Palm Islands - Day3, return trip (trip #13)

Headed north and went through the passage between Fantome and Curacao Islands (map) . The waters were protected and the shrub and grass covered hills of Curacao were to windward which slowed the wind. Good fortune in the form of a southerly tidal set of 1-2 knot on the tail, carried Teria through the patchy wind zone under sail, the GPS said 5 knots over the ground.

In Challenger Bay - Curacao Island passage ahead, heading North

Curacao Island to windward

Looking astern - Palm Island to the south

Looking astern - L-R Curacao, Palm and Fantome Islands

The channel is wide and deep, it is sure a nice route for sailing through on the north setting tide.

Once clear the wind backed a bit and the sea got a bit lumpier, couldn't lay the Perlorus channel and was closing with the exposed sea coast on the lee, so started up "Johnno" and went from about 3 to nearly 6 knots over the ground motor-sailing. Checked the fuel level in the 25 litre tank, half a tank used and about 12 litres left to get home with (next long trip may carry about 10-15 litres extra in jerry cans)

This is a good example of the importance of an auxillary engine (for the majority of land-based sailors with regular commitments ashore at least)  It meant it would only take about 1 hour to reach safe lee shores waters again. The motor helps generate some apparent wind which feeds the sails and in turn reduces the fuel required. Without engine the same trip would have meant endless 2 knot tacking and taken all day maybe only reached Juno Bay for another night out. I had to be back to work so it also pays for itself in one trip if getting fired for not turning up on Monday was added to the equation.

But that thought was  not one to dwell on as the spectacular Island scenery slipped by as i consulted the chart (nice to be dry this trip). Soon passed the Fantome-Orpheus Islands channel a shallow coral reef pass into the good Juno Bay anchorage (it was plan B,  if it had to be run allot of tide table checking first , Terias 2 ft draft would make it safer and easier than for a 6 ft draft heavy yacht.)

Motor sailing to clear the lee shore

Smartphone navigation aid - as long as there's a mobile phone signal..!
Also good for text messaging , (ET) phone home and checking the weather forecast.

 The smart phone Nav app is a handy navigation aid. It was nice to know speed over ground and also in the unlikely event of a Pan Pan or Mayday situation the Lat Long coordinates could be read out over the VHF radio.

Map page - It's basic, it has helped out on a dark night before.

 The map page is most useful at night time, when visual cues like light-houses, Island hills etc can be confirmed , and their distance away is often difficult to judge. I still carry the hand-bearing compass/chart onboard as back up should the mobile app pack it in. So it's best to plan to "sail by day - anchor before night" but often when getting back a bit late after dark,,the mobile app helps allot.

 One day i may afford a proper GPS which would be far better (no range limit). Forgot to bring the old Garmin Nuvi along, it's a car GPS (with detail topo card) It can automatically calculate ETA (estimated time of arrival) - an often-asked question during boat-shore communication.

Orpheus Island - Exposed seaward side in prevailing NNE , E and SE winds. 

Came in about 100-200m from headlands on Orpheus's lee shore. This was more because of  dictated wind direction, high on the starboard bow, and trying to lay the Perlorus channel in one tack rather than curiosity (which did kill the cat they say..). The wind was only 5-10 knots NNE so not too rough for it.

Anyway, it bought me close to the Pioneer Bay lookout that i'd hiked to the day before. Yes quite steep and rugged. Nice wild country.

Orpheus sea cliffs - the lookout spot accessed from Pioneer bay on the other side

Curacao and Palm Islands astern 

 Astern the high dark green  blue Islands to the south looked picture perfect.

Soon I passed through the Orpheus-Pelorus channel (map), skirting the extensive reef flat now exposed at low tide at a safe distance. A wind shadow from Pelorus caused becalmed conditions so motored through and used the motor to gain much "windward ground" (without fighting the wind) in the calm lee of Pelorus Island.

It is about 12 nautical miles (17km) from Pelorus Island to Dungeness, Lucinda (map).

Once clear of the Northern point the wind and waves came in again so was able to sail close reaching on starboard tack at about 3 knots in light NE winds. This was good, a fast point of sail for Teria and kept the Lucinda sugar terminal about 30 degrees on the port bow to gain some windward searoom before final approach.

After several nautical miles the windward gain was enough to bear away and "crack the kite", or lightweight genaker. It's about twice the sail area of the jib. It set fairly well and added about 1 knot extra speed. It's simple set-up at present tack clipped to pulpit, rope to clew led back to quarter cleat and halyard to top.

