where Captain Cook spied an escape from the reef, or snorkel the Blue Lagoon on the southwest side of the island.

RUISING THE CASSOWARY, CAIRNS & COOKTOWN OASTS

By Greg Luck

The Reefs Calm Waters&inCays Anchorage 1, Pearl Bay While on these coasts there are many reefs and cays to visit. Close to Cairns and near Vlasoff Cay mentioned above you also have Upolu Cay, Michaelmas Cay and Green Island. These are easy to get out to and back on a day trip. All of these moorings have a 4-hour time limit during the day, or if you arrive First Place after 3 pm, you can stay overnight.

On the Cooktown coast, you have the Ribbon Reefs, with moorings on No 3 and No 5 reefs and, most well-known of all, the Cod Hole on the northern end of No 10, known for giant Potato Cod. Mooring buoys make life easier and reduce reef damage.

One experience to seek out up here is to snorkel or dive with some of the large, gentle fish. Here is Maria diving with a Maori Wrasse.

My wife Maria, with a Maori Wrasse off Cairns

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2023 GO EAST UPDATE

2023 GO EAST UPDATE In October 2022, The Down Under Rally applied to the New Caledonia government requesting permission for participants in the 2023 Go East Rally to stop at Chesterfield Reef en route to Santo Vanuatu. We also advised we were informed that it was likely we would receive a response to our application later this year. Since then, I have been making some further enquiries which revealed that the new management plan for Chesterfield Reef is not expected to be finalised until June 2023.

Given this new information, I doubt we will receive the authorisation to visit in time for us to make all the necessary arrangements.

DECISION TIME With all the above in mind and the uncertainty that exists regarding the status of Chesterfield Reef and the possibility that even if we are granted permission to visit, the permission could be revoked, I have decided not to proceed with the proposed new rally route that would have seen the rally depart Bundaberg and sail to Santo Vanuatu.

2023 GO EAST RALLY CONFIRMED The 2023 Go East Rally will depart the Gold Coast on the first available suitable weather window after the 9th of May, 2023 and sail directly to New Caledonia.

The earliest possible departure date will be the 10th of May, 2023. Vessels and the crew members of vessels participating in the rally will be required to be at a specific location on the Gold Coast from the 3rd of May to attend rally-related events, for vessels to be inspected, and for ABF outward clearance procedures. The details of the location will be provided when we open the rally for registrations. Wherever possible and by prior arrangement, vessel inspections may be carried out by the Down Under Rally and or their agents prior to this date.

Vessels participating in the 2023 Go East Rally will then depart the Gold Coast Seaway and sail directly to New Caledonia, where inward clearance procedures for all vessels and their crew members will occur at a rally-specific location. The details of this location are yet to be finalised and will be provided early in 2023.

Several events will be held at the rally-specific location over three days after all vessels have arrived and completed the arrival formalities. The events will include: • Welcome to New Caledonia Function • Visiting & Cruising New Caledonia Information Session • End of Passage Party.

Once the above events have concluded, participants will begin their time Cruising New Caledonia.

2023 GO EAST UPDATE BEYOND NEW CALEDONIA It is essential to understand that Australian Passport Holders will be issued a 90-day visitor visa on arrival in New Caledonia. At the end of the 90 days, those visas will expire, and visitors must depart the country and cannot return until a further 90 days have passed. Therefore, participants must depart New Caledonia before the date of their Visa expiry. This means that participants will need to decide well before the visa expiry date if they will return to Australia at the end of the 90 days or sail to Vanuatu and cruise the islands of Vanuatu before returning to Australia.

NEXT STOP, VANUATU. On arrival in Vanuatu, Australian Passport Holders will be issued a 30-day visitor visa which can be extended (Maximum period of stay 12 months.)

For those planning to sail onward to Vanuatu, we recommend leaving New Caledonia with at least ten days remaining on your Visa. This will allow you to return to New Caledonia should you need to for vessel repairs or to depart from New Caledonia for the return voyage to Australia after you have finished visiting Vanuatu. If you intend on returning to New Caledonia from Vanuatu, we recommend that you do not sail any further north of the island of Efate as making your way south after August will likely entail plenty of windward sailing, especially if you are north of Efate.

Go East Rally participants who wish to continue to sail in company and with the assistance of the Down Under Rally will have the opportunity to join our NC2V Rally from New Caledonia to Tanna Island, Vanuatu and onwards to Efate to Yachting World Vanuatu for another fun get together.

