Still in Albany WA

Rainbow disappearing from Oyster Bay

How quickly times change. You may have noticed that there is a virus going round the world. This has had implications for our sailing plans. There are many issues to address, not least the lack of toilet paper! Albany is an area where there are a few places to anchor and moor as well as a very good, but pricey marina. Nearby, there are good shops including three supermarkets and the locals are very friendly and helpful. Freemantle is next to a large city and, while the Freemantle Sailing Club has extended to us a warm welcome, we would be staying in a marina with no knowledge of the surrounding areas.

Sunset from the moorings, Johnson's Cove

It is for these reasons that we have decided to stay in Albany. There is a further complication that our flights home at the end of April, while not formally cancelled, look extremely doubtful. In addition to this, most countries are refusing entry to foreign vessels. We cannot leave Australia by boat until May, because of the hurricane season. Even in May, we don’t know where we will be accepted. Right now, we are glad to be in Albany, which today has no known cases of Covid 19.

Ledge Beach

Our last week has been so different from our previous trips as we have always been moving on. Now, we motor to one anchorage, move to a mooring, pop into the marina and go off to another anchorage. Thus a week goes by.

Vancouver Beach, near Possession Point

As well as the moorings in Oyster Bay, Albany Waterside Marina and Quaranup Beach behind Possession Point, we’ve also tried Frenchman’s Bay and Ledge Bay. We had difficulty setting the anchor in the latter two. There are a number of walking trails around Albany, so we are keeping fit and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

On top of Possession Point. Can you see SD?

Thank you to those who have posted comments on our blog including the local couple who spotted us at Frenchman’s Bay, East of England Westerly Owners, friends in the north of England and Scotland and family members. We appreciate the interest shown in our travels.

Leeuwin II in King George Sound

 

Albany

In the midst of all the worries about gas, electricity and starter motors, we thought about our grandchildren as two of the three have birthdays in March. Nina had her first birthday and Sophie was a grown up girl of four. We managed to speak to both of them and enjoyed the photos and videos which we received.

Albany Waterfront

Barbara and Rob invited us to join them for Sunday lunch at the Earl of Spencer pub. We think it was probably founded by a distant member of the family! We had a lovely time in the distinctly old style British atmosphere of the pub. More boating stories were exchanged.

The Brig Amity Replica

Before lunch, we’d visited the Sunday market on the waterfront and stocked up with fresh veg, fish and bread. Then we followed a self-guided historical tour around the central district of Albany. It’s called the Amity Trail, after the brig that brought the first settlers to Albany in 1826. A replica of the Amity was built in 1976 and we knew we would have to return to follow the audio tour of the ship.

Horse drawn wagons at Patrick Taylor's cottage

We had time to look around the oldest surviving wattle and daub cottage in Western Australia. Patrick Taylor’s cottage dates from 1832 and both the cottage and the garden are maintained by volunteers.

Ancestral pub!

After lunch, we bought supplies from the IGA and returned to Sal Darago, where Jeremy filled up with diesel and water.

Officers' quarters, Amity replica

On Monday, we toured the replica of the brig Amity. It’s part of the Museum of the Great Southern and, once again, staffed by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers. Back at the marina, we put our keys in the drop box and prepared to leave. Jeremy sent an email to Christine to let her know. Our invoice was prepared and paid. As expected the stay cost us 54AUS per day (about £27) which is the standard charge for casual berths in DoT facilities in WA.

Crew quarters, Amity replica

We motored one mile to Quaranup Beach, just south of Possession Point, and dropped the anchor for the night. The wind blew strongly, but all was well.

Someone bulldozed the path

On Tuesday 10^th March, we motored north through King George Sound, entered Oyster Bay and found the three free moorings at Johnson’s Cove. One was occupied by Stuart and Jane from Albany Waterfront Marina. We picked up a mooring and tied to it. We launched the dinghy and, after a quick chat with Stuart and Jane, we set off across the bay to see Darren at Emu Point Boat-lifters. The outboard began to stall, but Jeremy fixed it by blowing air into the petrol tank!

Voyagers' Park Beach opposite Emu Point

Darren had just driven away but many helpful people gave us names of possible places to haul out SD on the west coast. We learned that seven boats, including Darren’s, were leaving for Geographe Bay the next day. This gave us pause for thought and we wondered if we should go with them. A look at the weather forecast and the 4m swell expected at Cape Leeuwin, helped us decide to stay put. Later, Jeremy phoned Darren. Darren suggested a few places to haul out. We chose Two Rocks and made a provisional booking with them straight after the phone call.

King George Sound from Whale Lookout

Today, we went ashore and walked a two hour trail in Gull Rock National Park. It took us a little longer, as about a mile of the trail had been bulldozed into huge piles of sand making walking very difficult. We believe this has been done to stop FWDs and motorbikes using these paths.

Emu Point from Dick Redshaw Lookout

We can spend two more nights on this mooring and then we have to move on. We’ll be in the Albany area for a few more days until the wind and swell are suitable for us to round Cape Leeuwin and leave the Southern Ocean for the Indian Ocean.

