Forster Tuncurry to Coffs Harbour

20/11/2010
Whilst anchored at Tuncurry opposite the Wallis Lake Fishermans Co-op we had a visit from Nick Robertson of Marine Patrol to say hello and welcome us to Tuncurry. Take the opportunity to look him up and say hello if your in Tuncurry he is new there from Sydney and a a really nice chap. We took the dinghy ride over to the Forster side and less than 50m from the public floating mooring is GJ's for a coffee and enough stores for basic victualling. Lots of people fishing from the bank and boats beautiful clear blue water.

Back on Truansea it was time to go to the mast head and tie the wind indicator back on as a temporary measure until we got to Yamba for a more permanent fix. After setting up the bosun's chair on the spinnaker halyard and giving Lyn a run through on how to winch me to the top and ease me back down again I set off in great faith of her ability. The spinnaker halyard exits the mast about 1.5m from the top and unfortunately I hadn't allowed for me sitting in the bosun's chair and not standing so I was unable to affect any repair. Safely back down on deck I reattached the bosun's chair this time to the main halyard which exits at the mast head. The main halyard is a two to one arrangement which means 120m of line for Lyn to winch in to haul me to the top. A big effort for the lovely Lyn as she is no Arnie. Plenty of rest breaks along the way gave me a chance to have a good look around. Finally at the mast head with a metre of VB cord I was able to secure the recalcitrant instrument and as it turns out a better job than the "Tempo Spars tradesman?" did originally as it has lasted longer in tougher conditions. Lyn took a couple of photos of me up the mast, great bum shots. There was also a growing number of observers on shore taking an interest and photos.

21/11/2010
We departed Tuncurry for Port Macquarie with a forecast of East to South Easterly wind 15-20kts seas to 1m from the North East and swell South East at 1.5-2.0m. A bit ordinary but no concerns. We crossed the Port Macquarie bar at 1730 and picked up a courtesy mooring outside the small Port Marina. We went ashore for a nice long hot shower and picked up some fresh bread at the nearby Woolworths then some lovely fresh fish and chips at Scampi's which we ate back on board.

22/11/2010
Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour an interesting day. The infamous East Australia Current (EAC) delayed our trip considerably. The set was exactly opposed to our heading and the rate was at worst 3.8kts and at best 3.4kts. The rhumb line from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour is 67.5nm we endured a further 38.5nm through the water arriving at Coffs Harbour at 2200 grateful for the full moon and a space on the public wharf to tie alongside. The lovely Lyn had a steak on the BBQ and a scotch in the glass by 2210. I rewarded her with a really good long black from the Marina coffee shop just after she came on deck in the morning, life's little pleasures. Along the way off Crescent Head and Killick Beach we saw thousands of shearwaters heading south just a few metres above the water in a long soaring band about 100m wide. This migration continued for more than 5nm. Nothing fishier than that though I suspect the piscatorial crowd are staying well below the confused surface.