Tegwen to Tasmania - Deal Island Dalliance

Awakening Monday 6th December in the shelter of East Cove, Deal Island, it became obvious we would again be waiting more than a day for the next weather window. We listened to the forecasts while we experienced increasing winds in our sheltered position. At times, depending on the state of the tide, Tegwen rocked round quite a bit.

After successfully anchoring the first night (with an anchor watch until 3:00am just to be sure), we were happy with the anchor performance. However, there was a discussion during the morning as to whether we had dragged anchor a bit overnight and with the increasing wind we decided to run some lines to a nearby private mooring as well. Although we felt more secure as the load was distributed over the anchor and the mooring, it was nearly to bring us undone later. Sure that Tegwen was secure, we elected to go ashore in the afternoon to stretch our legs and look around. To do this, we need to use the dinghy for the first time ever.

Successfully inflated, the dinghy was launched over the side at the front of the boat and was being led to the stern when the line tied to the dinghy parted company. Its first deployment and about to be blown out into Bass Strait! As we stood there Mark Smith leaped in and grabbed the dinghy as it blew off. Fortunately Mark was able to swim the dinghy back to the boat as we all scrambled to throw a line at him - we could have lost him and the dinghy! After that the rest of the day seemed very tame.

Given the choppy conditions, the crew were ferried to shore one at a time. The dinghy & motor combination worked well, very stable. Once on Deal we climbed the steep track up to the small settlement of two houses and a number of other older buildings. We met the volunteer caretakers who were at the end of their 3 month stint and also awaiting the weather to get off the island. The Deal Island Museum was interesting but the views over Murray Passage to Erith Island were undoubtedly the most outstanding feature. The wind howled that night as we played Scrabble with a miniature travel set that Christine has placed aboard some time ago.

Wednesday morning and the conditions were no better. We thought we might have an evening barbecue ashore using the facilities at the jetty if it eased off but didn't bother to take the meat out of the freezer.

Around 11:00am as the cabin fever was increasing, Mark Webb was remarking on how the Beagle had been holed up at Deal Island for some time and likening our situation to both that of the Beagle and of Shackleton on the ice when first the bowsprit, then the two masts, of a barquentine appeared around the southern end of East Cove! Not all below believed us at first, thinking we were expanding the allegory Webby was weaving. It was the Young Endeavour, with a new group of youth on the ship, one day out of Devonport seeking some respite from the weather. What a first night they must have had out in those conditions (they saw up to 45 knots of wind)!

Russ who is ex Navy was particularly excited and exchanged greetings via VHF radio at the first opportunity. The tedium of bouncing around on Tegwen was suddenly gone as we had a beautiful ship to look at and all the carry on of their activities. They sent their proteges ashore in the afternoon to find terra firma again. Quite a few just sat in the shelter to be found around the jetty looking somewhat subdued. Not surprising given what they had been through.

Via VHF, we received an invite from the Captain of the Young Endeavour to dine with their staff that evening which we gladly accepted. They also happily topped up our jerry cans with fresh water which we were most thankful to receive. So later that day we found ourselves being picked up and ferried to the Young Endeavour, introduced to the Captain and crew, plied with espresso coffees from their on board machine and enjoying a fine meal with enthusiastic and great company. The entire crew from the Captain down were a credit to both the Navy and themselves, full of enthusiasm and with a clear vision of what they were doing and how it was benefiting those young persons doing the program. They have the privilege of taking their young charges through a finely honed program and seeing them over a short space of time develop new abilities, confidence and self understanding and it was obvious that the crew took great delight and pride in this. After the meal we were extended the opportunity to use their showers with freshly dried towels which was a welcome surprise quickly taken up. Then a tour of the vessel and as their night program commenced we were ferried back to Tegwen, with our stomachs full, our bodies clean and our minds inspired by the Young Endeavour crew and the work they were doing. We slept well that night.

