Cruise of the Ketch Julia

[J.Madison]

After scraping they get hit with acid and then coated with zinc paint. Thickened epoxy fills the void.



Finally we were ready for paint. We had trouble with the weather, dodging rain squalls for days on end. It meant that we didn't get the varnishing done that we had planned.





Its amazing what a bit of paint will do.





The scene at the boatyard looked like it would have a century earlier.

[J.Madison]

Keith, the owner of the boatyard, printed out some charts for us that he marked up with local knowledge to help us get through the shallow inland waters on our way to the Gold Coast.



We mentioned wanting to see some kangaroos, and much to our surprise he offered to take us to see some right then. We had no idea they were so common. We drove to the edge of the suburb, for our first look at some of that famous Australian bush.



Sure enough, there were a couple kangaroos scampering around, so that was fun for the tourists.



The next morning it was time to launch on the high tide.

[J.Madison]

It being so early we left immediately for the 25 NM leg to the Gold Coast. It is the kind of passage where watching the depth sounder is pointless because there is barely any water at any point, and the bow would probably stick in the mud before you could react to a dropping sounder anyway. But the route is well marked with beacons, sometimes requiring complicated zig-zags. Being careful not to skip a mark on the turns was some of the local advice we recieved.



The channel is narrow and the wind was right on the nose, so we motored pretty much the whole way.

I would say this is a proto-typical Australian house. Metal hip roof, wood siding, wrap around porch, a bit of frilly decoration where the columns meet the roof. Its a pleasant style.



After passing miles of mangroves and islands, the sky scrapers of the Gold Coast came into view.



We had been told (warned?) that this area was something like Las Vegas. But I think it is actually closer to southern California. Long sandy beaches with excellent surfing fronts a cityscape of generic white towers. In the protected bay, rows of McMansions line the artificially scalloped bayside, all the result of some major dredging to create a real estate gold rush.



The area has developed a serious jetski problem, in fact mass consumption of fuel for pleasure seemed to define the activities in the bay. It was the first time since the US that we were passed by huge inflated motor yachts doing 30 kts and pushing several thousand horsepower worth of wake into us. Jet boats full of tourists spun circles in the sheltered waters, and somehow a steady stream of helicoptors arrived and departed over the anchorage. It was truly chaotic.



It was peaceful at night, but at 9 am the jet ski classes (I seriously think they were classes) started back up. I hope I'm not being too hard on the Gold Coast, the beaches are really great and I'm sure there are other redeeming characteristics as well, but we didn't stick around long enough to find them.

[J.Madison]

As soon as the weather allowed we pointed toward the ocean again, passing the roller coasters of Sea World on our way.



This was our first time back in the open sea since we landed in Australia. We had been beat up so much on that last day before making landfall that we actually felt a bit gun-shy about heading back out there. We were planning an overnight sail south to the Clarence River.



After we crossed the bar we found ourselves in flat seas and a gentle breeze. We had one more Gold Coast "burn fuel like there's no tomorrow" experience, when we provided the scenic backdrop for a photoshoot of one of those inflated hams. Somebody should probably hand out some flyers or something, I'm not sure they realize the situation over there....



We didn't make great time, but that was okay as we had a favorable current and lots of time to hit the right tide at the Clarence bar.



Winds were calm into the night, slowly building.



As we neared the mouth of the river we got into the trawler fleet. With their big halogen lights and frequent changes of direction it was a job to get through the fleet unscathed. We could not see their nav lights due to the work lights, and we had the additional misfortune of having recently burned up our networking cable for the instruments. This meant we transmitted AIS, but we could not see any other boats. This particular failure was especially annoying as it was not a splice that I made that gave out, but rather the propietary plug between the network cable and backbone that decided to let out all its smoke before finally tripping the breaker.

Anyway we did make it through, after a bit of radio work and some puzzling negotiations. The wind decided to swap 180 degrees in the middle of this process and build up strongly as well. There is no such thing as a steady breeze on this coast, at least not since I've been here.

We approached land at first light, reefed pretty heavily.



This is a proper bar entrance, meaning you don't want to cross it on the wrong state of the tide or in heavy seas. It is very shallow for a long ways out in front of the bar and the breakers can get impressive.

[J.Madison]

We were a bit before high tide, and the current was rushing in strongly. Due to the wind shift, the swell had not yet built up so we went for it, getting sucked in through the gap. We breifly reached 9 kts which is very fast going when entering an unfamiliar and shallow channel.



We dropped the hook in the protected basin with just a meter of water under the keel at low tide, actually maybe a bit less. We were starting to get used to these very shallow depths....



Iluka, and it's sister town Yamba across the river, are sleepy fishing communities. What a contrast to the Gold Coast! There is one pub in Iluka, right at the top of the public dinghy dock. Its basically a dive, in a good way, and we had an evening there with the other cruisers who had found shelter in the river. The only action was the fishing fleet departing each evening and returning in the morning.



