Adelaide to Port Lincoln

As we approached Troubridge Island the depth became less and less and the wind blew harder. We soon realised that the waypoint we had for the anchorage was actually on the island. We sounded our way in realising that we could not depend on our chartplotter. The sun peeped out from grey clouds showing us the shallows, but when we were ready to drop the anchor the sun disappeared. The wind took the bows away and we dragged sideways towards the shallows. A quick burst on the engine put us into deeper water as Jeremy worked the anchor windlass at top speed.

 

Late evening lighthouse, Troubridge Island

We tried again and anchored securely. All night, until the small hours, the SE wind blew. Thanks to the shoals, there was no swell – just lots of choppy wind waves. In the morning, in calm conditions, we decided to try taking a route through the shallows on a rising tide, skirting the Marion Shoals. I watched the depth sounder while Jeremy steered. We were both relieved when we found ourselves in deeper water and continued our daysail to King George Beach on the north side of Kangaroo Island. Dolphins came to swim in our bow wave and the sun shone.

King George Beach, Kangaroo Island

On arrival, we found the waypoint we had was off a small cove, which was next to a much larger beach. As we approached the small cove it became obvious that this would not be a safe anchorage, so we turned away and anchored off the larger beach, where there is a reef on one side and a headland on the other. It was very pretty with three houses ashore. However, we could see that fire had swept across the hillside leaving a swathe of blackness, where once there had been undergrowth and trees.

The next day was St Valentine’s Day. It was only 29 nm to our next anchorage across Investigator Strait at West Cape. We motorsailed in light winds, but as we passed the Althorpe Islands, the wind doubled in strength and put us on a lee shore to go round West Cape and into the anchorage. I was not happy as waves were breaking on the reef off the headland and the swell was quite big. We rounded the headland safely and found ourselves in a pretty anchorage with steep cliffs to shelter behind, a long, semicircular, white sand beach and a lighthouse way above us.

Sal Darago, West Cape

After lunch, we launched the dinghy and motored ashore. There was some surf breaking on the beach, which we rode perfectly and kept dry. We changed into walking shoes, found a gap in the sand dunes beyond the crumbling, sandstone cliffs and headed towards the lighthouse. We were in Innes National Park as we discovered when we found a shelter with information boards and some toilets. We enjoyed our blustery walk to the lighthouse and returned to the beach via the cliff path.

The anchorage, West Cape

Returning through the surf was a wet experience for me as a wave broke over the bows of the dinghy. There were two other boats in the anchorage, a sloop called Bellatrix and a catamaran called Even Keels. Both were skippered by single handed sailors and they were members of CYCSA and knew Steve. Like us, they were on their way to Port Lincoln. It was good to meet some fellow cruisers.

The lighthouse, West Cape

The next morning, three boats left the anchorage. The wind was fresh enough to sail with just the genoa flying. Although, we’d set off first the bigger boats overtook us mid morning, but we saw them ahead for a long time.

The swell died down as we approached the shelter of the Eyre Peninsula. We rounded Cape Donington and began our approach to Port Lincoln. We assume Bellatrix and Even Keels went into the marina. We continued to the town jetty and anchored between it and a long commercial grain store jetty.

Commercial grain jetty, Port Lincoln

We woke up on my sister’s milestone birthday. Happy birthday, Pat. All the usual chores needed to be done i.e laundry, shopping, filling up with water, buying diesel. We rewarded ourselves with lunch at Del Giorno’s. Everything is close by in Port Lincoln, but it’s a long drag up the beach with the dinghy.

Eating out at Del Giorno's, Port Lincoln

We checked the weather and a blow was coming in two days’ time. We had to decide what to do. We were going to spend the next night in Memory Cove towards the south end of the Eyre Peninsula. Perhaps it would be better to keep going and round Cape Catastrophe in calm weather, but where would we anchor and would we make it before the strong winds arrived?

We left Port Lincoln on Monday 17^th February.