Blue Water Sailing

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Sat 26 Oct 2019 05:27

Position: 26 08.7 S  153 17.0 E
Course: South  Speed: 7.5 knots
Wind: NE  F5 Fresh breeze
Sea: moderate  Swell: NE 2 meters
Weather: warm, sunny
Day’s run:  30 nm

We eventually managed to nudge our way over the Sheridan Flats and into the deeper channels on the southern side of the Great Sandy Strait. We even got a bit of sailing in with a sea breeze filling in from the northeast late in the afternoon, though it was well and truly dark by the time we arrived at our anchorage for the night off Pelican Point. At 1930 we dropped the pick in 16 feet of water adjacent several other yachts whose anchor lights helped to guide us in,

So, despite the slight delay caused by yesterday’s inconvenient tide, we were still on track to make use of this morning high tide.  We got up with the sun at 0500, got the dinghy inboard and weighed anchor.  Three other boats proceeded out over the bar at the same time which is reassuring, that one’s plan has some agreement among other seafarers. We crossed over the notorious Wide Bay Bay at 0700 with no sign of any breakers and from there were able to set full sail.

We are now running downwind, wing-on-wing, with a reef in the mainsail making good close to eight knots.  The wind is forecast to increase up to about thirty plus knots later this evening.  Hopefully by then we should be tucked in behind Bribie Island at the head of Moreton Bay.

Its feels good to be out in blue water again, the swell lifting and pushing Sylph forward as it passes under her quarter.

All is well.