Wednesday morning and the weather was a little kinder although still quite blowy. We decided to go ashore in the morning and do a couple of the walks on Deal, then tidy Tegwen in the afternoon and set sail for Flinders Island at 8:00pm if the weather held to the forecasts. This departure time would gave us appropriate daylight arrival times for the channel up to Lady Barron at the bottom of Flinders Island.

Once again the crew were ferried to shore one at a time and then we set off up the Barn Hill track to gain great views down two sides of Erith Island as well as of Murray Passage and then finally Little Squally Cove. Rained a bit at times but that was more than made up for when Bob and Penny, the Deal Island volunteer caretakers, invited us in for a cup of tea and some home made cake. While there, we spoke with Bryn from Coastguard Tamar for the first time using the caretaker's VHF and were able to log our intended departure that night. Bryn's melodious accent and friendly banter was to remain part of our daily radio listening for several days to come as he read out the weather and took position reports. Continuing on, we walked down to Garden Cove and saw the remnants of a vegetable garden established by one of the early lighthouse keeper's wife.

Returning to Tegwen for lunch, we then faced the interesting situation of untangling the anchor and mooring lines that had managed over a couple of days to wrap themselves around each other and Tegwen's keel. As well, our anchor had dragged until it became tangled in the chains of the mooring. No wonder it seemed secure after that initial drag, it wasn't going anywhere and for quite some time it looked like Tegwen and us weren't either.

After much huffing, puffing and postulation, we established a plan of sorts. Webby braved the cold water and managed to clear the keel wrap our anchor line had established. Some time later we managed to clear the line we had to the mooring by lifting the buoy and all the tangles immediately below it out of the water and pulling our line out twist by twist and knot by knot.

It then became clear that our anchor had not only snagged one of the mooring's chains but all but tied itself up in it. The possibility of having to cut the line and lose Tegwen's primary anchor and chain loomed large. It was too deep and too cold to free dive to the bottom. Eventually we managed to lift Tegwen's anchor to within 3 metres of the surface and Webby to give it one shot. Fortunately he managed to clear the wrap of mooring chain from Tegwen's anchor but it took a super hero effort and was touch and go to the end.

Much relieved and all very grateful to Webby for his efforts, we tidied up Tegwen for our departure later that night. The evening forecast confirmed a suitable window that would get us to Lady Barron at the southern end of Flinders Island in daylight hours.

Tegwen to Tasmania - Eden to Deal Island

We finally left Eden at 5:49am on Saturday 4th December. There appeared to be a weather window to get around Gabo Island without the mighty winds it is renowned for and then on to Deal Island. We decided to hug the Victorian coast a bit then head out through the Gippsland oil rigs, avoiding some of the stronger weather further out in the Strait.

Initially we had a light breeze from the North and ended up motoring then motor sailing for several hours. We shut down the motor for dinner but had to motor some more afterwards. At one stage we saw what looked like a strong wind gust gradually coming towards us that turned out to be an upwelling of fish. By mid evening we were sailing with the stars reflected in the water. The wind increased and the seas became confused as the night went on. The second watch came across a sleeping seal draped in seaweed with just one fin flapping in the air. It woke with quite a fright and sped off as Tegwen got close.

Over Sunday we had winds mostly in the 20 to 25 knot range with lumpy seas but made good time. When we we were still a way off Deal Island the sun set and the winds remained strong. As we came into Murray Passage between Deal and Erith Islands, the two headlands were just delineated in the gloom and a line of lighter cloud showing on the distant horizon. It was much wider the next day than it seemed at the time but as we gained the Passage the winds eased and the seas smoothed off although there were some cross currents. Tegwen was anchored in the shelter of East Cove by 10:30pm and very protected although there were still 20 knots of wind coming over the saddle on the Island.

Tegwen to Tasmania - Batemans Bay to Eden

Webby, Stephen, Mark and Russ

With Russ Shalders, Mark Smith and Mark Webb on board as crew, Tegwen left Batemans Bay at the top of the tide on Tuesday 30th Nov as planned.

