Moored Rushcutters Bay, Port Jackson
Wind: NNW F1 light air
Sea state: calm Swell: nil
Weather: sunny, mild

After four months swinging off a mooring, we have at last managed to go for a short harbour sail. And I am pleased to say that Ada’s health has improved sufficiently that she was able to come along for the ride.

On Monday morning we got Sylph secured for sea, then at 1100 let go the mooring, motored clear of Rushcutters Bay, set main and jib and then sailed towards the Heads. We passed South Head and the candy-striped Hornby Light at midday then sailed on a beam reach to the SE. The seas were smooth, the sky sunny and clear, and the breeze gentle and steady, a perfect day for a brief shake down after such a long period of inactivity. There were a few tourist boats out looking for whales and I managed to spot a spout some distance away but not wanting to get too far out to sea unfortunately we did not get to see any whales up close.

At 1330 we reversed course to make our way back into the Heads by which time the breeze had eased and veered into the WNW. Wanting to be back inside the Harbour and secured to a mooring before dark, at 1405 I started the BRM and we motored until 1530 when we were once more abeam of Hornby light. Here the breeze was a more favourable, we were able to shut down the BRM and reset the jib to sail the remaining mile to our destination, Quarantine Bay, for the evening. Here, at 1605, we handed sail, started the BRM again and motored to pick up one of the public moorings in this secluded and picturesque little refuge, where we settled for a relaxing evening.

The next day, Tuesday 14 July, at 0900 we hoisted the mainsail, slipped the mooring, then unrolled the jib to sail out of the Bay. Once more we headed outside the Harbour with another sunny day and gentle breeze, but this time heading north towards Manly Beach. The plan for the day was to end up in Blackwattle Bay for the night, which is some ways up the Harbour past the Bridge, and to refuel at White Bay on the way. So we did not spend long outside the Heads and started heading back in at 0930. The wind was from the WNW, so this meant a work to windward to get back inside the Harbour, then a reach up the Harbour towards Bradleys Head, and then more tacking to get beyond the Harbour Bridge. It ended up being quite a good workout for me and Sylph, taking 19 tacks to get up to Goat Island where the wind dies, the channel narrows and the traffic increases, making further sailing unwise if not impossible for a boat of Sylph’s size. Consequently, at 1248 we handed sail and motored less than a mile to the White Bay fuel dock. Here we filled the tanks then continued on our way to Blackwattle Bay to drop anchor at 1400 among several other cruising vessels in 2.3 meters of water.

In the evening I rowed ashore to fetch some fish and chips from the new Fish Market that has recently opened, replacing the old market. While the new market is much cleaner, bigger and flashier than the old market, I have to say I did not enjoy the experience, with lots of people, long queues and automated ordering systems that, while no doubt very efficient, turns both customers and staff into subordinate mechanistic processes where a fleeting, tired smile is perhaps the most one can expect in the way of a human interaction. And I regret to say that the fish and chips were not great either. Still, despite the disappointment of the new market, over all it was a very pleasant day.

On Wednesday morning we got underway at 0815 and motored back to Rushcutters Bay in calm conditions to pick up our RANSA mooring at 0930. My friend Chris from Marandina helped ferry Ada ashore in his nice big stable inflatable then in the afternoon I crewed for another long-term friend, Kerry on his little Seaway 25, Black Diamond Bay, in RANSA’S winter race series. We managed a respectable fourth, coming one second behind Cappricio, the boat Chris was crewing on, and 1 minute 35 seconds behind the winner, The Holy Gale (corrected handicap time). So, all in all, another very satisfying day.

The remainder of the week has been spent working towards getting Sylph ready for her next major voyage. I have booked her in for a haul-out on 10 August so that we will have a nice clean bottom to satisfy New Zealand’s biosecurity laws. And on the paperwork side, Australian Border Force has issued us with our Customs Client Identification number, and the export permit application has now been submitted. So, thus far, everything appears to be on track for our planned departure on 24 August.

All is well.