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1/5/2010
The Crew Report, Issue 30, May 2010, Page 42
Captain Ross Haerle
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pg 42 - 43
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Being a mainly northern hemisphere sailor, I was unaware of the reputation that the Tasman Sea held for its neighbours both in Australia and New Zealand. Nearly everyone that I spoke to prior to crossing this expanse of water for the first time told me stories of bad weather, huge seas and vicious storms. Being the perhaps somewhat naive Pom that I am, I thought that I would be fine. Well, that part of the story comes later.
In October 2009, my wife Susan and I moved to Auckland to join the last stages of the latest build out of Yachting Developments in Hobsonville, a suburb of Auckland. The yacht in question is a 37m Dubois-designed composite sloop called Bliss [Read more about Bliss in the New Launch focus on page 12 – Ed. ]. With an owner keen to explore some of the Australian coast by Christmas, the pressure was on to get her ready in time. We really enjoyed being based in Auckland for two-and-a-half months. With a flat in the Viaduct Harbour we were located right in the thick of things with plenty of local bars and restaurants. The access to marine based industry within a short distance is very useful, namely around the Orams Marine Village (orams.co.nz). I utilised the help of a couple of local agencies, which made our jobs a lot easier. Both Reid Yacht Services (plainsailing. co.nz) and Integrated Marine Group (integratedmarinegroup.com) were always there to expedite purchases and help organise other jobs where local knowledge really does make a difference.
On 26 November Bliss was barged down to the Viaduct where she was to be launched and have her mast stepped. It was quite a sight that dawned on the beautiful morning of 27 November. Three cranes had been set up with a lot of planning as the dock where we were being launched is all reclaimed, so it was important to check that the cranes were not going to fall into the water. All went to plan and the celebratory bottle of champagne was broken on Bliss’ keel to wish her well. Once in the water the process of stepping the Hall rig started.
I think I can safely say that we have the only cockatoo-proof rig in the world. Knowing that we were heading to Oz where the sulphur-crested cockatoo is famous for chewing through masthead wires, Hall, with help from the project manager Guy Waddilove, fabricated a GRP cover for all the cabling at the top of the rig. It looked pretty smart too.
By the end of the day we were sitting pretty and ready for our commissioning. It was only 16 days later that we set off for Sydney. Things were pretty quiet up the eastern side of New Zealand and a fabulous sunset off Cape Reinga saw us into the Tasman Sea – or, as I now know it, “The Ditch”. Our weather window was pretty good and it was only in the last 60 miles that things got really hairy. At one point, with 45 knots and 20-foot seas, we took a huge breaking wave right over where I was clipped in on the starboard helm. Thankfully, with only a short time to go we got into view of the Sydney “Heads” and made our way up past the iconic skyline of the Opera House and literally squeezed under the Harbour Bridge with only about six feet to spare.
Our dock for the next two weeks was at Jones Bay Wharf (jonesbaywharf.com.au). With good access to the harbour and plenty of local supermarkets, delis and the famous Sydney Fish Market at hand, we were sorted for a multitude of day trips. Local aid came from Geoff Majer of Major Yacht Services (mysaust.com), who helped us through our busy schedule. Highlights included seeing the start of the Sydney to Hobart Race and being on the water for the New Year’s Eve firework extravaganza – and it was just that, absolutely amazing. I have never seen a show like it and would suggest putting it on any person’s bucket list for sure.
In early January it was time to head north and after five days of travel we were pulling into Abel Point Marina (abelpointmarina.com.au) in the town of Airlie Beach. This is the gateway to the cruising ground of the Whitsunday Islands, a stunning collection of islands of all shapes and sizes ready to deliver calm anchorages, superb snorkelling and a whole host of other activities. The staff at the marina were extremely friendly and assisted with local tips on where to shop etc.
A few days later I headed out into the Islands and spent the next week exploring. A useful aid was the David Colfelt book 100 Magic Miles, which proved invaluable tips on where to go and what to do. The area is a protected national marine park and a number of moorings are located in different bays. As the rules state you must be rated up to 35 metres or 150 tonnes, I was able to pretend that Bliss was two metres shorter for the duration of my visit. Some of the moorings take you really close to the coral; one can literally snorkel from the back platform, it is awesome. My favourites were Stonehaven Anchorage for a protected overnight spot, Blue Pearl Bay for a great snorkel and Luncheon Bay for a truly memorable night under the stars.
No one should be allowed to cruise in the area and not check out Whitehaven Beach. It really is just as good, if not better, in real life than the pictures one sees in the magazines. I recommend anchoring down in the south-east corner but if you would like a bit more privacy keep clear of all the “day” boats that come in and out, and be aware of strong currents. Drop your guests (or yourselves) onto the beach here and then walk the length of the beach to the north-west. It is a bit of a way but so special. The sand squeaks like fresh powder snow underfoot due to the extremely high silica content, a free foot exfoliation. If you time it to coincide with high tide another fun thing to do is to take your dinghy into the mangroves of Hill Inlet to the north-west of Whitehaven Beach. Be careful not to get stranded though, the sand is basically quicksand and you will not be able to pull yourself out if you get left in there. Perhaps this risk is part of the adventure though?
I also spent a few nights on one of the superyacht moorings off the Hamilton Island resort
(hamiltonislandresort.com). With a charge of only AU$80 a night I could relax knowing I was tied to 150 tonnes of concrete on a solid chain (with swivel) and a thick rope bridle. “Hamo” – as it is locally known – was a useful spot to replenish the supplies and also fit in a rather flash game of golf. Hamilton Island Golf Course is actually located on it is neighbouring Dent Island, but the name probably didn’t cut the right image. It’s not cheap but a super round of 18 holes awaits. I played there with my engineer and, being the last round of the day, we felt like we had the place to ourselves. It was truly first class. Just aim straight as the areas to either side of the fairways are high natural brush, and with taipans a common sighting one should not go looking for stray balls too seriously.
Before heading back to Auckland I stopped into Brisbane to cut up the journey and enjoyed a stay at the Rivergate Marina and Shipyard(rivergate.com.au). The staff were some of the most attentive I have experienced and really went out of their way to make sure that our stay was more productive and enjoyable. We were able to save about 30 per cent on our fuel bill before leaving Oz.
Our trip back across the Tasman, I am glad to say, was a lot smoother than our previous ride. The last three days were quite delightful and sailing with the MPS-spinnaker up for 60 hours was a real treat. I had no agenda so could actually enjoy going for a real sail. As the Auckland skyline and the shadow of Rangitoto Island appeared at midnight on 21 February I thanked Bliss for keeping us safe upon the completion of our first sailing adventure together. Here’s looking forward to the next one.
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