Rafting up at Straddie - Part 1

18-21 Oct 2010

Straddie trip Part 1

Unlike the fiasco at Grafton (see last post) this trip was a great success.

Cathy Jones was my crew and we sailed in company with our "big brother" Peter Barnes in his Farr 6000. Peter it really is time your boat had a name.

Cathy and I launched at Rudy Maas Marina at Steiglitz. The owners are still resisting all offers from developers and it remains the antithesis to the Surfers Paradise glitz which is visible not far away.

We reached The Bedroom anchorage and campsite on South Stradbroke just on sunset. To get to The Bedroom we had to battle a strong flood tide and when the wind dropped we were forced to motor the last bit. It was fun rafting up with Peter's nameless boat.

The next morning we went ashore and Cathy was blown out finding that right over one sand dune was the ocean. Two ocean swimmers couldn't resist a quick dip and Cathy also indulged in a spot of yoga.

Our anchorage for night 2 was at Canaipa Point on Russell Island near the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Peter anchored first and the plan was that I would raft up alongside. We got our sails down and headed back towards him under motor. Little Dragon developed a will of her own and veered off into the mangroves and we went aground. We got off the mud but found ourselves back on the mud several times. Cathy kept winding the keel up and down again. Eventually we managed to raft up and Peter, who had watched the entire pantomime, told me that I was steering on the boat tiller and the engine tiller was not centred. I won't forget that lesson.

When Cathy and I went ashore in the early morning a rather posh RQYS caretaker informed us that we couldn't use their facilities - not even their toilets. We hadn't even asked but I suspect that the little trowel I was carrying gave the game away. I tried to claim reciprocal rights as a member of the Big River Sailing Club but that didn't cut any ice at all.

The last photo shows mangroves only about 25 metres from where we were anchored near the RQYS. While I was cooking dinner in the cockpit a swarm of sand flies attacked me and I ended up taking anti-histamine tablets for days.

We spent our third and last night anchored in Main Channel not far from Rudy Maas Marina ready to pack up the following morning.

I reckon that it must be a first - a 3 day cruise and no breakages to report.