Wednesday - 05/06/2013
We got underway early around 0650 hours we had a mission to
meet the tides in the right place to get around Cape Londonderry without too
rougher seas. Coming out of Seahorse Bay was done with extra care as we were in
unsurveyed waters and we found a few shallow sections coming in. However, there
was no problems we headed out from the anchorage steering for the 9 metre depth
patch on the edge of the surveyed waters west of the island and we had depths
from 5 metres through to 13 metres. It was quite a good anchorage considering
the wind strength and the swell outside. We still had wind strength buffeting
us but no wind waves and very little swell when we got out past the island the
swell was 1.5 metres with the occasional 2 metre swell rolling in.
With the wind behind us of 10-15 knots we used the headsail
as the sea was almost beam on and rocking us about quite a lot, the mainsail
under these conditions would slap and shake the wind out of the sail. The
headsail was good and going with the tide we went along steadily at 4 to 5
knots.
As we was leaving the bay another catamaran came out of
Glycosmis Bay the next bay west of us. Nancy talked to them on the radio, the
boat name was 'Blue Bones' an 11 metre
Elite from Wyndham they had been to the Osborne Islands for 6 weeks and was
returning home. Nancy asked what the Cape Londonderry was like, they said it
was rough but he did not have water coming over the bows. We asked about what
one guide book states about going 5NMS of the point to miss the worst rough
sea, he advised against it stating that when it is rough there it goes out
miles to sea and you would still get it, he said the best is to be as close to
the reef as safety will allow, he actually goes as close as only having 5
metres under the keel. Naturally he has done this trip a number of times and
knows the waters, I would not go in that close when I do not know the seas
behaviour.
We kept going and as we neared Cape Londonderry I could see
a little white water on the horizon however that turned out to be the water
crashing on the reefs. I was hoping that we had picked the good time to go
around this area by working with the times of the tides with the two different
tides in this area being at the point of still tide or close to it.
As it worked out we got very close to it and the only rough
water we had was the seas raised a little to 2 metres and was rapid other than
being a little bumpy it was not too bad.
(Working with the
tides, Geranium Harbour chart left and Lesueur Island to the right, these are
each side of Cape Londonderry we are sailing on the ebb tide)
(Cape Londonderry where the two ebbing tides meet our plan is to get to this change point when the tides have eased.)
(The track we took around Cape Londonderry and down past Cape Talbot)
(The tide charts again as we approach the tide change point, at this time the seas were not bad a bit of increase in size of the waves but nothing to worry us.)
(The tide chart as we started around the other side to Cape Talbot riding the incoming tide that was flowing with us)
(This shows the difference in working the tides the log on the depth gauge shows the speed of 4.9 knots going through the water, the chart plotter GPS shows a speed of 6.3 knots going across the ground which is a gain of 1.4 knots)
We rounded the Capes and headed south to Chimney Creek and
anchored just before sunset, once settled it was sundowners dinner and early to
bed as we have to catch the tide in the morning to sail to Mission Bay.
(Chimney Creek
anchorage 13⁰52.644'S-126⁰47.177'E, we anchored in about 5 metres of water,
good holding sandy bottom, it is possible to go closer into the land but we
stay out a little for peace of mind and hopefully less insects)
(Sunset from Chimney Creek anchorage)
Cheers
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