The plan was to leave Harwood on Sunday morning and sail to Brushgrove, enjoy Jan and Col's hospitality Sunday evening. They generously offered to put on a BBQ for us all. Then sail on up to Grafton on Monday and back to Brushgrove via Ulmarra. Overnight again at Brushgrove and back to base on Tuesday. However it didn't work out that way...
There were 3 starters, Rob White sailing solo on his Hartley 16 Ally Oop, Lea Foster on her 25 ft trailer sailer with Gary McKenzie and Todd Bleech crewing and I had Little Dragon with Cathy Jones crewing. Rob set off from BRSC as Ally Oop gets under the Harwood Bridge. Lea and I launched on the other side of the bridge at the Harwood Hilton ramp.
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| Little Dragon becalmed at Brushgrove |
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| Ally Oop and Keylargo also becalmed at Brushgrove |
We were heading up river against an ebb tide. Most of the time there was no wind. It was stinking hot. When a puff of wind did come it went all round the compass. So we all alternated motoring with some very frustrating sailing. Fortunately there was about half an hour or so of stable light wind on the last lap up to Brushgrove. We had a bimini but the others hadn't on the Sunday and they were all pretty cooked on arrival.
Jan and Col gave us all icy cold drinks before the BBQ and we gradually cooled down and enjoyed a very pleasant evening. Hariet dropped in on her way back from sailing in a regatta at Grafton. Thanks Jan and Col. |
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| Gary McKenzie and Rob White on Monday under their boom tent |
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| Lea Foster's Keylargo with Todd Bleech at the helm on Monday. Note the bimini |
The two photos above show both Keylargo and Ally Oop had sorted out shade protection for the following day. We looked at the weather forecast for Monday, in summary even hotter and even less wind. So we decided to abandon sailing further up river to Grafton and turn round and head back down river with the tide to lunch at Maclean and then on to our respective ramps at Harwood.
As forecast there was no wind in the morning and Keylargo and I motored all the way to Maclean. Ally Oop tried valiantly to sail the last section but admitted over lunch that it was hopeless. After lunch a reasonable SE set in and we beat down river to the ramp at Harwood and at least reminded ourselves that we are sailors.
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| Pam's crew Cathy Jones and yes we had a bimini both days thank goodness |
We ended up pledging to do it all again - maybe when it is a bit cooler and maybe downriver next time. Despite everything I am glad we gave it a go.
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| Far, far too much motor sailing |
3 comments:
Hi Pam....I have been a keen reader of your blog for about three years now. I do enjoy reading about your journeys and adventures, and viewing your pictures...Keep up the good work.
I have 'Aquarius 111'a Farr 5000 on the Hard stand at Nedlands Yacht Club on the Swan River, Perth. Hull colour is blue, other wise same as yours. I have however removed and hung up the lovely tapered mast and replaced it with a mast section about 800 mm shorter. This knocks off about 450 off the bottom of the mainsail I currently use. I now can sail under those damn bridges and get through Fremantle on route to Rottnest Island. Having a smaller main is also a blessing as our summer breezes are fairly consistent 15 to 25 knots day after day.
Happy Sailing Pam
Dennis
Thanks for leaving a comment, I wish more people would. I have only just spotted it. I would love to shorten my mast by about the same amount for the same reasons - a bridge that stops me sailing upstream. However I have a newish mast and sails and can't justify the expense - but you have set me thinking.
This may be of interest to you Pam...when I put the (second hand) shorter mast section on Aquarius 3, the forestay remained the same length which effectively changed the rig to 7/8 or perhaps closer to a mast head rig. I was still able to use my existing head sails and spinnaker as the angles were the same. My main is an older one in reasonable condition. I had about 450 cut off the bottom of it and had two rows of reeling points put in. My boom is now lower than normal so I duck my head when tacking. I still use my tapered mast and newer main from time to time
I have sailed in some of the waters that you frequent. I few years ago a friend of mine from Perth did a lazy lap of Aus
in a Vantersadt 30. I was lucky to score the Bribane to Cairns leg of the journey with him, taking in Wide Bay Barr and great Sandy Straits and a number of anchorages and islands along that beautiful coastline.
Happy Sailing Pam
Dennis
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