Genaker set - Hinchinbrrook Island ahead, Lucinda on port bow

Palm Islands slip astern - L-R Pelorus and Orpheus

Sugar terminal as navigation reference point - need to stay well to windward

Rounding the end of the sugar terminal, still 6 km to land! Shoal waters

 Shoal waters began just after the sugar loading terminal, the tide wasn't low so didn't follow the lead lights in just beelined it with centerboard down (a reduceable 4 ft draft) and it stayed clear of the bottom.

Hinchinbrook Island loomed large and high to starboard, the iconic white clouds streaming from it's rainforested peaks. What a sight and a major destination in itself.

Used the channel lead lights on final approach. This made for a downwind run and tried wing and wing sailing, it would have been easier with a spinnaker pole ("one day...").

The lowering sun started breaking through and reflecting off the water, i was thankful for the shady bimini you only get half-fried.

The inner Lucinda wharf is pretty substantial, to take molasses ships, but these have to enter via the Hinchinbrook channel which begins up near Cardwell ~22nm (~40km) away to the NW.

Dropped the kite off Dungeness, but still kept sailing in with the main and jib. It's easy to keep them up far longer in a small boat with no worries. About 100m from the ramp Johnno was started and sails dropped for a far more controlled berthing at the floating pontoon. It was satisfying to see Teria   safely returned with awesome Hinchinbrook Island as back drop.

Stock-take of boat consumables

Fuel. I had about 8 Litres of fuel left from 22 litres at the start. (Next big trip I'll will stow at least another 15 Litres)

Water supplies fared much better at the start 35 litres was stowed in 3 drums (2 x 10L and one 15L ) and about 10-12 litres in the ice box (frozen 1-2 L bottles). Used 5 litres from the drums (one bath) (30L left) and about 6-8 litres from the ice box (as the bottles melted) for drinking and cooking.

Stove alcohol. The food was pre-cooked and only had to use the stove on night 2 to reheat dinner and boil 1 L of water. The Trangia stove used about one burner full (~100ml) of alcohol fuel. So the 0.5 L alcohol fuel bottle was heaps.

Chart with Terias approximate track for the whole trip. Day 2 in green and day3 in blue.

It was nearly sunset so the arrival was timely and far safer by day.

Being a Monday there were only a few other speed boater fishermen using the other side of the ramp while i was getting the trailer in.

Put on bulk amounts of insect repellent, especially "bushman" brand, it's a bit like wearing axle grease but worth it.  Long sleeves and long trousers too. The sand flies attack in hordes after dusk and those bites leave mosquito bites for dead as far as itch is concerned, and can itch for days.  Mozzies up here can carry very bad viruses like dengue fever (which can incapacitate for months) so best to put on maximum protection.

De-rigged in the back car park in about an hour. Then washed the boat/trailer/car with copious amounts of freshwater coming out a a large diameter 3/4" hose at the wash-down bay. It seems that Lucinda doesn't have water restrictions yet like overgrown bulging-at-the-seams semi-arid zone Townsville has. I guess it's because Ingham's population has stayed at 10,000 ever since i can remember and the Herbert river provides a great flow of fresh water from the rain-forested ranges to the west. Man and nature are better balanced here (NB: in these ranges is Wallerman falls, a 300m single drop waterfall, highest single drop fall in Australia..2 wd dirt road access, no caravans, well worth a visit)

Road trip

The night drive back took longer than the day drive - 3 hours. In a perfect world i would have anchored in Dungeness overnight and done the road trip by day, but time to work was near..

 took it easy to Ingham doing about 30-50 km/hr along dark narrow cane roads. Stopped at BP servo which has great lights to check tyre air pressures and repack the bearing buddies on the trailer with grease. Bearing failure on the night Bruce highway on a dark night was not an option. The pie and facilities also great. A moment to phone home and put the trip plan in too.

Some of the fishermen passed me on the highway, they had bigger trucks and lighter boats to haul. I edged along at 70-80 k/hr (still 40-45 knots), you just get the feeling what is comfortable speed. It still takes far longer to stop than a single car would, even with trailer brakes well adjusted.  The odd Kangaroo, horse or cow about. Unfortunately, A some fatal road accidents have happened on this stretch recently due to not seeing wild horses "brumbies" on the road in time (the herd was culled as a result)

Once the roadside lights of the city began to show the way better it was time to breath easy and home base was soon reached without incident.

Ute fuel stocktake. The major cost for the trip was tow-car fuel. Rough estimate about one and a quarter car tanks  was used up - approx, $80-90 worth of  petrol. The petrol was E10 - 10% ethanol mix 91 octane. Might try premium 98 octane next trip for more power.