Peter on Tamariki and I had chosen to depart Vanuatu on Saturday. Good 12 to 15 knot easterly winds were forecast.
Clearing out of Vanuatu was an easy and hassle free experience the day before. I said my goodbyes to Lemara and the crew at Yachting World Marina.
Saturday October 13.
0930 I released the Yachting World mooring buoy.
Noon 1200 UTC +11 hours
Pos: 17 45.71 S 168 05.58 E
COG: 250 deg M SOG: 6 knots
Wind 15 - 18 knots ESE
Engine: 2430.4 hours
12.5 miles since leaving Port Vila.
Wonderful broad reach, trade wind sailing.
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| Chasing the sunset |
It was a bumpy overnight sail with easterly winds increasing 18 – 25 knots.
Noon 1200 UTC +11 hours
Pos: 18 01.46 S 165 56.23 E
COG: 249 deg M SOG: 5 knots
Wind 18 - 20 knots E
Engine: 2430.4 hours
124 miles since noon the previous day.
Rolling along on lumpy seas. Tamariki visible on AIS three miles south of Sadiqi.
I’m learning that it’s far better to sail westwards chasing sunsets than looking for penguins or polar bears.
Monday October 15 (Day 2)
Another bumpy overnight sail, downwind with mainsail only. At first light I was nearly tossed out of my bunk when Sadiqi broached going down a wave as winds gusted to 30 knots. It was a grey day. I ran the engine to charge the batteries. Most of the time the solar panels recharge the boat’s batteries.
Noon 1200 UTC +11 hours
Pos: 18 01.46 S 165 56.23 E
COG: 249 deg M SOG: 5 knots
Wind 18 - 20 knots E
Engine: 2430.4 hours
127 miles since noon the previous day.
Sadiqi entered the Grand Passage of the D’Entrecasteaux Reefs.
Tuesday October 16 (Day 3)
It was a pleasant downwind sail overnight with mainsail only.
Noon 1200 UTC +11 hours
Pos: 19 11.72 S 161 41.11 E
COG: 240 deg M SOG: 5 knots
Wind 15 - 20 knots NE
Engine: 2431.5 hours
125 miles since noon the previous day.
I changed the chart plotter C-Map cartridge to Australia – last used 8 years ago.
Wednesday October 17 (Day 4)
A challenging overnight sail. By the evening the wind had swung further from the north, decreasing. I had poled out the jib and the preventer was holding out the mainsail. At around midnight I was awakened by the strange motion. The night was pitch black with the occasional flash of lightning and rumble of thunder. The sails were backed as the wind must have suddenly swung coming from the south west. Smithy, the windvane did not adjust to the sudden change in wind direction. Sadiqi was being pushed backwards toward Vanuatu! I furled the headsail and set the boat so she was heading west. The wind increased and a prodigious amount of rain began to fall. I had to keep adjusting the mainsail and the windvane as the wind swung through south toward the east. The skipper had a much needed rain water wash. The wind decreased to less than 12 knots and the sea state was lousy. I started the engine to steer the boat westward. At around 0400 am Tamariki popped up on the AIS about 5 miles north of Sadiqi. Peter had hove to overnight with triple reefed main. Tamariki is a wooden 45’ ketch. I eventually slept with the engine hammering away.
Noon 1200 UTC +11 hours
Pos: 19 31.40 S 160 16.41 E
COG: 250 deg M SOG: 4 knots
Wind zero knots from anywhere
Engine: 2441.4 hours
82 miles since noon the previous day.
The engine hammered away.
By mid afternoon the wind had increased to 10 knots from the south east. It was a relief to turn the engine off.
Thursday October 18 (Day 5)
A very pleasant overnight sail.
Winds 8 – 10 knots SE – just aft the beam. Just after sun rise I raised Big Bertha the asymmetrical spinnaker. Sadiqi slipped through the calm seas doing 5.5 knots – very pleasant sailing.
