PK's sailing posts: Log of the Yacht Magic Monday 12.04.2010

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Log of the Yacht Magic Monday 12.04.2010

Monday 12.04.2010

00:20 Approaching WP 39

POS 20º52'S 149º13'E (Plotted on the chart)

SOG 6.3kts

COG 290ºM

Set 0.7kts setting 069ºM

14 miles to WP 40

Still little wind and motoring in flat seas, slightly overcast.

03:00 Red flashing lights sighted

POS 20º42'S 149º00'E (plotted on Chart)

Nothing on chart to indicate any obstacle close aboard. Lights bear 345ºM. We are abeam Ladysmith Island mid channel.

Altered course 15ºM to port to see if light bearing changes and attempt to establish how far off the lights are.

03:30 Red lights still in view bearing 345ºM as near as I can establish. We now have a white light to the east of the reds.

POS 20º39'S 148º55'E (Plotted on Chart)

Altered course to Stb new course 290ºM

Have established that the lights must much further away than at first thought as the bearing hasn't changed in the last 30minutes

04:00 Moonrise, last sliver of moon has risen and given us a little more visability

Red and white lights continue to bear 345ºM

Slight wind but mostly in the NW and no good to us so we continue under motor

05:00 Lights now appear to the red aeros on Hamilton. That aligns with our bearings over the last few hours.

POS 20º31'S 148º58'E (Plotted on Chart)

Dent Passage white light to West of reds is now in sight.

Motoring, flat seas, scattered cloud sky brightening in the East.

06:15 Hamilton Island now clear and Dent Passage is in sight.

POS 20º25'S 148º57'E

SOG 5.1kts

Set is now very obvious and we can see the water swirling alongside us.

06:35 At the entrance to Dent Passage, tide running very strongly against us.

POS 20º22'S 148º56'E

06:55 Off Marina entrance, Called marina off on 16 without any joy decided to enter and hope to find a T end free.

07:00 Secure alongside T end B in the main marina.

Boys ashore to shower and breakfast. Hamilton is as it was last time I visited and very run down. The new work to the Golf course on Dent is obvious and the Yacht club is impressive though as it doesn't open for breakfast we didn't get to have a close look. After breakfast moved to the fuel wharf and refuelled.

10:00 Fuel Wharf Hamilton Island.

slipped lines at fuel wharf, put Adam ashore on T arm B and cleared the marina to the north and set course for Whitehaven beach for the rest of the day and if weather holds we will overnight there. 6 PoB.

10:10 Navigated Fitzalan passage on the NW tip of Hamilton and passed close to Cats Eye Bay, the only beach on Hamilton.

Set course to clear the shoal off Craig point and then turned to approach Flint Rock. Passed East of Flint Rock at 10:35

Navigated Solway Passage to enter Whitehaven Bay. Dropped anchor SE of Martin Island close in to the beach in 5meters of water. Unshipped dinghy and set up Boom Cover to provide much need shade as the sun is now up in a serious way.

Andy Rose took the dinghy ashore to explore and the rest of us prepared to enjoy a restful day. Beer rationing has been abandoned and now we are confronted with the problem of not leaving surplus supplies onboard when we leave...

Lots of visitors to the beach from resorts close by and the boys reported lots of talent ashore.

POS 20º17'S 149º03'E

Quiet overnight with little or no wind. Checked anchor on several occasions and found all secure. Nice sandy bottom with good holding.