Metung #2

 

It rained quite a bit overnight but a beautiful sunny clear morning. I got down and emptied water out of the boat and dried it off while Anne made our picnic. Not much wind so we left mast down so I could row from the front spot.

We rowed over to Silverstone jetty, which is the start of the Bunga arm track. Landing we upset a large congregation of swans including a family with six tiny new cygnets. The whole flock formed a defensive formation to protect the little ones, and swam off indignantly up the coast a bit.

We walked a bit of the bunga trail, being closely observed by a pack of kangaroos. We met a nice group of walkers, one chap very complimentary about the Skerry and us rowing there, tho it really is not that far. They told us an hour's walk to the Bunga arm, so we headed back. Another day maybe.

After  morning tea we slogged round Shaving Point against the current and found another quiet beach for a lunch stop. A wetlands behind, a thin bank of sand, only kangaroo foot prints. It would be a perfect stealth camp spot in the Skerry. 

After lunch we set off again, had a minor bingle when the current swept us down on a buoy, and got homepretty fast thanks to wind and current assistance.  A bit over 4 nautical miles round trip but good value for those miles. 

I still managed to do some stupid things packing up, lucky we didn’t have far to drive. Skerry is all packed and ready to go tomorrow. 

Metung #1

I have long has a hankering  to rent a place down at Metung and take a small boat down for some days sailing. Even the smallest charter yacht costs over a thousand for a weekend. We got a very nice place with mooring for $550, and government voucher will bring that down further. 

I launched the Skerry in a little ramp over the road, and after the rain cleared we went for a slow row down Chinaman Creek, admiring the diverse array of boats moored along there.

When we got out into Bancroft Bay there was a bit of wind, enough to get to Boxes Creek with a bit of oar assistance.

We  explored Boxes Creek and the sun came out, a good spot for a picnic.

The wind had picked up a bit and we thought the public jetty over the other side of Bancroft Bay might be a good destination, but the current running over that side and easing winds defeated us. At one point we were literally sailing backwards.

We headed back. I made a hash of mooring between 4 poles. Not easy, and I was tired, even tho the gps says we only covered 6 Nautical miles.

I don't think I have the stamina for Tawe Nunnugah. I am totally stuffed tonight. But it was a really good day.

Row, row, row

 Melbourne in Autumn is splendid for rowing. I have got in three lovely rows in the last week. And a couple more swims as well.

Sunday was the WBA sailing day at Albert Park Lake. Mostly rowing, tho I did get the sails up when a breeze came in later in the day.

It was the RSPCA million paws walk round the Lake. Poor Ozzie was nearly beside himself, with all those daschunds and poodles sacheting past. 

Absolutely gorgeous morning Monday, so Anne and I got out for a couple of hours, trying out the Skerry as a twoareen.

And this morning Kate and I rowed down into the mouth of Laverton creek and back. Really really good. I am enjoying rowing more and more, a magic exercise.

I am tossing up whether to go to the Tawe Nunnugah next year, taking the Skerry. 

 

Immersion

 

I accidentally took this selfie this morning after my swim. A group of annoying noisy cyclist came and hooted at one another on the rock wall. They are visible to the extreme right of the photo. I really enjoy the peace of immersion in the water when I can get the place to myself, it is magic. It was still good today, just a bit short of the marvellous total immersion.

Riddling

 

It was dead calm and grey on Wednesday. I didn't bother taking the sailing bits. We launched from Flemmos and rowed to the mouth of Laverton Creek, but it was too shallow. I think to get in there you'd need to hit top of  the tide. We rowed along the coast to the mouth of Skeleton Creek. I wonder who's Skeleton gave it its name. We could get in there, despite the shopping trolley embedded in the Creek mouth but not far up the creek. 

I am rereading Riddle of the Sands. I can really relate to Davies passion of exploring nooks and crannies. It is a wonderfulbook.

Exploring

 

Another fantastic Autumn day. Andrew suggested a sail, but he meant tomorrow, I got down there, rigged up, no Andrew.  So I  sailed off anyway. The tack I was on was taking me directly towards the Williamstown Anglers Club.  I have long wanted to see if I could get into the little harbour there. The water was crystal clear, light winds, I figured I wouldn't get a better chance, so I dropped sail and very cautiously forward rowed my way in.

It was actually easier from the water to pick the channel in  ... well it was an hour off low tide and I didn't hit anything coming or going, so I guess that was the channel.  

It was nice to go somewhere new, Andrew nice to stop and have lunch on a bench in the sun.

I would not have tried the entrance in the Core Sound. The Skerry is so light and manoeuvrable I feel a lot more ready to explore. Which is what dinghy cruising is about for me.

Drifter

 Ian wanted to take out his daughter and grandson who are visiting from Canada. Chris had one day left before going back to work. And it was a Wednesday so Kate could make it. We got out, rafted up for morning tea, Ian's grandson entertained  us by going for a swim, then Chris and I tried beating towards Williamstown for a while before giving up round Williamstown Beach. It was a nice if unremarkable day on the water. 

I spent next day editing video. I hope I am learning something about how to put these together. Interesting watching the YouTube hits, some are vastly more successful than others. I don't think this one will be one of my most popular but I enjoyed the day and putting it together.

Round the Corner

 

Anne's calendar looks like it is about get busy, and the weather is getting chillier, so we decided to dust off the teardrop and get away for a few days, even though this is a long weekend and we knew it was going to  be busy. 

I have a roof top loading contraption, so we put Skerry and the roof and headed off down to Yanakie.

It is a bit of a rigmarole, and takes about an hour up Qantas an hour down, so really only worth it if I can get the boat out for at least a couple of days. It is very tidal down here, and low tide round 11 yesterday and  round midday today.  We got the boat unloaded and ready yesterday morning, went for a swjm