Distance travelled recap

Ok we now have reliable internet for a few days so I'll be able to get to updated .....first lets go to the statistics.....

Distance travelled from Lake Macquarie to Hamilton Island: 955nm
Number of crew: 2 until Coffs Harbour. "Dangerous Cargo" taken on board in Coffs - 3 crew
Number of days sailing/motoring: 15
Number of Port/Anchorages: 12
Average swell: 2m
Average winds: North 10kts
Days in safe anchorages due to high winds (>30kts SE): 4
Number of overnight passages: 3
Watch times: 2-3 hrs each
Heavy weather passages: 3
Whales: 1 (4 breaches)
Extreme dolphin session off the bow: 2
Seasnakes: 1 BIG snake on it's way to Hayman Island
Turtles: many
Fish caught: Will leave this stat to the crew
Buzz by Coast Watch Patrols: 1
Bar crossings: 3
Number of tankers: 25
Best investments: New chartplotter at helm, radar at night and in storms, AIS for tanker alerts
Mishaps: 1 failed battery at Coffs Harbour
Favorite places: Great Sandy Straits (otherwise known as "the back passage"), Scawfell Bay, Pancake Creek Bay, South Percy Island
Amount of beers, wine and food consumed: heaps!
Scrabble score: 2 games all (decider pending)

Samaya has exceeded our expectations for comfort, performance and safety.

Detailed trip record (nm).
Swansea to Broughton Island 36.3nm
Broughton Island to Coffs Harbour (1 overnight passage) 153nm
Coffs Harbour to Mooloolaba (2 overnight passages) 238nm
Mooloolaba to Tin Can Bay (Fraser Is) 60.5nm
Tin Can Bay (Fraser Is) through the Great Sandy Strait to Moon Island 40nm
Moon Island to Pancake Creek Bay (leaving anchor at midnight) 102nm
Pancake Creek Bay to Rossyln Bay (Yeppoon) 73.4nm
Rossyln Bay (Yeppoon) to Pearl Bay 47.1nm
Pearl Bay to Percy Island (South) 50.5nm
Percy Island (South) to Scawfell island 69.6nm
Scawfell island to Butterfly Bay (Whitsunday Island) 62.0nm
Butterfly Bay to Hamilton Island 22.8nm

Swansea to Broughton Island (off Port Stephens)

Early start to get out of the *%#@?!! Swansea channel on the high tide, before peak hour to catch a bridge opening to get out of the %*&#%$!! bar.

Towards Swansea at sunrise

All safe and easily done - skipper on high alert for depth going to zero (it happens).

It was a freezing cold morning followed by a lively day sail to Esmeralda Cove off Broughton Islands (National Park).

Granny checks weather - as long as you have an internet connection and you don't Skype who cares what you look like!

Dolphin sighting along the way (always good) and some interesting sailing done to avoid the fisherman's pots/crab nets. Brougton Island is mostly frequented by fisherman and there are huts on the island and private moorings used at certain times of the year.

Esmeralda Cove - fishermans huts

Two more days to go!

Two more days before we head out. Still packing and provisioning (endless!) but almost there. I have to remember we're not actually heading into the wilderness for months, just offshore for a couple of weeks at a time. There will be shops!

First planned stop is Broughton Island one hours sailing north of Port Stephen. A short day sail just to get into the swing of things. A beautiful place for the first stop.

Broughton Islands

Esmeralda Cove

Esmeralda Cove - anchorage spot