Overnight at Moon Point, Fraser Island

The weather forecast was excellent - 10 to 15 knots and fine. Noella and I were in fine spirits as we loaded up Little Dragon with provisions for our first ever overnight trip. Food, water and a bottle of red wine for the skipper.

We set off from Urangan Harbour but the wind was far less than forecast, maybe 3 to 5 knots. We sailed off to the first navigation mark very sedately. It looked like we were going to take far longer than the anticipated 2 - 3 hours.

By the time we got half way the wind dropped further to around 2 - 3 knots but we almost managed to reach Moon Point before we gave up and started the smelly, noisy outboard. We wanted to make sure we found the anchorage before dusk. At least we had plenty of time to check that we rounded every navigation mark.

We were quite chuffed when we found the exact spot showing an anchor symbol on the chart. We knew we were in the right place by reference to the two sticks (in England we call them "withies") marking the entrance to a small creek mentioned in Beacon to Beacon. What didn't please us so much was the depth or rather the lack of it. The whole anchorage seemed to be far too shallow. I wished I had either a depth sounder or lead line. Anyway we anchored just before sunset.

I broke out the red (just one glass) and we watched a glorious red sunset. We were the only boat in the anchorage although there were a couple of fishing boats anchored not too far away. By this time there was hardly a ripple and it was completely peaceful, it was hard to believe that it was the lights of the busy marina on the horizon.

We have a single burner gas stove so we were able to brew cups of tea and prepare a simple hot meal - excellent vegetarian curry and couscous.

Then we turned in for the night and I slept well - you will have to ask Noella if she did also. As I went to sleep I thought to myself "I should keep checking to see that the anchor is holding", but the next thing I knew was dawn.

After a morning cuppa Noella decided to row ashore for a short walk before we set off back. We needed to leave by around 8 am to avoid drying out on a falling tide. Helen and Bob had lent us their tender and it seemed silly to return without using it.

After a while I saw Noella return to the beach brandishing a large stick being circled by two dingoes. She retreated as quickly as possible and rowed back pretty freaked out. They were young male dingoes and had been behaving menacingly, one sitting and howling at her and the other circling behind her. I am easily scared by dogs and extremely glad I stayed aboard.

Without further ado, as the water was running out fast, we set off back towards Urangan Harbour. We managed to sail about half way but the wind was dropping all the time down to virtually nothing. It seemed to be the calm before a new weather front came in. 24 hours later it was blowing a gale. Rather sadly we reverted to motoring until a breeze got up a few hundred metres from the harbour - a bit too late to hoist the sails again.

It was a few weeks too soon for whales but we did see a very large turtle. It would be good to return during the whale season, maybe....

The trip ended all too soon with another first, the first time I have motored into a marina pen. Bob and Helen were waiting to catch the lines and it went very smoothly. I am told it would have been far trickier with strong wind against tide.

Thanks Noella for taking leave - you were great.

PS 4 July 08. I am looking at buying a second hand Zodiac inflatable and I have just purchased a depth sounder but still have to get it installed.

Navigating round the sandbanks

Noella and I woke up after our first night aboard Little Dragon to a perfect winter morning. Just magic for a sail. Bob was happy to join us and provide the "local knowledge" that the chart indicated was vital to navigate over the sandbars to Fraser Island.

After the usual delays getting rigged and drinking coffee Bob, Noella and I set off under power out of the Harbour in the open but shallow water. As soon as possible we hoisted the sails. It was blissfully quiet once we switched the motor off.

We hadn't gone far when we needed to tack - not a manoeuvre that Bob has much practice with when he heads off in Narawi! So he didn't duck enough when the boom came over and his cap went overboard.

I remembered all the afternoons I have spent practising man overboard drills, so I gybed and Noella (a well trained crew) rushed below for the boat hook. I told Bob "keep your eyes on that hat!". To my absolute amazement we retrieved the hat first go. I hope it all goes equally smoothly if we ever have to retrieve a real man (or woman) overboard. It helped that the wind was only around 5 knots.

Helen took the first photo of Little Dragon motoring out of the marina. The second photo is of Bob Rhodes and me, the third is of Noella Yates.

Once Bob had been reunited with his cap we concentrated on the chart. Bob wanted to make sure that if Noella and I went off on our own the next day that we would make it safely to Fraser Island and back. We threaded our way over towards Moon Point around channel markers, cardinal marks and special marks - a good navigation revision course.

The sailing conditions were just glorious, warm, light breeze, sunny - everything we could wish for except a whale. However we knew that the whale season wasn't due for another 3 weeks or so.

Thank you Bob, I reckon that Noella and I could easily have gone aground the following day without your tuition.

Narawi dwarfs Little Dragon

Helen McCann and I first met in 1977 in Alice Springs and have been friends ever since. Now we have both moved on and Helen lives with her husband Bob Rhodes in their coastal cruiser "Narawi" (a Batjala word meaning "sea waves").

The first photo shows them in their pen in the Harvey Bay marina dwarfing Little Dragon in the adjacent pen.

Helen and Bob had invited me and my crew Noella Yates to tie up alongside them and use their facilities, very generous.

The second photo shows Helen holding the most important member of their crew - Toby.

The last photo is of Narawi's bridge - how many people have a steering wheel between their armchairs? They really do have all mod cons on Narawi and they made us very welcome and comfortable.

Bob also helped me motor from the public jetty into the pen - something I had not done before. In fact he was such a good tutor that Noella and I managed it unaided a couple of days later.

Noella had managed to get a few days off work at short notice and she arrived by bus on the evening I arrived after the Dreaming Festival.

This was the first time that two of us have slept aboard Little Dragon. It is fairly close quarters but the bunks are comfortable (for a small yacht). I slept well - as usual. Noella didn't do so well, but she generously said that my "gentle" snoring was not the cause and I am pleased to report that she slept better on subsequent nights.

Little Dragon goes to Woodford

"The Dreaming" is Australia's international indigenous festival held annually at Woodford over the June long weekend.

Jenny Gray and Rob Watson,, Rae Wills and sisters, friends and me, as in previous years planned to set up camp together. Jenny and Rob camping in their well equipped transit van, Rae in her new tent and me in Little Dragon. After all, why shouldn't I use her as accommodation? It's much snugger than a tent and I have my own ensuite (aka a port-a-l00.)

I arrived early and secured a prime camp site. While I waited for the others to arrive I found that Little Dragon was a magnet for kids. They seemed to view her as an adventure playground. Adults produced a range of rather predictable wisecracks like "expecting a flood?"

The first photo shows me arriving and I am pleased to report that the organisers didn't bat an eyelid at my unusual camping arrangements.

The second photo shows our camp - I wish I could claim that the tepee was ours but that wouldn't be true.
The third photo is of Jenny, Rob, Rae and I having breakfast before Jenny and I sallied forth for another day of festival going and the others went off to their stint of volunteer work.

The last photo is of Gertrude Kurtz and me just fooling around on Little Dragon.

Festivals at Woodford seem to attract rain and the whole area turns into a sea of mud and this year was no exception. Little Dragon kept me well out of the mud. Best of all I found that I could even make an early morning cup of tea on my single burner stove in the cockpit without leaving the cabin - luxury!

We all thoroughly enjoyed the whole festival, great atmosphere and excellent performances.

Initially I felt I had to justify my eccentricity by explaining that I was going to drive north to Hervey Bay and go sailing after the festival, but as time went on I relaxed as it seemed that other festival goers felt that Little Dragon added to the festive atmosphere.