My maiden single handed voyage. 29 October I went from Harwood to Iluka on the ebb tide. Overnight in the harbour at Iluka and then back again the next morning on the flood tide. I hadn't intended to go solo, in fact I have always said "no way!" but my crew Jill Trevillian got a touch of flue and no-one else was available to sail on the Friday. So the germ of an idea developed "let's give it a go".
The forecast was favourable. Reasonably light airs SE to NE. In fact at times there was more wind than forecast. The observations at Yamba show 11 - 12 knots SE at 2 pm on Friday and 9 - 13 knots N at 10 am on Saturday morning. However my concern was not the sailing so much as the launching and anchoring.
When I say single handed that is true while I was underway but Dick, the caretaker of the Big River Sailing Club, did help me launch and held the boat while I got aboard to sail away. I was proud that I managed to get the mast up on my own using the technique that Peter had suggested some time ago. I also got help from a club member to winch Little Dragon back on the trailer on my return.
In some ways I quite enjoyed tacking down the Clarence River on my own. Without a crew to chat with/train I was more aware of the surroundings, the light on the water (see photo of the early morning in the harbour). But I don't think I want to do it often and certainly not with much more wind or where I need to check a chart while underway. Not enough hands. Little Dragon is not set up for single handed sailing and I kept my hand on the tiller throughout - it takes around 3 hrs each way. I thought I had been smart and put my water bottle in the cockpit before we left but I didn't screw the cap on properly and it all spilt. It seemed impossible to go below and refill it so I just stayed thirsty. On my return I drank too much coffee before I left. Easier for men. Red bucket gymnastics. Enough information. If I was going to do more single handed sailing - which I don't plan - I need to sort out a way of securing the tiller at least briefly.
I decided to motor through the narrow entrance into Iluka Harbour (see photo) and managed to get the engine on and sails down OK. Once into the harbour I had to anchor. I expect there is an approved way of doing it single handed. I just motored to the spot I decided to drop making sure that there was heaps of space to fall back without hitting anything. Went into neutral. Went forward and dropped the anchor then went back to the cockpit. It worked like a dream but it helped that there was little wind or current and plenty of space.
On the return trip I was saddened to see that the offensive sign on the southern bank of the Clarence River about half way between Yamba and Harwood is still there "Private Property, trespasssers will be shot", presumably if they dare to enter the cane field.
I have decided to wear a life jacket when single handed (see photo). No, pink is not an approved colour for a type 1 life jacket, but I am wearing an approved type 1 life jacket. Work it out for yourself.
The forecast was favourable. Reasonably light airs SE to NE. In fact at times there was more wind than forecast. The observations at Yamba show 11 - 12 knots SE at 2 pm on Friday and 9 - 13 knots N at 10 am on Saturday morning. However my concern was not the sailing so much as the launching and anchoring.
When I say single handed that is true while I was underway but Dick, the caretaker of the Big River Sailing Club, did help me launch and held the boat while I got aboard to sail away. I was proud that I managed to get the mast up on my own using the technique that Peter had suggested some time ago. I also got help from a club member to winch Little Dragon back on the trailer on my return.
In some ways I quite enjoyed tacking down the Clarence River on my own. Without a crew to chat with/train I was more aware of the surroundings, the light on the water (see photo of the early morning in the harbour). But I don't think I want to do it often and certainly not with much more wind or where I need to check a chart while underway. Not enough hands. Little Dragon is not set up for single handed sailing and I kept my hand on the tiller throughout - it takes around 3 hrs each way. I thought I had been smart and put my water bottle in the cockpit before we left but I didn't screw the cap on properly and it all spilt. It seemed impossible to go below and refill it so I just stayed thirsty. On my return I drank too much coffee before I left. Easier for men. Red bucket gymnastics. Enough information. If I was going to do more single handed sailing - which I don't plan - I need to sort out a way of securing the tiller at least briefly.
I decided to motor through the narrow entrance into Iluka Harbour (see photo) and managed to get the engine on and sails down OK. Once into the harbour I had to anchor. I expect there is an approved way of doing it single handed. I just motored to the spot I decided to drop making sure that there was heaps of space to fall back without hitting anything. Went into neutral. Went forward and dropped the anchor then went back to the cockpit. It worked like a dream but it helped that there was little wind or current and plenty of space.
On the return trip I was saddened to see that the offensive sign on the southern bank of the Clarence River about half way between Yamba and Harwood is still there "Private Property, trespasssers will be shot", presumably if they dare to enter the cane field.
I have decided to wear a life jacket when single handed (see photo). No, pink is not an approved colour for a type 1 life jacket, but I am wearing an approved type 1 life jacket. Work it out for yourself.
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