Pastime of Sydney- 2009 Adventures

We decided to sail to Port Hacking on an "interesting" day with gale warnings and storm warnings North of Port Hacking and strong wind warnings where we were. However, we were confident the winds would ease as we got further North. No-one else was travelling. While we were in Jervis Bay, there was a Navy boat continually making approaches to a nearby buoy and we had joked about holding up score cards rating each of the attempts (presumably by trainees).

Anyway, we set out. The swells and seas at the entrance were enormous. However, we climbed each one and slid down the backs. We were heading out to our first waypoint 7NM away when a helicopterarrived and hovered close upwind. They held up a sign saying "range active" and made sign language to return, which we did. Penny got on the radio and found they had made a last minute decision to do firing practice. This meant we would have to go straight out to sea and stay 12NM offshore (22km) for some distance. This would have been directly into the wind and big seas. They told us we could have a dispensation and only go out 7NM but it was not practical. So, we returned to South Jervis Bay for an early lunch. They cleared boats out of virtually the whole Nth of the bay as well. One other boat had to move twice.

Anyway, we decided to go anyway after the "boom booms" stopped at midday. The first three hours were like being in a giant washing machine as the huge swells and big seas rebounded many miles off the cliffs. After that, it was only like being in a small washing machine. The recorded swells off Botany Bay were 4metre average, 7metre max. Due to some undetected wear on the wind steering paddle, it kept coming off (something that started in Bass Strait). So David hand steered all the way. Penny did everything else (feeding, radio, sail trimming, gybing). The boat handled it superbly, averaging 7kts (except near the JB cliffs). We got very wet with frequent squalls and were pleased to anchor in Port Hacking at 2am under sail. It was a strenuous trip. Due to the strong current against us, we sailed 85NM not counting the first abortive attempt.

We are resting today and drying things out.

Regds, Dave and Penny no-footer