Southport to Coffs

Ok - this leg was not the best time we've had on this trip. After a terrific few days in Southport, including side trips Kingscliff, Byron Bay (great), Mt Tamborine (underwhelming) and a Sea World visit (terrific) , we headed out through the Gold Coast Seaway. Having checked the weather obsessively prior to leaving, everything looked in our favour ie. winds and seas dropping.

Sea World

Sea World - how great are dolphins?

Well, the seas didn't drop and after a really uncomfortable day heading into a southerly wind and swell, we headed into our night sail. Around midnight and off Yamba a squall came up with winds around 25kts. It was pitch black and raining. We sat in this for 3 - 4 hours despite our best efforts to move out of the squall using the radar. It was freezing. We had blankets and doonas on deck which were now all wet. So any exhausted sleep had to be found on wet pillows, cushions and under wet doonas. What fun!

We briefly discussed turning back and heading into Yamba but with the bad weather heading into an unfamiliar river was not the safest option. So we kept going and I counted down the hours until daylight. Sunrise found us wet and cold off the Solitary Islands north of Coffs Harbour. Under good conditions  this part of the trip would usually take 2 hours to arrive in Coffs Harbour. Our trip took 6 hours. The good news was we did eventually arrive - hooray!

Coffs Harbour from Mutton Bird Island

Islands of Coffs Harbour from Mutton Bird Island

Coffs Harbour to Mooloolaba

Three and half days and two nights at sea. No wind so we have been motor sailing or motoring.
A bit of a slog with 2kts of East Aust current slowing us down to 3kts off Stradbroke Is
when we had been averaging 5kts. Surprisingly free of wildlife on this leg - not even birds.
Very tired after the 24hour watches.
Pulled into Mooloolaba Wharf Marina to refuel, shower and sleep properly. Facilities for refueling was not great so the boys had to lug gerry cans to the petrol station and back to the boat. Happy days. Full nights sleep and a beer!
Off to Tin Can Bay, south of Fraser Island where we'll start to take it easier and enjoy the view.
Typed on my iPhone so excuse any typos etc

Coffs Harbour clearing

The weather is finally clearing after 2 days of torrential rain.

Coffs Harbour - blue sky in the distance

Caught up with friends on Saturday for lunch and were bunkered down in the yacht on Sunday doing last minute jobs, including some navigation preparation for the next passage. Now weather is permitting we'll be able to get out and top up food, do laundry etc.

samaya at Coffs Harbour marina

Having worked out that a dud engine battery caused our engine issues a couple of days ago, the battery will be replaced today as well.

Broughton Islands to Coffs Harbour

Our biggest challenge so far is this leg which was our first night sail 2 handed. Left Broughton Island early with the winds dropping from 10knots to under 5knots so we motored with a headsail most the way. The highlight of the first afternoon was a pod of bottle nosed dolphins that swam several times along side the bow of the boat. They were so close and the water so clear that we had the best view. Can't have enough dolphin photos or dolphin videos. The rest of the afternoon the sea around the yacht was full of dolphins.

The evening and night was mostly fairly uneventful, which is a good thing. We were motoring at 7kts until we hit the Eastern Australian current which knocked the speed back to 4 kts and the seas were just slopping around. We took 2 - 3 hours watches each which became harder as the night wore on. It was terrific to see the sun come up at 5.30 am.

The morning was beautiful, so to order to conserve fuel and enjoy the morning, we pulled out a sail and coasted towards Coffs. You would then think it would be an easy doodle into Coffs harbour, no bar, no drama - no chance! On restarting the engine to enter the Harbour and head to a marina berth (yep you guessed it), after 20 odd hours of motoring the motor wouldn't start. Coupled with this we lost power to the anchor winch and had no confidence in the manual override. Happy days!

After calling Marine Rescue assistance, we then sailed into the harbour on headsail and were then towed by some brave volunteers in a power boat into the marina berth. Good grief, what a way to arrive. 

I was amazed by the generosity of people who helped us out, not only the guys who towed us to the berth (not easy at all), but another yacht heading south into the Harbour offered to help and people on the marina were there to help secure the boat. A lovely retired electrical engineered helped diagnose the problem and the local Volvo diesel mechanic also checked the engine out. With all this help, we now have a grasp on the issues and yes, we will be continuing north on schedule weather permitting.