Port Stephens to Coffs Harbour

Monday/ Tuesday 16 -17th May 2022. Nauti Time 071-072

Headed out of shoal bay just as the sun was rising above the horizon casting an amber glow on the headlands as we passed heading again out into the blue water. There was very little wind but by about 9am we decided to put up the Licorice Allsorts Spinnaker. It took a bit to set it up but once she was flying she was beautiful. Nauti Kitty seems to show off with her spinnaker flying high and she just glides through the water. We had her going 6.4 knots in only 5.9 knots of breeze ( ie going faster than wind speed) which is amazing!

All was going spectacularly well until we decided we needed to change the line from the clew as it was rubbing on the life lines. Well we ended up in such a pickle. What we should have done was pull out the main sail and blanket the spinnaker from the wind and douse it with the sock (bag) the way we would when putting it away. Instead for some reason we thought, like for the other sails, we’ll just turn into the wind to take tension off enough to change the line. I don’t know what we were thinking because like a big kite the boat turned but the wind in the sail just meant it twisted and then got tangle in our shrouds while Rick was fighting to get the clew line off. Well it tossed him around so badly and the line whipped him across the face and sent his glasses flying overboard and him to his knees. We had the sail stuck and couldn’t lower it or move it off the shrouds and all the time it is vigorously flapping away threatening to tear to shreds any moment. Finally we were able to release both the clew and tack ( the whole bottom end of the sail) so she was now flying straight out like a huge flag. We were able to release the halyard ( the only thing now holding the sail) a little which then allowed me to pull the sock down over the spinnaker and gradually bring it onboard. Wow! Scary tough lesson learned!!!

It took us awhile to regain our composure, find Rick some more glasses so he could see, untangle the spinnaker halyard from around the shrouds, untwist the spinnaker itself inside the sock, get us back on course then finally redeploy the spinnaker with the clew line now in better corrected position.

An hour latter we were back to the position we started from, a bit bruised (Rick May score a black eye out of this, he certainly has a nasty red welt from his forehead across his eye to his cheek), a bit shaken ( how quickly a beautiful serene day can turn into major mayhem) and definitely wiser( always douse the spinnaker for any adjustments needed). We are kind to ourselves though and chalk it up to experience and move on with getting the job done!

We realize that during all this kerfuffle we had the fishing lines out and now there is a major tangle and we think one is around our port engine prop. The wind has dropped so we bring in the spinnaker, the correct way and beautifully executed I must say, then put on the starboard engine. I’m concerned that we still have the overnight passage and can only run one engine should conditions deteriorate. So we find a small bay called Shelly beach in Elizabeth bay to pull into. As we are passing the rocky headland that edges the bay we see some extreme fishermen have set up an amazing cliff face camp and are fishing from the rocks! You’d have to be a little crazy!

It turns out the little bay is a nudist beach and the patrons didn’t take too kindly to us pulling our big boat into their serene surrounds! Too Bad!

Rick got out his mask and snorkel and put a wetty top on then jumped in. Just as well we checked as he pulled off a few meters of line from around the propeller. He did a quick check of the bottom and other prop then back on board a bit breathless. Needs more practice holding his breath! Bring on the warm clear waters of tropical islands!

Half an hour later we were back on course happy now that we can run both engines as needed.

We rounded crowdy head around 5.30pm and the sun was already setting. It was very cloudy and grey with only a sliver of the red firey sunset on the western horizon. The seas were calm and we decided to keep going so Coffs Harbour here we come.

We shuffled our shifts around a bit so they were not as long. We both had a snooze in the late afternoon at different times of course then Rick did watch from 11 til 2, then I did 2-4, Rick 4-6 then he had an hours sleep so we were both up for sunrise and entering the Harbour. Sunrise was stunning but more so was the low cloud that sat at the base of the mountains that made it look like crashing waves upon the shore and the moon in the new day glow.

We were 2 hours ahead of schedule when we arrived into the Harbour at 8 am. so we had to wait until the marina staff checked our berth was free before entering. We finally docked very ungracefully on a tiny end behind a lagoon 440. But we made it. Tied up and chatted to our neighbors who had been waiting weeks for a weather window to cross to noumea, then sleep 😴

Went for a wander in the afternoon to check out our surroundings and had a drink at the yacht club overlooking the surf beach then up Main Street to the shopping center about 3km away. Certainly tired by the time we got back to Nauti Kitty so some wine and cheese then bed for the night

I must say apart from the beach first impressions both of the marina and this town is that it’s very tired and not well looked after. Very shabby. Maybe once rested I’ll see it in a better light!

Big Banana

Fame Cove