Bundy to Brissy

Leaving behind the tentacles of the termite inspectors and with the final custom paper “Authority to Deal” safely in hand we set sails to go south. The pain of an empty valet was soon replaced with a better mood when the Great Sandy Strait appeared sheltered between Fraser Island and the mainland.  Sneaking around the many shallow sand bars was a bit challenging after being used to blue water! We eventually anchored at Sheridan Flat on the west coast of Fraser Island waving to Neil and Ruth on Ruthea. The sunset over the calm waters was magnificent.

Sheridan Flat/Fraser Island Sunset

Double Point Lighthouse

 Quickly off to the south entrance, we anchored in Pelican Bay among several well-known boats all waiting for a weather window to go further south.  Next morning we were off in a NE soft breeze negotiating the sandy spit and passing the Double Point Lighthouse. Then no wind, little wind and motoring by Noosa Head to enter Mooloolaba River just before sunset. We caught no fish!

At sunrise we left in light NE winds passing Caloundra Head and Bribie Island to enter Morton Bay and straight to Brisbane River. We caught no fish!

Minor traffic obstacles in the river

Brisbane CBD and the Botanical Garden moorings

The Story Bridge

 Brisbane River is an interesting experience. The river mouth is a busy place with rows of container ships, Roll-Off-Roll-On boxes and bulk carriers waiting to get in and out.  Passing the Rivergate Bridge, the local river traffic sets in. It’s a long way in before finally getting under the Story Bridge at Brisbane CBD. At sunset we anchored just upstream of the Botanical Garden in a marginal place. Although the Brisbane CBD is spectacular, the anchorage and the pole moorings are not! Next morning we decided to leave this experiment behind and found shelter in Scarborough Marina five miles north of the river mouth. It is time to see the family.

Wrap Up of a Pacific Passage

As a pistol used by the Kelly gang at the siege at Glenrowan, Victoria, in 1880, came under the hammer at a Melbourne auction we got out of jail! Getting ourselves and the boat through customs and quarantine in Bundaberg was not as bad as expected. The official Bundaberg team was a nice bunch of people and as soon as we understood the process, it was just a matter of patience.  Meeting the Port to Port people was also a nice experience and catching up with other cruisers from the Pacific passage quickly filled the day. It was only after some time on Australian soil reality caught up with us - or was it reality, hard to say! Marquesas and Tahiti seems a distant memory and this was only half the passage! Then followed Suvarow Reef in the Northern Cook Islands, Pago Pago in American Samoa, then beautiful Fiji where we were cruising the Yasawa Islands with Ib and spend a whole cyclone season in Vuda Point Marina. Then we were off to Vanuatu and Port Vila, cruising between the islands north to Peterson Bay with Heather. Then off to Huon and Chesterfield Reefs joining the Port to Port Rally straight into Bundaberg. Just before that our legs got shaky! Where do we want to go? Maybe a year in New Zealand or what about turning around and stay another season in Fiji – why the rush?

Memories of people, fellow cruisers and events along the way were many, some may say too many. Somewhere the tale has to end, because a new one will begin. This happened at the Tahiti – Moorea Rendezvous, this happen in Fiji, this happened in Port Vila, this happened in Bundaberg and many other places. Suddenly, it is time to say goodbye – it is all over!  What is left in our memories is not the hardship at sea, not the frustration over broken gear, not the time and money spent along the way. It is the adventure, the people and the friendship we shared along the way, it made us humble.

Daniels Bay, Marquesas

The Blue Lagoon, Manihi, Tomotos

Tahiti girls

Moorea Dance Group

Yadranka crossing Equator

Slipstream canoing, Papetee, Tahiti

Nothing ventured nothing gained!

Welcome to Australia

Bundaberg Blues

Melody: Heartbreak Hotel, distorted version.

I used to sail the oceans,

I used to sail the seas,

but now my boat is landlocked

for the custom fees -

My baby left me -

My baby left me -

My baby left me -

for the custom fees.

I joined the Port to Port race

on the wide open sea

hoped that this would get me

to the land of liberty -

My baby left me…

I left the port of Vila

in stormy southern seas

and headed for the Huon

and Chesterfield Reefs -

My baby left me…..

