Pam rudely awoken by a fishing competition

I was sound asleep in my bunk when I suddenly woke to Little Dragon rocking violently and a roar of engines alarmingly close. It was 5 am and pitch dark. I got up to inspect what the hell was going on. A fishing boat with a 140 hp engine had pulled up alongside me. The rocking subsided and I was just going back to bed when another fishing boat roared in pulled up not far away. Little Dragon rocked even more violently and I feared that the anchor might not hold. I popped my head out again and this time asked what the hell was going on. "Fishing competition" I'm told, it seemed to be an all male affair. Not wanting to deal with my anchor in a nightdress I got dressed. More and more boats arrived, each at full throttle. They came from Yamba, Iluka, Grafton, Maclean - from up and down the Big River. I had the misfortune to be moored right on the starting line. Just before 6 am around 20 boats cast off and drifted silently backwards into the misty dawn. 6 am the hooter went. All 20 boats opened their throttles and charged off in search of their favourite fishing spots - 17 upriver and 3 downriver. Two minutes later they are gone. Calm returned and I made a cup of tea to settle my nerves and watch a glorious sunrise. My anchor held.

9 am and another new crew arrived, Noela Yates and Gertrude Kurtz. As on the day before it was a dead calm so we set up on the club's front deck to brew a cuppa. Quite suddenly, just as we were beginning to wonder if we were going to get any sailing, a breeze came up. In fact within half an hour or so there was quite a stiff breeze.

The first photo is of Noela taken just before we head off for our regular ocean swim at Byron Bay. The second photo is of Gertrude taken a couple of years ago of her rowing across a lake in Austria.

This was the first time that I had sailed Little Dragon in more that a gentle breeze and it started off as exhilarating. It turned out that Noela had sailed before and was a capable crew. Gertrude did not have much prior experience but was thoroughly enjoying herself. I cannot sail Little Dragon single handed so it is very much in my best interests to make sure that my crew enjoy themselves so that they want to come again. It seems to be working so far. One of my strategies is to make sure that we all take turns sailing the boat. We sailed most of the way to Iluka but the wind was getting stronger and stronger. I began to get anxious. So far we could handle Little Dragon but what if the wind continued to get up? I had never put a reef in - it was one of the things on my long "to do" list. I decided it was time to turn and head for home.

We put in for lunch at the sailing club and met up with two members both with Hartley 16s. They challenged us to an informal race to some green can on the way to Iluka (I figured that they would be ahead and they would show me the way). Noela and I had put in a reef over lunch but they said it was unnecessary and suggested we shake it out. I got the feeling that they felt that reefing was akin to "real men don't eat quiche". As a child I was taught that it showed good seamanship to reef early (I suppose I should find an alternative to "seamanship"). Rather reluctantly I shook out the reef and off we all headed towards Iluka. They took the lead immediately and for a while it was fun following but the wind blew up further and we had some minor equipment problems. We abandoned the informal race and returned to the more protected waters upriver from the sailing club.

It was time to winch Little Dragon out of the water onto her trailer, but before I could do that I had to get the trailer backed down the narrow ramp. I made a complete hash of it watched by a crowd of fishing enthusiasts. One of them, a truck driver, offered to do it for me but I was determined to do it myself. Finally with the help of a woman giving clear advice on "left hand down" etc I did it. We got her out of the water and packed up.

Then Noela noticed that the spring loaded arms that help guide Little Dragon onto the trailer were digging into the bottom of the boat. Time to consult the sailing club members' brains trust. They were having a post sail beer but readily agreed to head over to have a look. Next move is a whack from a hefty hammer but that doesn't work. Much discussion ensues and the consensus is "that you have got a problem!" I agree.

PS The trailer workshop in Billynudgel has shown done an excellent modification and the spring loaded arms are no longer denting Little Dragon's bottom.

Little Dragon pursued by a pirate boat

Saturday and a new crew - Theresa, Martin, Max and Lewis Bail. They reported for duty promptly at 9 am to a dead calm - not a ripple on the water. We made the best of it in our own ways, Lewis jumped into the kayak and the adults brewed a strong coffee.

As soon as a light breeze got up it was really simple to get underway as the boat was afloat and rigged. So Martin, Max, Lewis and I were off. Theresa opted to stay ashore and relax after several overnight shifts at work. However Theresa can't have relaxed completely as lunch was spread out when we returned to shore.

