Gypsy Cruising

3 June

Iluka to Southport

We're watching the weather forecast very carefully.  A serious blow is being predicted, affecting virtually all of the east coast.  We face the risk that we get caught at sea, unable to reach shelter in any of the coastal rivers or harbours because the heavy weather and big seas close their entrances.  None of us want to be at sea in those conditions.

So, we're leaving the perfect tranquillity of Iluka thinking we can travel the 90 miles to Southport before the wind hits. 

Pre-dawn calm in our overnight anchorage in the Iluka boat harbour

We set out just after sunrise.  It's cold and misty but the next few hours proved to be pretty uneventful.  By around mid afternoon we started to compare our progress against the weather forecast, and switched the engine on to get every last bit of speed we could to beat the coming wind.  We're really not sure what the deadline is - we have the BoM telling us one thing, and the PredictWind App, with its four different weather models, giving us two other sets of predictions.  However, they all seem to agree that something is coming.

The skipper and Gene - looking like we're dressed for an arctic cruise

Sunset was just north of Cape Byron.  Passing this point is a bit of a milestone, being the most easterly point on mainland Australia.  Unfortunately, our view of the lighthouse was degraded from having the sun very low in the sky behind it.

The forecast wind hit us just after we'd rounded Fingal Head, at Tweed Heads, with westerlies blowing at up to 25 knots.  That's not dangerously strong, and there was little wave activity, but it was coming from well forward of us and the boat was overpowered.  We double reefed the main and completely furled the headsail, and proceeded to motor-sail for the remaining three hours to the Southport Seaway.  It was nearing midnight by then.  The ride was slow but not uncomfortable, and I was pretty exhausted.  Greig was better rested and pretty much took care of the boat for me.  I was extremely happy that I had someone as experienced as him to take over for me.

Conditions at the seaway were benign and we anchored just inshore, had some late dinner and went to bed.  The end of a productive day.  I've already decided that we won't push on to Mooloolaba tomorrow.  The weather forecast is looking bad and there's just no reason to expose us to those conditions.