The NC2V Rally will depart the island of Lifou, in the Loyalty Islands, which are located to the east of the New Caledonia mainland.

The Loyalty Islands are not an official port of entry/departure. In normal circumstances, vessels must arrive and depart New Caledonia in Noumea. Thanks to our relationship with New Caledonia Tourism, the Down Under Rally will be able to arrange for the outward clearance to take place at Lifou. This requires us to pay the costs associated with transportation and accommodation of the officials and an agent to Lifou.

This provides participants with the opportunity to experience cruising the Loyalty Islands at the end of their New Caledonia visit and depart from there as opposed to sailing to the Loyalty Islands, returning to Noumea and then sailing east again, past the Loyalty Islands, to Vanuatu which would be round trip voyage of about 300nm.

Participants in the NC2V Rally will rendezvous in Lifou 80 days after the date they arrive in New Caledonia. For example: Arrive in New Caledonia May 16th - Depart Lifou for Vanuatu 8th August.

Further details about the NC2V Rally will be made available in February 2023.

2023 GO EAST UPDATE RETURNING TO AUSTRALIA The ideal route for the return voyage to Australia is to depart from the island of Santo in the northern region of Vanuatu in mid to late October and sail to Bundaberg. This provides the opportunity to experience more of Vanuatu, particularly the islands to the north of Efate, which are by far the most appealing Vanuatu has to offer.

There may also be the possibility of stopping off at Chesterfield Reef if the New Caledonia authorities have finished and implemented the new management plan that will again allow visitation by yacht, which is expected to be announced in June 2023.

For those who wish to return to Australia with the assistance of the Down Under Rally, there will be the opportunity to join the 2023 Go West Rally. Details about the 2023 Go West Rally will be available in May 2023.

GO SOUTH TO NEW ZEALAND AND ONWARDS TO TONGA & FIJI IN 2024.

If experiencing more of the South West Pacific destinations, including Tonga & Fiji, is on your agenda, then there will also be the option to join the Go South Rally which departs New Caledonia in late October and arrives in Opua, New Zealand, at The Bay Of Islands Marina. Once in New Zealand, you can choose to spend your summer cruising Northland and the Bay Of Islands and the Hauraki Gulf or leave the boat in New Zealand, fly home and return in 2024 to join the Island Cruising NZ Pacific Rally. There is also the option to join the 2023 Island Cruising NZ South Island Rally and then return to Opua to prepare for your next South Pacific Sailing Adventure.

WHAT NOW? We are now very close to finalising the arrangements that need to be made with the Australian Border Force and our negotiations with our point of departure hosts on the Gold Coast. I am also waiting on some final costings to be provided by our agents and hosts in New Caledonia before I can confirm the rally entry fee.

I expect we will be in a position to open the rally for registrations on or about the 21st of November at which time current Down Under Rally Members will be the first to receive an invitation to register for the 2023 Go East Rally. Members will then have seven days to register before we open the rally for registrations from non-members.

If you are keen to join us and you have not already done so, now is the time to action the items in the second document that was attached to the update email titled 2023 Go East Rally 4 Things You Should Do Now, as the next update you receive will be to let you know we are ready to begin the registration process.

If you are interested in joining us and you have not yet submitted an expression of interest, you should do so now via the following page of the Down Under Rally website as participant numbers will be limited. downunderrally.com/register-interest-goeast

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Warm Welcome To Indonesia Story by Donna Watson & Images by Andrew Maffett

My partner Andrew and I had been planning to sail out of our home port of Fremantle, Western Australia, to Indonesia three years ago, but then COVID happened.

After having our plans quashed a couple of times due to travel restrictions, this year we finally began to fulfil our dreams and, in March, sailed out of Fremantle, up the vast WA coast to the Kimberley, where we spent ten amazing weeks, and then on to Darwin.

Upon arrival in Darwin, we discovered the Darwin Sailing Club was running the Darwin to Saumlaki (Tanimbar Islands) Rally, leaving at about the same time as we had been hoping to sail to Indonesia.

We decided this was a great opportunity to join in and enjoy the benefits of sailing with others to make the 300nm crossing.

PREPARING TO DEPART The few weeks leading up to our departure were busy. Andrew was, as always, meticulous in his planning to ensure that our beautiful Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 49, Infinity Australis, was ready and that all repairs and maintenance were on track.