 

We motored into a southerly for three and a half hours when the wind started swing to the East as predicted. Sails up - motor off! We had a good sail from there although at times later in the evening it got a it gusty and some rain. Took in two reefs in the early morning with gusts going over 25 knots. At one stage saw 8 knots on the log as we went down a wave - we think its reading about a knot slow too! Tegwen made good time to Eden and was tied up at the wharf by 8:30am Wednesday. She averaged 6 knots from Montague Island to Eden, even with the wind dying off at the end and motoring the last bit in.

We are now awaiting a suitable weather window to head to the Kent Group (Deal and Erith Islands). An early Friday morning departure is looking the most likely at this stage.

Tasmania Cruise Imminent

Much preparation for the pending Tasmanian cruise has been underway over the last couple of months. Lots of bits and pieces have finally been installed and some additional safety related kit bought in.

Late October the rigging was examined and tuned by a Batemans Bay outfit during which process it was discovered that the cap shrouds were not correctly fastened to the top spreader end caps. Enquiries revealed that to date all the Sydney launched Catalina's have been set up this way, although I suspect that won't be the case in the future. This issue has been corrected. While the the rigger was up there some additional LED masthead nav lights were installed.

Today the final stage of tuning the rigging was undertaken with a test sail in winds ranging up to 25 knots. We sailed with full sail, one and two reefs to see how the mast behaved in the various wind strengths and it went well. Only a slight increase in backstay tension was required over the settings previously established at the dock.

Into the Marina

After spending two months bobbing around on a fairly exposed mooring at Square Head, a marina berth finally became available for Tegwen. Far more secure and great for access but sailing outside the river is now subject to the vagaries of the depth over the bar.

Off to Batemans Bay

With Graham Giles and Harry Watson Smith as crew, we set off from near the Spit Bridge at 19:22 on Tuesday 1st April for Batemans Bay with a northerly behind us of about 5 knots. Once through the heads of Port Jackson we picked up the south going current and a stronger breeze. The current varied around 5 knots and the breeze 10 to 12 knots through the night. By 6:00am the next morning the wind was 15 knots then 17 knots later in the morning.

With a forecast of a strong wind change imminent we picked up a public mooring in Jervis Bay just after midday for the night. The first night saw some waves from the long fetch down Jervis Bay as the wind strengthened and started its swing. The front hit from the west with winds over 35 knots, gradually easing later in the day as it swung further south. We stayed on the mooring rather than venture forth. Not that Tegwen couldn't take the conditions but we were cruising and not sailing to a timetable.

During the day we visited John Bowman who was nearby on another public mooring with his large motor yacht. His boat had a most impressive engine room, beautifully laid out with most impressive pipework and a variety of water handling options. As the wind swung on towards the south, we became increasingly sheltered by the surrounding shoreline and had a calm second night on the mooring.

At 07:40 on Friday 4th April we set out for the rest of our trip, escorted by dolphins as we headed out of Jervis Bay. Once out past Bowen Island the wind was light from the south and we had a pleasant beat to windward. As the day went on the wind gradually dropped off and had swung round to the east by the end of our trip. We ended up motor sailing the last six hours to reach Square Head and Tegwen's new home on Harry's mooring by 19:45.

Tegwen had shown herself to be a well founded yacht and it was a delightful first cruise with good company as crew.

Middle Harbour Mooring

After a week or so at the Catalina Anchorage, Tegwen was taken to a mooring in Quakers Hat Bay, Middle Harbour, as a base for a couple of months while we got used to her and her ways before heading south for Batemans Bay.  It was also the start of enhancing Tegwen, commencing with the autopilot. 

Cruising around Middle Harbour was a good way to get to know how to handle Tegwen under power and in close quarters. Christine took the helm early on and to her joy found it to be easy.  We spent time in Bantry Bay and other little corners over this time.