Category Archives: Uncategorized

Autumn is perhaps Melbourne’s most beautiful season. It brings long sunny days, cooler evenings after the summer’s scorching heat and magnificent sailing weather. Perhaps because our winters seem so long, sailors seize upon any opportunity to get out on Port … Continue reading →

Finally after five days we were able to emerge from our cocoon! We left Refuge Cove at 08.00 hrs with a sunny sky, a good puff of breeze and a little residual slop from the blow. The South Eastern lighthouse … Continue reading →

Eventually we slipped past the red lichen coloured rocks and dropped the anchor in Refuge Cove. Whilst tired we were delighted to have had such an easy passage from Eden. The lack of wind meant our passage had taken ten … Continue reading →

With the weather finally in our corner we set off. As we left Twofold Bay we encountered washing machine sea’s and the sailing was unpleasant but not intolerable. Intolerable would have been staying in Eden! By the time we were … Continue reading →

  In all we spent ten days in Eden. Whilst the weather in Eden was generally calm and sunny the winds in the latitudes below us blew and blew. One sector would ease then the strong wind warnings were up … Continue reading →

We spent our last week in Batemans Bay enjoying coffee’s and lunches with cruising friends, old and new. Team Zolibato (Neil and Deb)  came and rescued us from boatland, taking us down to Broulee for lunch and spending the afternoon … Continue reading →

   A quick scan of the weather sites had us requesting a move deeper into the marina. By lunch time on Australia Day we were snugly tucked into the quietest corner of the marina in a space which, although it … Continue reading →

Entering Jervis Bay we were accompanied by dolphins and in seven metres of water I could clearly see the bottom. Such a beautiful pristine cruising ground! We headed over to our favourite anchorage, ‘Hole in the Wall’ and settled in … Continue reading →

We felt it was time to continue our southbound journey. Waving goodbye to South Head and shrugging off the two Naval Frigates who accompanied us out of the harbour we set sail south. A short but lovely sail had us … Continue reading →

After a long day dealing with the hot weather we were the very happy recipients of some most generous local kindness. Graham, the owner of the Swan 51 next door kindly drove us to exchange a gas bottle and reprovision. … Continue reading →

4 We have spent three days at Drummoyne near the back end of the harbour, visiting family and friends and enjoying Alex’s gift of a delicious Italian seafood meal in Sydney’s “Little Italy”. Today we moved into Blackwattle Bay near … Continue reading →

What better place to see in the New Year than Sydney Harbour? We departed Newcastle at 0400 hours and after sucessfully dodging one departing ship, four tugs and one incoming ship made our way to Sydney, 67 nm south. The … Continue reading →

Eventually we dragged ourselves away from the marina and set across to Fame Cove for the night. It’s only one nm away but could be a million miles away! Fame Cove is the local’s not-so-well-kept secret. It is an almost … Continue reading →

Welcome to our new found paradise! Whilst we generally don’t endorse specific facilities we think this marina deserves special mention. As I mentioned in the last post, marina’s around here are some the most expensive to stay in on the … Continue reading →

  Port Macquarie is, as are so many coastal towns on this part of the coast, an old colonial settlement. From sea the tall stands of Norfolk Island pines so commonly planted in  convict times are clearly visible. The footpaths are … Continue reading →

After walking all the beaches, watching every weather report and half expecting to be given permanent residency status at Coff’s Harbour we finally found a weather window which suited our needs. We tracked it on the weather sites for three … Continue reading →

Ten days onboard and still not sailing south! Welcome to the Coff’s Harbour branch of Hotel California. We wonder if we will ever leave… Yesterdays strong southerlies which gusted to 40 knots in the marina had our patience frayed to … Continue reading →

Surfing and sensational beaches are what Coff’s Harbour is known for. Highland Fling did her best to arrive in ‘Aloha’ style a month ago, surfing downhill for 60 nm in 25-30 knot north winds. Since then we have been home … Continue reading →

Keen to get south while the weather and tides stayed favourable we were up at dawn and heading out across a mirror calm bar at 0700hrs. We were in company with four other yachts heading south and the day promised … Continue reading →

After an incredibly windy day or two everything settled. Except the Ballina Bar. A couple of yachts left early in the morning on the top of the high tide. We wished them well and worried for them. Late afternoon a … Continue reading →