ARRIVED BRISBANE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi All,
Here is the last progress report from the good ship Discovery.

1/9/2012
Position 14:00 UTC +11 25°27.3934S 157°23.5255E
241nm to go to NW Fairway buoy.
We have run into head winds that are slowing our progress. Ran into a heavy
rain squall about 09:00. Then it cleared but the head wind persisted. The
forecast is for the wind to go SSW – not ideal but may give us a chance to
beat the last day to Brisbane.

2/9/2012
Position 14:00 UTC +11 26 04.742S 155 14.004E A lousy sea and head winds.
Having to run two motors to make headway, so not only was there lots of
banging from the sea, but also I had to put up with the roar of the an
engine in my cabin. Sleep was difficult.
3/9/2012
Position 14:45 UTC +10 Tied up to the Quarantine Jetty at Rivergate Marina.
What bliss to wake up on Monday to a clam sea and little wind. During the
night the wind had dropped and the sea moderated. By 07:40 we were at the NW
Fairway buoy and followed the channel markers all the way to Rivergate
Marina. Ian, acting as agent, had the customs and immigration guys there and
they came on board almost before we had finished tying up. Very pleasant and
very efficient. Then the quarantine guy pitched, again very pleasant and had
not complaints as all we had left were a few tins of Bully Beef. As soon as
we were cleared, Joyce and George were off to get a taxi to the airport to
fly up to their daughter in Cairns. It was a very quick goodbye and they
were gone. Ian, Olga, Anthea, and Judy came on board and we had a drink to
celebrate the our arrival in Brisbane. Then I was taken back to Ian's house.
What bliss to get under a hot shower and just let the water massage you. The
first hot shower since leaving SA. Then to sleep in a proper bed, with clean
sheets. Then a meal that was not curried and no Bully Beef or beans. Joyce
did a grand job of cooking, but she didn't have a lot of choice for variety
- tuna, Bully Beef and beans.
4/9/2012
Position 16:15 UTC +10 27 51 44.5284S 153 20 41.5206E Tied up to the jetty
in front of Ian's house on Hope Island Up early to catch the 06:10 train to
the airport, where we met Rob and Anthea. Then taxi to Rivergate Marina and
set sail for Hope Island. Hope Island is about 47 nm south of Brisbane down
the inland water ways. We had to dodge island and sandbanks. Only managed to
touch the bottom twice. The first time was just a touch and off, but the
second was later on the falling tide. Luckily we were able to reverse off
and get back into deeper water.
That's what happens when you try for a short cut instead of following the
channel markers. The trip took just over eight hours. The weather was great
so it really was just a "cruise down the river on a Sunday afternoon". Once
tied up we had farewell beers with Rob, Anthea and Jeremy (they are staying
with him), who had arrived just as we were tying up to take them back to
Brisbane.

Well we finally made it. It has been a long one and more probably my last
one.

Cheers

Chris

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Rob Browne: DISCOVERY ARRIVES IN BRISBANE 3 SEPT 2012

