Sandyrock Bay

We had observed this bay on our way to Cygnet with Cassablanca. We decided it should be on our hit list. Meantime a day spent housekeeping - washing, shopping, watering etc.. and then attending the Port Cygnet Sailing Club Tuesday night meal ($15 per head including homemade deserts made by the local ladies) was followed by a night on a mooring. By the time we had returned the next day with a strengthening Southerly, there were a couple of other yachts already anchored in Sandyrock Bay. Very encouraging! The cruising guide was complimentary but only noted that it was pleasant for sundowners. What about the rest of the time? Our verdict is that it's a cracker. The hills that wrap around the anchorage are taller than they look, as we discovered when we went ashore for a bit of a look-see. The next bay to the east, Egg and Bacon Bay, was getting a little bit of surge as it is exposed to the southern, and open end of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel. This bay however was totally shielded and has a lovely wide aspect up to Cygnet and across to the start of the Huon River. Plenty to love.

The hill behind had a small carpark in a clearing surrounded by plantings aimed at restoring the natural vegetation.

Low tide revealed our supper of oysters and mussels.

We think our access was probably superior to that of the locals on foot.

A dozen and a half whopping pacific rock oysters. When we shucked them, we could only eat  9 to begin with - they were so large.  

Bon Appetit !

Australia Day 2015

Before leaving Perth we purchased the flags of each of the States and Territories that we anticipated visiting. In effect the only flag missing is the ACT flag. No coast line, means we won't be sailing there. When we ordered the flags, the Bloke had been in discussion with the Map Shop about purchasing a small burgee size flag for each State. When they were unable to supply and suggested contacting the flag supplier directly, the 'burgee sized' flags were still front of mind. The quote seemed comparable to expectation so it was a colossal surprise when the package arrived containing flags the size of shower curtains! These flags therefore, are high impact.

We hatched a plan to get Zofia appropriately dressed for Australia Day and rose early to hoist our display. We had barely gone below for breakfast, well pleased with our work, before we heard somethings snap. The string of flags had separated leaving just 3 dangling from the Spinnaker halyard. Ooops.

Trailing and incomplete flag run.

Our AIS aerial on the top spreaders looked like it might be damaged unless we acted promptly. 2 hours of attempting to lasso the flags using the Topping Lift halyard ensued. Each time the Bloke succeeded in getting a bit of a wrap I had to pull on the Spinnaker halyard hoping to yank the flags down. Sadly the weight of the halyard inside the mast was greater than the weight of the flags so they were not going to drop to the deck on their own. Most of the time the ropes just slid through the wrap. There was A LOT of winching! A trip up in the mast in the riggers harness was one option but we normally use the Spinnaker halyard to do the hoisting, with the Topping Lift halyard as the safety line. Without a safety line this was a marginal option. This so easily could go from being annoying to becoming an accident and what we endearingly call a 'Cluster F*@k'!

 The culprit.

Our flags were supplied complete with the fittings to hoist them, except that this item was faulty on a couple of flags and the loop on the left was open/broken - poor manufacture/quality control. We'd not noticed and it was the Tassie flag that separated from its fittings, thus causing the mayhem. Once we'd got all the flags down and new fittings attached (we seem to have spares of almost anything) we hoisted our display again to good effect. This is not before the Bloke and I nearly had our own Australia Day fireworks before lunch!

All up and fluttering. Success!

That's a lot of 'shower curtains'!

Later, we went ashore with the crew of Casablanca, Margaret and Bob, for a BBQ lunch. The fire you see is not the BBQ, it's the camp fire we lit to keep warm. We are still waiting for summer. We had a lovely time with the smoke seeming to swirl wherever we tried to sit and we all returned to our boats smelling like hickory sticks - perfect!

Happy Australia Day!

Quarries Beach - Rocks and the Tidal Pools

Going ashore is always interesting and we decided to have our 5ers on the beach so we could inspect the interesting rocks. It was low tide so there actually was a thin beach to land on.

Lovely Rocks
 

 

Navel gazing

 5ers afloat - notice table with cheese!

 The Bloke embracing the idea while I explored.

 The tidal pool garden.

43 Degrees South has teeth!

There is no shortage of whitewater at 43S and it comes as quickly as it goes..... except for last week where it blew and gusted off and on for 5 days. Not a place for endless cocktails or inattention. On the plus side there are spectacular sights and energetic skies. As we crane our necks to view the sky we are always trying to guess if it's a trough or a cold front. In any instance, the water is going to get whisked up for a bit before becoming calm again just as quickly, when the 'system' just gives up - usually with the change of tide.

Quarantine Bay

 Strangely lit, slow dusk creeping across the headland.

Clouds racing on the seaward side of Bruny Island.

Glad to be this side!

The menacing skies gave way to a stupendous sunset.

With the last puffs it all petered out giving way to a clear night sky!

Evidence that it doesn't blow dogs off chains all day long.

Pam & David came to visit.

 Cimba found somewhere out of the wind too.

Bad weather offers a chance to make apricot jam.

A lady in Kettering had an apricot tree laden with fruit and invited us to help ourselves.

Alexanders Bay

24 hours later

 

No idea what these guys were up to but it mysteriously involved a step ladder

and entertained us for 1/2 an hour.

Sky not offering much love as yachts raft up on a mooring.

Friday night mayhem as yachts arrive in the Channel for the long week-end.

Flying just the proverbial frilly knickers.

Plenty of anchor dragging and re-positioning, but not us thankfully!

Going to 'The Quarries'

Northerlies promised a fine and warm day plus a downhill ride to The Quarries. Somewhere new and recommended but a fair way down 'The Channel'. It's open to the North East but nothing predicted from that quarter after our arrival.

 The first fine day and the Bruny Island visitors were out in force, pouring off the ferry.

 A great downhill ride for part of the trip.

Jib poled out.

We counted over 20 yachts running down The Channel.

They were going everywhere!

Plenty of lovely views.

Sheokee enjoying the push along.

And in an instant, the wind died away.

The red roof at Allonah is claimed to be the southernmost pub in Australia.

Boats anchored at The Quarries.

Sea Kayaks dotting the point.

It's he Australia Day long week-end. We wonder what people have planned?