We walked through the forest. There were signs indicating koalas lived there, but we didn't see any. Unlike kangaroos, it seems koalas are hard to find.



There was another perfect beach, wind blown and stormy. We have actually found it difficult to get weather windows down the coast as there has just been a never ending series of lows spinning off the southern ocean and giving contrary and unstable winds. Locals have told us it is due to the La Nina conditions that are here for the 3rd year straight.

[J.Madison]

It was a good day to be in port.



Just by chance, our friends on the Dutch boat Lef were anchored near us. We first met them in Tahiti, and then again in both Fiji and New Caledonia. There was another boat we met in New Cal, and it turns out they live in this very small little town. So we all met up to watch Captain Ron and drink cocktails. It was a good time. The social scene when cruising has been really great. As you get older it is more and more rare to make new friends. But sailing is like freshman year in the dorms, I guess everybody is excited to be doing something big and looking to make friends. I can't imagine meeting somebody new on the street in seattle and five minutes later it is all arranged that we will be going to their place for dinner and if we meet anybody else on the way bring them too. But that happens all the time when cruising.

The weather window was right the next morning, so we headed out across the bar as the trawlers were making their way back in.





The bar was much rougher this time, the result of the weather the previous day I guess. We timed the currents okay, but there were massive breakers outside. They mostly congregated in two areas and we threaded a path between them, only catching steep swell but not the breaking tops. Full surfing pipelines were forming just to leeward, it would have been a bad time to lose the engine. I saw a huge bottlenose dolphin jump straight out of the face of a big tube wave just before it collapsed. Dolphins have fun.

There was a decent breeze in the right direction, so we turned south after clearing the rocks out from the river mouth.



With the favorable East Australian Current we made good time in the building breeze. Our next destination, Coff's Harbor, is just about the only all-weather entrance on the coast. Without a bar to negotiate we just needed to be in before dark. There are quite a few islands on this stretch of coastline, but they don't offer any shelter. I believe the diving here is very good when the weather is calm. This is the zone where the tropical waters meet the cooler nutrient-rich waters of the southern ocean and fish and corals from both ecosystems can be found together. Dolphins are everywhere.



We had a pretty boisterous sail through the afternoon. Reefed heavily and making good time.

[J.Madison]

Coff's Harbor is protected by the large mass of Muttonbird Island and impressive man-made breakwaters. They must have been desperate for a harbor in this area, as I don't think there would have been much of an anchorage before the breakwaters were built. Its a good harbor now though.





We anchored out for a few days, until the weather sent swell directly in the entrance and we nearly rolled the gunnels under all night. Then we moved to the inner basin and got a slip. Its a good thing we did, as the conditions have been absolutely snotty ever since.

Muttonbird island is a nesting ground for... uh... muttonbirds I guess? Whatever they are they nest in the ground, and the elevated walkway protects their burrows. (edit: Whitney informs me that Muttonbird island is home to the wedge-tailed shearwater.)




Some very kind locals let us borrow a car for a couple days. This worked out very well as it was Whitney's birthday, and she wanted to do some hiking. It is amazing how much your view of a place can change by just seeing some more of it. We drove through lovely farmland and bush before climing up a steep road through rainforest until we reached about 2500 ft elevation. We then emerged from the forest on a gently rolling grassy plateau. Small cattle farms dotted the landscape.

This is the view out toward the sea.




Is there anything that smells better than grasslands in late spring? The day was warm and it felt like summer. Farms in the lowlands have already baled the first cutting of hay. It is not the scent or feeling that I am used to as Christmas approaches, but it is certainly much nicer than the cold dark rain they are getting at home right now.

[J.Madison]

We headed to the Never Never Creek nature preserve to do some hiking in the rainforest.







It is a lovely area with waterfalls and old growth trees. One monster blackbutt tree had a sign stating that it was 1000 years old. Pretty cool.



The next day was raining again, more unstable weather, so we decided to do some more kangaroo hunting. We headed to a bluff north of town along the sea.

[J.Madison]

It doesn't get more Australian than this!





We are still in port, waiting for this nasty southerly weather to dissipate. There have been 5m waves out there periodically for a couple days. Race boats transiting south for the Sydney Hobart race have been limping in and taking the marina slips around us. They all seem a little bruised, one boat told us it was 30 hours into 35 kts to get here, and with the 2 kts of current against that wind I imagine the seas are nasty. Obviously the Sydney Hobart crowd can take it, but we are waiting for a nice gentle breeze, hopefully in the right direction.

We'd like to be in the Sydney or Pittwater area for Christmas, see the famous Sydney fireworks for New Year's Eve and then make our way to Tasmania after that. That's the plan anyway, much can change if needed.

