First Day's Log. Whats a log, dad?
Fleck
Fri 18 Jun 2010 03:24
|
Noon, Friday, June 19th
Position 23:27S 151:21E: off Gladstone
Just over 24 hours into our voyage, and all well so
far: The most gentle of starts, actually, and maybe just as well so that we can
both get our sea legs. H refused a sea sick pill until we were in the Bundaberg
dredged approach channel where we encountered excellent wind over tide choppy
waves! Out at sea all was calm, and we enjoyed a pleasant afternoon run up
the coast managing about 4 kts in a very light breeze, thanks to our newly
painted and therefore weed free bottom. Supper was veggie curry for me, and
reheated Eagle Boys Pizza for Hannah. Tonight we plan pasta with tomoto sauce
and garlic: a refinement of the standard Glebe Barn receipe, only possible out
here in space, where no one else can smell your breath!!
Overnight the wind dropped to nothing and we had to
motor, this morning a bit of breeze first thing, but now a glassy calm,
shoreside mountains just visible on the horizon, and some real Islands up ahead.
We did bed and breakfast for a strange seabird last night with a long sharp blue
beak, and a bad temper. I tried to shoo him off the pulpit, but he squalked
fiecely at me, and I retreated. He was soon fast asleep, and thus refreshed, he
flew off at dawn. We have not yet agreed who will wash the droppings off
the deck: perhaps wait a day or two for some green water over the
decks!
Hannah has been a great companion, and I can say
this just now as she is asleep after standing her watch until 00.30 this
morning. She has been very helpful in fitting out the boat, and very wise for
her years in dealing with my odd behaviours, and little fits of depression. She
has been very quick to grasp the elements of GPS navigation, and had a great
series of position fixes to show me when I came on watch last night. This
morning I was told off for not maintaining her high standard through the night!
We are reading Jane Eyre together: H an uncanny resemblance to the emboldened
ten year old Jane at the start of the novel.
Plan A was to sail straight to the Percy Islands,
anchoring in the irresistably named Blunt Bay. But at this rate we shall have to
motor the entire way, so I now plan to anchor off Great Keppel lsland tonight,
catch up on some sleep, and hope for more wind for the weekend. We shall at
least have the fun of avoiding Hannah Rock during the approach to this
Island. As I write the wind is switching to the SE, so maybe we will get another
sail this afternoon.
A few small problems with the boat: I replaced the
bearings in my wind vane self steering, and these may now be too tight, having
of course been too loose before! Not looking forward to dismantling this with
the device suspended over the water, and ball bearings etc falling out and down
into Davey Jones' locker, so keeping my fingers crossed that it will not
sieze up. At least this is a mechanical device that I can unsterstand and
service myself. Very frustrated that my brand new electronic chart plotter has
blown up completely, and will have to be replaced, as and when I can sort out
the warantry. I have paper charts until Darwin, and if the worst comes to the
worst, I can buy Indonesion and Malaysian charts there. Meantime my expensive
electronic charts are useless. I should have stuck with the old fashioned tried
and tested gear, but no one sells simple GPS machines any more. I do have a
lovely regalvanised anchor and chain, which looks lovely, but is full of razor
sharp burrs of zink which rip your hands. I have also spent a fortune on mundane
items such as ships batteries, and some LED light bulbs (ultra low
power consumption) so that Hannah can read at night without running them
dry!! At least the new inflatable dinghy arrived safley, and h has been
rowing it around the Marina. Now installed under my custom sewn cover, on the
foredeck.
We wish you all well,
Richard and Hannah
|