Thin water

Jamie is back from the UK and out of quarantine, and the weather was good, so we agreed to meet at Avalon Ramp, which is about half way between us.  Gerard came along too, after mistakenly going to Altona Ramp.  Jamie couldn't find his mainsheet so he was late too, so it was about 11 when we all got rigged and on the water.  

It is super shallow and rocky along that bit of coast.  The wind was up round 15 knots to start off, so we had a spirited sail.  We were aiming to get into Limeburners Lagoon for lunch.  We cut the corner too closely though, and I indicated to Jamie that we needed to tack out and back.  He misunderstood, and headed off back the way we had come.  He was a few boat lengths in front of me, and it took me ages to get close enough to get him to turn round and have another try.  But we sorted it out, and we had a great run up the narrow, twisty channel into the lagoon.

It was super low tide, so we wedged the boats in the reeds, and squelched through the mud to the beach for a rather chilly lunch.  

As we were finishing lunch, the tide was coming back in, and Peregrina decided to head off on her own, necessitating a mad dash down to head her off before she escaped.  Moral, anchor if you beach at low tide.  How often do I need to learn that lesson before it sticks, I wonder.

Getting back down the channel into the head wind was fun, I quite like that sort of challenge.  Once we were out in clear water, the wind almost died away, so we had a slow but pleasant ghost back to the ramp in the afternoon sunshine.

A chap came over for a chat, who has a GP 14 which he sails from there.  He was extolling the virtues of Corio Bay as a cruising ground for a dinghy, and I can see there are some good possible destinations.  It was really nice to sail somewhere different, and all in all, a great day sail.

Winter solstice sail

Today was the coldest day for weeks, according to the news tonight, and it felt like it out on the Bay.  It was also the shortest day.

I launched the Core Sound by 10, and set off towards Williamstown with Sandra on the helm. There was not much wind, and very little sun.  Quite a few very purposeful formations of gannets flew over us, glad I was not a fish.

Poor Ozzie got cold, so he got wrapped up in a blanket.

It was a very peaceful and enjoyable sail. I quite like light air days. We averaged around 2.6 knots.

I was fairly efficient derigging and packing up, but coming home, there was a party on next door, cars everywhere, and I clipped a car with the boat trailer as I was turning. I was hurrying as I didn't want to block the road, and I  forgot that the trailer does not exactly follow the car in turns. Is this a patch of ice, or a winter I wonder? I guess stuff happens, but is it a sign I am getting less quick. Is it a pattern, the bike accident and now this? Hmmmm, better be extra careful for a while.

Sail day

Jim from the WBA came over again Friday, this time for a sail on the Core Sound.  Gerard got his Shimmy 12 on the water, and put on an impressive sailing display getting out of the harbour despite the wind blowing almost directly on the nose out of the narrow channel.  He did have a spot of bother though, getting his oarlock,which he was using as a fender cleat, caught under the dock and breaking off part of the coaming.  (Yesterday I helped him fix it so my guilt about leaving him and heading off is now assuaged, and hopefully his oarlock sockets are as good as new.)

While we were waiting for him, Jim steered while I rowed the Core Sound out towards Altona Reef, where we could see a seal slowly working his way round the reef.  When we saw Gerard starting we headed back in, and the wind picked up enough for us to sail, more or less retracing our steps from the kayak expedition the day before.

Gerard took some great photos of the Core Sound in action.

We got buzzed by the seaplane again, sailed through a mass seabird event, and got to see a seal demonstrating how they get up onto the channel marker.   There was a huge bull seal tilting the buoy over to one side.  A smaller seal leapt out of the water, successfully landed on the buoy, but got chased off.  Seal went to the other side, tilting way high out of the water, and tried unsuccessfully to leap up on that side. But we got a good idea of the technique.   It is a great sail over to the marker and back, and the wind kicked up so we hooted back round 5 knots, getting up to 6.8 knots.

Just about all sailing days are good, but some are magic. This was one of the magic days.

Paddle day

Jim from the WBA came over last week with his kayak.  It was a good kayaking day, sunny with not much wind.  We rowed over to the mouth of Kororoit Creek. but it was too shallow to get in.

We headed on via the Jawbone and along the coast, to T28 channel marker, but no seals home unfortunately.   On the way back we saw a raft of about 10 penguins.  I was too slow getting my camera, by the time I had it out, all but one had dived below the surface.

We were entertained by the seaplane doing circuits and bumps, clearly taking advantage of the calm conditions to get in some landing and take off practice.  He managed not to run us over.

It was a really nice day on the water and good exercise too.

A grand day out

Anne and I launched the Core Sound round 10 from Altona ramp.  The forecast was for light northerlies, but it seemed to be gusting up a bit, 12 to 14 knots over at Fawkner beacon this morning.  But it helped us scoot along, and we got round to Williamstown with two tacks.  There were two boats tied up at the loading berth at Ferguson Pier, but we tied up on the main bit, next to a ladder.  It was beautiful there in the sun, having a cup of tea.  Why can't I remember to wipe the gopro lens though?

We got some admiring comments and envious glances from the jetty above, and a little girl was very concerned as to how Ozzie was going to get up onto the jetty. Vincent called while we were sitting there, and he came down to join us for lunch. We got fish and chips, good at the time, perhaps not so good subsequently.  But something about sailing in and having lunch made it all special.

I did feel a bit like Steve Earley who does the wonderful Log of the Spartina, which involves lots of small boat voyaging to visit locations where there is lots of eating at salty establishments.

After lunch we motored off, as it was dead calm and sheltered in Hobsons Bay.  Heading out past the very end of Williamstown, we saw two dolphins, also heading out. The wind had switched round to a South Westerly, so we had a nice reach home once we passed the last cardinal mark. I said to Anne that we should be back round 3, and sure enough, we were nosing our way into the safe harbour bang on 3.00.  

It was a grand day out on the water, one of the best. 

Winter piroguing

I wheeled my Bolger Pirogue down to AYC ramp today. Light airs forecast. I missed the bit about rain. At least, as well as getting wet, there was a magnificent double rainbow.

Andrew was a maybe, but must have decided it was too cold. He may have been right, it was a chilling experience. Sandra, the renegade, got her Sabre out. She took some splendid photos of the Pirogue in action.

It is an interesting little boat, but not all that comfortable in the cold, as it is difficult to move round much. I broke one of the gudgeons, and was lucky to get back with limited rudder. It was a good day on the water.

I came across a quote from Mark Twain tonight: "the only real, independent,  genuine  gentlemen  in the world go quietly up and down the Mississippi River,  asking no homage of anyone, seeking no popularity,  no notoriety,  &give not a damn ..." I admire their style, and his.

Tacking practice

Gerard was launching at Werribee South, and despite the grim forecast, I got down there too. I wimped out on Tuesday, which turned out to be less windy than forecast. Wednesday turned out to be more windy than forecast, which goes to show you never can tell.

Wind was almost due South, so we ran straight down the river, and had lunch on the island.

My gps showed 127 tacks back up the River. It was a good workout. The wind was sometimes non existent, blocked by the cliffs, sometimes blasting down at 20 knots. No time to relax. I have been a bit sore and sorry since, I am out of practice.

I cobbled together some of Gerard's footage with the odd bits I took. I always wish I had taken more, and I wish I would remember to a) check that I am actually taking video when I think I am (not time elapse which is cumbersome to manage) and b) wipe the camera lens before each shot!