Pos: 19 52.94 S 158 27.91 E
Engine: 2451.0 hours
The water had the colour and clarity of Bombay Sapphire Gin. I swam on the anchor and checked for coral bommies. I had anchored in 5 metres away from any coral. I swam ashore with fins and snorkel. The coral was alive with vibrant colours. The small islands were teaming with bird life. The birds; boobies, ganetts, terns and frigate birds to name a few were unafraid and looked mildly curious. Alas, it is not often that one can experience such a natural pristine environment.
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| Sapphire water. Les 3 Ilots Du Mouillage, Chesterfield Reef |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Park_of_the_Coral_Sea
I had asked the New Caledonia authorities for permission to stop over at the reefs some 6 weeks before. I had not been granted permission, however I had not been declined. I took advantage of an opportunity to stop at Chesterfield Reef. The Volvo engine had developed leaks in the salt water cooling system and the fuel system. The skipper needed a good rest. Smithy the windvane was also being temperamental. I had an idea that gritty volcanic ash from Tanna may be causing some understandable irritation. I went about making repairs on the engine, disassembling and reassembling Smithy. Peter’s crew Kristina had never sailed before. The stop over gave her a chance to recover from seasickness.
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| Cute chick |
Friday October 19 (Day 6)
The skipper had an excellent nights sleep. At midday Peter on Tamariki called on the radio that he had anchored in a more sheltered spot further south. I hauled anchor and motored four miles to Ilot Loop. I dropped anchor in 2 metres of sapphire clear water on a sandy bottom.
Pos: 19 57.75 S 158 28.53 E
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| vibrant coloured coral |
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| Amazing coral gardens |
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| Sadiqi's bottom |
Sadly it was time to leave. I did not want to cause some sort of bureaucratic nightmare by staying too long at the reefs.
1100 I hauled anchor and departed Ilot Loop, Chesterfield.
Noon 1200 UTC +11 hours
Pos: 19 54.34 S 158 26.11 E
COG: 250 deg M SOG: 4 knots
Wind 8 - 10 knots SE
Engine: 2454.6 hours
5 miles since departing Ilot Loop.
Superb sailing.
1700 Beer o clock
Libation and thoughts to missing family and friends.
This was superb sailing in 12 to 14 knot apparent wind from the south east.
Sadiqi’s speed over the ground (SOG) was 5 to 6 knots in a favourable current with jib, stay sail and full mainsail.
This is chasing sunsets sailing!
Sunday October 21 (Day 8)
It was another fantastic sail overnight in 8 to 10 knot apparent SE wind with a SOG of 4 to 5 knots.
At around 1000 the wind dropped below 5 knots from the East, boat speed below 2 knots. I started the engine.
I changed the time zone to UTC +10
Noon 1200 UTC +10 hours
Pos: 21 05.19 S 156 50.59 E
COG: 215 deg M SOG: 5 knots
Wind 8 - 10 knots SE
Engine: 2456.8 hours
114 miles since noon the previous day.
Happily sailing again in light airs on calm seas. Sails were trimmed nicely.
Yacht Tamariki was visible 5 miles to the north.
Monday October 22 (Day 9)
Another pleasant overnight sail.
The conditions were very calm. A Boobie somehow managed to land on the top of the mast, destroying the wind indicator. Another Boobie landed on the solar panels and was shooed off. I remember “Crap a lot” showing a distinct lack of gratitude for a free ride 8 years ago.
Around sunrise the wind was down to 5 knots from the east, SOG 2.5 knots.
0730 I hauled up Big Bertha the asymmetrical spinnaker. Winds 5 – 7 knots ESE, SOG 3 knots. Sadiqi pushing against a half knot current.
1000 The wind was 5 knots from the east. I dropped the spinnaker and started the engine.
Noon 1200 UTC +10 hours
Pos: 22 08.86 S 155 36.82 E
COG: 218 deg M SOG: 3 knots
Wind 3 - 5 knots SSE
Engine: 2459.0 hours
93 miles since noon the previous day.
