A Single Night in Kiama

Saturday, May 9, 2015

A Single Night in Kiama

Sydney Based friends, Martin and Carolyn were going down to Kiama for the week-end so we included Kiama on our itinerary too, we would after all be sailing past. The cruising guide had indicated it as a marginal anchorage. Small, tight and prone to surge. But heck, we'd give it a shot.

The arrangements at Kiama were a novel experience for us. We were put in touch with Trevor, the de facto Harbour Master * who explained about the recently installed visitors mooring and sea wall ladder. How lucky, we were the first to benefit. Trevor kindly offered to help out with lines ashore etc too. There are 2 mooring buoys parallel with the sea wall. On entering the Harbour The Bloke had to turn the boat around (there is just enough room) and motor up to the mooring buoy closest to the harbour entry. Once the bow was held The Bloke had to reverse back and collect the one that would be attached to the stern. The buoys are secured to the middle of the Harbour so they actually hold the boat away from the wall. Trevor helped with the bow and stern leads plus the one at mid-ships so we could pull ourselves into the sea wall and climb up the ladder.

Although we only needed to shorten the ropes by 1/2 a metre, just pulling up the mooring buoys on their substantial ropes, covered everything they touched with weed and slime. A very messy business. While the bloke cleaned up, I took the opportunity to go into town to the supermarket with Martin and Carolyn . The take-it-while-it's-going principle in action again. Gosh I was looking forward to taking a closer look at this cute town the next day. Classic civic buildings like the Post Office, Police Station and Law Courts were attention getters.

Our delivery of wine to Sydney in anticipation of our imminent arrival had Martin concerned that our supplies might be depleted so he had arrived wharf-side with 2 of our cases on a 'just-in-case' basis. Bless him. Getting the consignment on board was a bit exciting as we juggled the heavy boxes while trying to guess when the boat would swing in toward the sea wall to enable the hand pass. Luckily we achieved this while the tide was fairly high thus minimising the gap and possibility of spillage.

Seeing as it was Friday, the Bloke got his wish for Friday night Fish and Chips. It was no trouble. We only needed to scale the ladder and we were there. The Flake had been swimming around only a couple of hours before so it was scrumptious. Feeling sated and quite sedated from the bubbles we'd shared earlier with Carolyn and Martin it was 'lights out' on board pretty early. It's already pitch black at 5:15pm anyway.

Alas we should have removed the bow and stern ropes. The yanking of the shore lines greatly exacerbated the already unpleasant surge ride. We wondered if we were riding a bronco bull. If the actual mooring lines on the buoys are shortened enough, you'll never hit the wall anyway. We woke at 4am and were praying for dawn to arrive. With 30 knot winds forecast in a day or two we couldn't even begin to contemplate being trapped here.

We made a strategic retreat although we were extremely sad not to have to chance to explore, what is clearly a charming town. We think we'll come back by train.