Great Keppel Island

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Wed 16 Oct 2019 12:15

Position: 23 11.60 S  150 57.21 E
At anchor Great Keppel Island south
Wind: NNE  F4 moderate breeze
Sea: slight  Swell: negligible
Weather: warm, mostly sunny
Day’s run: 88 nm

Northerly winds continued fresh and steady and we continued to run square before them until we reached the eastern point of Great Keppel Island at 0100 this morning. Here, abeam of Sykes Rock, we gybed and reached in behind the Keppel’s southern shore. Earlier in the day, when we were back in range of the ubiquitous world wide web, I had looked up a shipping traffic app and was dismayed to see the southern bay of the island appeared to be crowded with boats.  So, as we rounded the eastern most point of Great Keppel, I was not surprised to see the myriad anchor lights ahead, shining like a small city.  As we approached, bullets of wind struck us from over the hilly terrain, heeling Sylph well over and keeping me alert as we came onto the breeze, sheets hauled tight, negotiating our way between Halfway Island and Great Keppel in the light of the full moon and a clear sky.

Once past Halfway Island we could ease sheets again but now it was time to hand sail and start the motor so that we could wend our way between the numerous boats at anchor to find our own place among them all where Sylph could lie comfortably at anchor. We worked our way in (there must have been at least forty boats crowded together in the bay) but despite appearances to the contrary, there was quite a bit of room and at 0200 we dropped anchor in fourteen feet of water.

All is well.