| Date: | March 30, 2015, 1:30 a.m. |
| Position: | 34 44.63 S, 135 52.56 E |
Monday 30 March 2015 We are not entirely clear about who awoke first and what the time was in fact the whole environment was in fog. The local time had well passed our ETA and there was obviously a distinct lack of the forecast easterly and no one really seemed to care apart from some fearless soul suggesting that if arriving under full sail was still on the agenda it could well be achieved by motoring in at 6 knots astern. The morning was magnificent with the fog taking its time to get airborne while we sat in a mirror of glass. It all kind of enabled us to become very relaxed about the fact that the ladies had been awaiting our arrival at the marina for the last three hours.
The Rocna leisurely surfaced sparkling clean (it had obviously found clean sand on the second attempt) and we sort of drifted out with the motor sounding like it was still half asleep. Why rush, the scene was beautiful with the sea mimicking the landscape above. The tuna farm, a couple of fishing boats one with a seagull hitching a lift on the crane boom top and the marina entrance slowly becoming visible.
We were in the marina at around 1030 local time and with some mild activity safely moored. We had arrived, the fond greetings, the great not to be getting thrown around feeling and just happy to be there. Phil and Donna Jones and Lois Calloway joined us for celebratory drinks, hot crossed buns and tall stories. Life was great in Port Lincoln.
Later Frank and Glenys took Vic to the airport and continued on to Bruce and Lois’ place prior to returning to Perth.
Phil and Donna kindly invited all to their place for a barbeque and Roger, Julie, Scott and Sonja took them up on their offer.
| Date: | March 29, 2015, midnight |
Sunday 29 March 2015 At about 0100 we passed our first small commercial fishing boat (about 40ft) a mile to the north of us. Its maneuvering suggested pulling pots or a shark line. About the same time the depth indicator sprang into life to indicate the ocean floor had risen to 200 metres. The depths at sea (up to 4 kilometres) had boggled its brain and so refused to indicate even an estimate.
The early morning presented a cloudless overhead which created a golden aurora that comforted the salt soaked foredeck of Singita. Even the perpetual swell of the great Southern Ocean seemed to pause to acknowledge the glory of the morning.
At 0626, in the calm conditions, Scott’s unharnessed silhouette against the morning sun while at the mast checking the rigging gave the crew tacit approval to finally stow their safety harnesses.
At 0700 “Land Ho” – a tiny almost indiscernible triangular shape on the horizon that was deemed to be Whidby Islands.
Breakfast assumed an almost carnival atmosphere that was topped off by a spectacular display of dolphins. At least nine of them jostling for positions under the bow. They continued with us for some time.
1100 the bottom of the Eyre Peninsular was starting to become clearly visible. We also noticed a wave of bait fish schooling and obviously being herded. Port Lincoln fishermen later indicated that it would most likely be tuna underneath and moving in for a feed. “Our” Albatross landed within striking distance of the fish and, with another Albatross, sat quietly awaiting their feed from the remainders. It was possibly the first decent feed our Albatross would have had since he joined us the previous Monday and it afforded him opportunity to part company with us.
1320 A Piper aircraft with very distinctive “Rambo” wheels was approaching us. It was Phil and Donna Jones who flew in to give Scott an airborne welcome. Great flying by Phil as he buzzed around us a few times, a wave and then back towards the coast.
Scott had the Gennaker flying again on the port side at about 1500 and for about half an hour. We were approaching Thistle Island at 1600 and passed by an outgoing Port Lincoln Trawler. There were two power boats at anchor in the bay on the north side of the island.
To the north of Taylor Island and at about 1800 the skipper decreed dinner with a tot of rum (well a glass of red in fact). It was then after 2000 that we had rounded Cape Dornington and entered the first bay towards Spalding Cove to anchor. After two goes (the first was in mud and it appeared the Rocna may have sunk in upside down) we had the anchor set. There was a distinct lack of frivolity as tiredness had well taken over. The plan for the morning was to use the forecast 15Knot easterly to enter the Port Lincoln marina in a blaze of glory, Gennaker and all in bloom.
| Date: | March 28, 2015, 8 a.m. |
Saturday 28 March 2015 A day not unlike yesterday, cloudy and very Albany. A bit of sailing and a lot of motor sailing. Still extolling the virtues of the ladies and their longer distance culinary skills.
Much more moderate conditions and with the light winds on the aft quarter Scott got the Gennaker flying and we basked in its splendor until just before sundown.
| Date: | March 27, 2015, 7:15 a.m. |
Friday 27 March 2015 Edges between days starting to blur a bit but team working well. Singita continuing to receive our undivided attention at the expense of normal shore life day to day thoughts. The watch regime provides adequate sleep as there are no noticeable signs of sleep deprivation. Victualing obviously undertaken in an excellent and most considerate manner. Clearly there had been a tremendous amount of thought and effort by the girls to ensure our well-being.
| Date: | March 26, 2015, 7:14 a.m. |
Thursday 26 March 2015 Much calmer seas and a pleasant morning only blighted by an apparent acute shortage of vegemite. Who could have known that the new jar was cleverly hiding in the fridge in a position where only a female would notice? The upside was that Roger can vouch that there were absolutely no cockroaches on Singita. None could have escaped notice in his absolutely thorough search for vegemite. The jocular morning was further embellished by Scott’s grand entrance to the saloon breakfast scene in his white long johns. He was definitely feeling well enough to flirt with the challenge of a large tin of baked beans that totally eclipsed his toast on the plate. The whole plate was transported without mishap to the cockpit table and all but the plate, knife and fork were rapidly consumed.
