Thursday, May 27, 2010

Stephen King



Sitting in the Inlet at Agusta watching the rain storms pass across I am enjoying "The Stand" by Steveen King. Not only scary, but tender and quaintly homely as well.
Eventhough the world is about to be destroyed by the flu virus from hell, the ineer stories of folk in various towns around the USA make for good tale telling.
It is unnerving to imagine them existing in real life. Maybe back in the '80's but hopefully things are more civilised in the back waters these days.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Cape to Cape




Well that was a major hurdle accomplished.
After the calm of Geographe Bay it was a little nervous rounding Cape Naturaliste to head down the surf coast. Stormy looking clouds actually only gave moderate offshore breezes and so other han keeping out from the surf breaks, rocks and points it was interesting sailing. This is unlike further north where sand dunes low lying coasts prevail. Rugged cliffs and boulders make some pretty scenery from Cape Naturaliste down.
With a hope to reach all the way to safety of Augusta I was timing it fairly close. About 60nm was the target.
That seemed weel in hand, but forced out wide around cape Hamelin rocks, the wind didn't favour the approach to Caspe leeuwin. The ending was close on the wind and tiring since i would ease off in the gusts on wave tops then haul inand bear away off the backs.
Fairly confident amongst swells (being a bodyboarder), it was still a bit sketchy when the chgart says incompoletely surveyed.
Anyhow after snapping a clew line and dropping sail I tacked around the reefs under the lighthouse while darkness fell.
hankfully some cray boats were moored nearby and the obvious safe anchoring place would be somewhere ovewr there.
A slightly sleepless night was thanks to the openness of Flinders Bay to the SE.
All was rosy come morning and some helpful directions of morning joggers to find riversand bar.

Monday, May 17, 2010

May days

This autumnal weather is so much more moderate compared to the summer.
Less confidence in making a longer sail. Imagine further North is still more summery pattern with seabreezes.
For example, today I was planning to go from Halls head to Bunbury (about 47nm). The morning dawned with maybe 8 kknots easterlies. The better option now is to sail the shorter sail back up to Pengo for some 10:30am high tide offshore swell conditions at the surf spot.
Perhaps if thing slook OK, for sailing on to Rottnest then I could get some golfing in and wait for this next low system to come in closer and squeeze the preesure gradient up a feew2 degrees.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

GooD Times

Well, Rockingham was OK. Mostly spent by Point Peron and then a day at Penguin Island.
Some good fun surfing (boog'in) on Pengo.
Sailed down to Mandurah in some cool NE'lies. Coming into the inlet was tricky: with a few knots of current but a dissapeared wind it got awkward. Some front rudder to help steer did the trick then it was far enough in to jump overboard and push .

Had call from Water Police back at the house message bank: dated back on Thursday the 13th of May. I think I was at Point Peron back then. Or maybe even in Mandurah inlet. Who knows what it was about? Has happened before when anchoring somewhere interesting, landlubbers get all excited and report suspiscious activities to the police!.

Not as strange as some things going on. How about the rudderless catamaran sailing of Peter Mirrow's video link on Proa file today. That is definitely wierd stuff. Would certainly reduce the effect of undercurrrent in a tide race.

The high high's this week interesting - more water over the low bits. Better reef breaks at Pengo. More tide flow in and out of places. It is not that far from June 22nd (solstice). Finally few chillier days down here. Still not a lot of rain yet.

Dooug

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

where are the seals?


Anchored for night here at Seal Island, but no seals on the beach today.Just came from penguin island - no penguins to be seen there either, but they are usually away at sea.
Lots of cormorants laying eggs in their nests. Pelicans and tons of seaguls.

Saw some a fair sized school of fish hanging about over the shallow reef. nice big looking sort. shoulld get a Rod and cast out since it was only a stones throw from shore.

bit of onshore southerly breeze the 'morrow. so, will head into point peron hook, or go around to the other side of Rockingham.
Still waiting on getting paid for boat jobs from months weeks ago, and seeing about computer jobs in the future.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Severing ties

Time to go.
It ain't easy organizing it all into one little boat.
Truthfully I should be working instead.
Anyone got any work?
bye for noww

Light winds, but the reliable sea breeze is still coming in the afternoon.
Sailing now as writing.
On estuary - signal OKAY.
Well established the helm is no good.
So back to full 1.8m long rudders. Adding the 0.3m back on that i cut off last week.
hopefully the fairness is not lost....much.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Repairs


Done jobs needed, so setting off again.
Glad to fix things now rather than later.\
Still not winter weather yet. Sunny. Mid 20's.