SUNDAY 19 AUGUST 2012 ; 67 NM
Our planned early start did not quite eventuate, as Capt Ray and Maggie emerged from the front VIP cabin hungry , with a desire for bacon and eggs with tomatoes.
Capt Barry, being a flexible chap, allowed this small delay and a hearty meal was had by all on board.
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| THE LADIES TUCKING INTO BREAKY |
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| CAPT RAY IN THE GALLEY |
At 8.30 am , ie after breakfast, we lifted anchor ( which was set through the sand and bedded in clay - so LAST WORD was going now where no matter how fast the current or windy it may have been ).
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| a sad goodbye to Pancake Creek |
Whilst Capt Ray took the helm Capt Barry and Maggie resorted the paper charts and by 10.30 am we were off Gladstone Port and passing several tankers, some being nearly 240 m in length and with 44 m beam and 12 m draft.
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| tankers and bulk carriers on the horizon |
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| Cape Capricorn |
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| Faraway Rock |
The ladies beaded and watched a DVD to pass the time.
We arrived at Great Keppel Island at 3.30pm and the ladies abandoned their beading and put a few fishing rods in , and caught three fish in about 20 minutes (all throw backs , even though the flathead was a reasonable borderline keeper).
We launched the larger tender and dropped the ladies on the beach for a walk and to collect some shells whilst Capts Ray and Barry set off in the tender to explore part of the Island and locate the resort .
The beaches are sandy (no pebbles/rocks ) and the water crystal clear.
After returning to the boat we had a drink or two, cooked lasagna for dinner, watched another movie and the crew retired for the evening while Capt Barry blogged on whilst a gentle rain fell ( first in for weeks ).
During the night the wind rose to about 12 kts and held LAST WORD side onto the small swell. This made for another rolly night and the noise was too much for gentle Capt Ray, who emerged to sleep on the saloon couch. Followed later by Maggie who selected he breakfast couch between the pilothouse helm and galley.
Capt Barry checked the wind and anchor a couple of times during the night , and spotted Capt Ray on the saloon lounge , but did not spot Maggie on the helm lounge. Lucky Capt Barry did not sit on Maggie (after all he did walk all over Capt Ray only a couple of nights earlier).
If we had expected the wind to hold LAST WORD side on to the swell , we would have deployed a stern anchor.
TRIP 7.15 HOURS (INCL 0.70 IDLE ) 460 L USED AT AN AVERAGE OF 64 L/H WITH AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 9.4 KTS.
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