21/06/13

Had supper chez Calypso to celebrate Maureen and Paul’s twediddlyupti-third wedding anniversary. We admired Trouters sailing round her anchor. Later that night we discovered that she had in fact sailed her anchor out and there was a ‘fender-bender’ moment with Calypso. I paid out more chain, the boats separated and I had a relatively sleepless night on anchor watch.

Paul did a sterling job on ‘mantling’ a new fan belt but the first attempt was too large. The second attempt was almost too small but in the end he got it fitted. The engine runs a little hotter than usual so I’ll need to keep an eye on it but it allowed us to re-anchor so presumably it will allow me to enjoy the old early morning ‘two-six HEAVE’ lark. We’re off at about 0600 tomorrow for Cape York, going through the Albany passage. With forecast winds of SE 20-25kts (and DO remember those gusts) plus the current through the passage it promises to be a fast trip. With 23nm to go I should be anchored at Cape York by 1130. It’s strange to think that I will then be out of the Pacific. A lot has happened in the Pacific, it’s been a character-building experience. My next projected adventure is to take up knitting by a fire somewhere.

At low tide we counted five crocs on the sandbar. For some reason Paul elected not to scrub his hull, I can’t imagine why. Perhaps one of the ‘snapping handbags’ was responsible for digging up my anchor. I’m amazed I dragged, at low water yesterday I could see the damn thing buried in the mud. Oh well, C’est la vie.

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