The light airs meant that my new crew were all able to take a turn at the helm and learn how to tack the boat as well as how to handle the jib. They caught on quickly - well done. I was surprised and impressed by Lewis demonstrating that he had read and remembered port and starboard from the book on sailing I had given them ages ago.

I took this photo of the Bails more than 2 years ago so please mentally add 2 year's growth to both Max and Lewis (I doubt Theresa and Martin want you to add any extra to them).

While we were having lunch John Woods showed up with his green Hartley 16. After lunch there was a fine sailing breeze. John Woods launched (wow I wish I could get organised that quickly) and we followed not long after, eager to hone our skills.

The green boat was tacking backwards and forwards in front of the clubhouse waiting for us - seeming to want a playmate and to check out our sail trim. As Little Dragon still didn't have a vang or downhall the mainsail wasn't setting all that well and John pointed out that our jib traveller was set too far forward for the conditions. I really welcomed this well intended and much needed advice.

I was soon having to give urgent training on "starboard tack has right of way" and "port tack gives way". Then asking the crew "which tack are we on?" It took a while before all the Bails were confident which was starboard tack and which port tack. In the meantime the green boat was zooming up to us and going about at the last minute or forcing me to do so when it was on starboard - quite alarming for crew who were out under sail for the first time ever.

Soon Martin and Max were egging me on to "Go Pam, race them!" Max wanted to make toilet paper bombs to throw at them (Pam was a spoilsport and said NO). Martin just doesn't know how to curb his competitive spirit. Lewis must have read too many books about pirates and he was convinced that the green boat was about to ram us and thought that our best tactic was to escape - as far and as fast as possible!

I decided to back Lewis and run for it - downriver - so that rather than Pam at the helm ducking and weaving with the "green pirate boat" we could get back to all taking turns at the helm. I think Max and Lewis were extremely chuffed that they did as well at the helm as their father.

After the rather miserable conditions the day before we had the good fortune to enjoy a warm sunny day and we were all sad when it was time to come ashore.

Sailing makes one hungry so we all went off for a fish dinner at a renowned fish and chip shop in Maclean before the Bails drove home and I returned to my bunk for a second night.



Theresa took this photo from the shore of Little Dragon and the "green pirate boat".

John, I am serious when I say that I have no plans to race next season and if I did I know that you can beat me. I have just read an article comparing Hartley 16s with Farr 5000s and the Hartley 16s are faster.

Nearly dismasted

25 April, Anzac Day, started fine with a forecast of a good sailing breeze so I set off on the 2 hour trek south to Harwood where I had arranged to rendevous with Nicky and Rob Greenlaw. I intended to stay 3 days camping in Little Dragon overnight right in front of the Big River Sailing Club.

Day 1 went pretty much as planned, Nicky, Rob and I launched without too much drama but still taking ages to get organised. When we finally got underway the weather was rather miserable, light winds and rain. Maybe Rob, who used to be a ghillie in Scotland, felt nostalgic (not that I saw any sign of that). Despite the weather we made the most of it and practiced sailing up and down the Clarence River not straying too far from the clubhouse.

However we did get as far as the Harwood Bridge and Nicky suggested that we sail under it (was she interested in the good pub just the other side?). I knew that there was meant to be 8.7 metres clearance under the bridge and I had measured my mast. I reckoned that we would only squeeze under by a whisker - not a sensible safety margin. However a couple of locals had assured us that we would get under easily "No worries!". So just for the hell of it we decided to give it a go. As we got to the point of no return I was sure that we were about to be dismasted and we all held our breath. We made it - just. Some fisherman were watching and indicated that we had only cleared by a handspan. The lesson I learned is not to believe everything the locals tell you.

That was enough adventure for me for the day, so we sailed back to the little sandy beach in front of the sailing club. My plan was to tie the stern to a convenient tree on shore and hold the bow out at right angles on the anchor. But how to get the anchor out to hold the bow? Suddenly it came to me, I remembered that I had my single kayak with me so I could paddle the anchor out. It worked just fine, although I later gathered that it is not the orthodox way to stern anchor. Apparently I should have neatly judged the moment to drop the anchor as I was sailing ashore - well next time ...