Esperance Bay to Albany

Beautiful Dillon Bay

We had a comfortable night on Stuart’s mooring at O’Brien’s Beach. Our starter motor was giving us cause for concern. Jeremy had stripped it down but could not repair it because of a sealed unit. He put it back together and was relieved when it started the engine.

Vehicles on the beach at Dillon Bay

Jeremy telephoned VMR Esperance and we motored out of the bay with the genoa folding in the light NE wind. Dolphins swam at the bow. A large smoke cloud formed on the land behind us and soon we could smell burning vegetation. I switched the engine off in the afternoon and we sailed with the genoa only in sunny weather. The seas began to get bigger and the swell had breaking waves on top.

Little Boat Harbour, Dillon Bay

In the evening we had two poles up and flew our No.2 jib to port and a slightly reefed genoa to starboard. The wind increased after dark and I reefed the genoa twice more as we surfed at alarming speeds down the big waves.

Much needed r&r

In the morning the wind died away and we motored towards Little Boat Harbour in Dillon Bay. It was a lovely place to have lunch, catch up on sleep and have a quick dip in the sea followed by a shower on the stern in the sunshine. We would have liked to stay longer, but the weather window gave us just enough time to make Albany before strong winds arrived.

Approaching Albany

We left at 0300 for another night at sea. We motorsailed all the way avoiding a well-lit fishing vessel that was on our course. We took the Middle Channel into King George Sound, rounded Possession Point and approached Princess Royal Sailing Club watching the depth sounder carefully. We phoned the club and left messages, but it was their Sailability day and everyone was busy.

Entering Princess Royal Harbour, Albany

We turned around and headed towards Albany Waterfront Marina, run by the DoT, and wondered if we would be refused entry. I phoned to arrange a berth, but there was no reply. We needed fuel, we needed to have our gas and electricity installations checked and we had a dodgy starter motor. We asked a man on one of the berths where we should go for fuel and tied up at the Service Wharf. The man was Gerry and he came round in his car and took Jeremy to meet Mark. A mechanic called Tom was working in the marina and Jeremy was given his phone number.

Safely tied up at Albany Waterfront Marina

We were directed to a berth next to Gerry and tied up. Jenna from the DoT came by with keys to the marina gate and the ablution facilities. She was welcoming and friendly and also gave us a direct line to Christine at Albany DoT and a form to complete and hand in the next day. Two hours later, Mark returned from helping out with Sailability and put us in contact with a gas and an electricity engineer. Both would be at SD at 0800 the next day. Jeremy gave Tom our started motor. He was unable to fix it and a new one was ordered which was delivered on Saturday, only two days after our arrival. Everyone was friendly and helpful. The ablution block had hot showers, toilets, a washing machine and a tumble drier and the marina was secure.

Floating pontoon berths at Albany Waterfront Marina

By the time we met Christine on the morning after our arrival, our gas and electricity had been inspected. Grant, the electrician, put a new plug on our cable, tested our system and issued a safety certificate. Lee, the gas engineer, could not pass our gas installation, but told us we would need to have SD hauled out to have the work done. Clearly, this was not practical, but as we were expecting to be hauled out in Freemantle next month, perhaps we could have the work done then. Jeremy had looked at the Energy Safety Bulletin-Gas Focus No 57 for details relating to older gas installations. We had to put in writing that we had read these details and understood the consequences. Christine was happy that we were doing all we could to comply with WA standards. Later that day, we sent her an email with the electricity safety certificate attached and the information from Bulletin No 57.

Today, we met up with a British couple, Rob and Barbara, on Zoonie, who have hauled out a few miles away at Emu Point and spent a pleasant couple of hours exchanging boating tales.

Esperance

Approaching Esperance

Jeremy went to the office at the Department of Transport Bandy Creek Boat Harbour. He was given one hour to decide whether to stay or leave. There was no welcome and no “well done” on completing a crossing of the Great Australian Bight. The daily rate was 54 AUS (about £28). This was almost as expensive as Docklands in the centre of Melbourne, where the facilities were far superior. The weather forecast was for strong winds from the NE and SE making anchoring in weed over sand dangerous on a lee shore off Esperance. We decided to stay for 3 nights and Jeremy completed the required form. He was given a shower key and we were asked to move up the wharf after lunch as we were on the fuel berth.

About an hour later, John came over with concerns that our electricity and gas installations did not meet WA standards. No problem with the electricity as long as we did not plug into the mains. The gas was meant to be inspected and certified by a gas engineer. We explained that all the pipework was checked by a CORGI registered British engineer when it was installed and met UK standards. John phoned for advice and everyone seemed to accept our situation and the fact that our insurance would cover any damage that we might cause by blowing up.

We moved up the wharf and tied up. We had been given a shower key and had a look at the facilities ashore. The women’s shower was awaiting repair. There were two unisex showers which were in poor condition and gave little privacy. After six days without a shower, we weren’t going to complain.

