Off at last!
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. The high rises of Surfer’s Paradise from the
anchorage. Sunset
over the Broadwater. |