Sydney Harbour: Chinaman's Bay anchorage

Looking South to the anchorage

We've been anchoring around the Sydney harbour area for some months now and there are some great anchorages to enjoy.  The harbour is so varied and each anchorage is slightly different, from middle of the city to peaceful and silent waterways surrounded by forests.

  

We most recently spent some time relaxing in Chinamans bay which is in the north harbour area on the south side of the channel just less than a mile before spit harbour bridge and marina.  

It is a popular beach for anchoring and swimming at the weekends and safety markers keep boats from close to shore.  There are four small fixed moorings and anchoring around them in several meters or to the south and the area we anchored was 7 meters or so.  Holding is good on sand and there is some limited weed to be aware of that a good anchor will have no problem with.   We use a 60lb Manson Plough anchor http://manson-marine.co.nz/SitePages/galvplough.htm  and it has not let us down in some heavy and varied conditions. 

from the north of the beach area. The harbour entrance in the distance

The beach is sheltered well in the south based winds and gets uncomfortable if the ocean swell comes in from the east and makes it to the middle harbour area.  There are plenty of other good places if that is the case – over to the east by Castle Rock Beach anchorage is well sheltered, popular and very shallow inshore. 

Onshore and just behind the beach front is Rosherville reserve which a pleasant park area to get some time in the trees and green and there are numerous recycling bins for talking rubbish ashore and well maintained toilets and beach showers.  The walk up to the main shopping areas from here is not one for the faint-hearted, we tried it, and we prefer to take the easy option and jump on the bus from Spit Bridge up to the Warringah Mall.

We were happy to have a great sunny autumn day on anchor doing some deck work, yet again, and watching the Sunday afternoon optimist racing around us.  Amazingly they all managed to miss us even though many were clearly just learning and seven or eight years old.

We anchored on the blue spot on the google image.  Just to the north of this anchorage are three pink public moorings that we also use on occasion and they are for 24 hour stays and rated up to 20 tons.  Whatever that rating means they are well maintained and an alternative to the local anchorages

We are moving up to Pittwater in the next day or two for several weeks to enjoy some more of the NSW coast and anchorages.  

 

Using a Parachute sail - our initial trials in Platypus Bay

Setting off from the anchorage the wind was light and right behind us, the sun was setting gloriously in front of us - what better time to trial the new parachute sail?!  We obtained an ex-army issue parachute from the US and set it up by dividing the lines equally and tying them off onto two steel rings.

It was raised by one ring on the spinnaker line towards the top of the mast. The lower end Neil attached to a line and ran it through a shackle on the bowsprit and back to the cockpit. The results were fantastic! Without a breeze to mention we were being gently pulled along at just under 3 knots. The type of breeze from behind and changing direction that would require lots of work using a spinnaker or any other poled sail was a relaxing event with the parachute. We both lay on the foredeck with our arms folded behind our heads, looking up as the parachute changed direction with the wind as required - it looks so peaceful.

The current setup which requires some tweaking causes it to manoeuvre with a jelly fish like motion, meaning the vertical sides accordion in and out because the lines attached in equal lengths are relatively shorter here than on the top and bottom sections of the chute.

We will adjust as we go to see the best set-up, for now we deem this trial a success.

Sailing North - Scarborough to Double Island Point

Wednesday July 27th.
Refuelled with 300L, restocked with fresh vegetables and raring to go. Headed off into the bay ready for high tide, around Deception Point and off for a great sail into the sunset. Not much wind and direction was right behind us making for a roly-poly passage but with good average speed still over 5 knots. Lots of ships in the shipping channel to keep us alert and the coastline was lit up like a stadium at various points along the way even though we stayed a few miles off, wonder what they were? Out of the channel and further north sea traffic quickly disappeared and we settled into our watch pattern.
Thursday 28th July 2011
The wind picked up gradually as dawn approached so we rounded Double Island Point lighthouse around 07:30 and turned into a very fresh offshore breeze around 20kts. Edged as close to shore in the anchorage as draft allowed and dropped the hook for the day in 3m waiting for the high tide to cross the bar into the Tin Can Bay area.
Sea temperature has risen to 18C, but blowing a hooly. Prop can wait.

Bye-bye Brisbane: shakedown sail to Scarborough anchorage

It was a slightly delayed start as some dirty fuel got sucked through the engine. Neil was on it straight away and with a replacement filter installed and a switch to the second tank we were off, albeit in a very large cloud of white smoke. We had a lovely send off from the pontoon thanks to Dave, Rose and Gail. See you all again soon! It felt sooooooo great to be out of the marina and on the water again. She looks so beautiful with all her sails up and filled with wind and Neil has that content cat that got the cream look about him that I hope will become permanent.

