New Zealand, (Nelson) to Australia, (Sydney) then …....?

We departed from Nelson, New Zealand, at 1400 after obtaining clearance from the most charming Customs Official I have ever met. Kurukulla got off to a slow start, on the wind beating north; how else would it be? The first 50 miles were due north... As we approached Bush End Point, (the most easterly end of the amusingly named Farewell Spit), at the northern end of Golden Bay, the wind veered and we were able to bear away on to a close reach and take a route north east to gain some ground to the north and hopefully benefit from better winds. This strategy worked for the first 250 miles at which stage the wind suddenly backed, as forecast, and within an hour we were back on a reach but this time port gybe! This sudden change created a lumpy and confused sea that was to last until we arrived in Sydney making this a far from comfortable passage; but it was quick! On day three we saw the most amazing dolphin frenzy that I have ever seen, literally hundreds of them leaping from the waves heading, at high speed, in a common direction and completely ignoring us. There must have been something very tasty in the offing! A second smaller pod passed soon after, similarly heading in the same direction.

Two days later we happened upon two whales; asleep, alongside each other, floating gently in the waves; we only noticed them when they were about 50m ahead and we passed within 20m; they seemed unaware of our presence and continued their snooze, both sending regular “blows” into the air above them. The closest we have come so far and to be honest, if we had spotted them earlier we might not have gone so close! The only other wildlife of note was our first sightings of albatross, several of which came to investigate us during the middle part of the crossing.

A grey Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House!

At just over half way we had another rapid wind shift, this time putting us back on to port gybe, and sustaining the lumpy sea, so lumpy in fact that we resorted to our tinned food stocks for supper on two consecutive nights, it was too rough to risk cooking with pans of boiling water; this did not meet with approval from Yiorgos who, born and living on a farm, had never been treated to such “delicacies”... Hot and filling were about the only two adjectives that could be used to describe it...

By midday of day seven we were 100 miles short of Sydney having completed 1100 miles to that point. We were making good time and were a full day ahead of the schedule I had set, meaning that I needed to adjust the Estimated time of Arrival (ETA) I had given to the Australian Customs. This is where the Garmin SE+ with its e-mail/SMS facility, via satellite, comes in so useful! That and being able to get tailored weather forecasts for any precise position in the oceans at any time needed (Not to mention it has a 24/7 distress message facility, which I hope never to need!). The day itself was the best weather and conditions that we had seen since leaving Nelson, a bright sunny day, calmer, more organised seas and a beautiful sunset to top the day off. That of course led into a night of frustration with no wind and flogging sails! By 0200 I had had enough and to meet our declared ETA for Sydney Customs and Immigration we resorted to the engine for the last 25 miles.

At 0700 we passed through Sydney Heads and into Sydney Harbour, heading to Neutral Bay, where the Australian Border Force have their Sydney base. Having sent all the necessary advance notifications to the required e-mail address we arrived in Sydney to be greeted by blank looks and zero prior knowledge of our arrival; fortunately I had the “paper trail” in the form of my e-mails and the replies from the HQ in Canberra. Within three hours we had resolved the situation and the Border Force and Bio Security officials had all been and gone (Immigration and Customs, both handled by Border Force personnel, is a free service; Biosecurity charge $Aus420 (£240) per boat; it is obviously a growth industry here in Australia as well!

Sydney from the Botanic Gardens

From Neutral Bay we moved to Rushcutters Bay and a berth in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia marina; sadly the Royal Australian Naval Sailing Association (RANSA), (affiliated to the Royal Naval Sailing Association (RNSA), of which I am a member), who are almost next door, were not able to offer us a buoy/berth. A brief tour of the Bay area, on foot, was followed by dinner in the CYCA and a much anticipated early night!

Sydney Opera House and Bridge

Here we were to stay for 7 days doing the sights and sounds of Sydney; Opera House, Bridge, North Shore etc; even a day on the beach! Our final two days in the marina were miserable! Pouring rain, all day, both days. Other than that the weather was not bad and certainly warmer than New Zealand.

On Monday 16^th of March we re-victualled from the nearby supermarket (which was moderately well stocked despite the Corona virus panic buying – eggs, long life milk and toilet paper shelves all empty!)

Sydney from "The Rocks" under the bridge

After that it was pay the marina bill and refuel on departure before heading for a mooring in the shelter of Watson's Bay, ready for a relatively quick departure through the heads the next day and our first leg southwards. Despite the south easterly wind forecast for the next day it seemed worth getting underway even if we only made it the 12 or so miles to Port Hacking.

We departed Sydney Harbour at 1000 and arrived in Port Hacking at 1600 after a beat to windward, grey skies all the way but not unpleasant. The anchorage, just inside Port Hacking Point, is great.

Sydney Harbour Bridge from north shore

A sandy bay, well sheltered from the easterly swell, and with 6 moorings all of which are free to use. New South Wales has a system where the Roads and Ports Authority lay moorings for anyone to use, free of charge, as part of their efforts to stop damage to the seabed and the seagrass etc. growing there. Very generous.

