I'll fill you in on the goings on aboard Galleycat soon enuf but for now this is to let all know,
"WE ARE SAFE" just wet!
WE took advice from everyone and left Airlie Beach for the relative safety of Nara Inlet.
We still copped a pasting but we came through the crossing just!
We lost a sail half way across and had water 30cm deep in the downstairs kitchen but after 4 hours we made it into Nara inlet.
Big question: How did the water get in? This had me puzzled for a day but I finally found the seacock (valve) to the kitchen sink was not closed completely this then flooded over during the crossing and filled the hull.
The Cyclone Itself was trying but at no thyme scary!
I did spend the whole nite awake on anchor watch but despite drifting 3 thymes. We were always safe.
The following day we had winds at 65 knots and horizontal rain that kept us inside and watching the anchor again. Once this period passed we had nearly an hour of near calm conditions!Outside! check everything, pull the anchor and reset for what we knew was coming.
Back inside just in thyme for the onslaught to continue.
We are all wet through, the carpet is soaked and everything is drenched but Galleycat has come through her second Cyclone very well.
Much more to follow but this will let everyone who is ringing that we are OK. We don't have enuf phone signal for calls to work but email and text's are online.
G'day All,
Itz 12 hourz later and life haz returned to sum semblance of normal!
We are now anchored in "Refuge Bay" Which I'm shore haz taken itz name from 1000 yachties B4 us!
The world is perfect!
The water is glass calm and we all need lotz of sleep!
And I've only now realized how quickly fortunes change on the water.
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| TURTLE TRAX |
3 dozen fresh oysters Kilpatrick.
Obviously the weather is playing a major part on our activities but that hasn't stopped us getting a few dives in and catching some amazing seafood.
The stand out catch was Torsten's "red emperor" in just 8 meters of water.
Lotz of squid keep us busy at nite.
We left Nara Inlet once we were rested and headed North to Butterfly Bay at the top of Hook Island.
The visibility for the dive was not the best but we still managed.
The afternoon was clear and sunny which allowed us thyme to clean and dry bedding plus a well earned nap!
Anutha ruff nite with squall afta squall pounding the Yot. At 2.30 am it bucketed down. So as I was awake already I connected the rainwater collection system and filled both tanks in no thyme at all.
Morning came and a feed of pancakes and slices of honeydew melon had everyone refreshed.
With the bad weather continueing we set off for "blue pearl bay" on Hayman Island. We passed the marina full of multi million dollar boats then turned the corner into Blue pearl.
Gale went for a solo dive with the powerdive at the top of the tide.
I kept a watchful eye for her to re surface. After around an hour she surfaced with a huge smile then back to the Yot to hand feed the "batfish".
We left the relative calm and headed for an anchorage that we were allowed to put a fishing line in the water.
The ruff nite B4 has been out done with near constant 30 knot "bullets" shooting down the side of the mountain. but at least we caught plenty of squid.
I took the afternoon to head ashore under a waterfall to hand wash all the salt satur8ed clothing I had.
After returning to the Yot We set about making fresh ravioli filled with freshly minced
fish, squid and a few herbs.
The sauce was a simple tomato white wine and herb cream that suited the ravioli perfectly.
Morning saw us set sail for Airlie. Arriving just after 11 am. A quick crossing helped by the 25 knot winds.
We bid farewell to Gale and set about re organising the Yot and getting sum much needed sleep Who would of thort this sailing gig would be so Tiring.
That concludes the first week in Airlie I wonder what the next will bring?
I'm thinking Whitehaven and chalkie's at this stage.
Captain Felix
