sail - shoal bay

Launched Halifax beach,ramp was excellent, width of lanes, parking, water depth & a beautiful Sandy beach alongside, a toilet. 10/10

Today's sail was unplanned other than knowing the predicted wind direction, NE up to 20knots. 

Let reef from last outing remain, although the launch area was protected, beyond the headland it looked sporty. Away from the beach we four d plenty of drive, heading NNE on starboard tack. I went as far off, towards the shoal areas down the midlonr of Port Stephens, as o felt safe. On port tack we footed rapibly ESE, until PFF Nelson Head where the Coastal Patrol radio shack sits. Off there, the ebb flow bittec heads with a fimmelling NEer.it got bpumcy & harder to sail on a groove. Through the worst of the overflows, onto Shoal Bay, the wind direction swing & backed, sending the sail into fits. On a few occasions water can.e on over the gunne. I stopped mopping the bilge & stayed focused. Heading the SE corner was tricky, a stiff gusty wind failed to remain consistent in any form. But weade shelter close to the beach I dropped tje son & hoiked the anchor over & jumped overboard myself. I tried to wash off the frustrations with a difficult sail, & yet again being unable to reach my goal, a beach on the north shore. A funny thing happened when I was clambering aboard. I'd spent some time pondering the numbers of young wearing tiny thongs, them as I lunged up,y swimmers mostly stayed behind. I'd effectively mooned the young ladies! I collapsed upside down on the bilge & giggled. Once I got my breath back, I got upright, put on dry clothes & had lunch. O heard the two nearest swimming women chuckling, bit O was uncomfortable addressing the elephant on the room. The reality is, that they proudly & unsshedly bared more buttock flesh than I had. 

I added a second reef, stowed the anchor & struggled back out to cleat air. The tall peak of Tomaree was playing havoc, I was actually sailing north on port tack at one point.However, once clear heading W with 15kn over the stbd quarter, our speed was remarkable. Aided by a wind swell, we made it back too quickly. 
Back at the ramp, I parked on the beach, swam & checked my phone; there was a considerable fire further along the shore. It turned out to be a Hazard Reduction burn that got away. 
We loaded & lashed down. Finally, a great day on ILONA, yes yet another hat full if wind, but a good tow & launch, & sail. Oh, & we saw dolphins. 
No photos, i couldn't be bothered. 






 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

a skin thing?

As a surfer from my childhood years I escalated to surfing most days. If i wasn't surfing I was just going on or out of the surf, or at school or in latter yesrs work. Some school days would see me run home from the beach dripping wet, stuff cereal down & jog to school. At lunch break I would grab a bike & get a surf in.  On my twenties i took up sailing. If I wasn't actually sailing I would be working on my boat getting things ready. I spent two enjoyable winters on the tropical north.  In later life, I've mowed lawns for an income & continued to swim & sail when I can.  As old surfers know, there's a toll on your skin. Some surfers I know have died or been treated for skin cancer, so it's a vocational hazard.  Added to this, I have a genetic weakness towards skin cancer. My great grandmother passed in midlife & her daughter, my grandmother, had several skin grafts on her nose to manage skin cancer.  Last month my younger brother Pete had a ...
Read more

the american dilemma

Image
Ever willing to criticise  The Pres with the Snake Eyes When he calls out "Fake News!". The media lead a people's chorus of boos.   The same singers when at home Before the neon god they lay prone Soaking up bullshit ads & sculpted boobs Glitzy endless crap on the tube.
Read more

mass political deception

Image
On the day a gunman nicked ex president Trump's ear the world politcians decried violence as evil, undemocratic & so on, more than 39 people were killed in Palestine. These events highlight mass hypocrisy across the world with regards violence & race.  No one in the media industry will ever mention this hypocrisy.
Read more