We’d barely stepped back on SD, when Gary and John came over. Our gas installation was not acceptable. Although John tried to contact a gas engineer to come out on Friday afternoon of a holiday weekend, no-one was available. We were asked to leave immediately. I asked for the name of someone in a higher authority to contact. A man called Roy at the regional office tried to connect me to the appropriate person, but no-one picked up their phone.

Esperance Town Jetty where we spent an uncomfortable night

We slipped our lines and left Bandy Creek Boat Harbour at 1500 hrs. Jeremy phoned helpful Kevin from Esperance Bay Yacht Club to ask if there was anywhere we could safely anchor. He said we could tie up to the town jetty, next to the yacht club marina. An hour later we arrived at the town jetty and tied up in the pouring rain. Fortunately, the wind had died down when the rain started, but it was only a lull.

Safe in Tim's pen, EBYC

It had been a very long day, which was followed by a disturbed night as the wind blew hard and the waves built up under our keels. Jeremy was up for three hours in the night attaching four more lines to the five already in use. He added chain and smaller lines to stop chafing of the shorelines. Meanwhile, we bounced up and down, as if on a trampoline, trying to sleep.

Taylor Street Quarter cafe

The next morning Tim Donkin from EBYC came to our rescue. He was going sailing for two days and would we like to use his boat pen in the EBYC marina? There was no need to ask twice. We tied up in Tim’s pen as soon as he left it. From then, we met very friendly, welcoming and helpful people.

Pretty clock tower

Ashore, we completed our chores and ate lunch at Taylor Street Quarters. We showered on board and plotted our next course to Albany. Our neighbour, Jim, exchanged boat stories with us. Another member, Stuart, offered us the use of his mooring in O’Brien’s Beach. We were very grateful to everyone.

Large ship movements in strong winds

Today, Monday 2^nd March, we left EBYC Marina and motorsailed to O’Brien’s Beach, tying up to Stuart’s mooring. Tomorrow, we leave for Albany with a stop on the way at Little Boat Harbour in Dillon Bay.

O'Brien's Beach, on Stuart's mooring

Sailing across the Great Australian Bight

Here’s a brief summary of our crossing of the Great Australian Bight. There are no photos, so you will have to imagine panoramic views of sea and sky, lit by the sun during the day and by stars at night – so many stars with no light pollution at all.

We used the Western Australia Cruising Guide available online from the Freemantle Sailing Club, for information on the few anchorages that are available. We also used local advice from the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia.

We checked the weather for the wind and swell at Streaky Bay. There was a 5-6 day window with no strong westerly winds and the swell was mostly below 3 metres from the south. We went right up into the Bight as there was less swell there. We saw no features on land – just an occasional loom of light which might have been from headlights on the Great Ocean Road. Although there were many seabirds, there were no dolphins.

Day 1 – We left Streaky Bay in calm and sunny conditions. The light wind backed from NE, through W, SSW, S, SSE and ESE varying from 2-11 knots with a brief blow of 24 knots.

Day 2 – The wind stabilised in the eastern sector ranging from ESE to SSE and back to E. There were many sail changes and sudden increases in wind in the afternoon, which meant reefing down. The sea was sometimes bouncy and boisterous.

Day 3 – Similar winds to Day 2. Sometimes we had two sails poled out for a while; then we’d be on a beam reach with full mainsail and genoa. We saw Venus and the new moon in the western sky.

Day 4 – Grey clouds gathered in the west. There was a bit more S in the wind but plenty of SSE and ESE. The wind speed varied making it difficult for our Hydrovane wind vane to steer a straight course. The sea was bouncy and jerky.

Day 5 – Similar variations in wind speed continued. We had full sails for a while, then just the mainsail as the wind increased. By morning we were motoring. All of the sky was grey, but the barometer was steady. I shouted, “Land ahoy!” as we sighted the Eastern Group of the Archipelago of the Recharge. The wind began to back to the NE and increase. We had 20 knots by midnight and two reefs in the mainsail. We switched on our chart plotter to navigate our previously planned course through the numerous islands.

Day 6 – We started seeing looms of light landward and seaward. Lightning flashed in the distance in the direction of Esperance. Jeremy put our clocks back one hour. We’d previously put them back half an hour. Once in Esperance, we’d put them back another hour to Western Standard Time. I drew the lucky straw and gained an extra hour in bed. Sal Darago moved well through numerous reefs, islands and rocks aided by radar, GPS and our chart plotter. We motorsailed to keep a steady course and to keep the batteries charged as we were using all our instruments. The strongest wind we met was in Esperance Bay. We started to take our mainsail down and the wind rose to 40 knots. I had to use full power to keep SD head to wind. Short, choppy waves sent more sea water into the cockpit than we’d had across the whole of the Bight. Unfortunately, Esperance Bay Yacht Club had no berths available. Anchoring was not an option in such a strong onshore wind, so Jeremy phoned Bandy Creek Boat Harbour in the north of the bay and we were given permission to enter and tie up to the commercial wharf.

It was calm and peaceful inside. We had a safe haven from the turbulent weather and we both felt a great sense of achievement and relief as we tied up at 1145 on 28^th February. All this was to change within a couple of hours.