My little piece of peace

On my way here I stopped in the northern side (lea) of Cape Capricorn, in the hope of sliding in to a favoured anchorage "Yellow Patch" - Alas and alack, it was not accessable, as the tide was well and truely out - - - and access was firmly barricaded by a series of sandbars... Yellow Patch may be found here: S-23.5102deg and E151.2209deg

OK, - now for now, - - Next stops are likely to be 30 NMi from Mackay to Brampton (S-20.7867deg and E149.2768deg) TBAmiles to Lindeman Is (near S-20.4514deg and E149.0527deg), and thence 30 more miles to Sth Molle (near S-20.2602deg and E148.8406deg) and then 30NMi to the W side of Cape Gloucester (near S-20.0691 and E148.4425)... I have yet to check those locations and distances out on the charts and envisage departing sometime after Thursday - The day after Pay-day for Dept of Veterans Affairs pensioners...

When there is internet coverage, (NOT OFTEN AS telstra is a bit sparce on coverage and the other criers are even less effective, citing low population density and low incentive in the corporate demand for profits...) - use the usual PM system here on boatdesign-net... or post if "public" post here on "my little piece of peace"...

 

Gooday ';Masa' Talk to my friend Alan - cause he's into - mechanical gear & knows where to buy what & at what price. He's the only person - that I'd trust - even if I had to sail down there to get his advice. He's definately in the know. Ciao. james

 

How bad are the sand-flies in the anchorages up that way, Masalai ? I have heard they can be a problem in some locations.

 

Mas, what does this mean....
"I will also buy a smaller 24v 1000W to 2000w inverter from Jaycar on Thursday also. That should keep the freezer and a few other small things charged and operating with careful management..."....

...you cannot charge from an inverter?

 

Hi All,
Missed church on Sunday, - definately not propitious to go as - no gas for cooking the mandatory morning cup of tea, or warming the water for another salt water bath before dressing up... So I got up around 10am (it was quite cold in the morning.) and went to the local servo to get a 4kg refil in my small gas bottle... Had several mugs of tea, some mince-curry, eggs, tomato and onions for brunch...

Anyway Monday turned out to be a very exhausting day - had a long walk of about 2.5km to find a laundromat on Evan St, in Sth Mackay... I forgot my money so walked back to the ABC radio studios (more later on why I was there), to get that (in a bag with my computers), then realised I had to hurry to see Telstra' another walk of about 1km at the "Canelands Shopping Complex"... Thence back to the laundromat to wash and dry my clothes, bedsheets and towels etc - a further 3km - to find that the good man who operates the laundry had started my load so I paid him the 5 dollars and thanked him for his kindness... I had a brief 'nap' to recover from almost totaal exhaustion, Loaded the stuff into the tumble drier, folded and packed my stuff, and was kindly given a lift back by the proprietor of the laundromat to the boat (rubber-duckie), (Thank you very much Sir...) - - I loaded the computers, clean and folded dried clothes, - and outboard would not start - so I rowed most of the way across the river (500 metres)... A restless nap to recover somewhat (muscles still aching) after hanging up and putting away all the washing work... and the day is almost done...

Anyway, I had a chat with one of the announcers and we recorded about 15 minutes of the chat which should be on early morning "Local radio ABC regional" tommorow (Tuesday 18 Sept 2012) early morning - I think his shift finishes at about 9am... - I am scared to listen...

 

Hi Landie,
The big 4000 watt unit I gave to the folk at Mid Percy, along with the washing machine and a very large electric frypan with a glass lid...

The 2000Watt unit (inverter) is a smaller unit to drive my fridge and freezer from the 24V battery bank that is charged via the solar panels... The 300watt inverter was not enough to start the fridge even though it had a fair start capacity... It will charge the batteries in my new Acer 10inch internet machine, a new ruggedised Panasonic Lumix DMC-FT4 pocket camera, My larger notebook which runs Linux Mint OS and "office suite", celphone and radio receiver...

Hi Mr Efficiency,
I do not seem to attract any sandflies (at the ABC studios, the announcer was getting savagely bitten by them) - A splatter of rain may have disturbed them, but as I was wet and sweating - no interest in biting me... A seawind, "Othello" (?OT saying hello?), we are sort of travelling together, gets HEAPS of sandflies clinging to his transom and under bridgedeck area aft...

I really hate it when the tidal flow goes one way, and the wind another - - - - - The boat seems like it will never stop roaming - maybe the bridle is a bit too long ? ? ?

 

Through bucket on medium length laynard - over the stern - stops roaming - if 'roaming' continues - find a suitable friend to roam-with. ciao, james

 

Hi Silver R,
This annoying phenomina occurs when tidal flow and wind direction are flowing in opposite directions... The boat seems to want to continue to sail into the tidal flow, to the extent that the anchor is AFT of the bows... Also, with an "open aft end" the wind can be quite annoying and instead of a pleasantly comfortable bridgedeck cabin becomes quite cold with gusts of wind blowing the flame of the cooker around, so the gentle simmering is difficult...

I went one better than "the bucket" by tieing the 'rubber-duckie' midships - aft - No joy as CNO persists in sailing upthe anchor line still, and besides, heavily galvanised and robust buckets are not easy to find and rediculously expensive... I have also tried putting the rudders 'hard-over' to port or starboard - CNO still insists on sailing against the tidal flow of some estimated 4 knots...

