We are back from our epic journey out wide to the famous Rowley Shoals.
The trip there was surreal with flat calm seas and epic sunsetz as with all trips Galleycat the journey began after much drinking and merriment the night B4.
My long lost friend Evette drove down from Derby to catch up with both Ash and Myself. A 2 hour trip after a hard week at work, she made it safely aboard after a slight delay while we waited for the tide 2 return. We were kept company by a couple of turtles that mis judged the tides also. Even so we made it aboard and settled in to catching up on 25 yearz of stories and saga's.We had SO much to catch up on but the sharks were out in force so we set about catching 1 or 2 without using hooks. Sharks would play a big part of our journey out wide.
Ash arrived the following day so we had yet another night of playing "ketchup", much merriment followed with a sensational dinner to top off a gr8 day.
It waz thyme to meet Jemma and head off to the shops for a massive re supply run.
Jemma waz joining Ash and Myself out to the reefy area's she wanted 2 photograph.
We spent most of the days bringing stores aboard B4 Evette had to leave for Derby.
Then it waz thyme to point the yot West for a few dayz until we reached paradise. We stopped along the way at a mountain Ash found on hiz navionics app. This lump came up from 200 meters to 45 so we figured a brief spot of bottom bouncing was the order of the day. We had steamed through the night finally finding ourselves just 8 miles from the "lump". Baits on and down we sent the hoox. Bingo!!!Big fish straight up. Emporer, Rankin Cod, Coral trout and Nannygai had the freezer full of fillets in no thyme at all.
Everyone had a crack and it waz smiles all round as these quality fillets made there way into the frying pan for lunch as we continued West towards Clerke Reef in the Rowleys.
We had made it..
Then with much trepidation (wkoa) we ventured into the lagoon made up of pristine coral gardens. We arrived at the first mooring then settled in for a morning of diving b4 some much needed rest thyme.
Here's where the sharks make a re appearance with Ash and Jemma both leaving the water as the bull sharks came to circle the Yot(no more diving today). It was decided to move the yot into much shallower water at a mooring known as "The Aquarium" this waz much betta with a huge coral bommie just behind the yot. Jemma spent the rest of the day underwater until dusk when our friends arrived again.
A big feed and early to bed for sum much needed decent sleep. Itz amazing how much betta you feel after a meal, hot shower then 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep.The weather was fantastic with crystal kleer water (WYUNA) down to 7 meters with amazing corals just waiting 2B photographed, that was until the underwater camera decided to die with a water leak so no more fotoz.
A daily visit by the customs and border force plane kept us up to date with some bad weather that waz closing in.
Still we continued to tour the lagoon and dive as often as the rising winds allowed.
Then it waz crunch thyme the weather wasn't going 2 get any better and we had a really long journey in front of us. It waz decided after chatting with the plane that we would begin our journey back to Broome straight into 25 knots of Easterly winds.
What follow was nearly 3 days of the roughest weather I've ever sailed in and believe me when I say I've seen lotz of ruff weather in my trip so far.
Night thyme waz a relief as you couldn't see the rolling waves crashing over the bow of the Yot.
No chance of eating or standing for that matter had us reverting to an endurance lesson with the ocean teaching us about itz destructive power. The first to go waz the fishing platform at the rear with the huge waves basically tearing the platform apart until nothing remained. Then it waz thyme for the lifting crane to collapse with the wait of the dinghy basically overstressing the crane several broken shackles and clips had both Ash and I out the back with lifejackets and safety ropes as we removed the 25 HP motor from the back of the dinghy this waz the only thing that saved the crane and dinghy as we were now able to tie the dinghy up solidly using the sail winches and the crane electric winches. Still we had to endure a further 24 hours until we got within 35 miles of Broome when the wind finally abated.The Yot survived, we survived but thatz about the extent of it, the swells had totally destroyed the rear of yot so much so that it waz decided to put the yot on the beach to check on the structural integrity and resupply with fuel and water.
It waz here that thingz went from bad 2 worse.
The hull had many compression dings in the sides and bow area. I also fitted the new zinc anodes.
As I refloated the yot it was obvious that there was no drive from the left propellor this meant the yot was now sideways in the surf.
Not Good !!
A quick visual inspection showed the gearbox spinning but the shaft wasn't spinning. Thyme 2 call 4 help!
2 radio calls and no response so I let off a couple of smoke flares. This got some attention with 2 boats arriving. The first boat hooked up a tow line to the rear of the yot while I was busy loading the other boat with 90 meters of anchor chain. This boat then took the anchor and chain straight out 2C.
This meant as the tide rose we were able to wind in the chain and pull the nose of the yot into the oncoming waves. During this effort the other boat haz disconnected the tow line and itz now jammed around my 1 good propellor.
So the yot waz towed onto an emergency mooring.. The Yot waz now safe!
As it stands I now have a very broken boat and a massive repair task in front of me.
