Position: 34 54.01 S 137 47.9
RSAYS Mooring, Oyster Bay
Wind: WSW, F2 slight breeze
Sea: rippled Swell: nil
Weather: 5/8 altostratus, warm
Day’s run: 16 nm

Ada and I enjoyed a meal ashore at the local pub yesterday evening followed by an old Grouch Brothers movie back on board Sylph afterwards. Despite the movie's age, for me the Grouch Brothers have lost none of their charm and riotous humour.

This morning, after breakfast, we got under way at 0815, motoring out of the marina and Port Vincent Bay in near calm conditions. While conditions were very light on our departure, the forecast was for strong winds later in the afternoon so, while it was only ten miles from Port Vincent to Oyster Bay, we wanted to allow ourselves plenty of time to sail down the coast to get into the shelter of Oyster Bay before the strong S'ly winds arrived.

Once clear of the Middle Spit Beacon, we attempted to sail with the code zero for twenty minutes but after flopping around going nowhere in the small short waves thrown up by the ebbing tide, I gave up and started the BRM again. We only had to motor for some fifteen minutes before we found a gentle breeze from the West. The breeze had the feeling that it was going to freshen relatively quickly so this time I opted for the jib instead of the code zero which proved a good call as an hour later we had to put a reef in the main as we sailed close hauled to the freshening WSW wind.

At 1050 we were approaching the South Spit Beacon where we tacked to head inshore to clear the shallow sand spit that guards Oyster Bay. Twenty minutes later we tacked again with the breeze easing as we approached the low yellow cliffs that run along the coastline. At 1147 we were getting close to the Squadron moorings so we started the engine and handed sail to make our final approach, picking up mooring number six at precisely 1153.

The plan is to stay here tonight, perhaps go ashore later in the dinghy, then, depending on the forecast, either head back to Adelaide tomorrow or stay here another night and then head back to Adelaide on Sunday.

All is well.