VDLC 2015 Day 14 15 16 17

Your humble scribe has been busy for the past few days so hopefully today with grey skies and a little liquid sunshine and no early travel planned I might get to catch up on the blog. My last post had us tucked up safe and sound at the delightful fishing port of Stanley under the lee of the “Nut”. We spent a comfortable night there and and the morning was spent blogging and helping others with their moorings as they cast off and headed north west towards the Hunter group and more particularly 3 Hummock Island about half a days sail away. The marina was busy with some fishing boats returning from a fortnight at sea chasing crayfish while others were were day fishing nearby grounds for octopus . Some of the VDLC fleet had to make way for the returning vessels while new arrivals rafted up alongside. For whatever reason no one moored beside us - it could have been the waving cutlass and the sharpened pikes we were poking at them. After lunch were left Stanley and in warm sunshine and light breezes we motored north west. Along the way we saw penguins and large resting groups of the ubiquitous shearwaters with just the occasional Pacific Gull and Black Browed Albatross. There were a few seals floating around and a couple of the Stanley fishing boats were working their lines of octopus pots. I trolled the lures but other than one small couta that was poorly hooked and managed to release itself after a brief tussle the only thing we managed to hook were repeated clumps of seaweed. Mid afternoon the breeze freshened and we were able to sail on to our evening mooring at Coulomb Bay on Three Hummock Island. Duncan served up a wonderful Hungarian Goulash with potatoes dumplings carrots and Russian red cabbage. The bay was temporary home to 14 boats of the VDLC fleet and just before a spectacular sunset a juvenile White Bellied Sea Eagle swept low over the fleet on its evening patrol. Scattered cloud that made the sunset so spectacular also parted briefly to give us a view of Venus our evening star to complete our Day 14.
Day 15 started in the wee small ours of the night with a strong wind change from the south to the north leaving us somewhat exposed in the to the wind chop and the northwesterly swell making our anchorage less comfortable and our sleep patterns somewhat interrupted. We moved shortly after breakfast around to Chimney corner on the south west corner of Three Hummock Island. Duncan Barrie and Tony and myself made the dinghy trip to shore into the small bay. Taking a walk into the hinterland we left the dilapidated old boat house and slip way at the beach to meander along a pathway to one of 3 cottages sheltered below a granite dome .

Agapanthus and Naked Ladies were in bloom along the path. A small group of Cape Barren Geese gave scant regard to our presence on the closely cropped “Paddy melon” lawn around the cottage.
Parks signage to the nearby Granite Hill 1.5 km away led us along a sheltered swale behind the dunes before emerging for a short steepish climb to our viewing place. Forester Grey Kangaroos shared the grazing with quite a large number of the native geese and discarded tail plumes of peacocks was evidence of their presence as was their raucous distinctive calls but no birds were seen. We also saw scats and tracks of wombats and heard the mournful Bronzewing Pidgeon without sighting any individuals. After the island being a grazing lease for most the the latter part of 20th century it is clear the wildlife is thriving. When we returned to the dinghy the march flies had moved in and looking for an escape from these pests I chose to swim back to the boat . I found the water beautifully clear and only slightly bracing and thoroughly enjoyed the impromptu dip without the wetsuit. Duncan served us a hearty soup for lunch before we sailed off to the south with the freshening northeaster pushing us along at a brisk 7-8 knots. The evening saw us clear the Bird Island Passage to the south of Hunter Island and lay a course to clear west cape with plenty of daylight to spare and under good conditions our chef Duncan served up a marvellous Tuna Rissotto to fortify us for the challenge of the night sail to Macquarie Harbour. Taking turns at the helm was fine whilst the stars were out and the moon was up but I for one struggled to steer a course in the black of night in a confused sea with the wind shifting at our backs. Our skipper Barrie and Duncan the chef took the helm mostly from about midnight til dawn.
Day 16 I was privileged to have the helm for our landfall at Cape Sorrell and the transit through Hells Gates to the broad channel of Macquarie Harbour. Hells Gates is a narrow and difficult waterway and with several knots of run out current it is challenging enough in a powered craft but I tip my hat to the sailors of yesteryear who navigated through here under sail only. Once into the harbour proper and away from the channel markers it was here the auto pilot took over and we relaxed with some hot beverages and a soup for lunch. We arrived in Strahan at about 1.00 pm in the light rain and leaden skies but shortly after the sky cleared and we were bathed in warm sunshine for our afternoon cleanup of bodies and boats followed by a refreshing cafe coffee. Duncan restocked some stores and after eliminating our rubbish detail we were able to relax for the afternoon and let the skipper catch up on a a little lost sleep. Several of the crews met at the pub for a counter meal after drinks aboard the “Crispian” . Sadly the meal was not up to the high standard of the Stanley pub of a few nights ago but none the less a hearty and wholesome meal. So after our dinner and a few cleansing beverages we all slept the sleep of the innocent. Rising with a warm sunshiny dawn on day 17 some more domestic chores await with laundry duty and a gas refill to be sorted followed by a meeting aboard “Storm Breaker” . The skipper of this Strahan based vessel is a font of information about Macquarie Harbour and the Gordon and Franklin Rivers and has published a couple of detailed maps highlighting some of his findings over the years. Needless to say he managed to sell quite a few of his maps to the assembled fleet.
The afternoon saw Mark B and myself accompanying the Aurora 3 crew on the ABT train from Regatta Point into the rainforest along the King River to the start of the cog railway.
Along the walk to the railway this little chap was making a pig of himself eating the ripe blackberries.

Mark B brought his friend "Bennie" along for the ride on the train but did not count on Bennie getting kidnapped and held for ransom.
King River Rafting spiked our imagination for further adventures as we passed over on the original iron bridge glimpsing the rafts on the river below as we went by.
It was at the quirkily named Dubbil Barril that the No.1 Locomotive(the original restored steam engine) was turned around on a turntable and took us back down the mountain to Strahan again. Coal is no longer used to fire the boiler but rather diesel oil but other than that it is a genuine steam engine experience.
Upon our late return Duncan had once again prepared a culinary delight. This Strahan evening we dined on samosa and chicken curry with coconut and rice.