He had arranged for Infinity to be lifted out for an insurance survey for our new insurer.

We had a new chart plotter installed and minor repairs to the sails and our cockpit shade.

There was also a multitude of paperwork to complete, including our vessel declaration, visa applications, Australian Border Force export procedures, COVID vaccination certificates and ensuring that the Darwin Sailing Club had our details for the rally.

After completing the boat maintenance and paperwork, and a quick trip back to both the east and west coasts of Australia to say our goodbyes to family and friends, we embarked on the final provisioning tasks before departure. Infinity was already well stocked with long-range dry food, but we topped up with many items we are unlikely to be able to get in Indonesia – a range of different cheeses, favourite breakfast cereals, bread mix and beer and wine.

A few days before we were due to leave, ABC TV Darwin contacted us for an interview.

Andrew and I, our sailing mates Andy and Tess from another Fremantle boat, Sandgroper and representatives from the Darwin Sailing Club told the rally story, which aired on the NT news and nationally.

The journalist was very interested in the fact that Andrew and I are planning to elope on a beach at Raja Ampat after the rally!

FINALLY UNDERWAY On Saturday, September 24, we finally escaped the Cullen Bay Marina into Fannie Bay, outside the Darwin Sailing Club, waiting for the start gun to fire for the Darwin to Saumlaki Rally!

All 15 boats circled around the start boat, and under a clear blue sky, with very little wind and main sails up, we mostly motored out of Darwin Harbour.

THE PASSAGE The first 24 hours were almost all motoring, but as we approached the Tiwi Islands and the NT’s most northerly point – Cape Don, the wind picked up, and we were thrilled to turn the engine off and cruise along at between eight and nine knots for a few hours!

Andrew and I shared three-hour night watches, and it was an uneventful night, with calm seas and mostly motor sailing. Fortunately, it cooled off a little during the evening, and we were able to enjoy a bit of sleep.

As a fairly new sailor, I am still a bit daunted at the prospect of solo night watches. However, I’m learning to be more confident and now enjoy the peace of being on the ocean (especially in calm weather!), spending the nights contemplating with gratitude the incredible life I have, living the dream on our beautiful boat with an amazing man (who is also a very capable sailor).

Andrew and I have each previously lost our partners and feel very fortunate to have found one another and to now embark on a new journey together, sailing internationally – a first for me – and about to be married on a beach in an exotic island location.

WE MADE IT! We arrived safely at Saumlaki late Monday morning, just 48 hours after departing from Darwin, coming in 3rd out of the 15 boats in the rally!

Clearing in with the relevant authorities was incredibly easy and efficient, with all agencies’ boarding our boat together, smiling and polite and completed within an hour.

We were very grateful to the Darwin Sailing Club darwinsailingclub.com.au for pre-arranging this before our arrival.

It was great to meet the crew from other boats, and the reception we received from the locals in Saumlaki was amazing. We were made to feel very welcome when we visited several villages and were regarded as somewhat of a novelty by many, most of whom wanted to have photos taken with us. The special village visits and reception arranged by Darwin Sailing Club, the City of Saumlaki and its tourism officials were fantastic – with local dancers, musicians and talented wood carvers.

We had an incredible time and felt very welcomed by the Indonesian people.

As we depart Saumlaki to explore the Tanimbar Islands and beyond, Andrew and I are already feeling incredibly fortunate to be living this amazing sailing life and excited about what new adventures are ahead.You can continue to follow our adventures on Instagram at #chasing._.horizons

"The great thing about cruising is that something memorable usually happens."

Sometimes it might be memorable for all the wrong reasons and other times for all the right ones, but regardless of why it is memorable, there is pretty much always an entertaining story to tell afterwards.

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By Chris Rose

By Chris Rose

CRUISING THE KIMBERLEY

(Part Five)

After exploring the 3 creeks and swimming holes at Freshwater Bay, we set sail, rounding Cape Bougainville and making our way to Parry Harbour. With the typical very light winds, it is an easy sail, but with still many miles to go before any refuelling opportunity, we continue to limit our engine use even though pushing into a 1-knot head current. We still had hundreds of miles to go until Broome, where we planned to refuel. Therefore conservation of our fuel was imperative, especially with so many places to explore, many still up rivers where sailing was not possible.