The engine hammered away in zero wind.
1700 Beer o clock.
The wind was back up to 10 knots (true) from the south east. Thankfully the engine was off and Sadiqi, sails hard on the wind, was slicing through the water at 4.5 knots. Still pushing against a current. The wind was forecast to be 10 to 12 knots for the next few days.
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| Chasing the sunset |
Tuesday October 23 (Day 10)
Overnight the wind picked up to 15 knots from the NE. Then it didn’t. The sails slatted and banged in the rough seas and light airs.
The skipper was irascible in the sloppy seas and having to continually adjusting the windvane.
0900 Wind less than 5 knots from astern.
I pulled down all the sails to stop the noise.
I slept in the hope I’d find my sense of humour.
Noon 1200 UTC +10 hours
Pos: 23 11.19 S 154 35.87 E
COG: 250 deg M SOG: 0.5 knots
Wind less than 5 knots S
Engine: 2463.1 hours
84 miles since noon the previous day.
Sadiqi drifting, very little wind, all sails down, gnarly seas.
Destination: Port Bundaberg 150 miles.
The skipper; slept, read, or listened to music – loud.
The skipper had a brief swim being mindful of fish with big teeth and bad attitude.
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| Calm seas |
I hauled up the staysail and partial mainsail.
SOG 3 knots COG 222 deg M.
1700 Beer o clock.
Pos: 23 16.71 S 154 30.34 E
COG: 222 deg M SOG: 3 knots
Wind 10 - 12 knots SE
Very nice quiet, gentle sailing.
Wednesday October 24 (Day 11)
An interesting night crossing a busy shipping lane. The AIS WatchMate performed admirably – there were no inci-dents. I run the engine to squeeze between two ships heading north – separation of about half a mile. There was a strong south setting current around the shipping lane.
At sunrise the wind was negligible.
Noon 1200 UTC +10 hours
Pos: 23 53.78 S 153 34.78 E
COG: 225 deg M SOG: 3.5 knots
Wind 5 to 8 knots S
Engine: 2465.0 hours
70 miles since noon the previous day.
Drifting in not much wind and calm seas.
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| Dolphin escort |
1700 Beer o clock.
The skipper drank the last of the beer onboard.
An easy slow sail to make Port Bundaberg at a civilised hour the following morning.
Destination: Port Bundaberg 64 miles.
Thursday October 25 (Day 12)
It was another pleasant overnight sail. Being close to land the skipper set the alarm for 40 minute sleeping intervals. Many boats were converging on Bundaberg from New Caledonia and Vanuatu. I tried to maintain a speed of 4 knots to arrive at Bundaberg Port Marina around 1000.
0733 I radioed Marine Rescue Bundaberg on VHF to notify the authorities of Sadiqi’s arrival.
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| Burnett Heads, Australia |
Engine: 2470.7 hours
I hauled anchor and motored Sadiqi to a marina berth for the Customs and Quarantine inspection.
The Aussie customs clearance was quick and painless. The officer was interested in how I found info on clearing into different countries around the world. I'm guessing that there were a fair few cruisers turning up here without having given the 96 hours advanced arrival notification or applied for a visa. I told him www.noonsite.com has the best and most up to date info on entry requirements .
The quarantine clearance was not so painless or quick. The initial chat, parting with $260, confiscation of rubbish and fresh food was efficient. The quarantine officer did mention that Sadiqi was the smallest boat she had inspected this year. There was a rally of 60 or so boats arriving from Vanuatu and New Caledonia around the beginning of November.
The timber inspector arrived on the boat in the marina a week later. A rummage in all the boat lockers for an hour, filling in forms and parting with a further $200 eventually saw him depart satisfied that I had no bugs on the boat. Australia, is one of the more expensive countries - $460 plus marina fees - to visit by boat!