>
> WE MADE IT!!! And on 3rd September too as predicted! Fantastic to be
> back on dry land at last. Since our stop in Neiafa, Tonga quite a bit
> has happened.
>
> NEIAFA, VAVA'U, TONGA 39 Degrees south 174 degrees west (or the place
> where Chris appropriated my beer money)
>
> So lost half my birthday day due to crossing the International Date
> Line from East to West. At least I had a chance to celebrate it! Chris
> and I went on our trip to Mariner's Cave which was great. A localtook
> us out in a small speedboat which he anchored off a cliff face with
> clear tirquois blue water in which there was a black hole. We doned
> our snorkels and flippers and dived down, through the black hole and
> came out in a blue cave. A bit errie but great. Dont know where the
> light or air and oxygen came from. Even some fish seemed to know about
> its existance and were happily swimming around. That evening we had a
> burger and chips at the Sunset Cafe as wanted to have a big slap up
> meal and a few extra beers on our last night before we set off again.
> The next day we did our provision shopping and Chris was a bit short
> so I handed over my food and beer money on the strict understanding
> that Chris would have gone to the bank to replenish his cash resources
> by the evening which I admit he did. We started off from the boat
> stopping for a few sundowners at 3 pubs along the way. On our first
> night here we had ended up at a resturant/bar a way out of town run by
> an Englishman, Laurance, which was very good. Chris wanted to go back
> there for dinner so we took a strol out there to be welcommed as long
> lost friends and given personal service from Laurance who perswaded
> Chris, Chris says unbeknown to him, to have the most expensive item
> on the menu. Well this left just enough money for me to have a pizza,
> one of the cheapest things on the menu and not the best pizza I have
> had and no money for anymore beer! Chris says it was completely
> unintentional but I will leave you to draw your own conclusions. His
> apologies fell on deef ears. We left for New Caladonia early the next
> morning.
>
> PORT MOSELLE MARINA, NOUMEA, LA GRAND TERRA ISLAND NEW CALADONIA 22
> Degrees 17 minutes South 166 degrees 26 minutes East (or another place
> we almost did not see on Chris's mad dash across the Pacific)
>
> We left Tonga on Saturday morning ( no good sailor leaves port on a
> Friday) passed Marinors Cave enterance and out into the big Pacific
> Ocean. It was amazing how cold it became and we were all back in full
> foul weather gear to keep the cold out. The wind must haver come
> straight from the Antartic. We made good time and Chris cam up with
> the suggestion we go straight to Brisbane and changed course further
> south. Fortunately after a day we did some fuel usage calculations and
> fortunately agreed we would need to stop in at New Caladonia anyway.
> As we had to stay overnight it gave us the oppertunity to slip into
> town and then have a good meal and a few beers afterwards at the
> marina resturant. First pork had since Cape Town.
>
> RIVERGATE MARINA, BRISBANE 27 Degrees 30 Minutes South 153 degrees
> East - The last leg of a long trip
>
> On leaving Noumea we started up the engines and stopped them on our
> arrival in Brisbane motor sailing all the way. There were lots of
> reefs around the exit to Noumea which Chris directed us through passed
> the Amedee Lighthouse which is the tallest steel lighthouse in the
> world and then through the Passe de Boulars in the coral reef and we
> were out back in the ocean. The cold weather returned immediately and
> Joyce's loverly hot spicy meals went down very well keeping us warm
> using up the food on board as we expected the Aussie quarintinee guys
> to confiscate lots of things. We spent part of the voyage cleaning up
> the boat removing the sea weed and other strange growths and making it
> look more presentable. Taking into account that it was four and a half
> months it did not look to bad and was still going strong. Was on watch
> from 3 to 6 am on Monday 3rd September and it was still dark when I
> went to bed afterwards to wake a few hours later to see the Australian
> Coast in the distance at about 8am. It got bigger and bigger but it
> took us till 4pm to cross Moreton Bay and up the Brisbane River. Found
> the Immigration and Customs walf at Rivergate Mall. The fully armed
> immigration and customs guys arrived at the other side of the high
> gate in the fence keeping us out of Australia and the code for the
> lock must have been changed as they cou;ld not get in. After a few
> telephone calls it was sorted out and the filling in of forms and
> checking of the boat commenced. The seemed worried about drugs and
> fire arms and looked in some strange places I had not looked in during
> the time on board. Gave the OK and the quarintene guy appeared but
> after a few questions was quite happy and he did not converscate
> anything. Then Ian, the owner, Anthea and Jude were allowed on board.
> Great to see them!!! Had been waving to them across the quays. Gorge
> and Joyce said their goodbyes and were off to the airport to catch a
> plane to their daughter in Cains. Ian had brought a few bottles of
> Champane and we cellebrated our arrival. Jeremy joined us and took me
> back to their house for a super meal a bottle or two of red wine, a
> shower and a nice clean bed. Fantastic. Amazing it is all over. 145
> days simnce we left Cape Town on 12 April!!! Yesterday Anthea joined
> us and we moved the boat down to Hope Island where Ian lives. So now I
> can start my holiday in Aussie and New Zealand and hope to be back in
> Cape Town by the end of September. What a trip!!!! Would I do it
> again? Ask me in a few months time.

Arrived in Moreton Bay! near Brisbane

I don’t have details yet, but George’s facebook page seems to think they may be there now!

Give them each a Bells!

