Oz Circumnavigation

Adelaide SA (34.55.10S-138.25.25E) to Perth WA (32.1.70S - 115.43.72E)

After a short stopover of 3 days in Adelaide for crew change, fueling, & provisioning, we departed at 1200 hrs on Sat 9th of May for Esperance, WA, course of almost due west at 274 deg to log another 811 nm, totaling 1556 nm since leaving Hobart (42.52.02S – 147.21.85E) on May 1st

On board was “Pommy James”, my son “Aussie James” and Rick MacClure from the Gold Coast.

Rick has been making a video of our trip and has a film production company specializing in exotic and off the beaten track dive sites around the world.

This trip would have us up to 218 nm south from land about half way across to Esperance, and that is slap bang adjacent to the middle of the Nullabor Plains where the only inhabitants are kangaroos.

With two rods out the back, we hooked 5 Southern Blue Tuna just past Port Lincoln, but dispatched them to where they came from, as our freezer was still full of Tuna caught on the previous leg just off Portland Vic.

The Great Australian Bight

We were about to experience a trip made in heaven as we found ourselves for most of the trip across the Great Australian Bight in a slow moving high pressure zone reading 1030 hPa.

In fact we have had high pressure almost since leaving Hobart. There were times the only reading we had on the wind gauge was what we were making ourselves with boat speed.

Half way across the Bight we could see the few clouds in the sky coming back as a perfect mirror finish from the water. We decided to launch the inflatable and take some video of the boat moving through the water and a tanker passing us in the background, which looks fabulous.

“Like a mirror” - A rare sight for The Great Australian Bight

We all got on well, had some great meals, and much relaxation time for reading, watching satellite TV, DVD’s, and always many naps of course. Night watches were 3 hours on and six hours off, so we weren’t deprived of much sleep to say the least.

We only saw a few ships en route and they were the only ones heading to Adelaide or Port Lincoln, as the major shipping route was miles south doing the rhumb line from Cape Leeuwin in WA.

Naturally as usual for most of SKIE’S travels, we never ever see another recreation boat at all, just ships and the odd fisho. I find this quite bewildering to think we are the only ones travelling the high seas, but then of course very few boats have ever done the trip across the Bight east to west, but surely we would see someone at least coming the conventional way. No Siree!

As we have problems with our SSB radio with reception, we were in touch across the Bight everyday using our Iridium Sat phone with Allan Meill who runs Coastal Radio American River on Kangaroo Island. Allan is a very pleasant chap who was extremely helpful in many ways, so if anyone reading this follows in our footsteps, contacting Allan is a must.

Coast of Western Australia

When we finally made the WA coast we dropped our anchor at remote Middle Island just off the coast of south Western Australia, as travelling the Archipelago of the Recherché at night is not a good idea, particularly when we found an uncharted reef in our path just before Middle Island. I’m going to report this in Perth as it is on the rhumb line to Adelaide, and this is a very serious omission.

Our trip to Albany from Esperance, and around Cape Leeuwin to Perth had overnight travel because we were anxious to beat a low pressure trough heading towards us, and rounding one of the serious capes in the world in bad weather is foolhardy. As well the charts could be relied on as there is enormous shipping in this region as the main route to and from SE Asia and Europe. Our AIS certainly will pay for itself just here and there was always a ship showing up on the radar and plotter monitors.

Albany

Called into Albany for a few hours to have a look, get some wine and groceries, and some water as the new circuit card for the water maker is still waiting for us in Perth, so we can get the watermaker back up and running.

Before I install this I will have to get a sparkie to install some sort of surge arrestor from the genset to stop the cards blowing, as we have now blown two in 12 months. At $1000 each it is expensive, but at least one of them was provided under warranty.

Albany is a very lovely place and I strongly suggest it as a place to visit as it has so much history being the first settlement in WA in 1793.

Cape Leeuwin

We are still catching tuna but returning them after carefully disengaging the hook. Most have been juveniles around the 10 - 15 kg mark.

Crossing to Cape Leeuwin early this morning we are running into schools of salmon, but don't wish to stop to try catching any. Dave Reid would not be happy.

The routine of 3 hours on watch and six off is working well with just the three of us since Aussie James (my son) flew home from Esperance via Perth.

Cape Leeuwin was left some distance to sea because of the rocks that litter the corner close in, so we didn't really see it due to lots of smoke haze around due to burning off taking place in this region.

Three waypoints to claim, and we will be safely tied up in the Fremantle Sailing Club, which incidentally was the host club for the first Americas Cup Challenge outside of the New York Yacht Club after so many years.

What can I say apart from what a fabulous boat we have to take us on this journey. It has certainly been my biggest challenge so far on the water, but on the other hand it has been the simplest without any dramas to speak of.

Ship Mates

I would sincerely like to thank my ship mates for their participation, professionalism, fine endeavours, humour, and absolute great company.

Hobart to Adelaide
James Cowles: Mr Fixit and mower down of cray pots
Dave Reid: The grunt man on the rod, and fine wine connoisseur.
Phil Reid: Fishing glory seeker, and outstanding chef.
Fish caught: One 30 kg Southern Blue fin Tuna

Adelaide to Perth
Rick MacClure: Cameraman, clapper, grip, editor, sound engineer for the epic video coming up soon.
James Cowles: Now referred to as the "Pommy Bastard" due to familiarity gained in 18 days. Mower down on more cray pots - again.
James Sheppard: My race horse trainer son gaining quiet a few sea miles now (3,300nm to date)
Fish caught: Nine Southern Blue fin Tuna at around 15 kg, and released