[johngsandusky]

Thanks for the update and pictures. It's like reading one of the classic cruising books.

[AJZimm]

Thanks once again for bringing us along with you on your adventures.

Very glad to see you found a decent place to haul the boat and get the needed work done. Good to see that the boat require anything major.

Interesting to learn about harbours south of Brisbane, too.

We’ll all keep our fingers crossed that the weather turns in your favour soon.

[Bill Perkins]

Truely a great travelogue .Thank you for shareing. Your photos manage to convey the menace of certian seas ,which doesn't always come across in photos . The boat has taken good care of you .

[Hugh MacD]

Love seeing pics of Coffs Glad you made the stop there. Our daughter lives there and we've visited several times, but it's fun to hear other folks' observations. Glad you got into the inner harbor for that northerly...we've seen water breaking over ​that north jetty in a bit blow.

[WX]

Love seeing pics of Coffs Glad you made the stop there. Our daughter lives there and we've visited several times, but it's fun to hear other folks' observations. Glad you got into the inner harbor for that northerly...we've seen water breaking over ​that north jetty in a bit blow.

The inner harbour got hammered in 2016 by a big storm .
https://www.nbnnews.com.au/2016/06/0...shed-by-storm/

[Liberty53]

Epic trip, Awesome Brisbane pools, not awesome Jet Ski fleet.

Nice work Captain!

[StevenBauer]

Thanks for the update and pictures. It's like reading one of the classic cruising books.

Yes. Happy New Year and thanks again for bringing us along.

[NeilMB]

Joining the chorus, I have much gratitude this year for your generosity in sharing the stories and pictures of your travels here on WBF. We know there’s no monetization like on a YouTube video, so hopefully you can be content with effusive thanks for each chapter of your story. Thank you!

-Neil

[Larks]

We had been told (warned?) that this area was something like Las Vegas. But I think it is actually closer to southern California. Long sandy beaches with excellent surfing fronts a cityscape of generic white towers. In the protected bay, rows of McMansions line the artificially scalloped bayside, all the result of some major dredging to create a real estate gold rush.



The area has developed a serious jetski problem, in fact mass consumption of fuel for pleasure seemed to define the activities in the bay. It was the first time since the US that we were passed by huge inflated motor yachts doing 30 kts and pushing several thousand horsepower worth of wake into us. Jet boats full of tourists spun circles in the sheltered waters, and somehow a steady stream of helicoptors arrived and departed over the anchorage. It was truly chaotic.



It was peaceful at night, but at 9 am the jet ski classes (I seriously think they were classes) started back up. I hope I'm not being too hard on the Gold Coast, the beaches are really great and I'm sure there are other redeeming characteristics as well, but we didn't stick around long enough to find them.

Actually you’ve pretty well nailed the Gold Coast - you’re not being too hard at all, there’s a lot happening here (good and bad) and the marine industry is predominantly power boat related: too many jet ski’s and too many arrogant self inflated big power boat owners who don’t care tuppence about anyone else on or alongside the waterways.....

I’m really sorry that I’d lost track of your journey during a very busy few months lead up to Christmas, I live in the hinterland behind the Gold Coast and would have loved to have come and taken you for a bit of a look around. The Gold Coast hinterland is really a lovely area with lots to see and, to be honest, we never go into the heart of the Gold Coast - if we can help it - but it sounds like you are getting a good chance to see some wonderful countryside anyway.

Stay safe and enjoy your trip down the coast, I look forward to seeing your next instalment.

[Robbie 2]

Thanks for sharing.

[Hwyl]

Wonderful.

[Hallam]

Some of the small flotilla from the Wooden Boatshop headed out through the Port Phillip heads at slack tide, around 1.30 this morning heading for Deal Is.

[J.Madison]

We're in the Furneaux group in the Bass Straight, 40 deg S, on our way to Hobart for the festival.. We've had many adventures, but I haven't gotten photos uploaded in a while.

These are beautiful rugged islands, and we are virtually alone here. It has been great to be in cool clear waters again, with the first whales and seals we have seen since Mexico.

[AJZimm]

Been watching your track and imagining those islands.

It doesn't look as if there are any all-weather anchorages but it does look as if there are places to move to if adverse winds blow into any one anchorage where you are.

[J.Madison]

Yes and the wind switches direction constantly! We have been switching anchorages frequently, once in the middle of the night when we found ourselves suddenly on a lee shore dragging on a smooth granite bottom.

[Geftb]

Here is a list of M.A.S.T. public mornings in Tasmania.
https://mast.tas.gov.au/facilities/?...oorings#filter

[AJZimm]

Yes and the wind switches direction constantly! We have been switching anchorages frequently, once in the middle of the night when we found ourselves suddenly on a lee shore dragging on a smooth granite bottom.