The auto pilot was set to track on the wind with motor on until late afternoon. We were approximately on the rhumb line and reverted to running the auto pilot on a “go to” waypoint near Thistle Island. Pulled in the head sail and tightened that main to give a better VMG to the waypoint.
Spaghetti Bolognaise for dinner (another sterling dinner precooked by the ladies) and Frank somehow was triggered to deliver an unbelievably convoluted discourse about farming in WA’s marginal areas. Both the audience and Frank are still wondering about its relevance to anything let alone sailing the Great Australian Bight.
Roger and Vic observed a spectacular meteor shower on their watch but the show was not to be repeated on the subsequent watch. However Scott noticed considerable phosphorescence from the prop and entertained himself trying to capture it on his GoPro camera.
| Date: | March 25, 2015, 7 a.m. |
At 0230 winds increasing to 25 Knots southerly and giving a ride on the rough side. At 0630 reefed the main further and raised the staysail. Winds continued at 20 to 25 knots with gusts to 30 knots. The crew just a little tired. The boom track line was found to be trailing overboard and fouling the water generator. All was remediated quickly and Murphy less than ceremoniously thanked for his efforts.
From barometric pressure and wind direction and speed it was evident that the low pressure system that was forecast to be well below us had actually moved north by an estimated 200 miles. However it was of no significant consequence as the system was moving east relatively quickly.
For the rest of daylight hours the winds remained southerly between 10 and 25 Knots.
At 1830 we had gone below to organize dinner when hit by a large swell slammed us on the forward quarter. All we could see through the saloon windows was green. Scott reasonably casually mentioned that there was three inches of water dumped in the cockpit and the drains were working well. While contemplating dinner Scott was on the port side of the saloon talking to us on the starboard side. It was quite neat that Scott (who hadn’t been feeling too well) was chatting away presumably looking over our heads at the sky through the port hole behind us while all that could be seen through the port side port hole behind his head was green with an occasional splash of daylight.
At 2300 Wind much lighter and variable along with the barometer indicating that the low was moving on. Scott noticed the autopilot behaving erratically in the light winds and realized that it was likely due to the ocean current.
| Date: | March 24, 2015, 7:56 a.m. |
Tuesday 24 March 2015 From midnight no wind and running on motor with sheeted mainsail giving us 4.0kts. At 0600 anyone still sleeping was very soon up and involved in the eager deck activity to deploy the whisker pole and enable goose-winging.
At 0700 we were goose-winging in great style and the wind picked up enough to douse the motor. 1100 saw us goose-winging at 6 knots and 20miles south of 35°.
On dusk we dutifully reefed the mainsail and retired below for dinner being Sonja’s brilliantly precooked lamb and potatoes – it was a tad sad to find that the carrots and zucchini had escaped notice in the freezer even though they were explicitly mentioned on Sonja’s unbelievably detailed meals spreadsheet.
At 2230 the wind was shifting around to SW so we gybed and reefed.
| Date: | March 23, 2015, 7:18 a.m. |
Monday 23 March 2015 Seas noticeably reduced and at 0630 winds reasonable so pulled on full mainsail and pulled out headsail. Motor off, preventer on boom, winds variable predominantly southerly so next item was breakfast although Scott, at this stage, did not over indulge.
Roger made excellent chicken and salad whole meal buns (seemed to be very practiced in this culinary art) and then Julie’s first of many weather texts via Sat Phone where up to 160 characters were free:
“MON 1700 SE10 2000 SE10 2300 V5 0200 NNW10 0500 NW15 0800 NW15 SEA SW 4m Dec 2.5m No CF PREDICTED”.
Very readable and valuable information.
About 1600 put out all sails and backed off motor to 1200 rpm. An Albatross flew by and started circling giving Scott opportunity for his GoPro.
The GRIB forecast was discussed in depth to ensure all on the same page regarding likely weather for the remainder of the trip and the ETA for the bottom of Spencer Gulf was estimated at 1100 Sunday.
Course varied from 075 to 090 during night for winds and course later set to Gulf waypoint.
| Date: | March 22, 2015, 2 p.m. |
| Position: | 35 1.00 S, 117 54.00 E |
Sunday 22 March 2015 brought a flurry of activity from 0600 to ready for departure. Photos, farewells and fond instructions and then underway at 1000. Mark was on hand to throw the stern line while Scott managed departure into a 27 Knot southerly gust.
The girls also departed the scene and set their course for Esperance by road the first leg of the drive to Port Lincoln.
The wind dropped in the harbor and allowed easier sail setting. Out to sea via North Passage above Michaelmas Island. Beyond the influence of Michaelmas and Breaksea islands the swell and remnant sea provided us with a challenge to move around.
Scott implemented our shifts early starting at 1430 with Scott and Frank followed by Roger and Vic with a four hours on / off regime. This shift ratio proved to be quite sustainable with no evidence of ongoing fatigue. Meals and snacks were mainly had at the shift changeovers. It was agreed that “ship” time would be AWST until arrival at Port Lincoln.
Very variable winds 10 – 27 knots with 90° direction change and swells peaking at over 5 meters. Overnight we ran with reefed main and staysail. The motor was started at 1800 and ran all night. Uncomfortable but uneventful night.