We set off from Manly yesterday after lunch and headed to Scarborough in Deception bay for the night. Gorgeous sunny winters day around 21C and perfect light winds for a shakedown sail, plus for a total bonus we had our first pod of dolphins yippee!

All the rather randomly stowed provisions have had a rattle around and we will no doubt be relocating a few items over the journey. The onions and spuds id long forgotten were there were first up as the bottom of the pantry soon gets toasty warm when the engine is on - the whole boat started to smell like stewed onion... not good, unless I'm making onion soup!

We will refuel here at Scarborough and head overnight up to the Wide Bay bar ready to pass through on the high tide midday Wednesday and from there the sheltered straights of Fraser Island.

Location:Bird O'Passage Parade,Scarborough,Australia

From Keppel island to Fraser

Back from Thailand diving on the Similan islands. 

I managed to book myself (well Heather did) to the wrong airport on the way back.  I had ended up in Gladstone instead of Rockhampton and so had the afternoon waiting for the train up to Yeppoon.  Looking at the weather there was no rush anyway as we are unlikely to be heading south until the Monday, the weather is in the wrong direction.

The weekend was spent relaxing and doing a few jogs to get ready for the second part of the trip to Brisbane.  The first leg is a long one of 180 nmiles down to Fraser Island.  We then will have some short days travelling in channel to the mainland, this is about fifty miles, and then a 100 nmile trip down to Brisbane for the following weekend.

Percy to Keppel overnight

We left Percy anchorage late yesterday at 4pm. The weather had not changed and we could not get ashore at all. We had planned leaving for earlier and were delayed as the anchor chain got caught on a bommie. The tide had been catching us and I suspect had turned us in a circle overnight. We tried circling to release her, tightening up and running over the position and all to no avail. We had just about resigned to waiting the night and diving down when the weather had settled in the morning when I inched her up and she began to give bit by bit and freed off. Three hours of effort and seceded off under sail.

The night passage was overcast with some breaks of moon, strong NW winds pushed us down with maybe over 2m of swell behind us and so we averaged over seven knots reefed down. It reminded me of the English channel trips we have taken and as dawn appeared the day brightened to sunshine and warm winds now on the starboard beam. A great dry day for sailing on our way to Keppel Island for anchorage.

Last night was the first night at sea with Tiki. I reefed her down before dark and she sailed well with the wind about 30deg off the stern. She feels safe and stable, what we would expect really from a solid long keeled blue water cruiser. The swell behind us was taken in her stride and never felt uncomfortable unless we steered her off at the wrong angle. We are hand steering as we have no autopilot and this is good for me as I am learning more about how she handles as a result. I love sailing into the dawn, whatever the weather, it is the most inspiring part of the day.

I plan to sail into many more daybreaks.

Heading to Percy Island Group

Wind moved to the north east as forecast early morning and Tiki lay quietly in the anchorage.
Left at 0530 and now on route, fair wind behind us and tracking 115 towards Percy with 15 knots. Weather dry and Tiki is having a chance to dry off after yesterday.

We have lost a tank of diesel into the bilge, 150L about as it is empty. We were on a hard tack two days ago and so there may be a leak in the top of the Starbord tank. Port side is good and engine seems to be getting more predictable and manageable. Still is really hard to turn over in the morning. Working on this bit next so will read later this afternoon.

Tiki is balanced really well which is good as the steering is still slack and drifting despite having bled her three times, maybe the pistons need new seals. Another job.

We are on course for Percy at dusk. Wind still to north east so gybing down to the island to keep up speed.  Caught first blue water fish today. One hour ago, a tuna, about a foot long and it's now in the fridge ready for eating. Not sure if it is too small to take having just thought about it. Will go and check the guide. (there is no minimum size for tuna species - H)

Kate lives on Percy and Dave knows her well as he spent a month on the island working. Looking forward to meeting them as have read much in the papers.

Sailing south - sail performance update

Position:

Running along in great weather, wind from north west so just behind the port quarter. Cloudy and warm. Can just make a track with all sails up. Have not tried running with sails goose winged yet. Must buy a parachute soon.

Scawfell Island Sanctuary anchorage - more Tiki-leaks

We arose at 0530 to up anchor from what was a calm and relaxing nights anchorage at Goldsmith Island. The engine ran for a while and then engine stopped. There was no fuel and we sailed south as I finally figured out that the starbord fuel tank was empty. What happened to the 150L that has disappeared? It would transpire that it has leaked from somewhere and emptied to the bilge. I changed tanks, bled the system and off the engine went.

We planned to go direct to Percy overnight if all went well. Weather fair, overcast and wind moving around to the east for the journey. Contra to every forecast there was monsoon rain for about five hours from 10am until 4pm. Also no wind. We motored down and then decided we did not fancy doing this all night and so detoured to an anchorage.

