Sunday, September 18, 2022

AYC Cruisers

 A nice group of younger locals have started an informal group  AYC Cruisers. Mostly young dads with kids. I am invited as honorary geezer. My oars have come in handy, towing fleet members to the raft up in no wind, and the anchor has come in handy in a bit more wind, stopping us drifting down on the coast before lunch is finished.


Only one other boat out last week, and they didn't stay out long after lunch. We did have a great procession of a pod of dolphin, led by a seal, that swam by quite close to us.


After I retrieved the anchor I sailed over to the mouth of Skeleton Creek, Nd we stopped for some shore leave.


Tide was low, and getting out over the shallow mud was fun, sailing standing up so I could better see possible channels, and shifting weight to free the boat when we got stuck. About 8.5 NM for the day. I was seriously tired afterwards.

I  am starting to think about set up and packing for the Murrar trip in October and Tawe-nunnugah-2023  next Feb. Jamie gave me a screw top barrel ages ago which I finally got round to trying in the boat. It fits so well it is like they were made for one another. Have to get another, they will be perfect for food and cooking stuff I think.






Saturday, September 10, 2022

Circumnavigation

A 15 NM sail round Corio Bay, a grand sail, and good practice for Tawe Nunnugah. 

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Training

 I have paid my money for the Tawe Nunnugah next February so I better be in good shape for it. I was helping Anne make some videos in the morning but got down to AYC beach and launched about 12.30. Wind was South South Westerly.  I rowed into and at an angle across it. Bom recoded 18 knot gusts at nearby Laverton while we were out. 


We rowed to the beach on the western side of Altona Bay, where a large yellow buoy with "exclusion zone" on it had washed ashore. I wonder where that came from? 


Feeling somehow as if we were trespassing we set off back home, which somehow seemed to be about as much into the wind as the trip over. 🤔   A bit over 5 miles, but a very good workout. I will sleep well tonight.



Good day

 Last day of winter had a fair forecast so I  posted my intention to get out on the PPB fb page. I didn't hear from Anyone but as I was launching I saw Andrew with Mars over at the ramp. We helped Gerardunload then load his boat so he could weigh it to get a VIN then headed off to raft up for lunch off the mouth of Kororoit Creek. 



I tried out the new dodger I have been working on for ages. Oz definitely liked it.


It was a good day. 





Saturday, August 27, 2022

Different days

 


I thought the weather was supposed to be getting warmer Friday, and I wanted to test new Torqeedo battery, so Anne and Oz and I motored over and sailed back from St Kilda. It was nice, but bloody cold.


Next day the blue skies and warm light airs arrived. Peregrina and Minty were being rigged when Oz and I walked by. I had lunch with the kids lined up so I couldn't rush home and get my boat. Oh well. I met Tanya, who might have bought her? , and Alex who is building up the mirror fleet at Williamstown. Very heartening and great to see Peregrina being used.





Saturday, August 13, 2022

Bom'ed again.

 


Wednesday seemed a bit bleak, but the wind forecast was OK for the morning, North North Westerly predicted to strengthen as the day proceeded. I had arranged to meet Kate, and we rowed over into Kororoit Creek. I think I know the way ok now, I think icould get in at high tide in the Core Sound. 

On the way back we tried the spinnaker oar combo, getting round 2 knots. I gotthe sail down and organised to row again just as the wind piped up. 23 knots at Laverton. Bang on the nose. It was a good workout getting in.

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Fourth time lucky

 If at first you don't succeed... 

I have tried three expeditions to get into Little River. I sailed in there in my first Mirror, in the 80's. My three recent attempts were unsuccessful due to weather, boat choice by some of the fleet, and tide. Monday was a beautiful light airs day, with a high tide at 10.30. Chris and I met with kayaks at Point Wilson ramp at 9. 

A 45 minutes of wind assisted paddling later, we were scraping over the Shelley Spit and into the river. It was as lovely as I remembered, indeed, apart from the silting up of the river mouth, not much has changed. I felt like we were intruding there, and the swans agreed, but we tried to keep a respectful distance. 

After exploring the river as far as we could get, we headed back to the west, to the mouth of the lagoon system at Spit reserve. It was a 10 mile day. My kayak paddling muscles have pretty much vanished due to lack of use. An early night Monday alright.