To Shelburne Bay

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 10 Jul 2016 22:57
To Shelburne Bay
 
 
 
IMG_9756  IMG_9759
 
Todays journey from Portland Roads, Cape Weymouth to Margaret Bay, Cape Grenville. Fifty five miles of wiggling between islands and staying on the edge of the main shipping channel.
 
 
IMG_9761
 
Just after half past nine we had our first chum overtake us, Tasco Amata – Hazard X Tanker, length 105 metres, beam 20 metres, draught 5.1 metres and speeding by at 15.1 knots.
 
 
IMG_9768
 
Oh well colour me happy, look at what is coming up behind us moments later – Stenia Colossus pushing through the water at 13.4 knots. This chum is on her way to Sohar under the flag of Singapore. Length 197 metres, beam 32 metres and draught of 12.2 metres. Oh it it doesn’t get much better – coming the other way...........
 
 
IMG_9770
 
.........RTM Twarra on her way to Gladstone. Just look at her taking the waves in her stride, she may look small against the Colossus but her looks are very deceptive. She’s huge at 236 metres in length, beam of 43 metres (three and a bit Beez end to end across her width) and a draught of 12.2 metres and we are only in sixteen metres at the moment. At one point we will all be in a line. Wow.
 
 
IMG_9773
 
Nearing each other.
 
 
IMG_9776
 
Twarra pops out. Under the life raft on Colossus is a tiny black dot, that’s a man waving vigorously at us.
 
 
IMG_9779
 
And off she goes, all over by ten past ten, my watch until two.
 
 
IMG_9781
 
All too much for the skipper who grabs forty winks – pretending to read.
 
 
IMG_9780  IMG_9782  IMG_9785
 
I videoed the nodding dog action but after a while it was too much in my peripheral vision and upsetting my watch concentration. Lie down will you, no I’m reading my book. I’ll count to three. Ok, Ok, don’t nag. Grooowwwlllll.
 
 
IMG_9786  IMG_9787
 
He always looks as if he’s smiling when he nods off, but it soon gives way to the ‘whelk look’.
 
 
DSC_3480
 
Bamboozle looking lovely as she overtakes doing nine knots. Jamie hailed us for a chat and said they were heading to Shelburne Bay, beyond Margaret Bay to take eight miles off the next journey. A great idea.
 
 
IMG_9789
 
I hope my aunties are looking down and having a laugh as we approach Highgate Hill.
 
 
IMG_9793  IMG_9794  IMG_9795
 
Bear awake now, cheeky, notices our courtesy flag has chafed through the bottom tether. Off he went to rescue it, I just love the Mr Bean look. We don’t want to lose another one just days before we leave Australia. So pleased Bear caught it in time.
 
 
IMG_9796
 
On our right a load of sea birds have just finished a conference on fishing techniques.
 
 
IMG_9799
 
We round the corner to Margaret Bay at four o’clock and decide that we will follow Bamboozle’s lead and head to Shelburne – the next bay, in the unsurveyed grey bit of the map.
 
 
DSC_3503
 
Kereru (left)and Brahminy Too resting at anchor in Margaret Bay.
 
 
DSC_3494
 
 
Hundreds of birds enjoying afternoon tea.
 
 
IMG_9801
 
Shelburne Bay. Bamboozle anchored to the right, thoughtfully radioed to say “no bumps or humps on the way in”. We couldn’t believe this far out we had just 2.4 metres below us. Indeed, the flat, sandy bottom stayed at the same depth for the next three quarters of an hour. Anchor down just as the heavens opened, pleased to be snug for a short nights sleep as we are off at four in the morning.
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL THE STRANGEST ANCHORAGE
                      UNBELIEVABLY SHALLOW FOR MILES