We had two days of northerlies forecast, a rare opportunity on this cruise! So we put in a big effort and have just completed a 39 hour non-stop passage to get us south. We left Port Macquarie at 6.30am on Sunday morning and sailed till we reached Jervis Bay at 10.30pm on Monday night, 280 nautical miles (about 560kms) down the coast. We are just in time to hide from another day of southerlies.
We were lucky to have good conditions: 15 to 20 knots NE, not too much swell, brilliant sunshine during the two days, perfect for a long, fast sled ride under Big Red, the spinnaker. The nights were clear, lit up by the Milky Way and we swapped the spinnaker for the jib for ease of control during our two-hourly night watches. The only tension was the number of big ships along the way, offshore from Newcastle at night, then Sydney and Wollongong in day light. We’d rather have the ocean to ourselves!
Containership off Sydney
With serious distance covered we are now back on track for a return home by the end of the month. We are chuffed to have managed this big hop, but we still find long passages are tedious and overnighters hard. This is turning out to be a ‘delivery’ trip rather than a cruise as our return to work deadline is approaching.
We will be in Jervis Bay for today; tomorrow we sail to Broulee Bay as the northerly returns for a day, then go and hide in the Moruya River from yet another strong bout of southerlies later in the week.
Here is a selection of photos from our passage.
Sv-Anui 
Glad you finally got your weather window. Gorgeous photos as usual! 🙂 Poor you having to get back to work. Im easing back in to it this week. Its not fun!
Thanks Viki – imagine a return to work after two months off! But it is still 3 weeks away😊
Once again, you pics tell the story. 101/2 kts ….. good reason to sail a cruising cat!
Take It Easy true to her name😊
Hard work, but another 2-3 of those days and you’ll be in home waters.
Exactly! Pity they have been so few and far between😒
You made Jervis, happy sleeping after the long trip. Liked the pics, the dolphins were at play eh! Liked the 10.5, good one big red!
Sorry we missed seeing you and Peppa. For a while we thought we’d be at Port Hacking for a few days, but as we made good time with Big Red, we kept going! Put Easter in the diary Susie!
What a boon to get that weather window….
About time we’d say!
Wow: 10 knot average over such a long distance is seriously good going guys, especially considering slowing down at night.
Well we actually averaged 7.1 but peaked at 11.7… Still respectable though. Big Red is our favourite sail – fast and easy, just as we like it😊
I’m Wade/Chris the Sailor Man. I’m Wade/Chris the Sailor Man.
I’m strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach.
I’m Wade/Chris the Sailor Man.
I’m one tough Gazookus, which hates all Palookas.
Wot ain’t on the up and square.
I biffs ’em and buffs ’em and always out roughs ’em
but none of ’em gets nowhere.
If anyone dares to risk my “Fisk”, It’s “Boff” an’ it’s “Wham” un’erstan’?
So keep “Good Be-hav-or”, That’s your one life saver
With Wade/Chris the Sailor Man.
I’m Wade/Chris the Sailor Man, I’m Wade/Chris the Sailor Man.
I’m strong to the finich, cause I eats me spinach.
I’m Wade/Chris the Sailor Man.
Too many magic mushrooms in the spinach for you says Popeye!
Yep
Great to see you are progressing well, getting to be real experienced sailors, good weather readers and enjoying what you are doing, yes, yes everyone should have a BIG RED.
You make us laugh! Big Red is getting a bit of use now. And we have never done so many bar crossings! Lots of hiding in rivers…