With Wreck Reef to starboard,

clearing Cato Reef 

I saw the Lady Elliot

and the evil Breakseas -

My baby left me….

Sailing up the river,

with rum on my mind,

I was towed to the jetty

For quarantine and fines -

My baby left me…..

So now my time has come,

I am left on my own,

the only comfort is Lady Elliot

and Bundaberg rum -

My baby left me….

Port to Port Rally or Reef, Rocking and Rolling

P2P Rally route

Sula sitting

I am writing to you from my favourite hang out in Bundaberg “The Sugar Cane Café”, a frinking and dishing establishment. Fait brought us here! We endured the worst passage of all from Chesterfield Reef to Bundaberg with raving winds and waves. The passage from Port Vila to Huon Reef and further to Chesterfield was a treat. Nice mellow trades and time for fishing, but we caught nothing and got a few hooks straighten out by unknown monsters. However, on approach to Chesterfield Reef fish were everywhere. We got an 8 kg Trevally! Nothing can beat fresh fish in the freezer!

Chesterfield Sunrise

Goodbye Chesterfield

Trevally Tandrum

Yadranka's Shells

Huon Holliday

The reefs were nice; it was time to relax with snorkelling and beach combing. Also time to socialise with other cruisers with the consequence that we ran out of booze! We spent time with Neil and Kathy on Attitude and Steve and Vicky on True Companions. On the spacious deck of their cat we were introduced to Mexican Train Domino – great fun! Watching the nesting birds on the islands was interesting. Even these remote reefs cannot escape the curse of humankind – floating garbage! There were many fresh turtle tracks indicating nesting activity. It was full moon!

Storm Approaching

We left Chesterfield Reef on a Saturday with the confidence of a load of grip files showing initial little SE winds and then freshen to about 16 knots for the next four days. Twenty four hours later we had fresh grip files and 25 knots winds gusting to 30 with six meters waves! It was like being in a washing machine – an industrial one! Fortunately, it was all out of SE so we raced on with boat speed up to 9.5 knots eventually settling to 7.5 knots with reduced Genoa and a trysail in the main. After 48 hours we were still in it easing to twenty, but expected to arrive in Bundaberg 12 hours earlier than we told the customs! Aeolus performed well, but the monitor was in constant need for adjustment. Water came over the cockpit so all navigating activity was from the hatch with small athletic excursions. Not much food – was once thinking about chewing on an old salty shoe!

Waiting in Villa

Port Vila Panorama

I am writing to you from our favourite water hole “The Waterfront Café” where we are enjoying a couple of Tasker beers on tap and an occasional Kava-colada, which makes your gums numb and your walks uncertain. In the Waterfront Café there is no shortage of cruisers and tales from the seven seas. There is also no shortage of yachts on anchor and in the inner bay the moorings are full with new arrivals and a few “wrecks” hanging on with a rotten rig and half eaten mooring robes. It is not for nothing that the locals refer to the inner bay as “the bowling alley”!

A Cruise Liner arrives in Port Vila

Veggi market in Port Vila

Harry and Yadranka at the Waterfront Cafe

Port Vila is a busy place with rattling busses and taxis racing back and forth spewing exhausts making breathing difficult. The outdoor tourist shops are full of people trying to sell you colourful garments and the crowded veggie market is a 24 hour business. In the local supermarket “Au Bon Marche” you get a touch of the French influence with excellent cuts of meat, cheeses and pate’s. There is no shortage of good wines and the language spoken is a truly mix up. The hustle and tassel gets even more exciting with the arrival of huge cruise ships with thousands of tourists. An arrival is usually announced on channel 16 early in the morning when the captain is calling “harbour control” a million times before somebody is awake enough to answer the call. In Port Vila there is not much space for these modern giants and interisland traders and visiting vessels are pushed out on the anchorage. At night the flashing light of the large TV screen on the upper deck shines through the coconut groves in harmony with the only other major light sources from the tall casino and the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu! People here do not pay income tax felt by cruisers when visiting the customs in the shade of the moored cruise liner. An otherwise inconspicuous building carries the sign “Customs & Revenue” with the word “revenue” highlighted!

