Happy Birthday to me!!!!!
Trip Start
Unknown
1
12
20
Trip End
Ongoing
Lakes Entrance, Victoria, Australia
Saturday, November 13, 2010
We are still traveling with Paul and Hella, old hand sailors who seem happy for us to tag along with them, making us feel so much safer. They have plenty of experience and it was comforting to see their light in the distance on our first night out. Great how the sailing community are eager to help each other.
Night time seemed to come in so quickly. I think I was just a little nervous about the entire night sailing thing. Daryl started nagging about me having a sleep but with it all so new and different, it was not high on my list of priorities. Steak, bacon and egg sandwiches were our tea and the steak was like butter. I have been trying out some nice easy meals for while were under sail. I soon had dishes done and was back up on deck, making endless cups of coffee for the night ahead. Daryl was waiting for me armed with a safety jacket and a lanyard line tied to the front of the cabin area.
It was time to get tied in in case one of us went over. Then he decided that he had better take photos to send to my mum to show that I was all life jacketed up and I felt like a real clown. We then had our first big scare. We had been happily under sail for hours, with no motors going, the navigational lights on and auto pilot taking us on our course. Suddenly, the lights all went out, the auto pilot went off and the boat started to spin in the middle of god-only-know-where with an alarm going crazy. I immediately thought the worst -- we were sinking - and was ready to jump over the side with the epberb, but Daryl guessed what had happened and started the motors, reset the auto pilot and we were once more back on course. Our almost dead batteries were not charging well and the extra power needed for the lights had drained them. After being reassured that it would all be okay now, I snuggled up on the seats with a book and a blanket with my beanie and gloves on and within a few minutes with the humming of the motors and the gentle rocking of the boat, the eyelids were really heavy and I dropped off to sleep. I am not sure what woke me, but it was as black as black when I opened my eyes. It is really a bit scary when you have no headlights and all you can see is lights from oil rigs and you have absolutely no idea at all how far they were away or how big they actually are. I could also see some coastal lights that seem forever away. Daryl reassured me that it was all ok and if I was frightened that all I had to do was wake him but it was now his turn to get some sleep.
Armed with a hot cup of Apple and Cinnamon tea I commenced my first watch. In the distance behind me I could see Paul and Hella's boat, Scaramouche, so at least I knew they were not too far away. The mind plays funny tricks on you when you are out in a situation like this. I was soon imagining the oil rigs getting closer and then wondering just how big the rigs were underneath those lights. Were they just tiny little lights that were close by our little catamaran bobbing away in the Bass Strait or were they big lights some distance away? I decided that I would keep an eye on the lights, but concentrate more on looking at the coastal lights not dwelling on the rigs. The radio was the only company I had for the next few hours, and I could see Scaramouche behind me whenever I felt too alone. My next worry was that there was a sulphery smell around the boat. Believing it was the toilet, I unstrapped the lanyard and quickly checked there wasn't anything amiss down there. All good but the smell was horrid. Daryl slept soundly for an hour or so and then started waking every few minutes to look around. I am guessing that he would have had about an hour and a half's sleep in total. I mentioned the sulpher smell and he checked the batteries - the source of the smell, not the loo! One of them is running hotter than the other two and it is for sure where the smell is coming from. We chatted together for a while, wrapped in our blankets with our hand spun beanies on; had a cuppa together with me telling him about my concerns of the oil rigs, him reassuring me that it was all ok. "Lay down and catch some more sleep" I was told. Believing I did not need it, but with very tired eyes from watching so intensely and I guess, the stress from not knowing what was going on and letting my mind play tricks on me throughout the night, I did close my eyes and was soon fast asleep again. Two or so hours later I awoke to see the sun just sitting on the horizon. I shouldn't keep whinging, but I must say I was just a little disappointed that I did not get to see the big ball of sunlight come up. After sitting for the hours I had in total darkness, I must say that I did look forward to the daylight hours. I made myself a good strong brew of coffee, Daryl snuggled down for a last sleep before daytime was truly upon us and we continued along the coastline toward Lakes Entrance. We could at last see the entrance to Lakes Entrance and donned our life jackets once more for the tour over the bar that is meant to be so dangerous. It was as calm as a babies bath and we motored in with no apprehension whatsoever.
While I had been asleep for my second sleep Scaramouche had passed us and were berthed as we came in over the bar. They were soon instructing us as to where to go and it wasn't long before we were moored behind them on wharf number two at Lakes Entrance. The weather - really hot, the wind .. mmmm... increasing and the wharf of Lakes Entrance looked very clean, tidy and inviting. On arrival, Daryl rang around and quickly organized 2 new batteries for our boat. The dead batteries were going and were were to be now really safe with everything working as it should.