As we neared Hat Point, we find the wind on our nose and a current pushing against us, and after repeated tacks and only making a little distance, it was the engine on as the charts showed possible strong currents of up to 3 knots that flow around Hat Point. In our catamaran, we find that we comfortably motor with one engine at 5.5 to 6.5 knots, and the second engine only really gives us an additional 1 knot, but we are burning twice as much fuel. Unless we are really needing to make speed, we use a single motor and in the Kimberley, where fuel conservation is very important, this greatly improves our motoring range.

By Chris Rose

We round Hat Point to begin heading south into Parry Harbour and begin to notice small whirlpools going past No Regrets and can see white water ahead of us. At the tip of Hat Point, the currents converge, producing turbulent waters and strong currents. We soon found ourselves in 2 knots of head current and large whirlpools spinning around us. As we push through, No Regrets is being lunged sideways while the autopilot tried to maintain our course. The whirlpools going past were incredible to see, spinning around with a very noticeable centre sucking down into the depths, visibly drawing the froth and bubbles.

By Chris Rose

"As we push through, No Regrets is being lunged sideways while the autopilot tried to maintain our course" Some of these whirlpools had downward centre draws of 30 to 40 centimetres. It was like pulling the plug on a huge bath and the water being sucked down the drain. As we continued, the current increased to about 5kts slowing our speed over the ground to around 1 knot.

This turbulent stretch ran for approximately half a nautical mile with the very strong current in short bursts, so whilst our progress was slow, we only had to get through and into the beginning of Parry Harbour for the waters to settle rapidly. It was an incredible sight to see and caused by the increasing tidal ranges found as you head further west and deeper into the Kimberley.

"The current increased to about 5kts slowing our speed over the ground to around 1 knot."

By Chris Rose

Once safely into Parry Harbour, we approached our selected anchorage for the night on the western side of the Parry Harbour arm, behind the peninsula, which would give us complete protection from the westerly winds.

On our way into the anchorage, we noticed a white sandy beach we were keen to explore. Once the anchor was safely down and bedded into the muddy bottom, we dropped the tender and trolled a lure unsuccessfully as we motored towards what was a lovely beach. Isolated, pure white sand with the Kimberley red sandstone rock and the peninsula hills behind it, it was a truly iconic Aussie landscape.

As we approached in the tender, we were reminded just how iconic the landscape was when we spotted what appeared to be a crocodile sunning itself on the beach. When the two-and-a-half to three-metre reptile saw us land and start walking its way, it decided to retreat to the safety of the sea and dashed into the cloudy water, thankfully leaving us the explore the beach alone but alert.

By Chris Rose

Waking the following morning ready to leave Parry Harbour and make our way into the Admiralty Gulf towards the Osborne Islands, we found ourselves in a thick fog with heavy humidity that thankfully cleared rapidly, leaving us with yet another beautiful sunny day.

There are a significant number of pearl farms located around the Osborne Islands and you must keep clear. Thankfully, they are very well maintained and there are yellow boundary markers that show up very well on the radar, with them also very closely positioned to the Navionics charts. These pearl farms do, however, take up a significant portion of the waterway, and you skirt around the edges of them.

We considered anchoring in Cyclone Cove as it is very well protected and used as a refuge by the pearl operations during cyclone season for their vessels. Entry to the cove is quite deep however, this shallows rapidly, and we soon found ourselves with insufficient water to allow for the low tide and we would be very close to touching bottom, even with a shallow draft of only 1.16 metres.

By Chris Rose

Heading on, we dropped anchor out front of Careening or also known as Crystal Beach, to have a look at the crystals found at this location. Taking our tender into shore on a near full tide, there was no shallow beach visible, only a small gap between the mangroves.

Our Kimberley Coast Cruising Guide informed us that the crystals were behind these trees.

However, Joanne was not willing to drive between them to the shore that was visible behind for fear of trapping a crocodile and subsequently forcing it to come towards us to get away. No amount of convincing was going to change her mind, so still wanting to see the crystals, we checked out the rocky headlands on either side of the bay. Finding a very challenging path, we anchored our tender and quickly made our way over the large boulders, through the vegetation, complete with defending green ants biting us, to find the crystals.

After some searching, we found the crystals, and It was interesting to see how they had formed on the rocks.

I did point out that there was no crocodile on the nearby beach, and our difficult path had been unnecessary, but the flipside was there may have been one and it had quietly slipped away before our arrival.

