Much has happened since our arrival in Brisbane. Roger and I went ashore and wandered around the CBD for a few hours. Brisbane downtown is a modern mini Sydney, lots of stores and shopping malls situated on the river.
I made the error of calling the Brisbane city council to let them know of our arrival and they told me that I had to get off the piings as they were dredging them until March 3rd. The marina was full so there were not a lot of options. Roger and I had dinner with Phil and Christina on Songline who are at the dockside marina about ten minutes away by dinghy.
Roger left on Saturday and I spent the day cleaning up and thinking about anchoring strategies in the river.
I left the town dock pilings at slack tide and anchored up about 200 metres up river and all was fine until the tide changed and I dragged considerably despite a 7:1 rode.
After some consultation with Roger and the locals, I set a second anchor down river from the first as a Bahamian moor. This was a lot of effort but it seemed to do the trick as I have stayed in the same spot for the past few tide cycles.
I'm concerned that retrieving the second anchor may be difficult if the two rodes twist on themselves, time will tell.
Last night. I went back to Dockside Marina for a bithday party for Isobel of Jamie and Isobel on Dagmar, an Australian couple that we met in Beveridge Reef last year. Sometimes I am reminded of how small a world it really is.
I'm going to try some begging today to see if I can get in the marina, though it doesn't look good.
My small outboard is acting up and I will have to take the carb apart and try to get it going again.
Oh the joys of cruising.
The Admiral arrives from London tomorrow. Yay!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Brisbane, Australia
Roger and I arrived at the Town Dock in the centre of Brisbane yesterday at about 1700H after a long ride up a muddy river. We will do some exploring today and further news to follow
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Progressing to Brisbane on Callisto
Earlier wednesday.........
The winds are down and we have been motoring again for the past hour but the seas are still sloppy from yesterday's blow. All well on board, we are looking to eat a little better today as the wind is down. Forecast is a change to easterlies which will work for us. We passed Coff's Harbour in the night and it is 75 miles to Cape Byron on the border with Queensland.
We still have an ETA of Thursday sometime.
current position at 0630 H on Wednesday feb 22 is 29 54 S, 153 24.8E Speed is 6.0 kts on a course of 355M. We are motorsailing in wind from the SSW at 8 kts.
Later on Wednesday.....
We are doing quite well fighting with the two knot current that runs down the coast, so we have had to stay about a mile off the beach for the past 24 hours and until we are in.
We have about 110 NM to go so we should be in sometime tomorrow but it might be quite late. The will be more wind tomorrow but mostly behind us.
Current position is 28 41.4S, 153 38.7E speed is 6.5 kts on a course of 050M. Wind is from the SE at 15kts.
The winds are down and we have been motoring again for the past hour but the seas are still sloppy from yesterday's blow. All well on board, we are looking to eat a little better today as the wind is down. Forecast is a change to easterlies which will work for us. We passed Coff's Harbour in the night and it is 75 miles to Cape Byron on the border with Queensland.
We still have an ETA of Thursday sometime.
current position at 0630 H on Wednesday feb 22 is 29 54 S, 153 24.8E Speed is 6.0 kts on a course of 355M. We are motorsailing in wind from the SSW at 8 kts.
Later on Wednesday.....
We are doing quite well fighting with the two knot current that runs down the coast, so we have had to stay about a mile off the beach for the past 24 hours and until we are in.
We have about 110 NM to go so we should be in sometime tomorrow but it might be quite late. The will be more wind tomorrow but mostly behind us.
Current position is 28 41.4S, 153 38.7E speed is 6.5 kts on a course of 050M. Wind is from the SE at 15kts.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sydney to Brisbane
The latest from Callisto................We had a wild day. Thw winds that were predicted from the south finally filled in at about 1000H this morning and we have been flying along ever since and we are making up the time we lost yesterday. It's a bit bumpy so only soup for dinner.
Current position at 1900H Tuesday February 21 LT is 30 50.9S,153 08E speed is 7.5 kts on a course of 355M.
Wind speed is 20-25kts from the SSW.
Current position at 1900H Tuesday February 21 LT is 30 50.9S,153 08E speed is 7.5 kts on a course of 355M.
Wind speed is 20-25kts from the SSW.
Monday, February 20, 2012
The Captain at sea and the Admiral in Rome
I am posting from Rome where I am visiting with our daughter Josette who is studying here for a semester.It ihas been pouring with rain here ,but we are still enjoying all the wonders this amazing city has to offer. Ducking into bars for our caffe and gelato !