I had phoned my mum and Brian and told them we were heading for Lakes Entrance and once we were settled I phoned them "Where are you?" I asked "On our way to see you". was the reply. Even though I was unbelievably tired, I was so excited. We hadn't seen my mum for months and was just so looking forward to seeing both her and Brian. We settled in and both tried to have bit of a snooze so we weren't too tired but it just would not happen. Not long after lunch time.... "Where are you?" Mum and Brian had arrived. They booked in at a lovely Motel across the road, then spent the evening with us enjoying a fish and salad tea. It was just so great! Daryl spent some time giving Mum a computer lesson on her newly acquired computer and then they said goodnight and we fell happily into our beds.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
We both slept so soundly, it was just great! We love sleeping in our boat, with that gentle rocking each night and we do sleep like babies every night. Daryl was first out of bed and I joined him.... I do not how long after but I do know that I caught up on a stack of the sleep that I needed from the night before. I hadn't even finished my first coffee when the phone rang with my Mum singing happy birthday to me ... A very sad tradition - but it always puts a smile on my face. I also had an invite to breakfast to celebrate my birthday. Daryl chose to stay on the boat, mainly for security reasons, but I could not say no to this offer! I was soon sitting in the restaurant of the Bellevue Motel enjoying french toast with maple syrup, cream and berries. Oh Yum! Mum and I both had this and Brian had eggs benedict, which he loved also. Oh to be treated like a queen!! The service was wonderful, and I had my mum and Brian all to my self for the morning and the most gorgeous brekkie ever. I must say, it was indeed a lovely treat that I enjoyed immensely, with a phone call from Krissy and the three grandkids to say hello.
After a morning shopping, that was more browsing than buying, the weather did turn cold and it had been decided that Mum and Brian were returning home after lunch time. It is a long journey back to Carrum Downes for them so I totally understood that the lovely time we had spent together had come to an end. As much as I shouldn't say it, because it might offend others, it was the best birthday present I could have had, having them come to say hello and spending some real quality time just with them. After a lunch of salad wraps, we walked them back to their car, said good bye and wandered back to our boat. My birthday was not yet over.... Messages on Facebook like there was no tomorrow, yes, I do have a great family and friends, time next door in Scaramouch with a few drinks and some chitter chat and then........ birthday tea - seafood sticks with a garlic cream sauce - good enough to serve in any restaurant and cooked by my favorite cook - the hubby - yes I was spoilt.
Sunday 14th November
Back to reality......
We are still in Lakes Entrance, we have basically wasted a day, just waiting for the weather to improve. From all reports that is not going to happen for a few more days and after several consultations with Paul, it has been decided that we wont be heading off from her for several more days with the winds that have been forecasted. Daryl was playing around on the internet chatting on the sailing forum and ended up chatting to a fella who we passed on the way from Eden. I cannot believe it! He actually took a photo of our boat with the sails up sailing just out of Eden. I have never seen our boat with her sails up - so I was ever so excited! Paul has suggested a day trip to Paynesville, just to fill in some time and we are heading off tomorrow morning. It looks like it might not be possible to leave here before Wednesday, so it will be a way to fill in time before we can leave this area. It looks like Hastings has been taken off the itinerary, and we will be going through to Apollo Bay at this stage... stay tuned it may change yet!
Monday 15th November
Yay... We have moved!
Somehow we have ended up with tiny little rust spots all over the front of the boat on the fibreglass. It looks like over spray from someone using an angle grinder nearby and we are guessing that it happened in Batemans Bay while on the mooring. I found a bottle of marine stuff - phosphorous and hydrochloric acid mix - and we spent the morning scrubbing the decks. Catarina looks like a newy! We still need to polish all the stainless steel on the boat and the barbecue needs some work done on it as the knob just wont stay on with out tape to hold it down, but I think she is actually looking the best she ever has! Even all the ropes are starting to look clean with no mildew stains on most of them. The zip on the sail bag had come adrift and that is also now fixed. Hella and Paul are as sick of sitting around as us so we all decided to go up into the lakes and have a look. I had been told by Paul at Batemans Bay that Metung was worth seeing, so we headed off after lunch into the huge lake system of Gippsland Lakes. Metung was a bit over an hour away and what a beautiful place it is . Tiny, freezing cold but set up especially well to accommodate people who are sailing. The main jetties are directly outside the hotel with a lovely garden that overlooks the jetty and entrance to this sleepy little town. A Marine Supply Shop is next to the hotel and a laundromat and pizza shop directly opposite. I spotted the pizza shop before we had even berthed! We all went out for a look around town and then had drinks next door on Scaramouche.
Scaramouche is the loveliest boat inside, with a huge fat belly of a hull. It is like a proper little house inside with a kitchen/lounge area that is quite big with a flatscreen tv and two bedrooms, both with bathrooms. It is lovely, but I know that at the stage we are at with the limited sailing experience we have, a catamaran is the only way for us to go and these Seawind Cats seem to be so easy for dummies like us. Scaramouche leans as she sails and is a proper yacht. They can't sit a cuppa on the table without it tipping like we can and from what Hella has said, a couple of times she has lost her footing as they have been moving. We are not really ready for that I am afraid.
I had prepared beef satays for tea but was outvoted by Daryl to have a pizza. I must say he really didn't have to twist my arm very much at all. We actually dropped the side canvas to stop the wind tonight and sat inside munching on pizza, before reading some our books and off to bed again. Not sure what we are up to tomorrow. Need this wind to blow through so we can continue our journey.