Next morning we were to depart at 0630, first light, in an effort to make Jervis Bay before nightfall. The forecast was for light northerly winds and on this basis we were anticipating a slow passage. We were right. The wind was no more than 10 kts as we left the anchorage and as we turned southwards it was obvious we were going to be motor-sailing for a large part of the day if we wanted to keep up any decent speed. As we passed the port of Unanderra, by Flinders Island, we passed two large cruise ships, at anchor, alongside several cargo ships. Our sympathies went out to any passengers left onboard who had invested in a cruise and found themselves anchored off the coast with nowhere to go.

Sunset at Jervis Bay

More casualties of the Coronavirus outbreak! In the end the wind did as forecast if not better and by the time we reached Jervis Bay we were doing 7.5 knots with 10+ knots of wind over the deck; the only minor downside was that once in the bay we had a wet and windy 2.5 mile beat to windward to reach our chosen anchorage, off Long Beach; it is part of the RAN firing range but fortunately there was no firing today. All in a days sailing!

Next morning it was another relatively early start and again there was next to no wind. We weighed anchor at 0730 and motored out of Jervis Bay, heading for Bateman's Bay where we planned to pick up a mooring in Chain Bay.

The good news was that the East Australian current carried us south at over 1.5kts; the not so good news is that we will have to battle this current on the return leg, when going north, in ten weeks time! Four hours later and we were still motoring through oily calm waters with no sign of the promised northerly wind of 10kts. C'est la vie.

Chain Bay in Bateman's Bay.

In the end we motor-sailed all the way, anchoring in Chain Bay at 1500 and settling down to a swim and relaxing late afternoon. Many of the hillsides around the bay looked black and scorched from the recent bush fires and now there is Coronavirus; as if they haven't suffered enough! Our original plan had been to enter the marina at Bateman's Bay in order that I could visit my Assistant from my days working in the British High Commission in Malta and who now lives in the Bay; a telephone call to the marina office put pay to that idea. Although charted at 2m (meaning we can get in at anything over half tide) the entrance is actually around 1m in depth meaning we might get in at high tide but if the swell gets up it might be impossible to get out again; the good news was that the channel is due to be dredged in the near future and so may be an option when we head back north. We opted to move on next day!

Bermagui Marina and "town"

As the sun rose above the horizon we set off again. We had awoken to a brisk NW wind of 10 – 15 kts. Ideal … but within 15 minutes of sailing off the anchor the sun had risen and the wind had dropped to near zero! Just our luck! It appeared we are in for another day of motor-sailing, at best, and a tedious 40 mile voyage to the marina at Bermagui. That was until the wind did a 2 minute volte face and filled in from the south at 20 kts, bang on the nose! We motored on for an hour more until we could free off enough to sail into the bay at

Bermagui, at which stage we were able to make 6 kts directly towards the entrance. By 1530 we were securely tied up alongside and enjoying a late lunch in the cockpit. All in a days sailing!

Bermagui Marina and entrance

With the forecast wind due to stay in the south for three days or so we were committed to stay here until it changed. That said the town looked very welcoming and according to Keith, the marina owner, there was not a case of Coronavirus within 150 miles! As we sat there in Bermagui the forecast for heading south deteriorated. With the risk of not making it back to UK before travel restrictions made it impossible Christoph decided to make a dash for Melbourne, via bus to Bairnsdale and then train to Melbourne, leaving Yiorgos and I to take Kurukulla onwards to Melbourne in slower time.

Armands Beach, 10km south of Bermagui

Too late! Having booked a new flight to UK (via Bangkok with Thai airways) the night before, he set off at 0600 on Monday for an 8 hour bus and train journey to Melbourne, whilst he was en route we heard that Thailand had instigated entry restrictions requiring those in transit to hold a certificate showing them to be free of Coronavirus (Only in the Thai language version did it say you needed a laboratory test which takes 72 hours to get). Fortunately or unfortunately a fellow passenger was able to set up an appointment with a doctor in Melbourne to get a certificate.

This did not resolve the problem, as became apparent when Christoph tried to check in at 2200 and was refused boarding along with all other passengers for the same flight;

(No passenger, even the Thai speakers, could meet the requirement for laboratory testing within the timescale).

Mimosa Rocks (named after 1860 Paddle Steamer sinking here)

Fortunately he was able to stay with my daughter in Melbourne for a couple of nights and 48 hours after his departure he set off to retrace his journey back to Bermagui! Strangely the connecting bus service from Bairnsdale to Bermagui was still running but the reverse journey has been withdrawn! By 1745 Wednesday he was back onboard having completed a 700 mile round trip to go nowhere. 

It now seems that having completed two thirds of our circumnavigation (30°E to 150°E via the western hemisphere) we are destined to stay in Bermagui until the Coronavirus storm passes over.

Pelican beauty parade at fish gutting time, Bermagui

As yet there is no forecast as to how long that might be but there are worse places in the world to be at this moment, good beaches, national parks etc. and at least here the virus is currently a remote threat; we have all the resources we need to remain here as long as it takes. Once the storm passes we will then reconsider our options and decide where to go next and how to complete the circumnavigation.

Wallaby in Mimosa National Park

I hope all who read this are staying well and if you are unfortunate enough to have contracted the virus that you make a speedy recovery.

More when we leave; whenever that may be........