Solar panels are a major requirement on cruising boats in today’s world. Why? They are a critical source of energy for maintaining the modern systems on board. Fridges, lights, batteries, computers and so forth all utilise the energy the panels bring on to Australis 1 – and Gratis, too. When we took ownership, Australis 1 […]
It’s been another busy week aboard Australis 1. A new post from NZ is also online. http://www.gratisaustralis.com/a-walk-a-dinghy-ride-oneroa-bay-paroa-bay/
Sundays are market day. GF pies and GF straight from the baking to you. We were in tastebuds heaven!? Tonight home made passata for the Italian focus for this week’s meals.
LAND AT LAST!! After yet another boisterous night, a ‘massive’ 28nm were attained over a five hour duration. 0400 and we sighted the bright as day lights of fishing boats upon the distant horizon. Yes, civilisation wasn’t far off now and our hearts lightened when the numbers on the GPS read 64nm remaining […]
AND THE WIND CHANGED!!! Bob and I arose to find another day of squalls ahead of us, and the seas no less confused. As always, our experiences this day were no less challenging. Without warning, at the proverbial click of a finger the wind dropped a massive 19 knots from 25 down […]
A STORM! Awakened to the sound of howling winds and winches grinding, it was with a rush – or as much as one could in the conditions – that I hastened upstairs. The storm, I discovered, had struck with ferocious vengeance. Cliff was at the helm, Bob on the starboard gennie sheet winch […]
FOG!!! Bob and I awoke to calm glassy conditions and a damp cold fog surrounding Australis 1. Currents revolve in all directions through this whole region – the intricacy of which I only came to fully understand after viewing the ABC’s, ‘Australia’s Ocean Odyssey: A Journey Down the East Australian Current’ a month or […]
AND THE WIND DIED! With the rising of the dawn, Australis 1 was placed on a beam reach and headed directly for New Castle. 415nm remained of the journey and we were now on the home stretch – or so we thought! Once more, the main’s upper cars hadn’t held up to the strain […]
Disbelief, as just before dawn, the auto pilot, decided it was no longer able to cope with the conditions made and experienced non – stop hissy fits. Two hours or so of constantly dealing with constantly correcting large directional errors that took place as she gave way, the decision to go to manual control […]
The albatross returned and entertain us this morning. Over our ocean travels, Bob and I had discovered why seamen of yesteryear were so superstitious on sighting these magnificent birds – in actuality, the reason goes for any sea bird. In lighter conditions the birds soar gracefully between the swells and over the waves but, as […]
Day five of what was proving to be the ‘slow boat to China´, the waters were slightly improved, but not much. For the first time since the last sail car had broken, the boys were able to substitute the main’s top car with one from below. Repairs completed, the sail was raised and set […]
That had been the most uncomfortable of nights and sleep nigh on impossible. Resultant of the bucking bronco conditions, to remain on one’s bed, one had needs to find any niche that could be a possible grab hold. Spread eagled on the bed, with the left foot pinioned between the two mattresses, the right braced […]
On arising from below, Bob and I were greeted by the sight of rolling hills, the leftover result from those overnight squalls. Grey skies were brightened by the rarity of the brightest of rainbows as the sun fought to break her way through the clouds’ dreary domination. On undertaking the daily sail check, one of […]
An uneventful night led us into morning and by daylight – about 7am – we were almost opposite North Cape. To our relief, the early hours had brought with them a return of the wind at a workable 11 knots and our beauty was holding steady, so once more it was possible to conserve […]
Bob and I had been in New Zealand since early February and thanks to long delays in completion of the paperwork for registration and renaming of Saliander to Australis 1 – the result of having to physically post documentation – in Australia, plus the outbreak of Covid19 and its level four lockdown in New Zealand, […]
In both New Zealand and Australia, insurance companies stipulate that rigging must be replaced each decade under the rational that in theory the constant flexing causes it to work harden. It is also the function of rigging size. On racing boats, the rigging is as light as possible and under constant heavy strain, whereas on […]
The rapidity with which the Australian countryside recovers from drought is amazing to see.The dusty dirt bowl we travelled through on our last trip has received some good rains and is already greening.
40 degrees only 60km away, it’s a pleasant 15 degrees cooler here. Looking out at smoke hazed Kangaroo Island. There was also a lovely sail in 20knots