We had got pretty chilly so we all enjoyed a hot shower (thanks to the Big River Sailing Club for your terrific facilities), after that it was time for Nicky and Rob to wave me goodbye. They were going home and I planned to spend the night aboard and wait for a new crew in the morning. They were a bit worried about leaving me but I was looking forward to my first night aboard. Realistically thtere is only room for two.

After an unexpectedly good fish dinner at the Harwood petrol station and a glass of wine at the Harwood pub I was in bed by 8 pm and slept soundly for 10 hours. I awoke to the sun rising over a completely calm and misty river. Magnificent. So I celebrated my good fortune by making my first ever cuppa in Little Dragon's cockpit.

Four shielas launching

12 April 2008 - Cathie Jones, Nicky Greenlaw, Lee Fenton and I gather for the launch - stopping at Little Italy en route to The Big River Sailing Club for a hit of Italian coffee.

This (b)log will double as my log so here goes:

Tide 0537 low 0.32 m Yamba (correction for Harwood variously suggested to be 1.5 hrs - 2.5 hrs later!)
11.39 high 1.33 m
1713 low 0.55 m
Wind forecast SE to SW 11 to 16 kn
Although we arrived at the Big River Sailing Club at 9.30 am it took us 3 hours to get afloat. There was a relaxed atmosphere when we rocked up, it was the end of season BBQ. A buzz went round "4 shielas!!" Despite this reaction John Woods and Reg tried to determine the tactful level of assistance. Whilst we planned to do it outselves I certainly welcomed some help.

It was the first time we had come together to rig the boat and deal with all the other preliminaries such as removing the trailer lights (something I might have overlooked if I had not been reminded). It took ages to get the mast up but we managed it unaided.

As skipper I decided that I should do a safety briefing before we headed off (I really wanted to boast about my radio and new safety equipment such as flares). Nicky and Lee listened politely but Cathie indicated that enough was enough and it was time to get going.

Then I had to get the trailer backed down the rather narrow single lane ramp and off into the water. Despite my reversing practice in the Byron Bay High School's car park I was still pretty hopeless. John and Reg offered to do it for me but I said "no - but please help". So with much backing and forwarding and them saying "left hand down" then "right hand down" I finally got it down the ramp although very much on the edge.

Once in the water John advised us to set off under power in reverse gear (I would have prefered to sail off as I had never used the outboard). So I tried to reverse out, well the motor started first go which I felt was a good omen but then I just couldn't get it to lock into reverse gear. John called out instructions from the shore but I still couldn't get it into reverse. He almost lost his cool when he asked "have you got a manual and HAVE YOU READ IT?". I said I had but it still wouldn't go into reverse. John, as you will see from the photos was neatly dressed and planning to go out for lunch and not go sailing. However he decided that he had better help out "the sheilas" and he gallantly jumped aboard. I was more than a little chuffed when he also found it impossible to get into reverse so we set off forwards. Then all 5 of us were out in the river with John getting late for his lunch date. Help was at hand. Another trailer sailer came up alongside and John, showing great agility, jumped aboard leaving us to experience our FIRST SAIL.

The conditions were near perfect - a light sailing breeze and bright sunshine. At last it all seemed worthwhile. Although there was no proper vang or downhall and the luff of the jib was a bit slack she sailed well. She sailed magnificently. No weather helm. We tacked and gybed and she responded just how she should. It was exhilarating. We all took turns at the helm for three glorious hours (missing out on the BBQ). Then it was back to the ramp.

Cathie, Lee and Nicky held Little Dragon while I reversed the trailer down the ramp. I made hash of it but I did it eventually. Then I had to winch her onto the trailer while the others held her straight. This was the first time I had used the brand new winch with 3 gears. I had been assured that with 3 gears it would be a piece of cake - well it wasn't. Later I was told that it was probably because I hadn't reversed the trailer quite far enough into the water. What a lot to learn....

Back on land it was the pack up - quite a complicated and lengthy process. John assures us that we will get it more streamlined. I hope so.

Finally weary but happy we joined the members of the Big River Sailing Club for tea and cakes before we headed home. Yet again we were all made to feel welcome and encouraged to return. Next day we met in Byron Bay for our usual morning swim and all confessed that we had been exhausted when we got home and found muscles that we hadn't used for some time.