Ahhhhh the noisy bunch at the "Waterfront" resteraunt have departed and all is quiet once more... The really noisy bloke must lead a very booring life for he was "whooping" and behaving extatically as if he had just won a million in lotto, but it was probably the "booby prise" for not 'trashing' the place...

Rain is forecast, and to get a couple of good showers on Tuesday and Wednesday would be nice as a roof (PV panels) and deck wash would be nice, - - - and clear the air for a Thursday departure for points further North... - Time will tell...

18th addition,
Neptune must have told the other dieties of my displeasure and today 'tis very pleasant and windless, reflections in the water abound... but no ssign of the forecast rain ??? - - - Not my fault.........................
163597

 

Gooday 'masa' I'm sure I don't need to remind you - that your morning rutine 'must' include - suitablely serious incantations to - The Lord Neptune - - maybe including , as I do, an offer to share my morning 'cupa' qith his 'eminence'- after all that - - ablutions - make 'cupa' - incantations to 'Neptune' - then the rest of the days chores may be approached - usually - in a 'cruising' mode - - carefully & with great fofre-thought.

I'll make you a custom made fibreglass reinforced plastic bucket c/w protective rubber ring around the top - or 2 when you get up to Cairns. I used a large 20 ltr custom made bucket with 1" dia holes in the bottom & strung somewhat 'loosely' between the 2 transoms & that did the job 90% of the time. The other method is to use 'cot-end' trawler netting - strung 'loosely' c/w small weights off the bottom - big enough to go from side to side & aapproxz 1 mte into the water - sounds messy but is really simple to do & works a treat. I'm sure many will not agree - so by all means don't do it - BUT don't knock-it until you do it. NEGATIVE - sucks - especially - early in the morning - on board a lovely vessel in the 'Tropical Paradise' that is Far NOrth Queensland.

How's you 'inverter' problems coming along ??? Keep smilin' - mate, ciao, james

 

Well, that is a significant plus for you, some people they make
life a misery for them. One theory is you need to be at least a kilometre from mangroves, which can't always be arranged.

 

Hi Mr Efficiency,
That may also depend on the speed and direction of the wind too

Hi James -
I will forego the bucket for the present - too much junk aboard and mostly the bridle and rudders to port of stbd works OK... THE Pioneer has eddies and flows at about 4 knots almost directly opposed to the direction of the wind... - everyone seems to sail upwind except the heavier mono's forced to anchor in the deep holes in the main stream of the tidal flows...

The weather here in Mackay is very pleasant... I may be continuing further north day after tomorrow (Thursday 20th)...

 

Cats are trouble to moor in those conditions . The rode will a braid the hulls.

You can try attaching the rode to one hull or putting the rudder over hard.

You can also in depths like that just drop a stern anchor off the back used as a kedge.

This was a trick by old Thames sailing ships to back down the river using an anchor on short scope to keep the bow into the tide and or wind.

A controlled dragging if you like.

 

Gooday 'Effi' Hi there bloke - I've lived - 1/ in the Tropics of OZ for over 30 years - 2/ I've - 'set-up-camp' in mangroves - through `5 cyclones for up to 80 days, - - the way to keep - everything that bites away is: light a smoldering candle c/w euclyptus oil added - 2/ some baby-oil c/w some tee-tree or euclyptus oil or both & they just - touch down & they're off. All bugs hate - sticky feet - hate tee-tree oil & most other strong oil additives. - also if you add most things to 'witch-hazel' - it makes your skin nice & soft so there are other social benifits. Try it - someone might think your a nice person & - - & as well pour you a sundowner of 6 (Kiwi speak) caio, james

 

Hi All,
Now that is a nice euphamism for sex in a censored website where many words are replaced by "***" or draw the unwarranted attention of other snoopers like CIA and FBI that usually seem to monitor everything ??? for what ? voyuerism? - Stupid MS operating system - dictionary cannot spel in English - seems anything goes so long as there is a phonetic resemblance...

This morning a thick blanket of fog on the sugar fields to the west, sugar crushers belching steam, as harvsting is in full swwing, almost no breeze 22deg Celsius in the water below and 22.2 above in the boat... My interview was broadcast this morning - nicely edited to make me "feel good", and not to cringe with embarrasment... The early morning announcer Mitch deserves my appreciation for a pleasing interview... Local ABC radio on 101.10 FM... Call in to your local station for all the stations around Australia in a little compact pocket folder to fit in most pockets...

Last purchases ashore today - small inverter from Jaycar, some basic groceries, and then to decide will I anchor "outside" late this afternoon, in the lee of "Flat Top Island" for an early departure on Thursday Morning? as to up anchor at sunrise is LOW water and the bar at the river entrance will be DRY and I only need 3 ft of water

 

Hi Frosty,
Tried most of that... The bridle works most of the time, just when tidal flow and wind are from opposite directions...

Low tide is about 08:30 this morning, (in an hour), at 0.49m and high tide in the Pioneer River is about 14:45 at 5.29m - I am tempted to go out on that tide, anchor up overnight to get an early start the next day...