Tanna to Bundaberg, Australia

15/11/2015

Scott-Free leaving Port Resolution........smooth sailing!!

After a fantastic Mt Yasur experience, and a pleasant stay in Port Resolution, we had hoped for a good weather break, to head for New Cal. But the SE winds and seas built up, and pinned us in for a week to 10 days longer than we had intended.

 Steve and I had looked at the weather ahead, and thought that a Thursday/ Friday trip would be ok. I sent emails to Bob McDavitt, and Dave (Gulf Harbour Radio) asking their opinions, saying we thought  “sooner looked better than later” and received mixed messages in return! Bob said wait till Monday, and Dave said boisterous but do-able! We decided to wait till the Monday. On the Sunday we got another mail from Bob saying  “You were right, sooner would have been better, but it is do-able!”

Mt Yasur giving us a send off!

 So we set off on one of the bumpiest, wildest and wettest 2 day passages of our sailing adventures! At 25 knots the wind was not too bad, but the seas were big and uncomfortable, (between 3.5 to 4.5mts on the beam), and that was once we made it round the southern corner of Tanna, and could crack off a bit towards the top of Mare (the bottom island of the Loyalty Island group,  90nm to the East of New Cal)

As we reached the shelter of Mare, the wind died, and the sea flattened, for about a 10mile respite, before we emerged from the lee, and faced 25knot winds, and 3mt swells on the nose. After about 7 miles, we lost the island effect, and got back to a more manageable point of sail, only to face a new challenge -  how to slow down enough to arrive at 5.00am (first light), outside the Havannah Pass, with 3 hours of incoming tide left, and thus avoiding the horrible conditions caused by outgoing tide against wind and waves!

Sheer Tenacity going through the Havannah Passage

We had 20-25 knots on the beam, with a 1.8knot current mainly in our favour, and we only needed to maintain a speed of 3.6knots! With sails reduced to minimum,  we virtually “ferry glided “ our last 60miles ,with our “heading” being 40 degrees higher than our COG (course over ground), and still had to put in an extra tack to waste time!  

Through the Havannah Passage with Scott-Free in the lead!

As dawn broke, we pushed through the passage in the company of a cruiseliner doing 19 knots, and everything was just cool! 

The Havannah passage is about 50 miles from Port Moselle in Noumea, but we had no intention of going the whole way, arriving amongst a shed load of boats in the dark! We had picked out a very nice anchorage, just off the Canal Wodin, at about the half way point, and were very happy to drop the hook there around noon. It was flat, and calm, and peaceful…. what bliss!  After a few hours sleep, it was great to share a happy hour with Scott- Free, compare stories, and agree on a 9.00h departure time for the morning!

Peaceful anchorage in Canal Wodin on the way to Port Moselle

Officially, one is not allowed to do what we did, but it does seem common practice, and, given the geography, I think the French authorities turn a blind eye to it. They have camera’s along the way, and can see what you are up to anyway!

Ilot Porc-e -pic

Entering Noumea Harbour

As things turned out, the Port Moselle authorities were very laid back, and when we made contact , asking for a spot on the visitors pontoon to check in, they said “no worries”, full right now, so drop an anchor outside, and contact us tomorrow when we should have some space! 

Port Moselle, ST and SF bow to bow!

This we did, and the whole process was an absolute pleasure….. and FREE! Everything is within walking distance, and we were even allowed to go ashore to go shopping before we were checked in!!

They try to allow one 3 days on the marina, but we ended up staying there for about 10 days, until we checked out!

Angelfish under he boat

Typically excellent French dinghy dock at the marina

Healthy coral reef right in the marina

 We loved New Cal, the supermarkets and wide ranges of food and wine , the fresh produce  markets, and especially the fantastic fish market right on our door step!

Sashimi quality Yellowfin and Bluefin tuna, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, plus a huge range of  both line fish and netted catches, for the same price as mincemeat!

It was also great to catch up with a number of other cruisers we had met along the way, who were now all preparing for their Aussie or NZ legs to get out of the cyclone belt.

Kanak carving in a nearby park

We would love to have spent at least 2 more months exploring New Cal, (cutting out some of Fiji), but it was getting late in the season, and we had plane tickets booked and paid for….. so we were weather watching, and looking for a good window to head for Bundaberg, Australia. And as so often happens, one pops up earlier than expected, but looked too good to ignore!

So it was a rushed and serious bottom clean, (to comply with anal Aussie rules), a quick and painless clearing out, some hurried good byes, stowage , and off!

Port Captain's premises

Saddest of all, was saying  “Cheers” to  Scott-Free, with whom we have sailed over 10 000nm since Grenada.  We were heading for Bundaberg, a haul out, and a home visit via Brisbane /Singapore/ Jhb/Cape Town, and they were heading  down to Newcastle to explore the NSW/Sydney and southern areas, which we had covered by road last year.

Farewell Scott-Free! 

A family wedding is complicating their next year’s plans, but we do hope to do much of the Whitsundays together, before they head back in July. Who knows……sailing plans are always very flexible!

 We left New Cal via the Dumbea pass, in superb conditions, and had a good first day out on the 890nm passage….. 

Dumbea Pass, with surfers in the background

Then the autopilot packed up, and we had to call on trusty little rubber band  “Fredlet”, to see us through for the next 750miles! The wind eased up more than anticipated, which we were happy about, as it forced  us to motorsail a lot more,  reducing  the load on “Fredlet”. Once again, he saved our bacon, not missing a beat all the way to Bundaberg. Once again, “a good little old one, beats a big new expensive Raymarine  one!”

Fredlet, we love you!

Smoked salmon and wasabi cream cheese for lunch

Last night at sea before arrival in Australia

We rounded the safe water buoy north of Fraser Island spit at midnight, and approached the Bundaberg channel markers at first light, making for an easy and relaxed entry onto the Bundaberg port marina quarantine dock. There, we were met by courteous, friendly, and efficient Aussie officials…. A far cry from the fearful stories we had all heard about!