Yadranka enjoying a Tasker on tap

Aeolus has spent a couple of months on a mooring in the far end of the bowling alley. We used the time to do varnish work and other maintenance. The genoa is a rag, but this has to wait. Otherwise Aeolus is in good shape. We have met a lot of “new” cruising friends and many “old” from Mexico, Marquesas and Tahiti. The mix of nationalities is pronounced and many come from Europe after crossing the Atlantic and the Pacific. We met Jan and Joanna on their boat “Joanna”. Jan is an expat Dane living most of his adult life in NZ. Joanna born in South Africa, but is now a Kivi with a keen interest in Mollusca taxonomy. Their cabin is full of mollusc identification literature and stacks of shells neatly sorted and packed in sealed plastic bags, an impressive collection! The couple has sailed around the world for eight years and are now on their last leg back to NZ! We are on the last leg (of the first section!) back to Australia via the P2P rally, a two week passage. In the horizon of the setting sun the customs and quarantine are waiting with their pockets wide open. A large welcome committee of sniffer dogs, yacht evaluators and termite inspectors are lining the dock. Maybe New Zealand or Antarctica is a better option?

Joanna and Jan

Vanuatu Walkabout

Walkabout routes in Vanuatu

Rinkelbum taking on supplies in Peterson Bay

On the airstrip US Force One

US Army bridge Peterson Bay

The blue hole up the Matava River

Heather and Yadranka enjoy blue hole swimming

Aeolus on anchor in Ansanvari Bay

The Chief Mr Nelson and Yadranka at Ansanvari Yacht Club

Kupere in sunset at Ansanvari Bay

Peterson Bay, Espiritu Santo, is truly a magical place. The magic has partly been high jacked by the “Oyster Bay Resort” which dominates the view of the bay. It was here James Michener got inspiration for his book “Tales of the South Pacific”, which later was turned into the famous musical “South Pacific”. The entrance to the bay is narrow and shallow, and with our draft of six feet can only be negotiated at high tide. This, however, does not prevent yachts to shelter here and enjoy a few beers at the Oyster Bay Resort and paddle up the river to the blue hole. Peterson Bay was also the site for the WWII airbase Force One and remains of the airstrip and ruins are easily found. The US forces also build the road around the island including several military style bridges still in use.  We joined Mark and Anthony from the Canadian ketch “Rinkelbum” and Henrik and Win from NZ in the resort bar where we sang “Bali High my island...” and “I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair”. Henrik comes from a farmer family north of Aarhus, Denmark, and for years ago left his homeland for a successful life in NZ as a farmer. It turned out that he knew very well Soerensen from Rolsoe Gaard where I spend time in the early sixties – the world is small!

After checking out the airbase and the blue hole, which was the water supply for up to 100,000 US servicemen that stayed at the base, we looked in vain for any memorial. Nothing was to be found that indicated the history and importance of this place for the outcome of the war and in stopping the Japanese forces from invading Australia – a bit sad I think! Ironically, the base is now owned by a Japanese company that use the land for cattle destined for the Tokyo market.

Here Heather left Aeolus (without cleaning the bilge!) and we wandered eastward to Ambae and Maewo Islands to reach Ansanvari Bay on the south tip. The bad overcast and rainy weather that has followed us around left us here and we enjoyed Mr Nelson’s hospitality at Ansanvari Yacht Club for a few days with the NZ yacht “Kupere” with Shaun and Margo on board plus the daughter’s family of four!  After two days we sailed south as the southern winds died down. Rain and clouds followed us along the Pentecost coast and in rough seas we tried to find an anchorage on the northern tip of Ambryn. We had to turn around just inside a shallow bay listed as the “best” anchorage on Ambryn. As we got out we spotted a strange looking motor trimeran battling the waves on an eastward course.  It turned out to be Sea Shepard’s vessel “Birgit Bardot” chasing illegal tuna fishermen!

 We went west and a couple of miles down the road we spotted two yachts (Pauline & Tom on Arcisia and the NZ boat Coyote) for anchor. We just managed to get in behind the reef before sunset – nice place! During the night we could see the light from the top of the active volcano on the island, but the next day everything was covered in clouds and rain. From here we motored along with two miserable stops before reaching Port Vila. We caught a few mackerels, but lost four lures, which were just snapped off. There are some monsters out there and clearly our gear needs to be updated with shock absorbers and stronger line. We also lost our Nikon camera – the autofocus died, a victim of the hard life at sea!