By Chris Rose

Returning to the tender no more than 30 minutes later, it was found high and dry, perched precariously on the rocks, which demonstrated just how significant the tides were becoming and the associated challenges we would face ahead.

Ready to move on & continue to explore our new surroundings we moved into the bay opposite Cliffy Point on Middle Osborne Island, behind the rocky outcrop which offered to get great protection.

Soon after dropping the anchor, a large lemon shark came to visit, patrolling around our boats.

These sharks are very friendly, and feeding them is not encouraged. It was like your pet dog sitting alongside you, waiting for some sort of tiny scrap to be supplied. This graceful creature was lovely to witness at such close proximity and are regularly found in many anchorages throughout the Kimberly.

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Sharing A Passion When the lines are untied and the distant shores discovered, we find ourselves in a new community, one in which sharing is an intrinsic part of the lifestyle - a helping hand, lessons learned, meals and sunset memories.

Preparing to travel by boat can, for some, see us questioning ourselves, “Can I do this” “Do I know enough?” “Am I Prepared?” and then the unconscious dreaming of its perceived reality keeps us planning. I know I experienced all of the above thoughts prior to sailing away, and that is when I decided to bring Yoga along for the ride.

Five years into cruising life, I had a new curiosity, a yearning to know more which, in turn, led me on another voyage to broaden my understanding of what I brought along for the ride, Yoga.

I then returned to the pacific island of Fiji with my newly acquired knowledge. There is a quote from that time that resonates with me to this day and one I have shared countless times over the years.

“Yoga is more about touching your heart than touching your toes.”

Blissology

When I returned from my voyage of learning, I had no intention of teaching yoga, but I was asked to share a practice with some of those in our community. This was a great opportunity for me to add to the sharing pool in the cruising community, with many who joined me acknowledging the benefits of flexibility, strength and clarity of mind, all of which are so very relevant & important to the cruising lifestyle.

During this time, I witnessed spouses encouraging each other to join, children with grandparents, business owners, surfers and resort guests experience Yoga for the first time.

Sharing A Passion My thirst for knowledge has continued over the past decade, and in 2021 “I, the student also became a Teacher”, opening Namaste Ocean Yoga School and experiencing all those questions once again, “Can I do this” “Do I know enough?” “Am I Prepared?” I discovered I was, and in the process, I found the training experience immensely rewarding. I continue to share a balance of Island Yoga and Yoga4Yachties whilst cruising with the participants of the Down Under Rally.

So drop me a line if you are intrigued or have the desire to broaden your knowledge of Yoga and learn about the opportunity to join me from the 20th of February to the 23rd of March, 2023. for my 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Course at my Island home in Southern Moreton Bay Qld Australia, and help ensure yoga4yachties will continue to ripple across the oceans.

Leanne Hembrow ERYT 500 YACEP Yoga Alliance 122921 200 hr Yoga Alliance certified RYS Driftwood Yoga/Namaste Ocean Yoga School

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

SUGGESTIONS FROM A SAILMAKER FOR BEFORE YOU SET SAIL With the 2022 cruising season drawing to a close many cruisers are starting to make plans for the 2023 season.

Those plans include circumnavigating Australia, heading east to the Pacific Islands or exploring the Queensland Coast.

If you are thinking of heading off for a period of extended cruising in the more remote locations or making an ocean passage, we have some suggestions for you.

HAVE A GOOD SAIL REPAIR KIT AND KNOW HOW TO USE IT! The Down Under Rally has included a section in the technical tips section of the members portal on this subject. There you will find some how-to videos and a list of items to have in your sail repair kit.

Remember, repairs don`t have to be pretty. They have to do the job in the short term until you can get the sail to your sailmaker.

PHONE: 07 5537 7433 | EMAIL: caedric@evolutionsails.com.au | WEBSITE: evolutionsails.com.au

SUGGESTIONS FROM A SAILMAKER FOR BEFORE YOU SET SAIL

GET YOUR SAILS INSPECTED & MEASURED. Sometimes the sail has passed its used-by date, or the damage is too severe to repair and will need to be replaced. It is better to know this before you go, so you should get your sailmaker to inspect all your sails.

If you do find yourself in one of those idyllic cruising locations with no sail loft of repute around, and your most important sail is beyond repair, it's best to have a loft (preferably us, of course) who has your sail measurements on file back in Australia – and all the information that is needed to push the go button on making a new one.