Yikes!

[Hallam]

Julia poised for a crossing of Banks Straight. Best to avoid wind against tide for that one. There is a big low that will be located south of Tasmania by Thursday bringing stronger westerlies to Bass Strait and Flinders Island and down through the east coast of Tas. A mate of mine will arrive at Lady Barron tonight and depart tomorrow to cross Banks Strait for Wineglass Bay about halfway down the Tasmanian east coast. Light easterlies at the moment.

[Hallam]

Yes and the wind switches direction constantly! We have been switching anchorages frequently, once in the middle of the night when we found ourselves suddenly on a lee shore dragging on a smooth granite bottom.

Where you in Kangaroo Bay on the north of Clarke Is? We were there in 2019 on our way to Hobart and dragged anchor in a strong Westerly. We deployed a 2nd anchor.

[J.Madison]

Where you in Kangaroo Bay on the north of Clarke Is? We were there in 2019 on our way to Hobart and dragged anchor in a strong Westerly. We deployed a 2nd anchor.

Well we ended up dragging several times before we cleared the Furneaux group, but not there. It seems that a thin layer of sand on smooth granite or unpenetrable weed covers much of the bottom. I'll get to those stories in a bit.

Spoiler: we are now in Hobart, anchored out near the boat festival watching all the pretty boats sail into the harbor. We didn't get a spot in the festival, so every time a boat sails by we feel a little jealous. We are very excited to be here, this has been our goal for many months now. Having only seen Hobart one evening after dark, it looks like a charming little city. It feels like we took a wrong turn and sailed into an English port, just the tin roofs give it away as still being Australia.

Back to the story.

Some PNW friends on the cruising boat Pazzo saw our AIS nearing Coff's Harbor and went to the headland to get some photos of us entering. It is so rare to see pictures of the boat under sail, especially in a real breeze, so having these is a real treat.





The little scrap of headsail is not for power, but just to keep the head down. Even with the main reefed we get pretty good weather helm on a high broad reach like this.



Finally about to make it to sheltered waters....



It took 10 days or so until the wind finally blew itself out and a window opened up to head south.

[J.Madison]

We set off for an overnight leg to Broughton Island.



The sea life was in fine form.










This is our perch for many offshore watches, sitting under the protection of the dodger while the windvane steers. It isn't particularly comfortable, and our future dream boat is going to have a properly comfortable chair for the job.

[Yeadon]

Such an impressive journey.

[J.Madison]

We had good sailing into the night.



The next morning the breeze finally died as we approached the island.



This was our chosen location to celebrate Christmas. These are beautiful desert islands, surrounded by crisp clear water. The weather was perfect as well.





We attempted to do some hiking, but we didn't find a trail and bush-wacking through the spiky plants was hard work. We were also nervous that there were poison snakes around, not knowing for sure.



Our Christmas was a quiet one, we baked a miniature ham that was meant for sandwhich meat but it made a lovely feast for us when glazed with a honey orange glaze. There was a single guy on another boat anchored in the bay, so we had him over to share some christmas cookies.

[J.Madison]

The next morning we set sail again, working south.





The wind built as the afternoon wore on.



By the time we reached the Newcastle bar, the seas were up and rolling directly into the outgoing current. The standing waves were impressive, but we judged it safe enough to enter. Not that we had much choice other than sail overnight in the building conditions to the next all-weather harbor.





Newcastle itself looked like a pleasant town, but there isn't much for a public anchorage near the city so we don't know for sure.

[J.Madison]

There is an anchorage, and some public moorings, but they are a few miles up river in an industrial area with no real shore access. That was okay though, as this was just a stop to sleep so we could make the distance to Pittwater in two day sails rather than overnight. The single night voyages really take it out of you, as there is no time to adjust to the schedule. We grabbed a free mooring. The current in the river was strong, it was easy to see why the bar had shaken us around so much.





The good thing about mooring in current, is the boat is rock solid all night. We slept well.

The next morning things were much calmer, and we were up early to leave at slack water.







Back at sea, it was another lovely day for making miles.

[J.Madison]

We entered the protected collection of bays and fjords at Pittwater, heading in on a fine breeze. Something about the way the hills looked with their scrub and rocks over the blue sea gave me strong deja vu for sailing the ionian islands in Greece.



We made our way to an undeveloped spot, Americas Bay. This bay is wilderness, except for the literally hundreds of club moorings that litter it. This being the time between Christmas and New Years, it was peak summer holiday time in Austalia. Many, many boats were in the bay and sailing throughout the area, but with several dozen club moorings still free we didn't feel too bad pirating one of them.



We read that there was a waterfall hike, so we beached the dinghy and tried to find it. We couldn't even find a trail but we climbed the hill in the right direction.



We found the waterfall, and it had beautiful views over the bay.