More to follow - Justin

 

 

30, 31 August

30/8/2012

Position 14:00 UTC 14:00 +11  23 40.654S 161 55.181E

31/8/2012

Position 14:00 UTC +11  24°37.0094S  159°48.7168E

Wind died during the night and became very variable. Forecast is not too good for a fast passage for the next couple of days. However, we should still make Monday, but quite a bit later than I would have liked. We will probably resort to both iron spinnakers, if things get too slow. Will keep you posted. At 13:45 I gave up and put both motors on – now we have a chance of getting there early Monday morning, that is to NW Fairway bouy. No sure how long up the river

28'29 Aug

 

Hi All,

28/8/2012

Position 14:00 UTC +11  22°29.9103S  166°23.4044E

A good walk to the Customs and Harbour Master's Offices, but then the exercise will do me some good. I find I have lost quite a lot of walking ability. After 4 months at sea I have slowed down on land - will have to do something about that when I get home. Last shower, paid the bills and off to fill up with diesel. We dropped our lines in Port Moselle Marina at 09:36 and left the fueling dock at 10:30. By 13:15 we passed Amdee Light – it claims to be the tallest all metal lighthouse – will have to check that against Slangkop – and headed into the open sea with no more islands/reefs between us and Brisbane.

29/8/2012

Position 14:00 UTC +11  22°56.0301S  164°13.8184E   ETA NW Fairway 3/8/2012

The wind remains from the SSW. We are beating with a full main and genny, but are about 12 degrees above out course. Which is fine as we should be aiming north of Brisbane to alow for the south flowing current. Weather is nice and sunny but the wind is very cool. The sea state not too bad, but we are still slamming and bumping. Lets hope the forecasted backing of the wind happens and we are in a following sea, which is much more comfortable.

Ian, please send me the GPS co-ords of your home mooring

Cheers

Chris

Fwd: Discovery

>
> Hi All,
> 23/8/2012
> Position 14:00 UTC +12 21°14.9650S 174°21.4700E
> I had ideas of diverting straight to Brisbane, but fuel calculations and
> weather forecasts don't give much margin. So discretion is the better part
> of valour and we are going on to Noumea to get fuel and weather forecast. We
> don't want to run into a 'Southerly Buster'. It sounds like the east coast
> of SA when the wind is against the current.
> 24/8/2012
> Position 14:00 UTC +12 21°37.1090S 172°02.2247E
> Wind gusting up 23knots with a very uncomfortable sea. I thought we were in
> the tropics and therefore it would be nice and warm – we go on watch with
> all the warm clothes we have plus foulies – but then it is winter!!!
> 25/8/2012
> Position 14:00 UTC +12 21°55.9225S 170°03.3942E
> Nice sunny day, the wind has dropped and the sea is relatively flat, but
> still a chill in the air.
> 26/8/2012
> Position 14:00 UTC +12 22°10.6971S 168°18.7306E
> Woke to rain squalls and an overcast sky and not much wind, which has now
> backed so we are a starboard gybe. Only the genny up and the motor going to
> keep our speed down so that we arrive tomorrow morning at 06:00 at the
> entrance to Hananvah Chanel. Don't fancy dodging the reefs in the dark.
> 27/8/2012
> Position Port Moselle Marina, Noumea, New Caledonia
> We made it – hit the entrance to Havannah Channel at 06:00 in the company of
> a cargo ship – Polarstream. I was not sure what to expect of the channel,
> but after seeing a 500ft ship in front all doubts disappeared. We motored
> the channel through a rain storm and not much wind and arrived at Port
> Moselle at 12:25 local time (UTC +11). A very pleasant young lady booked us
> in, so now we can shower and use a fantastic WiFi.
> Tomorrow early I will book out – immigration, customs, port captain – then
> take diesel and set off for Brisbane.
>
> What a pleasure to have a good hot shower!!!!
> Cheers
>
> Chris
>

21,22 August

21/8/2012

Position 14:00 UTC +12  20 18.748S 178 35.800E

The little wind there was didn't lat that long. Soon after sun rise all sails are down and we are motoring and that is slow too, as there seems to be current against us. The charts all show the current going the other way.

Put the clocks back another hour.

22/8/2012

Position 14:00 UTC +12  20°44.7957S  176°32.3698E

Still motor-sailing. The wind and current are not being kind to us. Hope to get to Noumea in 4-5 days for quick refueling stop and then on to Brisbane.

Cheers

 

Chris