Sydney to Fame Cove

After a lot of preparation and even more money, we left RPAYC, Pittwater at 7:30. Justin drove us to RPAYC, or rather he slept in the back of the car while Jeremy did the driving then drove back after a dry eyed farewell. 

Justin with us on the morning of departure

Family photos on Manutai

Cheryn Croker, a sailing friend from RSYS joined us. I'd crewed on Cheryn's "Daydream" a Compass 31 on Saturday races - she won her division! She crewed with me taking our "Daydream" from Eden to Sydney a few years ago, and recently we did a nav course and some Elliot sailing together.

Cheryn arriving for the start of our trip

We rendezvoused with Malcolm and Lindsay Edwards of Andiamo!, another Buizen 48, at Barrenjoey. We met Malcolm and Lindsay in December last year while we were waiting for the spit Bridge to open. In that two minute circling we shouted out our phone numbers and discovered we were both planning to sail north at the same time. Over the last six months we met a few times, did radar and weather courses together and generally shared preparation tips as we planned a trip north, sailing in company.

Andiamo! Lindsay at the mast attending to the main

The day started off well enough and we left Barrenjoey wing on wing with a 15kn southerly under a sunny clear sky. The wind gradually picked up and the sky clouded over. At 1:00 we had 28kn, our main at it's first reef, genoa furled and inner working jib up. By 4:00 the wind was 30kn+, and we dropped sails and motored till we reached Port Stephens. The wind stayed around the low high 30kns but gusted up to 50kn+. The boat handled it beautifully. 

We got in to Shoal Bay and dropped anchor at 8:30. It was still blowing 20kn so we put out lots of chain. We had dinner, we may even have had wine.

Jeremy taking Cheryn to Shoal Bay - come back soon Cheryn!

We spent the Saturday settling into the boat, reorganising and resting. Cheryn left us early in the morning to get back to Sydney, it was great to have her on board. We spent a second night at anchor at Shoal Bay and it was awful, the wind held us side on to the swell that boat rocked all night. We couldn't stand another night like it so we motored to Fame Cove, west of Soldiers' Point. 

Fame Cove is beautiful, perfectly still, birdsong all day and no one else here. Sundowners on Andiamo! Sunday night, and after we did a gin run to Soldiers' Point in the dinghy, sundowners on Manutai Monday night. We met the Edwards' English friend Dave, who's crewing with them for a few weeks, an insurance assessor, ex civil engineer from Abbu Dabi. 

Fame Cove sunset

Fame Cove morning

We made two repairs, I replaced the dinghy propeller with our spare - the bushes were stuffed - and restitched the main along the leech where some stitching had given way - ahh, it may be a Buizen but it's only a boat after all!!!

When you care to join us...

...you may like to stay in the double aft cabin...

...or maybe a bunk?...