Wednesday 2^nd December 2015

We had been following Beez Neez’s progress, via their blog, for the last week or so since they left Noumea bound for Sydney, and had been keeping our fingers crossed they would make it before the southerly change due last night.  These are the same southerly winds that are keeping us in Newcastle until Friday.

So it was with mixed feelings that we heard Bear’s voice on the radio this morning calling up Newcastle Harbour for permission to enter the port.  We were relieved that they had arrived here safely, but disappointed on their behalf as they had been so keen to make Sydney their landfall, and had so nearly accomplished it.

They were directed first to a Customs mooring buoy, and then around mid-morning were collected by some officials and brought in to A dock where they began the process of checking in.  This seemed to take quite some time, as they had a long wait for the Quarantine chap to arrive, but were eventually cleared to come ashore just in time for Happy hour.  We were very pleased that they could join us for a few drinks, supper, and a catch-up on news.

It seems they had passed Newcastle entrance at dusk yesterday doing 9 knots with help of a good current and very optimistic about making it to Sydney.  They actually only had 30 nmiles to go when the wind changed.  They beat into it for a while, but eventually decided they would have to give up as they were making next to no headway.  Hence their arrival in Newcastle this morning.  With their usual cheerfulness and pragmatism, they waved off any suggestion of disappointment.  They had been briefly disappointed, yes, but they had given it their best shot, and turning round had been the best course of action.  Now they were just enjoying the fact that they were actually here, in Australia.  They would enjoy a few days in Newcastle before setting off down the coast to complete the passage.