CR To Newcastle
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Tue 8 Mar 2016 23:57
|
Coasters
Retreat to Newcastle
 Up at first
light, our way out to sea looks so peaceful.
 We got up a couple of times during
the night to watch how the firemen were doing with the bushfire. They did a
sterling job at protecting the houses. As we left we saw
smoke to the left, high on the hills to the left there were still flames
to be seen and sadly new smoke creeping around to the right. No news reports at
all, but apparently they are such a common occurrence that only major fires get
a mention...... We certainly wouldn’t like to live with such a regular threat.
Here’s hoping this current bushfire is controlled soon. For us, it’s off we go
on the fifty two mile journey back to Newcastle for a week of chores.
 Passing a yacht
with no mast always presents an odd sight.
   The sun
came around the back of Barren Joey Head and popped up.
 Barren Joey
Light with a bit of sea mist swirling on the sea.
 An hour or so later we were
out at sea’ proper with the
coast to our left. Main sail up but the wind was being once again a
fickle mistress so the engine would have to stay on. The sea was a little rolly
but not enough to stop the captain beating me TWICE at backgammon.........my
turn to growl.
 The fifty metre mark to our right is
the parking bay for waiting chums. Our first of the day was China Steel Integrity. She left Taichung in Taiwan on
the 19th of February and is now quietly having a rest until its her turn to go
in and be loaded. I thought she looked a little scruffy but Bear said it was
because she was so high out of the water, laden she will look a lot better.
Built in 2002, her gross tonnage is 91,178, DWT 175,775. She is 282.3 metres
long, 45 metres wide and her draught is 8.08 metres. She speeds along at 11.3
knots and cruises at 7.6. Did she make up for my backgammon loss – no I need to
see more.
 The next chum was doing a dance over
her anchor at full tilt, a first for us, to see her propeller churning the water
and causing a sideways wake.
 Once settled we had our normal view,
her name is Tarumaesan Maru. She was
built in 2003 carries the flag of Japan and left the port of Zhoushan on the
16th of February. Her gross tonnage 52,981, DWT 91,438. Length 234.9 metres.
Width 43 metres. Draught 7.5 metres. She speeds along at 15.5 knots and cruises
not much slower at 14.4 knots. Again she will rest until its her turn to be
whisked in to get her next load.
 The wind picked up with an hour to go
and we were scooped up at speed to get alongside Harbour
Control. Beside there was a regional meeting of sea birds, completely
engrossed in their current point of debate to notice us.
 Well, colour us both happy, Bear was
ecstatic as he pointed and said “Al, Al, Al, Allen, Al,
Al, Al” [as per the truly funny skit of the meerkat supposedly
calling his mate.] David Allen, the very
same, the one who greeted us the first time we came in to Newcastle, same
enthusiastic waves from the crew.
 Time for a quick
wave watch as we rounded the corner into the calm entrance
channel.
 We quickly tuck over to the left out
of the channel as working girl Switzer
Meringa, the first of three.
   They had raced out to help Double Harmony, waiting for her to come round the
corner.
  On our AIS
we could watch the action as Wickham [behind] and Meringa and Hamilton took her
beak.
 As we passed the
inner beach I was curious to see if any people were in the water – having
been warned that this area is the midwifery and nursery for the great whites. I
happened to report that only a dog or two were splashing about to which himself
immediately said those that bark or the other
kind. Well, sir. Indeed. I have never heard Bear come out with such
a thing. We’ll have no more of that..........
  Meanwhile back at the ranch, the Cathedral still has scaffolding decorating her porch
and the ferry Hunter crabbed sideways to
allow us to pass by. We waved in thanks and the skipper waved in
greeting.
 Double
Harmony and the working girls made for a nice picture as we went
past the naked lady of the sea.
 As we passed one of the loading
wharves a very impressive chum called Szechuen, we looked her up later – one of the first
‘S’ Class, gross tonnage 25,488, dwt of 31,000. Length 200 metres, width 28
metres and draught 8.8 metres under the flag of Singapore.
An article on the girl and her sisters.
On 1st January 2013 The China Navigation Company (CNCo), the deep sea
shipowning and operating arm of the multi-national Swire group, successfully
launched the first of a new series of eight S Class vessels at Zhejiang Ouhua
Shipyard in China.
The new vessels offer a range of high-specification, technological features including:
MV Shansi is scheduled for delivery in late March 2013 and will undergo extensive testing and sea trials in the interim. The second sister vessel, MV Shantung, was launched on 25th January and the remaining S Class vessels will be launched at monthly intervals with the eighth and final vessel, MV Szechuen, scheduled for delivery in October 2013. Wow.
Szechuen
has been a busy girl, on the 17th of January in Varna, Bulgaria. On the
25th she was in Busan, Korea. On the 5th of February in Shanghai, China. Over to
Australia in March – the 2nd in Port Kembla, the 5th in Brisbane and today we
find her here in Newcastle.
 We heard the loud single horn blast from
Double Harmony as she turned right into the
rear channel. Quite amusing to watch her as she came toward Szechuen on this side. Double Harmony is due to be loaded overnight and set off for
Noshiro in Japan, due in to port on the 25th of this month. This Panamanian
flagged chum had a gross tonnage of 48,025, dwt of 88,270. She was built in 2010
her length is 229.93 metres, width 38.03 metres and draught of 13.81 metres.
 I had to wait for this working girl to pass before I swung in near ‘c’ dock and
right to park on ‘d’ dock. Our neighbours came out to take the girls ropes and
we were soon packing the days bits away. Our next door neighbour rang the
on-call dock master who came down with our gate cards. Time for supper, a shower
and an episode or two of Hell on Wheels.
ALL IN ALL A HAPPY
JOURNEY
SHAME WE HAD TO
MOTOR-SAIL |
