August 1st – Monday DEPART
The impossible was accomplished. We got off today – many thanks to the good offices of Bibi Hubbard (yachtsman’s patron saint). Roger got his deposit from the Treasury and American notes from the Bank. We saw customs and immigration, he cleared out of his apartment…all in the course of a morning. Everyone was very accommodating. All seemed lost when we lost Bibi until 10:00 AM, but was okay. Only snag…our anchor was under Bachelor’s Wife.
Quite a send off. As many people as at Auckland. All of the Legras. Jackson and son, Lucien and his boy, Bibi, friends of Roger’s, various people I’ve met along the quay. In the Caledonian manner we were bid “bon vent,” as “bon voyage” is bad luck. Away at 1:00 AM. As usual on parting a large lump of sadness…the familiar question, will we ever meet again.
Away from Nouméa Y.C. at 1PM after 1 hour clearing our anchor from under Bachelor’s Wife’s chain. Wind SSE at 18-22 knots. Seas lumpy. Cleared Dumbéa Pass at 3PM. Set log 11 miles.
My crew Roger Cornevaux of Toulon,France we plan to sail all the way there. The usual deal, £5 ($14 US) a week shared expenses.
Not much appetite…soup was all.
Tuesday August 2nd ( – : 150 miles)
Wind SSE all day (abeam). Some 22-24 knots. Seas irregular. Making 6 knots, plus current.
Threw out morning sight. Must have been a time error-gave us another 55 miles. Clear skies…still no ravishing appetite.
Genoa sheet frayed in the night (old). Safety held, but we gybed, can’t explain that.
Ate pork chops in cockpit at sundown. The beginning of good times.
Wednesday August 3rd (295:145)
Wind SE (on quarter) some 20-24m knots. Seas larger but more regular…thank goodness, a steadier motion.
At 2:30AM last night the prop shaft began rotating like hell. It had pulled aft some 6 inches (until the thrust collar stopped its overboard travel). Hove to and repaired same then and there, a jury rig to stop shaft would have taken as long. Lost maybe 1 ¼ hours or 8 miles in process.
Still making 6 knots. Current added about 12 miles yesterday, 11 today. Seems to be a NW set, but with self steering can’t really say. Maybe 15 mi north of rhumb line in 24 hours. This morning the wind dropped to 18 and swung aft. Finally set the jib awing at noon. Ended the slating of the blanketed genoa, added 1 ½ knots to our speed. Does put us close to gybing however. Wind increased & swung abeam at 4PM. Dropped jib Refastened all snaps (old). Still making a good 6 knots.
Roger proves a good crew. We more and more tackle English. For the better, else he will be “completely lost” in Aussie…to translate his phrase.
Tuesday August 4th (431 mi: 136)
Wind ESE. Dropping to 16-18 knots in the morning (astern). About 7 mi drift, and we’ve zig-zagged across our rhumb. All night the shock of genoa filling, blanketing & filling again. Quite a strain on it and me.
This morning tried self steering with jibs awing, main down, mizzen & stays’l set. Worked well. But we’re pushing for speed so reset the main. Our first three days of sail (since departing the pass) net us 400 mi on the log (405 if we discount heaving to for repairs). At that rate Aussie seems quite near and seas are leveling off. 450 miles to go. Unfortunately the wind and seas are leveling off. Going rate is 4 knots now.
Salad again for lunch. A few oysters & red Algerian wine. Not bad, eh!
Blue skies, sunny days have been the word. A thin cloud cover at night, a few passing showers. Now to the west some nimbostratus. Glass still holding 30.1” – 30.2”. Plenty of sea birds about. Albatross & small ones like overgrown chickadees. Also saw a whale blow today. Self steering of course, we probably miss some scenery.
Friday August 5th (527 mi:96)
Slowing down: wind down to 8-12 knots abeam. Motoring since 10:30AM first to charge batteries, now to cover ground.
Practiced star sights last night. No good at all except Rigel, which I know. Used air sight reduction tables. Will try again. 60 mile closure!!! Star sight again this evening. A 20 mile closure (10 mile shift of each to make a point). At least was able to recognize all three stars-learning Arcturus & Altair.
Power until 8AM, 9 hours. Wind came up from South. Making 4 knots (beam wind), no seas.
Ate the last of our oysters today, as fritters-only one died…they’ve had a daily bath. Cocktails before dinner tonight.
Getting that itch to arrive. Making a good passage to date.
Saturday August 6th (645:118)
During the night the wind stayed South but would moderate, requiring self steering changes. Set the mizzen stays’l at midnight. Today the wind has been increasing. We’re now making 6 ½ knots with a SE wind on our quarter.
Saw three 12’ sharks today. Nothing else to report. Except I find I’ve taken 20 shots with my camera, which due to faulty loading are non-existent. I need a staff photographer!
Again 11 miles of current. We’re back on the rhumb line due to chance and some unscientific jiggling of compass courses.
Sunday August 7th (780:135)
We were at anchor at 1:30AM local time. Reached entrance buoy Port Curtis at 1AM (Nouméa time) exactly 6 day 8 hr after depart. 855 miles covered, 131 mpd; about 120 mpd logged plus current. Made landfall at 5:40AM. The light at Great Sandy Cape. I’d just shot the moon before and at Meridian. At 6:40AM picked up the Light Ship north of the cape. We were about 20 miles south of our expected landfall – Lady Eliot Island Light. Did not account for current on purpose.
Last night at dusk we were under jib & mizzen doing 5 ½ knots, having just dropped genoa & main, wind being a steady 35. Later rest main to maintain 5 ½ knots. Watches all night not wanting to veer from course. As usual exhilarating to sail in a moderate gale.
We were lucky having sights the noon before so we could approach the coast in confidence.
Let Mamari self steer in the afternoon. Wind almost dead aft. Didn’t make Bastard to anchor as hoped. Passed there about 9PM. Dropped to get out of red sector. Good exercise – and anticipated. Roger claimed he was. “completely lost,” but that will improve.
Monday August 8th (trip 875:95)
A bumpy night at anchor just clear of the channel to Gladstone. Slept in to recover from watch standing. Underway at 9:30AM at wharf Gladstone 12:30 Noon. Came up on a run. Two jibs, mizzen and engine giving a kick.
Went ashore to alert customs. They were properly horrified. Later however Shearwater’s mistress, Barbara, informed me it was necessary to prod them so. We arrived. Were cleared by a very cooperative customs. No mail except a letter from Helen Walters regretting she can’t join me.
August 9th – Tuesday
Nothing doing except the business of yacht upkeep and shopping. Need a battery, dog clutch modifications, synthetic halyards, a glass for the log, teaspoons, ‘U’ shackle…the usual.
The Mamari Saga 