Measuring the sail properly can be tricky to get right by yourself, so you need the advice or the expertise of a sailmaker. This is something that can be done when you have your sails inspected. This way, if the need arises, a new sail can be made and shipped to you by a sailmaker you have built a relationship with and that you know you can trust.

If a new sail has to be ordered, we’re happy to freight directly to your sailmaker in whichever part of the world you find yourself, who can then fit your existing luff hardware and battens to your new sail.

This substantially reduces the cost of the new sail as it does not include any luff hardware or battens, and it makes freighting more affordable as its a smaller parcel.

It is also worth remembering that the estimated turnaround time on a new sail is normally 3 to 4 weeks

PHONE: 07 5537 7433 | EMAIL: caedric@evolutionsails.com.au | WEBSITE: evolutionsails.com.au

SUGGESTIONS FROM A SAILMAKER FOR BEFORE YOU SET SAIL REEFING WITH CARE All too often, sails are damaged as a result of poor reefing practices. Talk to your sailmaker before you depart about what you can do to prevent sail damage when reefing. It is also important to know if you have enough reefs or big enough reefs and if they are they reinforced for when the weather hits hard or when they will be in for prolonged periods

MORE USE IN A FEW MONTHS THAN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS! A blue water ocean cruiser sail is very different to a Wednesday night round the cans racing sail.

For the blue water sail, we recommend upgrading to Dyneema (Spectra) webbing on the clew, head and tack for added strength. Triple sewing and Twin Ply areas between Leach Reefs to handle the high head and clew loading are also recommended.

Hopefully, you will be enjoying plenty of downwind sailing, but to enjoy downwind sailing, you will need a suitable downwind sail plan.

Remember, if you are headed offshore, you will likley be sailing for several days & nights and as such, your sails will likely get more use in a few months than they have has in the last few years, so get in touch with your sailmaker sooner rather than later to find out if your sails are ready for your adventures.

PHONE: 07 5537 7433 | EMAIL: caedric@evolutionsails.com.au | WEBSITE: evolutionsails.com.au

Members Marketplace Down Under Rally Members are invited to list their *unwanted items for sale in our AHOY! To list your item or items in the members market place: Email photos/description/price & contact information to admin@downunderrally.com FREE FOR DOWN UNDER RALLY MEMBERS *Items offered must be used equipment / personal items related to sailing & cruising - No boats for sale listings, please. (Tenders ok)

Rainman Water Maker- NEVER BEEN USED. High capacity 240 v AC unit with dual membranes.

Purchased NEW in December 2021 when planning to go to Fiji, but in the end, we didn't go. As a result, we were never more than two weeks from a marina and water, so it didn't get used. The asking price is $7000 AU. ($1000 off the current New Price.) I'm currently cruising in FNQ and will be back in Airlie Beach in early December with regards to pick up or shipping.

Contact Colin Budich 0425737301 budich@telstra.com NORTHERN LIGHTS GENERATOR 9kva @ 110v| 7kva @ 240v.

Complete wiring loom, gauges & sound-proof box.

4500hrs recently serviced and in good working order when removed. $2000.00 ONO. Ph Glen Thomson 0406 512 916.

WALDER BOOM BRAKE. Slows and controls the boom during a gybe.

This one ex a 47-foot yacht. We are building a solid dodger, and there will be no room under the boom for it.

Asking $400. These are over $1200 new.

Get more info about them HERE We are in Fremantle. I can post at your cost.

TO ENQUIRE CONTACT MARTIN: 0400 837 157

SAILMAKING EVOLVED Evolution Sails Australia has been the local sail loft of choice supporting local sailors and cruisers visiting the Gold Coast for more than 30 years.

Located centrally on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Evolution Sails provide a full design, manufacture and service loft for the East Coast of Queensland. Our experienced sailmakers specialise in cruising and racing sails for yachts, catamarans, sports boats and dinghies.

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

PH: 07 5537 7433 | EMAIL: INFO@EVOLUTIONAUST.COM.AU | PHONE: 07 5537 7433 | EMAIL: caedric@evolutionsails.com.au | WEBSITE: evolutionsails.com.au W:DOWNUNDERRALLY.COM/SAILS/RIGGING

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Founded in 1970 & still, family-owned & run. Nautical giftware, Navigation Charts, & equipment, Cruising Guides, Brass Bells, Compasses, Sextants and much more.

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

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