To Stanley Island

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Thu 7 Jul 2016 22:47
To Stanley Island
 
 
 
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Looking across toward the resort and then right, it is astonishing to see a chum. The water out there in the shipping channel is no more than sixteen metres and quite a busy motorway. As Bear was bringing up the anchor at 16:30 yet another boat was coming in. We leave for an overnighter to the Flinders Group as rally boats Ameldec, Bamboozle, Kereru, Kings Legend, Lazy Jack and Serica settle for the night preferring an early start on the morrow.
 
 
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Ten minutes after leaving we were racing along at six knots, just the genoa flying and Yeeha – no engine. Incredible to think we were at the top of Lizard Island at Cook’s Lookout just hours ago.
 
 
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The sea was friendly other than a few splashes from the left.
 
 
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Bowling along at dusk.
 
 
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18:00 Sunset was a lights on lights off affair.
 
 
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19:00. A straight run for a while until a right turn brings on some island dodging in the shipping lane.
 
 
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02:40. This is what a container ship and a slightly smaller bulk cargo carrier look like as they set to pass one another a third of a mile away from me. The moment all three of us are parallel. I was so busy kneeling with my head out watching them that I actually forgot to get their names off the AIS, silly me. What with the view and being engrossed in listening to Prof Noble telling me about the Birth of Modern Civilisation, the chums crossed with the birth of Sparta and Athens.......... The rest of my shift was all about keeping the Singleton Patch near to my right and the green flashing light of the Channel Rocks to my left. My four hour shift shot by and I switched off at the Parthenon. I wound in the genoa to slow down a bit. Just one chum coming up the rear to pass me as I left the channel for the Flinders Group.
 
 
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I woke First Mate just before ten to see us head between Flinders on the left and Stanley on the right. The Pass not quite in view yet.
 
 
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I bobbed out in to the sunshine. My view left and right.
 
 
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Bear had decided to cruise between the islands choosing to anchor on the other side of Stanley.
 
 
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A working girl uses the current and ten metre depth to see if it’s worth putting her gear down.
 
 
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There are known Aboriginal cave paintings in some of the overhanging rocks.
 
 
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The anchorage on Flinders Island, known to have to perennial wells (pity Mrs Watson had not drifted here in her sea cucumber cooking pot, maybe she would have had a chance to survive). HMS Dart used this anchorage and there is a rock inscribed by the crew in 1893. There was a WWI army base here as Germany’s presence in New Guinea was felt.
 
 
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The Mainland not too far away. 
 
 
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Bear was very taken with the trees on the corner of Stanley.
 
 
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Past Bear’s trees.
 
 
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Stokes Bay, West Stanley and we have it all to ourselves.
 
 
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Skipper about to drop anchor at 11:30 after our ninety mile journey.
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL TIME FLEW WITH INTERESTING STUFF
                     NICE TO HAVE A GOOD SAIL