Doing It Tough in Vanuatu

Heathers arrival signalled our departure from Port Vila heading north. We found temporary shelter in Havannah Harbor on the NW coast of Efate. This magnificent natural harbor was the site where the US navy assemblaged before the battle of the Coral Sea in WW II. We headed north via Emae Island and Revoliu Bay and Lamen Bay on the Island of Epi. At most anchorages there were villages along the shore were children played among the beached dugout canoes. Lamen Bay was a bit of a hide out among the charter game fishers because of the “Paradise Sunset Resort”, a couple of weatherboard shacks where warm beer can be enjoyed in the setting sun.  The villagers were friendly speaking a mix of English and French.

We continued north to Epi Island anchoring in Banam Bay and heading to Narsup for a few provisions. Narsup was a poor anchorage with little shelter for the easterlies and hardly any provisions in the local shop - except for beer! We retreated to Vao Island, which is supposed to be the site for wood carving. After settling on a marginal anchorage we went ashore to meet the villagers, but was asked to cough up with 2500 Vatu (about $27) if we wish to take any photographs! However, there was not much to photograph and after a short visit to the school we rowed back to Aeolus in pouring rain and hard wind.

We had a fantastic crossing to Espiritu Santo in 15 to 20 knots SE wind keeping Aeolus on 7 knots with a reduced genoa and a trysail on the mast. We did not catch any fish since we left Port Vila, but have lost 3 lures with steel wire leads! The fish took the lure so hard that it was nearly impossible to drag it in and in no time the wire was chewed off. There are some monsters out there!

In rough seas we entered the harbor of Luganville with little shelter from the easterlies. With great effort we rowed the dinghy ashore (the outboard died for a while ago!) and went shopping for lures and food. Not many veggies in the market, but plenty of excellent meat and a good bakery. Returning the dinghy was an effort that had to be done in two steps.

After one night in rolly waves and strong winds the forecast of 20 to 30 knots wind made us retreat to the Aore Island Resort across the narrow sound and hooked up to one of their $15 a night moorings. The scene was set for a relaxing couple of days when nature took revenge!

After a nice evening meal in the resort restaurant we returned to Aeolus in darkness but with light from the resort. Aeolus was moored just one hundred meters from the dock. I was rowing (as usual!) with the ladies on each of the dinghy tubes. Suddenly we were hit on the starboard side with a huge force and a soaking splash of water nearly tilting the dinghy. Heather jumped for cover and with the two girls hanging on to the port tube we saw the starboard one deflate in seconds. During the flash of a second when we were hit and drenched in water I saw a black tail of something resembling a large shark. Under great stress I managed to row the dinghy back to the dock with the two girls hanging on to one tube holding up the deflated site to prevent the water from coming in. We got back to safety and just to face a 15 cm large hole in the dinghy tube! There were no volunteers for a swim back to Aeolus so the resort people generously ferried us and the dinghy back.

Becalmed in Port Vila

Leaving Fiji in sunshine with a 10 knot SE breeze was good, but did not last long. The trade wind caught up with us, and with 20 knots over the left shoulder we powered on getting Aeolus up to 8 knots with boiling water off the stern. With a reduced Genoa and a trysail in the main we settled down around 7 knots making the Monitor happy. During the crossing from Waya Island, Fiji to Vanuatu we made a record 150 Nm during one 24 hour period. We did the 543 Nm crossing in 4 days. Arriving early morning off Port Vila we stayed out to enter the bay at dawn. The chart plotter was inaccurate showing reefs where there was none and no reefs where there were many. Eventually we figured out the markers and found our way in to the yellow quarantine buoy off the main town.

Port Vila is a nice place, not large and busy with pangas crossing from the town to islands. We quickly got cleared by “bio security” that inspected the boat and we were asked to see Migration and Custom & Revenue (with “revenue” highlighted!) for visa and custom clearance. It took two days to locate the offices although it was a fairly simple process (no computers!!). We then found a nice anchorage off the island resort Tirikii with full view of the harbour and all its activities. Every morning we were visited by a family of two sea cows (Gdongs) with a calf quickly named Fred, Wilma & Pebbles!

The time ahead will be used for maintenance of the boat before taking a trip to the northern islands with our friend and new crew Heather from Port Lincoln.