Here is an update on the progress from Callisto ....Roger and I left this morning at 0615H after a big thunderstorm rolled through. The southerly breeze that was forecast did not materialize and we have been motoring against current all day. We have been making a pitiful 5 kts only. It has been comfortable but we are burning lots of diesel.
Current position at 1800H LT is 33.00N, 151 48.4E speed 4.5 kts course 043M wind speed 7 kts from the SE. We are about 5 NM from Newcastle from where we left in October.
Stronger winds are predicted tomorrow which should give us a push in the right direction.
Here is an update on the progress from Callisto ....Roger and I left this morning at 0615H after a big thunderstorm rolled through. The southerly breeze that was forecast did not materialize and we have been motoring against current all day. We have been making a pitiful 5 kts only. It has been comfortable but we are burning lots of diesel.
Current position at 1800H LT is 33.00N, 151 48.4E speed 4.5 kts course 043M wind speed 7 kts from the SE. We are about 5 NM from Newcastle from where we left in October.
Stronger winds are predicted tomorrow which should give us a push in the right direction.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Quite a change of pace this week! After living the high but freezing life in London for 4 weeks I'm now back down under in Sydney on the boat. I left last Sunday morning from Heathrow, where they have the world's rudest ground staff and arrived finally on Monday night. One of my 400 planemates must have breathed on me as I came down with a cold and cough almost immediately. Fortunately the weather was balmy, quite a change from snowy London.
I spent the next few days cleaning Callisto up and getting her ready for her trip North and 2012 cruising season.
My batteries were not charging well and I decided to replace them on Friday and this was bigger job than anticipated considering I was alone. The 13 batteries were delivered to the Marina but yanking the old ones and fitting the new ones was heavy work. They were also slightly smaller than the originals and terminals were on the opposite side, so some modifications were in order to get then to fit tightly in their battery compartment and not allow them to move about. One of the local shipwrights kindly lent me his pick-up truck and told me where I could buy some stainless, Metric fasteners and a new piece of heavy copper bar to cut and drill to tie the new batteries together.
Needless to say, this took twice as long as anticipated and I was late for my Friday night dinner appointment with our friends Carole and Neville on Darling Point. Friday night is crazy busy in downtown Sydney and the trains were very crowded. I got lost in a station in the Sydney CBD called Town Hall which is on about 7 levels, none of which seemed to be connected to one another in any kind of logical way.
I finally emerged from the labyrinth, 45 minutes late and a bit frazzled.
Despite my tardiness, Carole and Neville were the most gracious of hosts and I very much enjoyed an evening of Carole's home cooking and Neville's excellent red wine and their company after a very long and difficult day.
Yesterday was spend on some provisioning, final cleaning and digging all the barnacles off the dinghy and stowing it.
Roger arrived last evening. We had some dinner in the local pub and an early night for me.
It's almost 0600H and just starting to get light. I need to check the weather one last time and then it's on to Manly or Broken Bay tonight and once the predicted southerly winds come in, we sail north 550 NM to Brisbane, Queensland.
I'm looking forward to going back to sea again after 3 months, photos to follow
I spent the next few days cleaning Callisto up and getting her ready for her trip North and 2012 cruising season.
My batteries were not charging well and I decided to replace them on Friday and this was bigger job than anticipated considering I was alone. The 13 batteries were delivered to the Marina but yanking the old ones and fitting the new ones was heavy work. They were also slightly smaller than the originals and terminals were on the opposite side, so some modifications were in order to get then to fit tightly in their battery compartment and not allow them to move about. One of the local shipwrights kindly lent me his pick-up truck and told me where I could buy some stainless, Metric fasteners and a new piece of heavy copper bar to cut and drill to tie the new batteries together.
Needless to say, this took twice as long as anticipated and I was late for my Friday night dinner appointment with our friends Carole and Neville on Darling Point. Friday night is crazy busy in downtown Sydney and the trains were very crowded. I got lost in a station in the Sydney CBD called Town Hall which is on about 7 levels, none of which seemed to be connected to one another in any kind of logical way.
I finally emerged from the labyrinth, 45 minutes late and a bit frazzled.
Despite my tardiness, Carole and Neville were the most gracious of hosts and I very much enjoyed an evening of Carole's home cooking and Neville's excellent red wine and their company after a very long and difficult day.
Yesterday was spend on some provisioning, final cleaning and digging all the barnacles off the dinghy and stowing it.
Roger arrived last evening. We had some dinner in the local pub and an early night for me.
It's almost 0600H and just starting to get light. I need to check the weather one last time and then it's on to Manly or Broken Bay tonight and once the predicted southerly winds come in, we sail north 550 NM to Brisbane, Queensland.
I'm looking forward to going back to sea again after 3 months, photos to follow
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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