Australia Day in Apollo Bay

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 26 Jan 2018 06:16

Position: 38 45.43 S 143 40.53 E
Alongside Apollo Bay
Wind: ESE – F2 light air
Weather: overcast, mild
Day’s Run: 82 nm sailed, 45 nm made good

I’m tired. I haven’t had a good sleep, night or otherwise, since leaving Robe five days ago. Last night we tacked back and forth in the vicinity of Cape Otway trying to make ground to windward against an ebbing tide which flows north-west in the vicinity of the Cape. The Cape is also a focal point for ships navigating this part of the coast so opportunities for a rest were limited. But we made it. At 0400 we were drifting, becalmed only two miles off the Cape.  An hour later a nice breeze sprang up from the east which, while still a headwind, with the seas now flattened out and the tide having turned had us doing five to six knots and making decent progress.

At 0800 we were approaching Apollo Bay. I handed sail, started the engine and approached the entrance with extreme caution as I had read of an account written by another yacht from a few years back of the entrance silting and the leads being misleading (much like Robe). In this instance I could see no leads so presumed that perhaps they have been removed. I am pleased to say that we encountered no difficulties and by 0840 were tied up alongside the visitor’s wharf.

Australia Day – There has been quite a bit of debate about the date lately and I have to say that I think it needs to change. The original citizens of this continent have suffered far too much already and clearly celebrating Australia Day on the day that the first fleet arrived in Sydney when a small party of white colonists raised the British flag just adds insult to injury.  It is not a unifying gesture as it should be for a day celebrating a nation. Just my tuppence worth.

All is well.