We anchored at Scawfell Island in Sanctuary Bay and to little wind, flat sea along with two other boats. Tiki is drenched outside and little better inside, we found some more horrendous leaks over the galley. The biggest problem was the main hatch that was leaking and then when you open it to go below huge amounts of water pour in off the boom. There was no way to stop it so the main cabin is soaked, maps got drenched, seats damp.

Glad to be anchored up and trying to dry out. Even here we had the great experience of enjoying another motor boats' loud rock music (they were 200m away at least) and then the joy of them helping us see in our cabin all night with their special spotlight ranging around the bay and into the yacht portholes for no apparent reason. Beyond that a very special anchorage to return to.

Dramas Sailing to Goldsmith Island

What a day! Setting off this morning at 0545 was simple, a calm quiet and warm morning for us to slip the lines and start heading south. The sails were soon up and and pushing us along in the WSW breeze. Despite having checked and rechecked the rigging,lines and sails several times it was a relief nothing broke or fell down during the morning. We headed along to clear water and tacked around to travel south along long island, just making a bearing close to the wind as we could go.

Dramas unfolded on the starboard tac as the bilge line was not taken high enough above the water line and so began syphoning water in, then i found the fresh water tank breather pipe had been cut off short somewhere in her past life and drained to the bilge on a tac. Good for easing the tepid bilge smells at least. No worries these are easily fixed and I set to it with plenty of spares and materials on board. Of course the wind died and so we began to motor a while which made my repairs much easier until the engine died as well as an attempt to keep me on my toes.

For the first day at sea this was getting interesting so it was moving swiftly onto diesel repairs after a session of pipe fixing. We were drifting over some sandbanks, at low tide, that theoretically gave us less than 1m of water under the keel. Well, the tide would come in if we bump them.
I suspected the diesel system needed a good clean through so I started at the tank to check fuel input, then the electric pump, then checking each seal and changing the primary filter, testing for good fuel, to the mechanical pump and check again, then the second filter change and then to the injectors. She had not been used for a while and this set up the engine to work again so I put it down to the filthy fuel filters from tanks that had just been wired brushed free of years of sediment and rust build up.
At last we settled down and got on with sailing south again as the wind picked up.

Our first evening we anchored at goldsmith island. Arriving at about 1730 we used the guide to place ourselves in a good position. Unfortunately we got too close in and ended up in 2m of water. Tracking around it was obvious the bay shelved steeply in places down to 16m in a long channel just off the beach and not noted in the guide. We moved out beyond this channel and anchored in about 6m. We had 15kn of wind and yacht was sitting good in the bay. I will make a sketch of the bay from my soundings and add them to the guide for future. We are the only yacht here and the island is uninhabited. The difference between this coast and Brittany or UK is stark as we sit in the cockpit. There is no one to go ashore for!

Dave loves creating food from our fridge full of pasta, meats and wine so we soon settle down for a relaxing evening with a glass of wine and then a session of bleeding the steering hydraulics out to clear the air that is in them. It is making steering harder work than it needs to be and I have a feeling we will need a complete service to eliminate this.

Plan to leave at 0530 in the morning as light gets up and I go to sleep with the anchor alarm set on the iPad. Life's good.

Whitsundays sailing - departing Airlie Beach

We are underway and great sailing. Engine broke down once already, now fixed by inboard mechanic at 1300.
Left Airlie at 0545 in light wind, dry and SSE winds 10-15 knots, dry and sunny.
Wind gone to SEE and 15knots. Great sailing at 1530, planning to anchor on Goldsmith Island at 1745 ish.
Short first day, sailing really well at 4.5 knots beating to wind and very comfy on deck and inside cabin.
Steering is difficult and system needs bleeding again. Engine problem was fuel filter and mucky fuel. Will keep an eye on and poss filter tanks overnight to clean remaining crap out of them.
More updates later.

Sent from my iPad

Finally ready to get sailing

After what has been a huge amount of effort over the last month the boat is finally in a decent enough condition to get ready to depart for Brisbane. Over the last week in the Marina the engine has moved to a state where it can be sea trialled. This afternoon we went out in the bay and ran the engine for an hour to make sure it works okay. All seems well and Brett left with advice for further work and maintenance over the coming weeks. It will take some more attention on my part to make sure the Perkins becomes reliable after a long period of neglect.

We are back at the Marina for the evening and planning to leave at first light in the morning. This is the culmination of a lot of sweat and effort. I have lost at least 8kg in the last month, that was definitely needed, we have reinvested at least 12k in Tiki, that was also needed and I have learnt huge amounts about yachts which was also needed. Next step is to start the 600nm journey to Brisbane and find out how she handles at sea.