The shipping news

The night sector of Leg 4 - Quindalup to Albany was far from being a sleepy part of the passage. Easy Tiger and Urchin, despite having lagged behind us a bit for the run down the Capes, remained in close proximity once we rounded Leeuwin. Satisfied that we'd made good time and would meet our objective of rounding the Capes in daylight, it was OK to slow down and slip round more or less as a group. We stayed within visual contact of one another for the remainder of the journey which proved helpful when Urchin noticed that Easy Tiger's anchor was in the water (whoops), and supportive when Easy Tiger noticed that we had come to a halt with the Bloke up on deck fiddling about with the in-mast furling or when Easy Tiger announced problems with their Port engine. Had we been actually sailing more than motoring the disparate wind angle requirements between ourselves as a mono hull and the catamarans would have ensured a greater separation, like when we traveled with Urchin to Shark Bay. We would leave together; arrive together but not see one another in between. The downside to our proximity was that Urchin kept triggering an AIS collision alarm that we seemed not to be able to permanently disable. Endless beeping and acknowledging on the console was doing our head in so we switched off the audible alarm. Note to self: Find out how to halt/modify audible AIS alarm settings for selected targets only.
Easy Tiger haven't yet commissioned their AIS as they are still waiting for a MMSI number from AMSRA. Leanne only just completed her Marine Radio Operators course which qualifies her for this identification number, on the eve of departure from Bunbury. Obtaining the number, although requested with "urgent" written on it and "about to sail around Leeuwin" failed to trigger any speedier release (it is only a government department after all) so ET would need to rely on their Radar and information from us, Urchin and their Ship Finder app if internet coverage was available. As it was, Urchin's AIS malfunctioned after we turned east to the extent that they were emitting a signal but only receiving one from us and no other vessels. Additionally we had determined during our Capes stretch that there was a lot of inconsistencies in VHF transmissions between the boats. We'd selected Channel 77 but we often could not hear Urchin, nor they us and Easy Tiger would need to relay. Sometimes the combination of who could hear whom changed. Mostly we could hear everyone but they couldn't hear us. This was sometimes happening when we could actually see the other boats. Weird. And so it was that we tucked in together to ensure Zofia could share the shipping news -AIS targets - as we entered the shipping highway around this part of the coast. As if this junction between two oceans is not complicated enough!
With the audible alarm off the Bloke nearly missed noticing the freighter that was approaching from the stern (behind) of our group. A trap for young players. Note to self: Remember you can be run down from behind or in front. Oops. Luckily, Urchin's AIS was still working at that time and the heads up came from them. The Bloke was quickly on the radio Channel 16 to the Glorious Peony en route to Albany with a boat speed of 14knots to our puny 6. "Glorious Peony, Glorious Peony, Glorious Peony this is the yacht Zofia, yacht Zofia do you copy? Over". Silence. Message repeated but more anxiously this time. We are on the clock. Radio comes alive. "This Grorious Peony, Grorious Peony. What you? ". "Glorious Peony, we are a sailing vessel and we will pass you to port" . "This Grorious Peony you want us go port?". "This Grorious Peony, what course you want we go?". Doh! flash backs of Shark Bay trip again. Clock ticking, distance closing. "Glorious Peony, this is the yacht Zofia. Negative. Please hold course and heading, WE will alter course to allow YOU to pass to port." Hoping that the little oriental radio operator understood clearly, the Bloke quickly suggested Urchin and Easy Tiger adjust their course immediately to avert any risk of being run down. Phew! Later, when we passed the Albany harbour wharf on the way into the Princess Royal Sailing Club we saw the Glorious Peony in all its glory at the close proximity we had earlier averted.
The night passage settled for a while. Radio contact was then kept to a minimum except for the 3 hourly scheds to allow for sleeping crew .
The Bloke was now spooked by having nearly missed the Glorious Peony's sneak-up from behind. He also felt a responsibility to the other boats who were 'flying blind' as it were, to provide the shipping information. Urchin's AIS showed only one vessel - no help , it was us. There was one vessel that was particularly catching the Bloke's attention. Is was still 4 hours away (44nm x 11knots) but it was well north and inshore of the other 2 lanes of shipping. One eastbound the other westbound. What the hell was it doing there all on its own? It was westbound and for all the world using the Cow and Calf rocks some 12 Nm offshore, as way points. We had already pinched ourselves inshore having realized that the 60m contour seemed to be the favoured track for all the shipping. Oddly the Bloke had selected the same for our potential course. Those way points were abandoned pretty quickly. Note to self: When selecting way points near shipping channels, check AIS or Ship Finder in case there is a match.
The raymarine nav console was stabbed by a lot of fast and furious finger pushes to change map magnification, zoom in, zoom out, assess routes, potential course intersections etc... What to do? Normally you pass to port. That would push us out into the shipping lane proper. not a favourable option. What to do to stay safe?
The Bloke hatched the following plan. If we steered towards land our course would intersect the container ship's. They'd probably get some sort of alarm from that (and if continued would have us running ashore near Broken Inlet). He hoped to attract the navigator's attention and encourage them to reconsider their heading. The Bloke radioed his kittens. The girls were on watch. "In 30 minutes alter your heading to 90", he instructed. Nearest time of contact was still 2 hours. Watchful waiting followed and the Bloke wasn't handing over the watch to me for now. Radio conversation spluttered as each crew looked at their own Nav consoles.... what about Cow and Calf rocks? Are we planning to past them to port or starb'd. "We'll pass them to port". Shortly, the Bloke on checking the AIS for the umpteenth time was able to confirm that the rogue freighter had altered from 280 to 277 meaning that we would not intersect courses, our signal had worked and once it had passed we could return to our earlier plot.
I was all eyes when the the Cow and Calf rocks emerged in the gloom to port. The sky was totally clouded over at a low level but slightly back-lit by an almost full moon. We slid by on a glassy ocean. From what I could see in the dim light these two rock, one larger than the other, look very smooth and rounded like two dumplings or bovine backs. A few more calls were made to Urchin to come across to us and Easy Tiger, who by this time,were almost hugging our stern. Urchin was still hanging out fairly wide when what looked like a floating block of flats chugged past barely 1nm from Urchin's position.
Satisfied that there was unlikely to be further 'excitement', the Bloke took his break knowing that there would be no more shipping news for me to worry about during my watch....so sweet!