Off at last!

Scott-Free’s blog
Steve & Chris
Fri 5 May 2017 08:25

27:57.197S 153:25.269E

 

Friday 5th May 2017

 

Distance run: 13 nm

 

We slipped the lines at sparrowsfart this morning and headed out of the marina that has been Scott-Free’s home since last June.  A couple of weeks later than we would have liked, given the distances we will be sailing this season, but cyclone Debbie’s visit had the weather patterns all of a dither for a while after she finally left, and we preferred to wait till they settled.

 

We are dependent on a high tide both to leave the marina and to get out of the Gold Coast seaway.  High tide at the seaway is two hours before the marina.  By the time we could leave the berth, we had already missed the tide at the seaway.  So we are anchored in a spot locally known as Bum’s Bay, and we will be off at first light tomorrow for the 280-ish nautical mile passage to Bundaberg.  Considering we haven’t sailed for almost a year, I probably would have preferred the inside passage, or at the least a nice day-sail.  But the tides are all wrong for the inside passage and we don’t want to wait any longer.  And the nearest place to stop from here would be Mooloolaba, 90 nmiles up the coast, but the tides will be all wrong for the bar.  So Bundaberg in one go it is.

 

m_IMG_2486.jpg                m_IMG_2493.jpg

The high rises of Surfer’s Paradise from the anchorage.                                 Sunset over the Broadwater.