The 3rd sail - ashore at Picnic Bay

Teria had passed the test-sails and the maintenance work had continued. So on Friday 3rd January 2014, the weather forecast was good so it was time to take the family out. 

My wife , daughter and Jack Russell terrier Rex are fairly new to sailing. I had taken them out on our Fatty Knees 8 dinghy to learn a few basics first. Fiona learnt how to steer the Fatty Knees and experienced beach launching. Also we had practiced paddling the 9 foot kayak on Ross River before the trip.

The aim was to reach Magnetic Island, about 10 km from Ross River, set foot on the Island then return. A check of the Chart showed that Picnic Bay is the nearest one and should be protected in the NW to NE winds forecast, winds tend to be from the northern sector in Summer. The anchorage may be more exposed in E, SE and S winds. It's possible for these to occur too, so i always check Willy weather's site for the detailed wind forecast before setting out.

We floated Teria off the trailer around 9 am at high tide and warped her along the floating pontoon to be tied up. Then scamp was launched and its painter tied to Terias stern cleat. I removed the mast crutch from the pintles in order to ship the rudder, then  lashed the folded mast crutch to the pulshpit, slightly offset and higher than before (this was to make mast raising easier) We cast the lines off and  motored out along Ross River for 2 km and passed under the low port bridge. Then anchored to raise mast and rig-up in the lee of Townsville port's southern rock wall. The mainsail went up, the anchor raised and we motor-sailed out of the River Entrance and on for Magnetic Island.

Seas were a bit lumpy but less than 2 ft high, coming from two directions due to some wind changes. Mal de mer struck Lin down, so throttled the engine off a to reduce speed and quieten the boats irregular motion. 

Picnic Bay gradually expanded ahead of us, we rounded the reef marker post and anchored off the old jetty. The Sun awning brought cool shade for lunch. Fiona went a bit greenish on the last bit of the trip, but came right again once in the calm of Picnic Bay. 

Teria at anchor, the reef end marker post is visible on left and a shipping chanel navigation post to right with Cape Cleveland Bay

We paddled the scamp in over coral beds and landed on the beach under the shady jetty. Felt like the eagle had landed once the sand was under foot.!

Scamp kayak under the jetty. The Picnic bay boat ramp is a good spot for small power boats to pull up.

Picnic Bay has a stinger net for swimmers run by the surf life savers. The enclosure has inflatable tubes at surface with nets hanging down to stop the potentially deadly "stingers" or box jellyfish from reaching swimmers. The jelly fish have venomous tentacles with stinging cells designed to paralyse fish but when they contact human skin they cause whip like welts, extreme pain and can affect the heart.  The enclosures are checked with hand nets for stingers each morning by the life guards - just in case one got in overnight. 

Behind the jetty the Stinger net protects swimmers. It's a clear sky day - Townsville is built around Castle Hill  and the Hervey ranges form a backdrop 10 km to the west of the city.

Like the name suggests there are plenty of picnic tables on the foreshore nicely shaded under giant fig trees. It was nice and quiet just a few people near the beach. We made use of a table with a great view and broke out the snacks and water.

Nice paths lead to many picnic tables

Large shady hanging figtrees

We headed back along the beach, checking out things washed up along the shore like cuttlle fish sketetons and seed pods. It's a very mellow place now that the main  ferry goes to Nelly Bay

The shadows were getting longer, so we headed back. Fiona was amazed how clear the water was and that we could see some fish and coral as we paddled the kayak out. When raising anchor i realized we were a bit too close in shore where there are coral heads to wrap the chain up on. (Later i checked Google Earth and its easy to see where the reefs are, also the fishing chart i have, although a scale which has limited detail does show where the reef is)

We sailed out into a much strengthened 15 knot NE breeze, which pushed us back at a good rate of knots. Fiona took the helm  for some of the broad reach, it was handy she could because the jib furler got stuck and i went forward to free it. She even took a few photos at the helm, multi-tasking already.

The scamp kayak towed well, except for the last bit where waves were bigger and it started surfing right into the back of the Teria with a bump. luckily the kayaks made of a softish moulded plastic which is resilient to that. We pulled the tow rope in short to stop it. Next time note - a longer tow rope needed or get the kayak on deck.

Magnetic Island slips astern

Rex liked the sail, but he stood on the gunwale a bit too fearlessly for my liking, so it was onto the short leash attached to the centerboard cleat for him. He took it easy most of the trip but became alert once land was near.

Rex senses land ahoy

Townsville port ahead

The crossing took about 50 minutes. The sail was nice and it's always good to reach the safe flat waters of Ross river again. Lin came on deck and nimble Rex got the run of the boat again. To anchor and derig before motoring up river, under the low port bridge, past the empty pile moorings and abandoned old wharves.. It's was all abandoned only a couple of years ago mainly due to the low port bridge completion which stopped most medium sized and virtually all sailing vessels (except us) from entering Ross River anymore. It's a pity because it's the best natural harbor in Townsville.

Fiona took the helm so i could tidy up some of the rig on the way. I forgot it was a spring low tide and we ran aground just off the Navy's bay. Stopped on a muddy bottom. Reversing didnt move us, but had the centerboard down so raised it and we could then scrape off backwards. That's the great thing about heavy swing down center-plates they act as a gentle handbrake in such situations and in our case stopped us before the keel ploughed itself in too deep and got stuck.  Then we noticed all the fishermen crawling past with their motors set on shallow tilt..more lessons learn't, one being to be more observant at low tides.

Back at the pontoon, I checked with a local bait netter where the end of the ramp may be, it was still deep enough.  It was not easy to back down the steep narrow ramp especially going "over the edge" when the trailer disappears for awhile.. Next time i will use the older refurbished ramp nearby which has a lesser gradient and gentler upper edge. Barnicle street is good in that there aren't many boats that use it, there are two ramp sites the older one with  4 joined lanes and a separate pontoon and the new steep one with 2 seperated lanes with a center finger pontoon. It's all very uncrowded and unrushed on weekdays (and still easy going on weekends public holidays with heaps of safe parking. (every low port bridge has it's upside). The ramp car park still lack toilets but there are some a few hundred meters away in council parkland.